Robert Woolsey, KCAW, Author at KCAW

Reifenstuhl: Regional hatcheries return investment seven-fold

Commercial fisheries have never been more important to Southeast Alaska, and the region’s hatchery programs are a critical part of that success. That was the message Steve Reifenstuhl delivered to the Sitka Chamber of Commerce this week (Wed 2-5-14). Reifenstuhl is the general manager of the Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association based in Sitka. NSRAA is one of two regional nonprofit hatchery programs in the panhandle, and one of the most successful in the state.

Walk the taco

It's one thing to study an international crisis in high school, and another thing to do something about it. Pacific High School students Tatyanna Isaacs and Jenny Jeter learned about high rates of maternal mortality in Somaliland in Hillary Seeland's Global Issues class. The pair independently organized and held an Indian Taco sale last fall (that's taco fixings served on classic Southeast Alaskan fry bread) and raised over $500.

Switch to Common Core Math delayed until next fall

The Sitka School District’s transition to the new Common Core Math curriculum has fallen behind schedule. Despite an intensive planning schedule in all buildings, program facilitator Lyle Sparrowgrove told the school board Tuesday night (2-4-14) that students won’t see new classroom materials until next fall.

Students voice concerns over policy issues, activity fees

Common Core math was also on the agenda in a joint meeting between the school board and the student government of Sitka High School. But it was trumped by other issues raised by the high school students -- the high cost of student travel and activities, especially.

School board urges state to extend investment in local foods

In other business Tuesday night (2-4-14), the Sitka School Board put its weight behind an effort to increase funding for locally-sourced food in schools across the state. In a resolution to the legislature, the board cited the success of Sitka’s Fish to Schools program as justification for extending a similar statewide program beyond one year. Nutritional Alaska Food for Schools was introduced by Anchorage Republican Bill Stoltze in 2012, and piloted last year.

“Mass wasting” event destroys popular Sitka trail

Mass wasting is not unusual in the Tongass – every so often large swaths of relatively young and exposed forest are toppled by high winds and slides. But the mass wasting that destroyed the Beaver Lake Trail on November 12 (along with causing heavy damage in Sitka's harbors) occurred in old growth, and two hikers were there to see it go.

Author’s Christmas ‘Bight’ featured in Pacific Fishing

A Sitka author who penned a fishy parody of “The Night Before Christmas” nine years ago has discovered that even quick work can have long literary legs.