The Ketchikan Theatre Ballet is moving locations after nearly 40 years in their downtown building. The nonprofit dance school will be moving its classes to the former Holy Name Catholic School by next year. 

They’re outgrowing the aging building. That’s why Ketchikan Theatre Ballet director Claire Stickwan believes the move is a good thing. 

“It’s so necessary. I don’t think people realize how long we’ve been patching things up here to make this space work for what we need to,” Stickwan said. “The building’s just very old, and there’s just a lot that needs to be renewed, but the space wasn’t perfect to begin with.”

Stickwan said the current building needs costly repairs. It has heating and ventilation issues, deteriorating floors and low ceilings. The downtown location makes parking difficult during the busy summer months.

Holy Name Catholic School, around a mile and half from downtown, permanently shut their doors this summer. Stickwan said the space already has the general facilities they need because the building was constructed to be a school. But the work will need to happen fast. Between now and the end of the year, they need to install mirrors, ballet barres and dance floors. Still, the project is expected to cost less than repairing the current building — and last longer than patchwork fixes.

“With a combination of some of the things that need to be done on this building and that building opening up, and our lease expiring, it kind of fell into place,” Stickwan said. “So, from my perspective, it’s a little bit of a risk to move, but it’s also a little bit of a risk to stay.”

Stickwan said the move is bittersweet. All of the current Ketchikan Theatre Ballet staff were once students there.  

But Stickwan says the dance school is growing, and they need the room to do it. 

“Even this year as I was building the class schedule, it’s almost like there’s not enough hours in the day because we have more classes and more kids that are interested.”

The new building will give the nonprofit more space — they won’t have to pay for a storage unit and they’ll even be able to add an additional studio. 

Ketchikan Theatre Ballet’s next performance is The Nutcracker on Dec. 4, 5 and 6 in the Kayhi auditorium. Stickwan said they plan to finalize the move after that wraps and will be open in their new location in January. 

The post Ketchikan Theatre Ballet to move out of longtime downtown facility by end of year appeared first on KRBD.

The City of Ketchikan has been awarded a $3 million grant to improve emergency public safety communications on Revillagigedo Island. The congressional funding was secured by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski in 2024.

The intent of the funding is to evaluate the island’s existing communication system and identify coverage gaps. According to a letter from the Ketchikan Fire Department, the area’s geography, terrain, remote locations and weather “create significant obstacles to maintaining reliable radio communications throughout the island.” The island’s emergency radio equipment is also outdated. 

Fire Chief Rick Hines says each fire department in Ketchikan has their own individual radio setup, and they don’t always communicate well with each other.  

“My goal is just that when the firefighters on the island need to communicate with dispatch or each other on a fire, that they’re able to do so clearly and seamlessly, which are issues that we currently have,” he said.  

Hines said that they’ll work with the island’s fire and police departments to identify strengths and weaknesses in the communications system. Once those are determined, the city will evaluate recommendations for system improvements. That may include upgrading existing radio infrastructure or enhancing its reliability. 

The $3 million grant may not fully cover the cost of assessing or improving the island’s emergency communication network. But in the long run, Hines said the grant could potentially allow the fire department to communicate directly with police or other city agencies. 

“It’ll be a great improvement, and it’ll be big for our safety, just the safety of our members,” Hines said.

The fire department applied for the congressional grant two years ago. The Ketchikan City Council is expected to accept the grant at Thursday night’s meeting.

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.

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Voters across Southeast Alaska showed up to the polls yesterday, voting for House and Senate candidates in several competitive races, as well as two ballot measures. 

Around 4,700 people in House District 1 cast their ballot this election, compared to nearly 8,700 in 2024.  

Voters chose to reelect incumbent Republican Jeremy Bynum to represent them in the state’s House of Representatives. Unofficial results show Bynum received 61% of the vote. 

There are 10 precincts spanning across House District 1, which covers Ketchikan, Wrangell, Metlakatla, Whale Pass and Coffman Cove. 

John Pearson, chair of the Ketchikan #2 precinct, said he woke up on Tuesday at 4 a.m. to start helping out at the Plaza. 

“Boy howdy it’s been busy,” Pearson said. “And that’s good, we like to see people voting. And we have less precincts than we had in the past. There’s only three city precincts now. At one time, we had eight.”

Jason Mitchell voted at Ketchikan’s Gateway Recreation Center. He says he’s a regular voter. This year, he said he found Ballot Measure 2 especially important, which asked Alaskans if they wanted to eliminate ranked choice voting and remove some “dark money” disclosure requirements for political contributions.

“I like ranked choice and keeping campaign finance laws,” Mitchell said. “I think we need more of them, not less of them.”

51% of voters in the district voted yes to that ballot measure to repeal ranked choice voting. But as of Wednesday afternoon, just over 50 percent of voters statewide chose to keep the status quo. 

Nearly 75% of voters chose to approve Ballot Measure 3, which specifies that “only” U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in elections in the state. It has no functional impact and is nothing more than a language clarification. 

The majority of voters — 51% — in District 1 voted for Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan in the U.S. Senate race against Mary Peltola, who received 43% of the district’s vote. That race has not yet been called. 

In the U.S. House race, 55.96% of District 1 voters had incumbent Republican Nick Begich as their first choice. Independent challenger Bill Hill received around 1,500 votes, or just under 33%.

Nearly 400 people in the district voted for Democrat Eric Hafner, who is currently serving time in federal prison.

For Governor, nearly 48% of district votes went to Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and running mate Zac Johnson. That’s around 2,200 votes, compared to 1,200 cast for Bernadette Wilson and running mate Mike Shower. 

Voters also reelected Superior Court judges Katherine Lybrand and Daniel Doty of Ketchikan.

KRBD’s Hunter Morrison contributed reporting.

The post Here’s how Southern Southeast Alaskans voted in Tuesday’s election appeared first on KRBD.

Southern Southeast Alaskans chose to reelect their state representative in Tuesday’s general election.

According to unofficial election results, incumbent Republican Jeremy Bynum won the State House District 1 seat, beating out challenger Grant Echohawk by 1,022 votes with all precincts reporting. District 1 includes Ketchikan, Wrangell, Metlakatla, Whale Pass and Coffman Cove.

Bynum originally took office in January of 2025 and has served on the House Finance Committee. On a call with KRBD Tuesday night, he said he’s looking forward to continuing the work he’s started.

“We know that we still have some tremendous challenges throughout the state, everything from education to infrastructure,” Bynum said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the challenge of how do we build our state and get people successful in our communities.”

Bynum received 2,800 votes, or 61%. Voter turnout in the district was around 30%. He’s slated to serve another 2-year term.

Incumbent District A Senator Republican Bert Stedman ran unopposed. Official election results are expected to be finalized statewide in the next two weeks.

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The state’s mainline ferry Columbia is delayed in Ketchikan due to a port main engine failure. Around 70 passengers were traveling northbound when it broke down yesterday. 

Alaska Marine Highway System spokesperson Gabe Strong estimates the ferry will be back on track this Sunday. The Columbia is 52 years old and runs routes through Southeast’s Inside Passage. Strong said with how consistently it’s running, incidents like this are to be expected.  

“The Columbia… went in in June or something, and since then it’s been just going up and down from Skagway in the north to Bellingham in the south,” Strong said. “That’s a long run, and it’s just continuously doing it over and over and over again.”

Strong said in the meantime, ferry passengers can make travel arrangements with the terminal to fly home and pick up their vehicles whenever the ferry arrives. Many passengers are choosing to stay on board. 

The crew is offering free food and even shuttled a handful of passengers to Ketchikan’s Gateway Recreation Center so they could vote in the general election. 

The Columbia is one of the oldest vessels in the fleet. Strong said the long-term plan is to replace the old ferries to prevent incidents like this, but each ferry costs hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Leaders of the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center gave community members hospital updates at their annual town hall late last month.

PeaceHealth executives shared multiple improvements made in the last year. The hospital was recently awarded money through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. Most of that money — nearly $7 million — is funding robotic assisted surgeries in urology, gastroenterology, gynecology and general surgery. The purpose is to minimize the invasiveness of surgeries such as hysterectomies and cystectomies. An additional $200,000 is going towards improving maternal, fetal and neonatal care surveillance technologies.

Ketchikan has seen a healthy portion of the Rural Health Transformation Program funding going towards multiple local nonprofits. House District 1 Rep. Jeremy Bynum spoke at public comment, asking hospital executives to be innovative with the money to best serve the community.

“We did pretty good, but I’m here to encourage you,” Bynum said. “I’m here to encourage you to be creative, and let’s not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass us by.”

Bynum is running for reelection in Tuesday’s general election. He also commented on the importance of hospital staff retention, which executives say is one of their top priorities for the upcoming year. Chief Medical Officer Jamie Park outlined four guiding focuses going forward: community angst, internal and external communication, staffing and staff morale.

A few staff members spoke with concerns about staff morale and retention. Wages are low, they said, and many departments are stretched thin. That can have an impact on patients.

Caitlin Brady is the president of Ketchikan Registered Nurses, the local nurse’s union, which is currently in active negotiations with the hospital. She said she hopes they reach an agreement that can better support staff and the community.

“We’re seeing an increase in the number of psychiatric patients in the hospital. Those patients are staying longer because there’s nowhere for them to go,” Brady said. “They’re being boarded in the [emergency room] because there are no inpatient rooms available, and this situation is increasingly putting hospital staff at risk of violent behavior from patients. These challenges are happening while nurses are being asked to do more with less.”

Brady said starting wages at the Ketchikan Medical Center are lower than they are at PeaceHealth locations in the Lower 48. She said there may be a nationwide shortage of healthcare workers, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

“The truth is, there’s a shortage of workers willing to work under current conditions, and that distinction matters because nurses want to work, we want to care for our patients, we want to live in Ketchikan, we want to raise our families here and be part of this community,” she said.

Most of the public comment was positive, thanking caregivers for their work and the administration for hosting the forum. This was the fifth annual Community Health Board town hall and was held at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. PeaceHealth administration encourages community members to make comments at any time online.

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The Klawock City School District announced today they are releasing their Superintendent from her contract, effective Oct. 31. Rebecca Stallworth had been in the position for around six months, and served as superintendent for less than three months of the school year. 

The Klawock City School District has one school and serves around 130 students from early childhood to 12th grade. The principal of the school, Chase Cantrell, is stepping in as a temporary superintendent while they work to find someone to fill the role for the rest of the school year. The school board is also looking for a Superintendent for the 2027-2028 school year. 

The district did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

This is a developing story and KRBD anticipates further coverage.

The post Klawock superintendent released from position appeared first on KRBD.

A Prince of Wales Island health nonprofit was recently awarded about $275,000 to help develop a mobile health program. That’s a model of care that brings health services, like in-person checkups and disease monitoring, directly to patients. 

The grant funding is part of about $250 million distributed to projects across Alaska through the Rural Health Transformation Program. That’s a federal initiative formed last year that looks to strengthen rural health systems around the country. The program has funded roughly 250 projects in Alaska this year. 

Sandy Curtis is board president of the Prince of Wales Health Network, the nonprofit looking to develop the mobile integrated health initiative. She said the funding will help them research health needs on the island through outreach and partnerships. 

“So at this point, what we are doing is we are just looking to see if this is something that’s even feasible for our island,” Curtis said. “We’re pretty sure it is; otherwise, we wouldn’t have pursued the funding.”

Although they’re still fleshing out how the program will look, Curtis said it could be island-wide. But she said the organization is taking its time to develop the initiative so that it’s implemented in a way that makes sense for each rural community. That will include surveys.

They’re also working closely with Ketchikan’s mobile integrated health program to better understand that model of care. 

“We’re really excited about this opportunity, and we really feel like if we can make this work over here, this is going to really be transformational for Prince of Wales Island, as far as the future of healthcare on this island,” Curtis said.  

Other Alaska communities, like Juneau and Anchorage, have formed their own mobile integrated health programs. The model of care can help reduce strain on limited hospital resources and drive down healthcare costs. 

A number of other Prince of Wales organizations also saw funding through the federal rural health program. Whale Tail Pharmacy, in Craig, was awarded over $300,000 to meet healthcare gaps on the island. And the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition received roughly the same amount to expand health advocacy for Filipino families in Ketchikan and on Prince of Wales Island.

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 Prince of Wales nonprofit to develop mobile health program appeared first on KRBD.

The mayor of Hydaburg won an award last week for his work in preserving the spirit of successful subsistence living. Anthony “Tony” Christianson was presented with the Katie John Hunter-Fisher Award at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage. 

Christianson has served and represented rural communities on the Federal Subsistence Board since 2012. He’s also the natural resource director for the Hydaburg Cooperative Association.

Karen Linnell, executive director of the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission, said Christianson’s advocacy for subsistence rights in smaller communities has been paramount. 

“I so appreciate his ability to hear our people when they talk about our subsistence, to understand the vast differences that Alaskan Natives have, and his ability to convey that to the federal representatives,” she said.

The Katie John Hunter-Fisher Award honors Alaska Natives who ensure subsistence living will be carried on in future generations. John was the lead plaintiff in a decades-long federal lawsuit that fought for rural subsistence fishing rights under the Alaska Native Interest Lands Conservation Act. 

Christianson wasn’t in Anchorage to accept the award in person, but his cousin Barbara Blake attended and accepted the award on his behalf. 

“Tony put it simply: to be thought of, shared with, and bonded by our traditional foods — that is what creates community,” Blake said. “Our foods have always done more than feed us; they connect households, they connect generations, and they connect us to the land and waters that have sustained our people since forever. Every jar of fish, every share of harvest, is a way of saying you belong and you are not forgotten.”

Christianson said it was a humbling experience to be recognized, but he doesn’t do the work for recognition. He does it for the gratification of helping his community. 

Other AFN President’s Awards include the Small Business Award and the Roger Lang Youth Leadership Award.

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As a supplement to the statewide voter guide, KRBD, KFSK and KCAW posed a short list of supplemental questions to Southeast candidates touching on issues of regional significance. Their responses are below.

Click here to view the statewide voter guide.

Listen to KRBD’s live forum with House District 1 candidates here.

House District 1:

Grant Echohawk (Nonpartisan)

Southeast’s population of working age residents has declined. But the number of jobs increased. What should the Legislature do to address the growing gap between workforce supply and demand?

This is a multifaceted problem that needs to be addressed in multiple ways to create an economic and opportunity environment where our younger people and young families want to stay in Alaska.  To do this, we need to properly fund our schools and increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) so our schools have the resources and support to provide the best possible learning environment for our children.  The state is also not appropriately compensating state employees, so those jobs are less appealing in the state of Alaska while a similar job in another state will come with compensation that includes an appropriate retirement plan.  To resolve this, the state legislature needs to implement ‘defined benefits’ which will allow us to more easily recruit workers and prevent the very costly revolving door that we see where public employees often start their careers in Alaska to get the experience only to then move to another state with appropriate compensation to finish their careers.  Lastly, we need robust infrastructure and community services and support programs so young families have critical needs met. Workers and families will follow the most lucrative path for themselves and their families, so if we want to keep working age residents to take root in Alaska, then we need to invest in the things that are going to keep them in our communities. 

What specific methods do you endorse for addressing the state’s school funding situation?

The BSA needs to be increased to account for the last 8 years of inflation increases. Once that is done, we need to forward fund our schools so our administrators can build a budget on actual data and not be forced to work on incomplete information and assumptions. The BSA needs to be inflation-proofed with automatic annual increases to follow the annual increase of the cost of goods.

Fishing and seafood processing are a cornerstone of this district’s economy. How should the Legislature prioritize the industry to support Alaskans in District 1?

