The Sitka Assembly on Tuesday (5-12-26) passed the city’s final operating budget and capital improvement plan for Fiscal Year 2027, which starts on July 1.

Municipal Administrator John Leach said this year is closing in a financially stable position, but notably tighter than recent years. He said the gap between what the city brings in and what it costs to operate has continued to narrow and it’s shaped every decision reflected in the budget. He said while the budget doesn’t resolve every long-term pressure the city is facing, it’s a “clear-eyed response” to where things are right now.

“Sales tax remains our foundation, but we’re watching the tourism season closely, and federal funding uncertainty continues to create planning challenges for all of us,” Leach said. “Fuel costs for me are a particular concern this year, and those hit us on both sides of the ledger. So it raises our own operating costs, while it also potentially dampens visitor activity and sales tax revenue that comes with it.”

To balance its books, the city had to cut about $900,000 from the proposed budget. Those cuts include the purchase of two patrol cars for the police department and a police sergeant position, as well as $250,000 for athletic field sand.

The assembly also approved the enterprise fund budgets on Tuesday, which include another round of rate increases to keep up with maintenance and infrastructure costs. While electrical rates will remain the same to give Sitkans a bit of a break, there will be a 6% increase in water rates, 2% increase in wastewater, 2% in solid waste, and 4% in harbor rates. 

Leach said in a memo that the budgets prioritize maintaining the city’s core services, supporting strategic initiatives, and preserving long-term financial sustainability for Sitka.

The budgets were approved by the assembly on first reading. They will review them for a final reading on May 26.

A health clinic in Sitka closed mid-day today (5-14-26) after a possible measles exposure.

In a post on social media shortly after 2 p.m., the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) announced that the Sitka Medical Center would be closed for the remainder of the day, “out of an abundance of caution due to a potential measles exposure.” 

It said they were contacting patients directly to reschedule appointments, and that they would provide additional updates as more information becomes available.  KCAW reached out to SEARHC and the Alaska Department of Epidemiology for more information on the potential exposure.

According to the release, SEARHC currently plans to reopen the clinic on Friday (5-15-26).

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story, and will be updated.

Sitka’s elementary schools made the Alaska Reads Act work last year. Now they’d like the funding to keep it working – KCAW

In Sitka, the results from the first year of the state education initiative program, Alaska Reads, were extraordinary. But this year is more of a struggle, as the state grant funding to support the program has mostly dried up, and positions once funded by the program have been cut or reassigned.

Students and teachers report a sharp decline in support for non-native English speakers in Ketchikan schools— KRBD

As flat funding continues to impact schools across the state, one demographic in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District may be getting hit especially hard – the large number of students who don’t speak English as their first language. Many current and former school district staff have been raising the alarm about what they say is a severe and concerning decline in resources for these students.

Skagway School credits community, teachers and a unique testing culture for its high test scores – KHNS

Skagway School District contains just one school, a one-story building with students from preschool to twelfth grade. It serves the families of the Southeast Alaska community that’s approximately 20 miles from the Canadian border. For the 13th year in a row, Skagway’s school district had the highest state scores in all assessed areas, according to administrators. KHNS reporter Melinda Munson interviewed school staff to get a better understanding of what makes this rural Alaskan school flourish academically.

In Wrangell, police and educators look to make students safer from school shootings – KSTK

School safety has been top of mind for a lot of school districts in recent years. Even though school shootings happen every year in the Lower 48, gun violence also happens in rural Alaska. And the state knows that – they require mandatory safety drills every month at public schools. KSTK’s Colette Czarnecki talked with Wrangell schools to see how they’re starting to improve keeping kids safe on their remote island.

As Alaska schools close, one Aleutian village bucks the trend – KUCB

While Alaskan schools are closing their doors, one remote Aleutian community is flipping the script.

For the first time in over a decade, children in Nikolski are back in the classroom.

A community’s fight to save Unangam Tunuu on St. Paul Island– KUHB/KUCB

In the remote, Bering Sea island community of St. Paul, educators and community members are working to preserve Unangam Tunuu, the traditional language of the Unangax people. But even as students learn to speak their ancestors’ tongue, the language faces an uncertain future.

