Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

Assembly plans for new ‘Tourism Task Force’

The Sitka Assembly wants to establish a tourism task force, but they’re still fine-tuning the details. When it met on Tuesday (2-28-23), the assembly discussed creating a committee that would look into the recent surge in tourism and make recommendations, but struggled over the composition of the group.

Recent survey shows Sitka’s ‘enthusiasm’ for trail improvement plans

Sitka’s trail plan is due for an update. Trail works, the local nonprofit which created the original plan twenty years ago, recently surveyed the community for its ideas on new cabins, trails, toilets, and bear-proof trash containers. Over 500 Sitkans responded, generating over 3,000 detailed comments. Trail Works has been crunching the numbers. KCAW’s Katherine Rose spoke with executive director Ben Hughey to learn how the new plan is taking shape.

Rates hikes likely for all city enterprise funds, with wastewater seeing biggest increase

Rates for several of the city’s enterprise funds– electric, water, wastewater and solid waste – will likely go up next year, pending assembly approval. Some will increase at or below inflation, but other funds are encountering unanticipated costs.

Students brew up potential barista careers during DYP week

It’s “Discover Your Potential” week at Blatchley Middle School, and a group of 8th graders is discovering their potential, plus picking up serious job skills, training as baristas at a local coffee bar. KCAW’s Katherine Rose stopped by to see how it’s going, and sent this audio postcard:

Alaska’s gymnastics team scores big at Arctic Winter Games

Alaska’s gymnastics team scored big at the Arctic Games in Alberta, Canada, earlier this month. The four gymnasts from around the state won the top award for the team competition, the Gold Ulu. Then two days later they racked up medals during individual team competition. Sitkan Trisha Bessert coached them to victory.

Assembly approves $4M USDA loan for Green Lake Dam repairs

Sitka is facing another hydro project that’s likely to cost more than expected. The Green Lake Dam is nearing its 40th birthday and in need of major repairs. However, not only has borrowing the money to make those repairs become more expensive, the repairs themselves will only grow more costly the longer the city delays taking action.KCAW’s Katherine Rose reports on how the Sitka Assembly tackled the situation at its regular meeting on Tuesday.

$550K federal grant a first step toward improving street safety in Sitka

City staff hope to make Sitka’s streets safer, with the help of half-a-million dollars in federal grant funding.

A Sitka Grand Jury indicted six people in January

A Sitka Grand Jury indicted six people last month with charges ranging from drug use to felony assault. Read a roundup of the charges here.

Assembly considers proposal to study land for future housing

The City of Sitka is determined to open up more land for housing in the community, but where to put it remains an open question. At a special budget meeting last Thursday (2-2-23), the Sitka Assembly considered a study of three possible tracts of land, only one of which it already owns. And on everyone’s mind was figuring out how to make sure that the effort doesn’t result in yet more unaffordable real estate.