Katherine Rose, Author at KCAW

As berms grow higher, Sitka students score second snow day

For the second day in a row, the Sitka School District is closing for a snow day, Friday (1/10/20). Superintendent Mary Wegner said even though she was eager to open the classrooms after an extended winter break, road conditions were still too poor to be safe for students.

School district seeks input with ‘Leave Your Print’ challenge

Superintendent Mary Wegner and STEPS Coordinator Kari Sagel joined KCAW's Erin Fulton to discuss a new Sitka School District initiative. The "Leave Your Print" Challenge asks community members to give feedback about the school district. Listen here:

Coast Guard suspends search for missing kayaker

The Coast Guard suspended its search Monday for a Sitka man whose empty kayak was discovered overturned the day before in Sitka’s Eastern Channel.

Search underway for missing kayaker near Sitka

The US Coast Guard and Sitka Mountain Rescue have been combing the shoreline and islands of Sitka Sound looking for 36-year old Kale Pastel, who was reported missing on Sunday morning (1-5-19).

Small quake gets Sitka’s new year off to a shaky start

Not all the noise in Sitka on New Year’s Day was fireworks. An earthquake rattled doors and windows of many homes in the community on the evening of January 1. And although the magnitude 3 temblor was small, it was close by, underneath Sitka’s iconic -- and dormant -- Mt. Edgecumbe volcano.

20 Sitka nonprofits accepting support through ‘Pick. Click. Give.’

Come January 1, those filing for a 2020 Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, have the option to donate to local nonprofits through "Pick.Click.Give."

Assembly looks for more public input on haulout, land swap

The Sitka Assembly is testing the waters on a proposal a local business made to build the city a marine haulout in exchange for 17 acres of city-owned land, valued at around $2 million dollars.

City boosts tour bus subsidy, puts contract out to bid

Sitka’s privately owned cruise ship dock, Halibut Point Marine, is six miles out of town, so if passengers want to come downtown, there are shuttle buses. And for the past six years, the city has subsidized those shuttle trips using cruise passenger fee revenue.

State sets herring harvest level for 2020

State managers intend to double the commercial harvest level for the Sitka Sound sac roe fishery. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, today (12/23/19), announced the target for the 2020 season would be just over 25,000 tons.

Assembly begins FY21 budget talks

Thursday’s meeting was meant to be a 30,000-foot view of the 2021 budget- this early in the game there are still many unknowns. Nevertheless, the Sitka School District remains the biggest expense on the city balance sheet, just ahead of public safety.