Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

Assembly greenlights $25,000 to support trollers’ legal fight

The Sitka Assembly is moving forward with plans to donate $25,000 to the Alaska Trollers Association (ATA), to support the organization’s ongoing legal fight against a Washington environmental group that hopes to shut down commercial fishing for king salmon in Southeast Alaska. And other organizations and locals are piling on, in anticipation of a lengthy – and costly – appeals process.

Sitka Superior Court Judge Jude Pate appointed to Alaska Supreme Court

Sitka Superior Court Judge Jude Pate has been appointed to the Alaska Supreme Court. Governor Mike Dunleavy announced Pate’s appointment on Friday afternoon (1-20-23).

Flipping Out: Sitkan to coach Alaska’s gymnastics team at Arctic Winter Games

Later this month, over 2,100 athletes, coaches and staff will gather for the Arctic Winter Games. The international sports competition for northern athletes happens every other year, with Alaskans representing the United States. As KCAW’s Katherine Rose reports, a Sitkan will coach this year’s gymnastics team.

Industrial Park board discusses design specs for new haulout facility

Are we gonna need a bigger pier? That was one question presented to the Gary Paxton Industrial Park board of directors last week (1-12-23), as it discussed how to get Sitka’s highly anticipated marine haulout project off the ground.

Assembly rejects bus fee increase, approves other changes to new Harrigan Centennial Hall rules

The Sitka Assembly on Tuesday (1-10-23) continued to make changes to the rules for tour vendors and commercial vehicles at Harrigan Centennial Hall. It voted to eliminate permit fees for taxis, if they’re electric – among other updates.

UPDATE: Missing teen found safe late Thursday

Sitka Police and Alaska State Troopers are looking for a Sitka teenager who has been missing since Wednesday night (1-11-23).

Sitka Assembly considers funding for trollers’ ongoing legal battle

Trollers turned out at the Sitka Assembly meeting last night (1-10-23) to voice concerns about a court case that could shut down commercial salmon trolling in Southeast Alaska. The lawsuit is about Washington killer whales and Alaskan king salmon. Fishermen and representatives from the Alaska Trollers Association (ATA) asked the local assembly to consider contributing $25,000 to their legal defense fund.

January 10, 2023: What’s on the agenda at the Sitka Assembly meeting?

Fishermen fighting a court case that threatens to shut down commercial salmon trolling in Southeast Alaska are asking for help from the Sitka Assembly. When the assembly meets tonight (1-10-23), it will consider whether to donate $25,000 to the Alaska Trollers Association legal defense fund. The ATA is a defendant and intervener in a lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) brought by the Wild Fish Conservancy in the spring of 2020.

Sitka Police Department looks to fill nearly a dozen vacant positions

Staff are in short-supply at the Sitka Police Department, and few have applied for a number of vacant positions. Right now, there are close to a dozen vacancies.

On split vote, bus permit fee hike advances at assembly table

When the Sitka Assembly met on Tuesday (12-27-22), it approved several updates to rules concerning commercial vendor and vehicle permitting at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Some, like additional incentives for electric vehicles, passed smoothly, while others, like increasing the permit rate for large buses, will need more votes in order to pass on second reading.