Southeast News

School budget committee to wrap up tonight

The Juneau School District budget committee will forward its budget recommendations to the school board Tuesday night. more

SEARHC faces $4M loss from 2011, CEO says

Difficult changes are on the way, says new SEARHC Chief Executive Charles Clement. But he also says he's "incredibly optimistic" about the long-term future of the nonprofit healthcare organization, which employs nearly 1,000 people in Southeast Alaska. Continue

Wood-pellet heat systems pitched to lawmakers

Backers of biomass energy pitched wood-pellet heat as a money-saver during a legislative hearing today (Feb. 22nd). Alaska Energy Authority staff and others talked to the House Committee on Economic Development about the Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan. more

State plans to extend DoL lease despite health concerns

The state is negotiating a new lease for the Department of Labor building in Juneau, even as employees who work there continue to suffer ill health effects. more

Austerman open to changes to ACMP bill

HB 325 is nearly identical to a citizen’s initiative on track for a statewide vote later this year. But House Majority Leader Alan Austerman - the bill's primary sponsor - says he's open to changes. Lawmakers can preempt the ballot measure by adopting substantially similar legislation. more

Parnell signs bill changing disclosure rules into law

Governor Sean Parnell has signed a bill easing the state’s requirement for certain political candidates to file electronic disclosure information electronically. more

Coastal management bill introduced in state House

House Bill 325 closely mirrors a citizen’s initiative that’s on track for a statewide vote later this year. Lawmakers can pre-empt the measure by passing substantially similar legislation. more

Geologists find more volcanoes, lava, in Southeast

If you’ve spent any time in Sitka, you’ve probably seen Mount Edgecumbe. It’s one of Southeast Alaska’s most-viewed volcanoes, rising 3,000 feet from the ocean, only 10 miles from the former Russian capital. It last erupted about 4,500 years ago, which is recent in the world of geology. But other volcanic sites in the region have seen more recent action. more

Leone’s attorney takes issue with admiral’s radio comments

Lt. Lance Leone’s attorney says comments Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo made on a Juneau radio station compromise his ability to be fair in the Coast Guard's case against his client. Ostebo appeared on KJNO’s Action Line program on Feb. 10. Continue

Egan’s retirement choice bill on the move

The Senate State Affairs Committee has advanced a bill giving Alaska’s public employees a choice of retirement systems, despite objections from the Parnell administration. more

Alaska’s First Lady dishes up ice cream for campaign against domestic violence

Alaska First Lady Sandy Parnell dished up ice cream sundaes for Petersburg High School Wednesday. It was a lighthearted event that was meant to promote a very serious endeavor in… more

ANB, ANS lead Peratrovich Day parade

Members of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood celebrated Elizabeth Peratrovich Day Thursday with a parade down main street in Petersburg. Native elders from Petersburg and elsewhere in… more

Newly-formed company applies for hydro permit

A newly-formed company has applied for a federal permit to study a controversial hydro power project in Thomas Bay near Petersburg. That follows the denial last month for another company… more

Languishing school meals bill prompts hunger strike

Kokayi Nosakhere says House Finance Committee members are playing politics with school meals bill. more

Former Grand Camp president marks Peratrovich Day

February 16th is Elizabeth Peratrovich Day in Alaska, commemorating the life of the civil rights leader, born in Petersburg. Peratrovich and her husband Roy lobbied the Territorial Legislature for the… more

Legislature passes bill changing electronic reporting rule

Alaska lawmakers have passed a bill exempting political candidates who don’t have a computer or Internet access at home from the state’s electronic campaign disclosure requirement. more

Legislative committee hears opposition to energy plan

A draft plan for Southeast’s energy future is running into opposition from businesses and Southeast community leaders. Residents and business representatives told the House Energy Committee last week that the… more

New deer hunt reports due

Southeast Alaska deer hunters have to file deer harvest reports in less than a week. It’s a new state requirement aimed at getting a better estimate of hunter effort… more

Seiners could vote on permit buyback this year

Southeast Alaska salmon seiners could vote on a reduction to the fleet this year. The federal government is reviewing a proposed buyback program that could remove 64 permits from the… more

Imaging, mapping project complete for Southeast

Thousands of miles of low-level aerial photos from Southeast Alaska’s coastline are now available to the public. The government-sponsored ShoreZone project is complete for the Panhandle. It was originally developed… more

Agency says “no” to separate police union

Petersburg’s police officers and dispatchers have lost a bid to form their own union and negotiate their own employment contract. The Alaska Labor Relations Agency late last month denied… more

Arctic Slope corp. buys Sitka’s McGraw construction firm

A regional Native corporation from Barrow is making inroads into Southeast Alaska. The Arctic Slope Regional Corporation purchased the business of McGraw Custom Construction, which has been in Sitka for 30 years. Continue

Flexible wintertime start remains for crab fisheries

Two Southeast commercial crab fisheries that start up later this month will keep a flexible start date in future years. The state’s Board of Fish last month voted down proposals… more

Grant to help develop sustainable businesses in rural Southeast

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation awarded $225,000 to the Anchorage-based Alaska Conservation Foundation. But the money will be spent in Sitka, Kake, Hoonah, Hydaburg and Wrangell. Continue

State takes control of Sheldon Jackson College archives

Under a deal signed Tuesday, the state’s Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums will take control of thousands of pieces of material once belonging to Sheldon Jackson College – everything from historic documents to a mammoth tusk presented to the college as a gift. Continue

Bruce Horton, Sitka magistrate, dies at 62

Horton died Friday after falling through the ceiling of his home while working in the attic. Horton was hired as Sitka’s magistrate in 1990, and was remembered by colleagues and friends for his talented legal mind and his devotion to family. Continue

Sitka guardsman talks about Cordova experience

Life is slowly returning to normal in the community of Cordova after more than 18 feet of snowfall brought the town to a standstill earlier this month. The Alaska National Guard was activated to help the town dig out. One of its members, 24-year-old Pfc. Charles Rusk, is from Sitka. Continue

Sitka-based fishing reality show pulled from air

The TLC network first aired “Hook, Line and Sisters” on Dec. 29. The show follows the Anderson family as they participate in Alaska fisheries aboard their vessel the Memry Anne. Much of it was filmed during last year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. Continue

Stedman: Oil taxes, election year politics could show up in session

As the Alaska Legislature prepares to gavel into session on Jan. 17, KCAW and other CoastAlaska public radio stations are conducting interviews with local lawmakers about their priorities and goals. KCAW spoke with state Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka. Continue

USCG investigator recommends dropping charges against Leone

An investigating officer has recommended dropping the charges against the sole survivor of a 2010 Coast Guard helicopter crash that killed three crewmen from Air Station Sitka. Continue