Author: Robert Woolsey

The state of Alaska is throwing in an additional $12-hundred dollars to each Permanent Fund dividend check this fall. The governor pushed for the one-time payout as a form of energy relief to offset the high cost of fuel. While many Alaskans will do just that with the money -- pay fuel bills – others will try to leverage this temporary relief into something more permanent. As part of CoastAlaska’s series on how people are adapting to high fuel prices, KCAW’s Robert Woolsey recently met with a couple of Sitka residents who have made large investments in lowering some of their energy costs:Click on "more" to hear other reports in our series.

Republican candidate John McCain’s announcement of Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential pick came as a surprise to just about everyone, including visitors to Sitka, many of whom hadn’t even heard the news until KCAW’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock hit the cruise ship dock to ask people from Outside what they thought of the nomination. Many of them had never heard of the Alaska Governor before.

Governor Sarah Palin’s selection as the GOP vice-presidential candidate came as a surprise to most Alaskans – none more so than John Stein, the former Wasilla mayor who encouraged Palin to run for the local council over a decade ago, and was later unseated by her. KCAW’s Robert Woolsey spoke with Stein about how the future governor and eventual vice-presidential candidate got her start in politics:

Sitka mayor Marko Dapcevich failed to win a single precinct Tuesday night (8-26-08) in his bid to serve as representative for District 2 in the Alaska state house. His opponent, political newcomer Lily Herwald, took every precinct in the district on the democratic ballot, and out-polled republican incumbent Peggy Wilson everywhere but Wrangell.

Sitka voters bucked statewide trends on two of the four ballot propositions, but otherwise were in lockstep with the rest of Alaskans on their preferences for other key races. Local democrats also favored Diane Benson as their candidate for the congressional seat currently held by Don Young.

In Southeast Alaska, fishermen are looking at fuel saving measures to cut costs, or they risk staying tied to the docks. As part of a CoastAlaska series on how people are adjusting to the high cost of energy, KCAW’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock reports on how some Sitka fishermen are coping, and how a new loan program endorsed by the Governor is slated to help:Click on "more" to hear other reports in our series.

Presidential politics have arrived in Sitka. Staff and volunteers for the Obama campaign last week canvassed over 5-hundred homes in the community. Statewide campaign officials were unwilling to announce whether the canvassing effort signaled that Sitka would be the site of the next Obama office in Alaska, but it appears likely that one will open here – a definite first for the town.

Last weekend (8-16-08) The Fort Rosseau Causeway State Historical Park was dedicated in Sitka, becoming the newest state park in the Alaska system in eleven years. As KCAW’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock reports, the park will appeal not only to those interested in Sitka’s trail system, but also in its history dating back to WWII:

Two young boys who capsized a canoe in chilly ocean waters near Angoon last Friday (8-15-08) are doing fine. Injury-prevention specialists credit a pair of loaner lifejackets from the statewide “Kids Don’t Float” program for saving the boys’ lives.

A ballot initiative seeking to make land disposal deals in excess of five hundred thousand dollars at Sawmill Cove Industrial Park subject to voter approval, is still awaiting a decision. Superior Court Judge David George held a full hearing today (8/19/08) and hopefully will make a decision before August 26th. KCAW’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock has this update: