CLEANING UP – Jordan Tanguay, Sitka National Historical Park biologist, right, uses a bilge pump to remove oily water from a stream flowing into Indian River this morning, as Jared Hazel, park maintenance worker, carries out buckets. Tanguay discovered the fuel leak this morning as she walked through the park. She spent the morning helping do mitigation work. The leaked fuel was traced to a 500-gallon tank on private land.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson) 

City Land Use Plan On Hold Until 2026
20 Dec 2024 15:47

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Reacting to the Assembly’s vote Tuesday to postpone [ ... ]

Officials Respond to Oil Leak Into Indian River
20 Dec 2024 15:45

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Heating oil leaked from a storage tank on Metlakatla S [ ... ]

Choir to Join in for Holiday Brass Concert
20 Dec 2024 15:41

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Holiday Brass Concert, a combination of top talen [ ... ]

December 20, 2024, Police Blotter
20 Dec 2024 15:36

Police Blotter
Sitka Police received the following calls as of midnight last night.
December 19
At 4:24 [ ... ]

Dunleavy’s Report For Trump Shows Some AI
20 Dec 2024 15:33

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s transition plan for Donald [ ... ]

December 20, 2024, Community Happenings
20 Dec 2024 15:11

Climate Connection: U.S. Climate Migration
The year2024 promises to be the hottest in recorded histor [ ... ]

Progress Reported On Animal Shelter
19 Dec 2024 15:05

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    City Attorney Rachel Jones told the Assembly Tuesday  [ ... ]

Historical Society Sponsors Trains, Parade
19 Dec 2024 15:03

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    A Christmas parade, a gingerbread house contest, and a [ ... ]

December 19, 2024, Police Blotter
19 Dec 2024 14:59

Police Blotter
Sitka Police received the following calls as of midnight last night.
December 18
At 1:35 [ ... ]

December 19, 2024, Community Happenings
19 Dec 2024 14:57

Memorial Service
Saturday For
Wayne Hagerman
A memorial service for Dr. Wayne T. Hagerman will be held  [ ... ]

Fishing Sector Sees Issues with Haulout
18 Dec 2024 15:09

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Meetings of the Gary Paxton Industrial Park board of [ ... ]

Assembly Postpones Work on Land Policy
18 Dec 2024 14:43

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    After more than two hours of discussion and public co [ ... ]

All Invited to Sing Along At Cheery Event Tonight
18 Dec 2024 13:46

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Sitka Music Festival will give a boost to holiday che [ ... ]

Wolves Take Fourth at Wrestling Regions
18 Dec 2024 13:45

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Though Sitka High fielded a small wrestling team this [ ... ]

Dunleavy Urges Trump: Lift Biden Land Rules
18 Dec 2024 13:42

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    Gov. Mike Dunleavy is asking President-elect Donald Trump to imme [ ... ]

December 18, 2024, Police Blotter
18 Dec 2024 12:24

Police Blotter
Sitka Police received the following calls as of midnight last night.
December 17
At 11:1 [ ... ]

December 18, 2024, Community Happenings
18 Dec 2024 12:22

Memorial Service
Saturday For
Wayne Hagerman
A memorial service for Dr. Wayne T. Hagerman will be held  [ ... ]

Cruise Petition OK'd for Signature Drive
17 Dec 2024 15:36

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city clerk’s office on Monday certified an appl [ ... ]

Sitka, Mt. Edgecumbe Score at DDF Tourney
17 Dec 2024 14:17

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka and Mt. Edgecumbe high school drama, debate and forens [ ... ]

Mt. Edgecumbe Wins Regional Wrestling Titles
17 Dec 2024 14:14

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Facing off against wrestlers from across Southeast, M [ ... ]

COMMENTARY: Southeast’s Ecosystem Sending Out a Me...
17 Dec 2024 14:10

By BETH SHORT-RHOADS
Alaska Beacon
    Have you ever stepped into an old-growth forest alive with a [ ... ]

December 17, 2024, Police Blotter
17 Dec 2024 14:08

Police Blotter
Sitka Police received the following calls as of midnight last night.
December 16
A man r [ ... ]

December 17, 2024, Community Happenings
17 Dec 2024 14:07

Christmas Bird
Count Meet Set
Planning for the annual Audobon Christmas Bird Count will be 6 p.m. Wedn [ ... ]

Blatchley Choir, Bands Ready for Big Show
16 Dec 2024 15:06

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Blatchley Middle School concert on Tuesday will h [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Alaska Medical Officer Wins Praise, Thanks

By BECKY BOHRER
The Associated Press

JUNEAU (AP) — The state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Zink, has become the explainer-in-chief for Alaskans during the coronavirus outbreak, a regular at news conferences who has become known for providing information in a straight-forward, easy-to-understand manner.

