Ed Ronco, KPLU - Seattle
Ed Ronco is a reporter at KCAW in Sitka.
Coast Guard To Drop Charges Against Leone
The U.S. Coast Guard dropped its charges against Lt. Lance Leone. The Sitka-based Coast Guard aviator was facing charges of negligent homicide and destruction of government property in connection with a 2010 helicopter crash.
AK: Boating Safety
When most of us think back to gym class in middle school, we might think of dodgeball, or running laps, or even a few games of basketball. But students *in* coastal Alaska communities will also think of fire extinguishers, flares, life jackets and damage control.
Coast Guard Admiral Breaks Silence on Crash
The Coast Guard admiral in charge of Alaska has broken his public silence on charges against the survivor of a helicopter crash that killed three people from Air Station Sitka.
State Takes Control Of Sheldon Jackson College Archives
The archives of Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka are now in the hands of the state. When the college closed in 2007 the Board of Trustees worked to pay down its debt and divest itself of the campus. But lately, the board’s work has centered on preserving the historic school’s legacy.
Investigating Officer 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.
Year In Review: Washington DC, Nome and Sitka
In this last week of 2011, APRN and our member station reporters from across the state are taking a moment to reflect back on some of the stories that were significant for Alaskans. Today we’ll hear from the first three in our week-long series.
Pacific High Plans Include Commons, Roof Garden
Plans to renovate Pacific High School include classrooms with moveable walls, a garden on the roof, and more common areas for students to spend time.
Herring Limit Jumps After ADF&G Adjusts Ages
It could be a record year, at least in volume, for the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. A forecast released last week predicts the biggest harvest ever, at 29,000 tons.
Subsistence-Only Herring Zones Proposals Fail in Sitka
Two proposals to establish subsistence-only zones for herring in Sitka Sound failed to win recommendation from the Sitka Fish & Game Advisory Committee in a contentious meeting last week.
Hearing Set For Coast Guard Helo Crash Survivor
Lt. Lance Leone is expected to appear Wednesday before a military judge in Juneau. The Coast Guard has brought charges against Leone for the loss of a Coast Guard helicopter in July 2010, and the deaths of two of its crew members.
Controversial Totem Pole Returns to Sitka Square
The totem pole that gives Sitka’s Totem Square its name is once again standing. The pole was removed last year while state workers rebuilt a seawall and changed landscaping to the greenspace across from the Sitka Pioneer Home. The totem pole underwent restoration and was put back in place during a small ceremony Monday afternoon.
Governor’s Advisory Group Opposes Sealaska Bills
A panel of citizens who advise the Parnell administration on federal issues has come out against federal legislation that would convey lands to the Sealaska Corporation. A three-page letter was sent to the bill’s sponsor, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, earlier this month.
AK: School Lunch
One of the challenges of living in remote Alaska is easy access to fresh food, like produce. But that’s not the case at the school in Tenakee Springs, where every day, the students get a meal that goes above and beyond the usual cafeteria fare.
Human Remains Found Beneath Cable House
Contractors working in the basement of KCAW discovered human remains in late October. The remains are believed to be old, and likely predate the 103-year-old building that houses the station.
Invasive Species Unleashed by Baronof Island Storm Damage
The storm that hit Baranof Island ripped up a former fish farm and unleashed an invasive species. The Fish and Game Department says it hopes the pieces of the floating farm in Whiting Harbor have been contained in the harbor area by currents.
Cleanup Continues in Sitka’s Eliason Harbor
The clean-up continued in Sitka’s Eliason Harbor on Tuesday from a weekend storm that packed 60-mile-an-hour winds.
High Winds, Waves Mean Wild Ride in Sitka Harbors
A small but powerful storm slammed broadside into Sitka over the weekend. On land, the city fared well. But in Eliason Harbor, boat owners scrambled to save their vessels as floats rocked, lines snapped and fenders popped. Many boats came away with broken bowsprits or torn cleats. And one boat – the Dancing Girl – sank.
As Storm Lashes West, Edgecumbe Students Call Home
The storm isn’t over, but the worst appears to have passed for many communities along Alaska’s west coast. A monster storm packing hurricane force winds and high seas came out of the Bering Sea this week, causing places from Unalakleet to Point Hope to brace for the worst.
Smaller Timber Sales Might Help Smaller Communities
The era of large-scale logging might be gone from northern Southeast Alaska, but across the region, people are turning to smaller timber sales to earn a living. Officials hope the model can support local economies in the region. And for one family in Tenakee Springs, the effort has paid off.
Tenakee Students Wade into Science
Tenakee Springs is a community surrounded by science, where residents here joke about whale song waking them up on their boats in the middle of the night and huge old-growth forests are just steps away.