KCAW Staff, Author at KCAW

Blue Lake powers Sitka, while Green Lake awaits repair

While the Green Lake power station remains closed, all of Sitka’s energy needs are being met by the Blue Lake Dam. Utility Director Bryan Bertacchi updated the Sitka Assembly on the town’s power situation during its regular meeting this week (10-25-16). The Green Lake plant was shut down on October 17th, when an intake gate failed during a routine inspection.

STA Candidate Statement: Bob Sam

Bob Sam is one of five candidates running for four seats on tribal council, along with Wilbur G. Brown, Michael Miller, Nancy Douglas, and Wilfred S. Hanbury. Sam will be listed on the ballot as Robert Calvin Sam.

Alaska Day Dilemma: celebrating history without colonialism

Planning for the holiday started months ago, but a holiday centered around colonialism has some people rethinking one of Sitka’s longest standing traditions. Downloadable audio.

UPDATE: Governor includes SE pink fishermen in disaster request

A pair of Southeast legislators is asking the governor to include Southeast fishermen in Alaska’s request for federal disaster relief under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

October 25, 2016: What’s happening at tonight’s Assembly meeting?

When the Sitka Assembly meets tonight (10-25-16), they’ll focus mostly on funding decisions: what to save, what to spend, and how. That includes a transfer to the Public Infrastructure Sinking Fund, which pays for city roads and sidewalks, and expenses related to the August 2015 landslide.

Poet considers the ‘wildness that presses in on us’

Ohio-based poet Nikki Zielinski is the artist-in-residence at the Island Institute this October-November. She originally planned to work on poetry revisions while here, but she's been surprised by the beauty of Sitka, the bears wandering our streets, and the way "wildness presses in" on civilization here. Zielinski will host a workshop/reading 6:30 PM November 2 at the Island Institute. Downloadable audio.

ALFA’s expo this week to cover software, energy, pot gear

ALFA's Linda Behnken and Dan Falvey update listeners on two software workshops on bathymetric charting software with Nobletec, at the Sitka Sound Science Center on October 24 & 25. In addition, ALFA is sponsoring energy audits on fishing boats with a licensed marine engineer throughout the week. A workshop this Saturday, Oct 29, at noon in the Westmark Sitka will present data and ideas for efficiency discovered in the audits. And finally, there will be a series of workshops for longliners considering switching to pot gear, beginning at 10 AM on Friday Oct 28 and Saturday Oct 29 and running throughout the day. For complete information visit the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association online.Downloadable audio.

Health Summit awards $2000 to community garden, food non-profit

The Sitka Health Summit held it’s 10th annual Planning Day on Friday (10-21-16). The crowd of 75 gathered at University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) to brainstorm wellness initiatives and through a blind vote, chose two projects with direct ties to food.

Three bears shot and killed in Sitka neighborhood

Wildlife troopers shot and killed a brown bear sow and her two cubs in a Sitka neighborhood late this week (10/20/16). While it’s not the first report of an aggressive bear near downtown, the three were the first animals destroyed this year for public safety. Downloadable audio.