Growing up on a gillnetter, I distinctly remember the abundance of fish in our oceans that, 40 years later, appears to have significantly decreased in comparison.  Any industry directly tied to a natural resource, like salmon, needs to have that resource in abundance to ensure long term success.  Once the resource is depleted, then the industry collapses.  To ensure our fishing and seafood processing industries are protected, we need to limit the destruction of habitat by highly destructive industries like trawling, manage our other resources like the Tongass National Forest responsibly, and protect our rivers and ocean from transboundary mining spills and other industry waste like cruise ship pollution.  

What, if any, change would you make to state law to support communities with limited healthcare access?

Recent federal changes regarding Affordable Care Act subsidies and causing tens of thousands of Alaskans to be dropped from Medicaid has had a devastating impact on healthcare access throughout the state. It all comes down to funding and much of it is federal, so we start by electing federal delegates who will prioritize the health and wellbeing of Alaskans and have the state legislature work in concert with the federal delegation to get the needed and appropriate funding to meet the healthcare needs of our citizens and constituents. When it comes to specific legislation, preventative care is significantly less expensive than treatment after the fact or emergency visits that can result from preventative care not taking place. It is in the area of preventative care where I would focus any areas of legislative support to try to build out a public health preventative care support network to reach as many communities as possible.

A survey a few years ago shows Alaskans are frustrated with the state-run ferry system for a lot of reasons, including lack of service. What would you do as a legislator to address this? Please be specific in your response.

There is a great deal to be frustrated about when it comes to our ferry service and the perceived efforts to allow it to fall into disrepair in an attempt to privatize it. That is the perception of many people and not a strategy I do not agree with. Highways and bridges are not privatized nor is there an expectation that highways and bridges be ‘profitable’.  Southeast Alaska is entitled to reliable and affordable transportation not only so our community members can travel throughout the region, but as a way to keep costs down for our schools while allowing our students to engage in as many activities as possible which becomes far more costly and restrictive when our schools have to rely on major airlines.  As well, the ferry service is an economic driver that allows our communities to be more economically independent as we keep goods and materials moving in and out of our communities which allows each dollar to multiply on itself and stabilize our regional economy.   To ensure that our communities have their transportation needs met, just as our road system communities are, I will advocate for appropriate funding to begin modernizing and updating not only our ferries themselves but docks and any other infrastructure needs our communities may have.  This state gives up hundreds of millions of dollars, by way of tax credits and subsidies, to out-of-state corporations doing business in Alaska and I would like to end or greatly reduce that fiscally irresponsible practice.  The funds for these projects are there when we leverage our resources and federal dollars, so I would like to see our ferries built out and if a Prince Rupert solution is not feasible, then look into a Hyder alternative to get us connected to the mainland.

Incumbent Jeremy Bynum (Republican)

Southeast’s population of working age residents has declined. But the number of jobs increased. What should the Legislature do to address the growing gap between workforce supply and demand?

Southeast Alaska has tremendous economic opportunities, but we must do more to develop and retain the workforce needed to support our communities. I believe the Legislature should focus on three priorities: expanding career and technical education, addressing housing availability, and investing in infrastructure that supports economic growth.

I have been a strong advocate for expanding vocational and technical education in our schools and creating pathways that connect students directly with Alaska employers. We need to prepare our young people for careers in the trades, maritime industries, healthcare, and other occupations that our communities depend on.

We also need to address the shortage of affordable workforce housing by making more land available for development, improving infrastructure, and reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers. Ultimately, our goal should be to make it possible for Alaskans to build careers, raise families, and remain in the communities they call home.

What specific methods do you endorse for addressing the state’s school funding situation?

Alaska needs a school funding system that is predictable, sustainable, and focused on student success. During my time in the Legislature, I supported changes to our funding process and significant increases in education funding, including an increase to the Base Student Allocation, while also supporting important education reforms.

I believe we need to establish a more predictable funding process that recognizes inflation and the actual costs of operating our schools. We should also review the foundation formula to ensure it properly addresses special education, student transportation, and the challenges facing small and rural school districts.

