Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

Assembly green lights land lease to Shee Atiká for tourist destination

The Sitka Assembly is moving forward with plans to lease a large parcel of city-owned property to Shee Atiká Incorporated to develop a tourist destination about seven miles from downtown.

Fuel, marijuana tax questions progress at Assembly table

Two proposed ballot questions got a tentative thumbs up from the Sitka Assembly last night: -- an excise tax on motor fuels and sales tax on retail marijuana.As KCAW’s Katherine Rose reports, it’s still undecided whether either tax question will be on October’s ballot

Assembly to consider motor fuel, marijuana taxes for October ballot

Sitkans may consider two new tax proposals in this fall’s municipal election-- a tax on motor fuels, and a marijuana retail tax. When the Sitka Assembly meets on Tuesday night/tonight (6-22-21)-- it will consider the proposals on first reading. If approved, both could end up on the ballot in October.

Free COVID screening is still available in Sitka’s airport, but few travelers are testing

Alaska began offering COVID-19 vaccinations this month to out-of-state travelers at airports, and continues to focus heavily on getting shots in arms of unvaccinated residents. But one state-run program that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention lately has been COVID screening. The tests are still available, they’re still free at most airports in the state. But very few travelers are getting a swab.

Sewage leak prompts emergency repairs for aging Brady Lift Station

An estimated 11,000 gallons of sewage spilled onto the beach and into the Sitka Channel when the aging Brady Lift Station developed a leak in April.

In step with libraries across the country, Sitka Public Library eliminates late fines

When a child receives their first library card, they often learn two things. First--the card is a window to the rest of the world, to endless knowledge and adventure found in the pages of books. The second? If you return those books late, you’ll be charged a fee. That’s no longer the case at the Sitka Public Library.

June 8, 2021: What’s on the agenda when the Sitka Assembly meets tonight?

When the Sitka Assembly meets tonight (6-8-21) it will consider a proposal to change the library users policy, eliminating late fines.

COVID alert level lingers at ‘moderate’ as 3 more Sitkans test positive

Three more people tested positive for the coronavirus last week, keeping Sitka’s COVID alert level at moderate.

Sitka vigil a chance to mourn, reflect on history of residential schools

Communities across the United States where residential schools were once located are reckoning with their own history this week, following the discovery of a mass burial site at a former residential school for Indigenous children in Canada. At 7 p.m. on Sunday (6-6-21), Sitkans will gather for a candlelight vigil to remember the 215 children and acknowledge local history on the Sheldon Jackson campus.

As parents return to work, childcare providers want a more sustainable model

Sitka’s childcare system was already in crisis, long before the pandemic hit and radically shifted everything. Now, as Alaska’s vaccination rates improve and more parents go back to work, they may not have a place to send their children.