The Ketchikan school board held a special emergency meeting Thursday night to address a newly uncovered, additional deficit of over $4.5 million. The board approved next year’s district budget late last month, but it didn’t account for overspending in this fiscal year. It did include the closure of two schools and over 50 staffing cuts. That’s all in an effort to meet other existing debt — including more than $5 million owed to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Interim Superintendent Sheri Boehlert said if the newly uncovered shortfall isn’t accounted for by the end of this month, the district will immediately start their next fiscal year over 4.5 million dollars in the hole. She said the overstaffing and overspending that has been happening for years has caught up to them. 

“We, to a fault, make it work for kids, and the fault of that is that it’s not working for us anymore,” Boehlert said.

Boehlert also recommends the board work quickly in order to get a budget that is approved by both the state and borough. She said they don’t have the luxury of time to take feedback and input like they did while drafting their budget, and the budget that the board approved is solid in terms of compliance. Cuts will be deep and will likely completely cut programming like library services.

The budget shortfall was pointed out to the district in a letter late last month from the borough. The board then canceled a school board meeting where they were expected to approve about a dozen teacher contracts. In-stead, district staff met with the school board, borough staff, and staff from the state Department of Education and Early Development multiple times to discuss and review district finances.

Assistant Borough Manager Cynna Smith said at the meeting that they aren’t able to cover the shortfall for the district. They’ve done that too many times, she said, and the snowballing debt is financially impacting the borough. They’re still paying off expenses like cleanup from last summer’s diesel spill at the borough-owned Point Higgins Elementary, and it’s left them short on cash.

“The borough stands behind you, and we are obligated to pay your debts. But what’s happened now is the debts are getting so big, it threatens our ability to do that,” Smith said.

If nothing changes, the district is expected to run out of money by the end of the school year. That means the district will likely ask the borough for more money. To do so, the borough would need to dip into a $2 million reserve in its education fund. If the borough assembly agrees to do that, it would also exceed the maximum amount of funding it’s allowed to give to the district. That would trigger a penalty from the state and increase the district’s debt by an additional $8 million. In order for the Borough Assembly to approve to pay above the legal maximum amount allotted, it would require a supermajority vote and proof of extenuating circumstances.

The school board discussed cutting travel for activities or up to 20 staff positions on top of the over 50 cuts already made this year. There was discussion of cutting more staff from Revilla, the district’s only alternative school.

Board member Jordan Tabb said he doesn’t know the best way to proceed, but he has a hard time imagining making 20 more cuts while maintaining safe and functional programming.

“That’s a whole major school in our program, right? We can’t function with those kind of cuts,” Tabb said. “and so I’m, “I’m really concerned to look at and approve a budget that we don’t feel like can educate our children and to do even the most minimal standard, let alone the standard of excellence that we want to set.”

The board directed district staff to go through next year’s budget and make additional revisions.

Going forward, the board directed staff to request an early payment from the state Department of Education and Early Development, as well as more money from the borough. It also wants district staff to discuss extensions for a 3-year debt repayment plan set with the borough, and to look for alternate funding sources. The district office is short-staffed, and Boehlert said the responsibility of fulfilling the board’s requests lies almost entirely on her.

The district’s new superintendent, Kara Four Bear, starts July 1.

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Donned in Xtratuf boots, brown Carhartt overalls and a plaid flannel shirt, Joe Williams greeted a family last week who just stepped off the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship. Williams, also known by his stage name Lasagna Joe, is the emcee of the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show – a campy contest where teams of lumberjacks compete in various chopping games with axes and chainsaws. The rodeo style show in downtown Ketchikan draws in thousands of patrons each year. 

But last week, Lasagna Joe and the rest of the lumberjack crew weren’t downtown. They were 7 miles north in Ward Cove, for the inaugural production at a second, larger venue. It came after cruise ships began docking in Ward Cove in 2021. 

“It’s the one industry in Alaska that we don’t have to extract something to sell out into the world,” said Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show president and owner Rob Scheer. He said tourism stimulates the local economy by generating revenue and creating jobs. 

“It’s not timber, it’s not oil, it’s not gold,” Scheer said. “The only thing we’re selling is memories. We don’t have to cut down a tree for a memory.” 

According to a report from Southeast Conference, tourism was the region’s top sector in 2024. Ward Cove’s two-berth terminal, which sits at the site of Ketchikan’s former pulp mill, will see about 130 cruise ship stops this summer. 

