Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

Mt. Edgecumbe student tests positive, close contacts test negative

A Mt. Edgecumbe High School student tested positive for the coronavirus last week, prompting a quarantine of close contacts -- all of whom should be cleared to travel by the holidays.

Contested election delays swearing in of Tribal Council members

Although the Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tribal Council Election was held nearly a month ago, the election results have not been certified, and the newly elected council members have yet to be sworn in. The reason for the delay has not been publicly disclosed.

As CARES Act deadline draws near, city delivers second wave of business and nonprofit grants

When the Sitka Assembly met on Tuesday (12-08-20), City Administrator John Leach said the city was working quickly to spend the remainder of the $14 million dollars in CARES funding that the city received earlier this year.

Sitka reports 5 new coronavirus cases over weekend

Sitka health officials reported five coronavirus cases over the weekend.

Alaska expected to receive around 34,000 vaccine doses in the next two weeks

Alaska is expected to receive its first supply of coronavirus vaccinations, around 34,000 doses, sometime within the next two weeks. That’s according to SEARHC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elliot Bruhl, who shared an update at the Sitka Unified Command meeting on Wednesday (12-1-20).

Assembly takes first step toward selling hospital building

The Sitka Assembly is prepared to turn over the former community hospital building to the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, but whether that’s an outright sale hasn’t been decided.

High winds cause power outage out Halibut Point Road

High winds caused at least one power outage in Sitka today (12-1-20).

Alaska Orthodox archbishop David Mahaffey dies at 68

The Archbishop of the Orthodox Dioceses of Alaska, David Mahaffey died last week. KCAW News spoke with Mahaffey on the eve of his consecration six years ago, about how he came to Orthodoxy and how he found himself in the Bishop’s seat.

At Sitka Unified Command meeting, official says expect widespread vaccine availability in spring 2021

Although a vaccine for the coronavirus could be ready sometime in December, it could be several months before it’s available to the general public in Sitka and surrounding communities.

Assembly votes down proposed COVID-19 restrictions, enforcement

Despite an upward trend in COVID-19 in the community, Sitka will continue to have no enforceable coronavirus measures. When the Sitka Assembly met on Tuesday (11-24-20), it failed to muster the supermajority of votes needed to pass an emergency ordinance that would have limited restaurant capacity and prohibited large group gatherings.