In Southeast Alaska, travel for school activities can be a nightmare, but it’s worth it- KFSK

In remote Southeast Alaska, travel for school activities can be a logistical nightmare. But studies show it’s worth it – activities are good for kids academically, physically, and emotionally. Petersburg’s activities director agrees. This fall he spent long days working to bring seven teams to town for a high school volleyball conference.

Career openings at KCAW:

Sarah Hughes News Residency:
Raven Radio’s News Residency is a one-year program for early-career journalists looking to further develop their skills in a supportive, small newsroom environment in Sitka, Alaska, with a proven track record for training the next generation of exceptional audio journalists. View the job description here. For more information about the residency, please visit the Sarah Evangeline Hughes News Residency page here.

How to Apply: Submit a letter of interest, resume, and links to three examples of your best journalistic work to applications@kcaw.org. Please include your first and last name and the position title in the subject line.

Open until February 18, 2026 or when filled.

On December 16^th, KCAW aired special, locally-produced news and public affairs programming as part of “Southeast Celebrates News Day”, a one-day fundraiser for our News Department.  During the day, we raised $19,000.  Thank You to all new and sustaining members!

All who contributed, including sustaining members, were entered into a drawing for 2 roundtrip tickets on Alaska Seaplanes to any of their destinations.  We appreciate Alaska Seaplanes and you for contributing!

“Southeast Celebrates News Day” is a reminder of the vital community service Raven News provides – and it’s a service made possible by YOU.  We aired 5 one hour shows.  In case you missed them or would like to listen again, click on the links below.

“The Public Service of Raven Radio” 

Host:  Becky Meiers

Panelist:  Rich McClear

“Birds, Bears, and Baleens” 

Host:  Jacyn Schmidt

Panelists: Lauren Bell, Louise Brady, and Matt Goff

“The State of Health in The Panhandle” 

Host:  Martha Pearson

Panelists:  Kari Lundgren and Monica Chase

“Our Next Guest:  The Community Calendar” 

Host:  Cara Crain

Panelists:  Megan Pasternak, Andrew Roseman, and Michelle Friedman

“The Future of Fishing” 

Host:  Rob Woolsey

Panelists:  Heather Bauscher, Linda Behnken, and Harvey Kitka

If you contribute by December 31^st, you will be entered to win Alaska Seaplanes tickets.  Make your contribution here or call (907) 747-5877.  Thank You!

The mission of KCAW’s Community Advisory Board is to contribute to a dynamic conversation about what a commitment to community means for KCAW’s programming, partnerships, and presence, both on-air and off. 

KCAW seeks Community Advisory Board members who bring ideas, relationships, passion and follow-through, and are able to envision KCAW as a cultural institution as well as a broadcaster. The time commitment is expected to be one hour a quarter for meetings, plus the time needed to complete CAB-identified projects. The CAB will create a quarterly report to the Raven Radio Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors.

Specific tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Engaging in robust discussion about the role of public radio and how KCAW can best serve all our communities of license, including translator communities.
• Providing feedback on programming, including advising station leadership in setting programming goals and evaluating on-air programs. 
• Helping KCAW to see opportunities for community engagement and voice in alignment with the station’s strategic priorities.
• Auditioning interstitial content (audio pieces under 10 minutes in length) and making recommendations.
• Informing and drafting a ‘show proposal’ process for new programs, identifying underrepresented voices and areas where KCAW can better meet our mission.
• Conducting focus groups and other audience fact-finding/assessment activities, focusing on quantifiable, measurable data collection.

If you’d like to become a member of the CAB, or have any questions, please contact generalmanager@kcaw.org.

Our next CAB meeting will be September 15th, 6-7:30pm at the station (2B Lincoln Street, Sitka) and via Zoom (link here)

CAB members include:

• Jeanne Stolberg
• John Herchenrider
• Noah Galarza
• Columbus Byrd
• Mary Hames
• Taylor White (Board Representative)
• Mariana Robertson (Management Representative)