Before it closed in 1997, the pulp mill was the largest employer on the island. It served as the keystone to Ketchikan’s timber industry, and many of the mill’s buildings still stand today. The new Lumberjack Show arena and an axe throwing range are housed inside some of the old structures.

Joe Duca is with Alaska Port Innovations, which is developing part of Ward Cove. He said over the last few years, passengers docking north of town would have to be bused 15 minutes south, leaving them with little time to enjoy downtown Ketchikan. He said the new business developments are not only breathing new life into the old mill, but bringing a taste of downtown Ketchikan to Ward Cove. 

“When I was asked to get involved, [I saw] some of the horrible reviews of the port, because nobody wanted to be there,” Duca said. “And so that was really what spurred a lot of this in developing that area.” 

But it’s not just the Lumberjack Show that’s new in Ward Cove. A stone’s throw from the second venue, on a bluff that overlooks the Tongass Narrows, is Fireside Feast — an outdoor dining experience, with covered canopies and open fire cooking, set to open this summer.

“Here in Alaska, we do beach bonfires all the time. It’s my favorite thing,” said general manager Justin Haggard. He most enjoys the camaraderie and food associated with Alaska bonfires and wanted to offer that experience to people who are only in the state for a short time. 

“We’ve been here developing for the past month or so, like, up here every single day, and we’ll get bald eagles flying over,” Haggard said. “When the whales are through, you’ll be able to see them perfectly from here. It’s just a cool spot, man.” 

Haggard said he’s wanted to develop a culinary experience like this for years, and finally found the right space to do it about a year ago. He said visitors can expect to dine on smoked salmon chowder, wild game and more. There will also be a buffet. 

Haggard and his wife own Alaska Spud in downtown Ketchikan. He said the city is lacking food options and wants to provide an alternative for visitors, especially those whose first taste of the island is in Ward Cove. 

“I feel bad for all of them having to be bused into town when we have this beautiful space here that just needs a little love and development, and we’re in the process of that right now,” Haggard said. “I really want to bring more money to Ward Cove, to this area. I think it’s the beginning of something really, really cool.”

Also in the works at Ward Cove is a zipline adventure park, set to open this summer, and a combination brewery, distillery and winery. 

Travis Robbins is one of the owners of Legends LLC, which operates Uncharted Alaska Distillery and Alaska Legends Cider and Winery, both in downtown Ketchikan. He said once the new bar in Ward Cove opens, it’ll be a year-round venture.

“We looked at it as an opportunity to serve another population of people coming to Ketchikan,” Robbins said. “And also, it gives people another area within Ketchikan to go and hang out outside of the downtown area, which we think is going to be pretty beneficial for even Ketchikan locals.” 

Robbins said the building is already constructed, but they plan to double the size of it. He envisions it to have pool tables and live music events. The brewery is currently waiting on approval of their state liquor license.

Duca, who’s helping to revitalize Ward Cove, said other future developments may include a boardwalk, a jewelry store and lodging. 

Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.

The post Businesses expand north with Ward Cove developments appeared first on KRBD.

Tickets are available for KRBD’s Annual Fourth of July raffle and the prizes this year are CASH MONEY! Support community radio in southern Southeast Alaska with your purchase and enter for a chance to win!

Tickets are $10 each. Only 4,000 tickets will be sold.

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FIRST PRIZE: $5,000

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THIRD PRIZE: $500

Purchase your tickets at the station: KRBD 1101 Copper Ridge Lane, at Parnassus Books & Gifts, or the KPU Telecommunications office.

Call 907-225-9655 to purchase over the phone.

Or purchase online below:

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About a dozen people were holding cedar boughs last Saturday in a driveway on the outskirts of Metlakatla. Seated atop a nearby trailer was a long, white canoe with a red and black formline design painted on the bow. 

David Nelson, whose Native name translates to Strong Voice of the Steersman, grabbed his drum and began singing. As the drumbeats echoed through the subdivision, the mixed-aged crowd circled the canoe. They cleansed and awakened the vessel by brushing the cedar along its sides. 

The song hadn’t been performed in three years, but Nelson said this cloudy day seemed like the right time to revive it. That’s because the newly-blessed canoe hadn’t seen the water since the fall. 