She’s gotten praise from residents for her approach and inspired a poem from a Juneau city official. U.S. Rep. Don Young, who was criticized last month for downplaying the seriousness of the virus in a speech to fellow seniors, has jumped on the bandwagon with a website where people can submit thank you notes to Zink. 

Dr. Anne Zink. (AP File Photo/Mark Thiessen)

 Colleagues of the emergency medicine physician aren’t surprised. Dr. Jay Butler, a former chief medical officer for Alaska who now works for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Zink can translate data for others, “always with an eye to the humanity in health care and public health.” 

State health Commissioner Adam Crum said Butler was among those who suggested Zink for her current role, which she started last year. Crum said he thinks Zink’s emergency medicine experience — “where your normal is chaos” — helped prepare her for this time. 

In emergency medicine, “nothing is ever going to be exactly as you need it but you still have to make sure you take care of the patient and you have to make sure that you’re communicating ... with possibly very upset and emotionally distressed family members,” he said.

In regular news conferences with Gov. Mike Dunleavy that also often feature Crum, Zink provides updates on the number of cases of COVID-19 in Alaska, state preparations, ways Alaskans can prevent the spread of the virus that causes the disease, testing and scientific developments. 

The typically hour-long news conferences are streamed online and have been carried on a statewide public affairs channel. Thursday, nearly the entire news conference, which stretched about 90 minutes, was devoted to Zink, who gave a lengthy presentation and fielded questions.

She often begins responses by saying, “I appreciate that question.” In news conferences and short videos, she reminds Alaskans to be kind to one another. 

She also has admitted mistakes. For instance, Zink apologized for misspeaking Tuesday about a case involving an oil-field worker, saying she wasn’t able to fully discuss it with her epidemiological team in gathering information ahead of a news conference. The details were quickly corrected.

Zink, who has practiced medicine in Palmer, was on a sabbatical, traveling the world with her family, when Crum first contacted her about possibly becoming the state’s chief medical officer. The next time they spoke, “she had read four books by other chief medical officers ... to see what their perspective was. That’s Dr. Zink,” Crum said. She’s “always bettering herself,” he said.

The Associated Press on Tuesday submitted a request to speak with Zink through the health department’s communications office. A department spokesman said he’d provide an update on the request when he had one.

Zink told the Alaska Landmine podcast last year she grew up in Colorado with physician parents. She worked as a mountaineering guide in Alaska during college and in pursuing medicine gravitated toward emergency care.

“I love being able to take care of a CEO right next to someone who’s homeless right next to a kid. Like, it’s just this whole variety of life. And you really realize how human we all are,” she told the podcast. 

David Scordino, a medical director at Alaska Regional Hospital who has known Zink for several years, said she is authentic.

“Everything that you are seeing is her genuine self. She’s intelligent and capable and well-mannered and thoughtful and that expression of caring comes out in every interaction you ever have with her,” he said.

Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt, in an “ode” to Zink, included these lines: “Oh Alaska, I love you and it feels like we are teetering on the brink/ who can guide and steer us? The unflappable Dr. Zink!”

Watt said the poem was meant to show appreciation and remind people worried or scared about COVID-19 “they can just trust our expert.”

Andrew Halcro, executive director of the Anchorage Community Development Authority, is a Zink fan, too. He recently said on Twitter that when she approaches the podium to speak, “I feel like everything is going to be alright.” 

Zink has since started attending news conferences remotely. Crum said she wants to practice the social distancing she preaches.

Halcro said he likes Zink’s concise manner.

“The difference is, if you ask Dr. Zink what time it is, she will tell you what time it is. If you ask anybody else on that stage what time it is, they will tell you how to build a watch,” he said, adding later: “In times of crisis, people want facts. They want to be reassured. ... They want to know what’s coming.”

 

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20 YEARS AGO

December 2004

Photo caption: David Voluck reads a blessing while lighting a menorah during a community gathering observing the eight-day Chanukah festival. Honored speakers included Woody Widmark, STA  president, and Assembly member Al Duncan.

50 YEARS AGO

December 1974

From On the Go: More college students home for the holidays – Bill and Isabella Brady have a houseful. Ralph is here from the Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute, along with his fiancee Grace Gillian; Louise is here from the University of New Mexico, and Jennifer, who’s working with IEA in Anchorage is home with her fiance Lance Ware.

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