We also need to do more to support and retain our teachers. Competitive compensation and meaningful retirement benefits are essential to attracting and keeping qualified educators in Alaska. I support improving teacher pay and reforming our retirement system to provide greater long-term financial security for educators. We cannot expect to maintain a strong education system if we continue losing experienced teachers to other states offering better compensation and retirement opportunities. Any retirement reform should be structured responsibly to ensure it remains financially sustainable for the state.

At the same time, funding must be accompanied by accountability, transparency, and measurable improvements in student outcomes. I want to see more resources directed toward classroom instruction, career and technical education, and the programs that prepare students for successful careers.

We must also address school infrastructure and energy costs through responsible capital investments. Simply increasing the BSA every year without addressing the underlying cost drivers is not a complete solution. Our responsibility is to provide a quality education, support the educators who make that possible, and ensure Alaska can sustain those investments over the long term.

Fishing and seafood processing are a cornerstone of this district’s economy. How should the Legislature prioritize the industry to support Alaskans in District 1?

Commercial fishing and seafood processing are essential to Southeast Alaska’s economy, and protecting these industries must remain a legislative priority.

I believe we need to focus on maintaining strong, science-based fisheries management, investing in our harbors and working waterfronts, and reducing the costs of doing business in Alaska.

One of my priorities is rebuilding our capital investment program. Our harbors, docks, marine infrastructure, and transportation systems are critical to keeping Alaska’s fishing industry competitive. These investments support fishermen, processors, and the many small businesses that depend on the seafood industry.

We also need to support value-added seafood processing capacity in Alaska, expand market opportunities, and ensure that state regulations do not unnecessarily increase costs for our fishermen and processors.

I support adequate funding for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game so management decisions are based on reliable science and sustainable harvest opportunities. Our fishing industry is more than an economic statistic. It represents generations of Alaska families, and I want to ensure future generations have the opportunity to continue that tradition.

What, if any, change would you make to state law to support communities with limited healthcare access?

Access to quality healthcare is one of the most important challenges facing rural Alaska. In Southeast, geography, transportation costs, and shortages of medical professionals create significant barriers to receiving timely care.

I support reviewing and modernizing Alaska’s healthcare licensing laws to make it easier for qualified professionals to practice in our communities. This includes expanding appropriate interstate licensing reciprocity, reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, and strengthening telehealth opportunities.

We also need to develop our own healthcare workforce through training partnerships and programs that encourage Alaskans to pursue medical careers and return to serve their communities.

Alaska has a significant opportunity through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. I want to ensure those resources are invested in sustainable improvements to rural healthcare, including workforce development, medical technology, and improved access to local services. My goal is to help rural communities maintain essential healthcare services while reducing the need for expensive medical travel whenever care can safely and effectively be provided closer to home.

A survey a few years ago shows Alaskans are frustrated with the state-run ferry system for a lot of reasons, including lack of service. What would you do as a legislator to address this? Please be specific in your response.

The Alaska Marine Highway System is essential transportation infrastructure for Southeast Alaska. Our communities depend on reliable ferry service to move people, vehicles, and goods, support local businesses, and access essential services.

I believe the Legislature needs to approach the ferry system with a long-term capital investment strategy rather than continuing to react to equipment failures and service disruptions.

My priorities include establishing a reliable vessel replacement and maintenance program, addressing workforce shortages, and providing predictable schedules that residents and businesses can depend on.

I also support restoring important transportation connections, including service to Prince Rupert, or other southern connection, and improving coordination between ferry operations and the communities they serve.

As a professional engineer with more than two decades, I understand the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure. Deferred maintenance eventually becomes more expensive, and equipment failures directly affect the people who depend on these services.

I would work to ensure that capital investments are tied to measurable improvements in vessel reliability, available service days, and operating efficiency. I also believe the Legislature should require clear reporting on maintenance backlogs, vessel availability, and service disruptions.  We cannot rebuild confidence in the ferry system with promises alone. We need a realistic long-term plan, responsible investments, and accountability for delivering reliable service.

Senate District A

Incumbent Bert Stedman (Republican)

Did not respond.

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