“We believe they’re like a living, breathing thing, so we treat it as such,” Nelson said about the canoe. “We say ‘hello’ to it, and when we put it away, we tell it ‘it was good to be you,’ and we thank it for doing everything. We treat it just like we would a normal, living thing.” 

The ceremony, part of the canoe’s awakening, marked the start of its spring and summertime journey. The 40-foot long Nahaaygm Łagyigyedm, or Spirit of Our Ancestors, has navigated Metlakatla’s waters and traveled to neighboring islands since 2013. It’s one of three that is actively used in the community, and can seat up to 18 people. 

“So the whole reason why we got this canoe was to get our people in Metlakatla out on water,” said Johon Atkinson, president of the nonprofit Liwaayda. He said the organization’s goal is to share Tsimshian culture and bring Metlakatla back to its canoeing roots. 

The first canoes arrived in the village over 130 years ago when William Duncan, an Anglican missionary, moved with over 800 Tsimshian people from the original town site, in British Columbia, to Annette Island. They settled the new Metlakatla, which now is part of the only Native reservation in Alaska. At its founding, canoes were often utilized for traditional purposes, like harvesting native plants. 

And while today’s canoes are often used to educate people about Tsimshian culture, they’re still important to traditional practices. Later this month, the Spirit of Our Ancestors will be used in Metlakatla to harvest seaweed from neighboring islands.

Atkinson said the canoe takes care of the people of Metlakatla, and in turn, the community takes care of the canoe. 

“It’s that feeling of we’re going to be on the ocean, on the highways of our ancestors,” Atkinson said. “That feeling is so comforting. I feel complete when it is canoe season.” 

Minutes after its blessing, the Spirit of Our Ancestors was towed to a boat launch in the heart of town. The group piled into the vessel one at a time while Atkinson dispersed wood paddles. Atkinson sat in the stern and acted as the navigator. 

The ocean was smooth as glass. Baby salmon were swimming near the water’s surface. The canoe cruised past a boat harbor, then maneuvered around the city’s cannery. A few curious sea otters popped their heads out of the ocean to investigate the commotion. Atkinson was singing. 

Within 20 minutes, the crew reached nearby One Tree Island, where they disembarked and explored. Atkinson, who was joined by his son, niece and nephew, hopes fun opportunities like these can help keep Tsimshian traditions alive for the next generation. 

“Having them experience this now is something that many of us adults have not experienced at their age,” Atkinson said. “So the fact that they are here, learning and leading – there’s just no words on how amazing that is.” 

Atkinson said folks from all over the country visit Metlakatla each summer to experience the village’s canoe journeys firsthand. 

Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.

The post Canoe season awakens in Metlakatla appeared first on KRBD.

A Ketchikan port company is suing the old state ferry Malaspina. Alaska Port Innovations has filed a federal complaint against the ferry, alleging that its owner owes over $500,000 in unpaid moorage fees.

The Ward Cove Dock Group purchased the Malaspina from the state in 2022 and it now serves as employee housing and office space in Ward Cove, north of Ketchikan. The company pays to moor the old ferry on property owned by Alaska Port Innovation, which purchased Ketchikan’s former pulp mill at the cove in 2024. The April complaint alleges that the vessel’s moorage fees have not been paid since November 2024, and fees are accruing by over $1,000 each day.

Alaska Port Innovations claims in its complaint that the company is “entitled to arrest the Vessel.” The complaint goes on to say that the company is entitled to “foreclose its lien, and sell the Vessel to satisfy the debt and lien.”

John Binkley is the CEO of Ward Cove Dock Group. In a statement to the U.S. District Court, he claims that the company has paid moorage to another group that once owned the property who “confirmed” that it was still the landlord. Binkley acknowledges a dispute about moorage payments, but says the Malaspina is “critical” to the company’s operations and to “the people who live aboard it.” He states that over 80 of the company’s seasonal workers live aboard the vessel and displacement “would render them immediately homeless and unable to perform their jobs.”

Attorneys representing both Alaska Port Innovations and the Ward Cove Dock Group could not immediately be reached for comment.

There are currently no future hearings scheduled for the case.

Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.

The post Ketchikan port company sues retired state ferry over moorage fee dispute appeared first on KRBD.

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History Moments will be updated online as they air.

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To submit a local photo, send it to photo@krbd.org. You can vote for your favorite Photo of the Day submission by going to our Facebook page and hitting “like!” We announce a new winner each week, and the winner gets a bag of Raven’s Brew coffee (prize must be picked up at the station).

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