Emily Kwong, KCAW - Sitka
Sitka man with Juneau ties charged with murder
A Sitka man formerly of Juneau was charged with first degree murder Saturday, after telling police he killed his girlfriend during an argument. Listen now
Tugboat carrying over 300 gallons of oil sinks in Sitka
A tugboat with more than 300 gallons of oil aboard sank Thursday night in Sitka. Listen now
AK: How to be an Alaskan Ninja Warrior
What do you get when you mix reality television with an obstacle course? American Ninja Warrior. Now in it’s 9th season, the show is a glitzy display of human strength that one former competitor has decided to take off the road system. Cody Johnston operates a ninja-style training gym in Sitka that he practices at with his family. Listen now
Sitka’s electric rates to change seasonally
The City of Sitka is facing a tough balancing act, between meeting their debt service on the Blue Lake Dam project and keeping rates reasonable for low-income Sitkans. Some are struggling to pay their electric bill. To address this, the Sitka Assembly decided to implement a seasonal rate structure. Listen now
Should Sitka’s two hospitals become one?
The fate of Sitka’s city-owned hospital hangs in the balance. An outside consultant says it’s time to merge with SEARHC – the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium – while hospital leadership wants to remain independent. Listen now
Sitka Sound roe herring fishery opens
The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery opened on Saturday (March 25) in parts of Hayward Strait and Krestof Sound. The fleet caught 5,200 tons in just over three hours, between noon and 3:20 p.m. That brings the cumulative harvest for the season to just over 13,000 tons. Listen now
Sitka starts celebration for Alaska’s 150th anniversary with the U.S.
Alaska reaches a historical milestone this week. On March 30th - 150 years ago - America signed a treaty to purchase Alaska from Russia. Listen now
AK: Fishing for herring from the sky
The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is in full swing. In less than a week, the fleet has caught over half of its quota. And while most crew members work on the water, spotter pilots fish for herring from the sky. Listen now
Consultant recommends Sitka’s hospitals merge
An outside consultant has concluded that Sitka’s two hospitals should merge. Those are the findings of ECG Management Consultants, a firm hired by Sitka Community Hospital and SEARHC last year. Leadership at the city-owned hospital opposes the idea. Listen now
Herring fleet catches 1/4 of quota in Sunday opener
The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery opened Sunday (March 19) for just over three hours. In that window, the fleet caught nearly a quarter of this year’s quota.
Sitka author’s “Alaskan Laundry” wins statewide award
Sitka author Brendan Jones has won a statewide award for his book The Alaskan Laundry. Listen now
Alaska couple credits the radio for 35 years of marriage
You’ve heard of love at first sight. But what about love at first listen? This is a story about one woman who found exactly that with the flip of a the dial. Listen now
AK: Wintertime basketball in Kake
Wintertime means a few things in rural Alaska. Dog mushing. Sub-zero temperatures. And basketball. Basketball is a cornerstone this time of the year in many villages, a gathering point for family members and fans to cheer on young players. Listen now
Sitka’s Green Lake Dam back in service
On Jan. 7, the Green Lake dam was fully restored to service. The city is no longer using diesel fuel. Listen now
AK: Garrison Keillor’s Sitka pen pal
With a new year often comes the resolution to be well. Do good work. Keep in touch. Sound familiar? That’s the famous outro to the daily “Writer’s Almanac,” hosted by legendary writer and radio host Garrison Keillor. He visited Alaska last year on a cruise and made a pit stop in Sitka to visit a pen pal. Because it turns out, when it comes to resolutions, Keillor is good on his word. Listen now
Green Lake dam awaits replacement part to get back up and running
A breakdown in the Green Lake hydroelectric plant has forced Sitka to temporarily switch fuel sources this winter. The city - which normally runs on hydropower - has been using diesel since October to meet energy demand on the coldest of days. As the Electric Department waits for the new part to arrive. KCAW’s Emily Kwong visited the dam to see the work in progress. Listen Now
Kake rebuilds community library, one book at a time
For over a decade, there was no place to check out a book in Kake, Alaska. Tucked into a pocket on Kupreanof Island, the Kake School District closed the library in 1999 due to funding loss. But through outside partnerships and the hard labor of volunteers, the books were put back on the shelves and the library re-opened one year ago. Listen Now
AK: Native fashion designs dazzle catwalks
November is Native American Heritage Month. To celebrate, we’re taking you down the catwalk and into the heart of contemporary Native fashion. From seal skin corsets to gowns fringed like Eagle feathers, today’s designers are finding new silhouettes for traditional art. And their customers love it. Listen Now
Marijuana fees generate funds for student travel in Sitka
Student activities in Sitka are getting a boost from the marijuana industry. During their meeting last week, the Assembly approved depositing all money generated from state marijuana licensing fees into a specific fund for student travel sponsored by the school district. Listen Now
FEMA to fund landslide mapping for Sitka
FEMA will be stepping in to fund landslide mapping in Sitka. The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, who will be leading the research project, announced the news on Tuesday. Listen Now