TOPIC OF DISCUSSION – Tourists cross Lincoln Street behind a new set of barricades this afternoon. The Tourism Task Force will be presenting its recommendations to the Assembly 6 p.m. Thursday at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The task force, which has been meeting for the past year on various tourism-related topics, will present a list of 32 findings at the meeting, which is open to the public. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
After four months of special meetings to review and d [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Living amid craggy peaks and remnant glaciers, Southea [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
In the play opening Thursday at the Sitka Performing [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A late-session attempt to salvage a proposal that would revive [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 14
At 7:46 a.m. a reckless driver was r [ ... ]
Life Celebration
For Carl Peterson
The family of Carl Peterson, 85, will have a celebration of his lif [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Alaska Department of Education is taking public c [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s pent-up demand for swim lessons was in full [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Racing against schools from across Southeast in the l [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka’s softballers split a three-game series with Juneau-Douglas Friday a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Members of the Alaska Senate approved a bill that would increa [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 13
At 12:43 a.m. an out-of-town caller [ ... ]
Robin Klanott, 61
Dies in Anchorage
Longtime Sitka resident Robin Klanott passed away at Anchorage Reg [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly is winding up work on the city budgets f [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska state lawmakers are preparing for a final vote on a bill t [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Playing in variable weather in the last regular seaso [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives voted 22-18 late Sunday to ba [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to support a federal pro [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
May 10
At 12:19 a.m. a man was reported to [ ... ]
Native Artist Residency
Program at SJ Museum
Sheldon Jackson Museum has announced the participants for [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly voted 6-0 at a special meeting Thursday [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka Police said today that officers responding to a report of a man found unrespo [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A week and a half after passing an initial budget for [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka High routed the Thunder Mountain Falcons on the baseball diamond Thurs [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Donor Covers Gap In Fundraising Effort
By Sentinel Staff
In the wake of the Assembly’s recent decision against spending $5,000 in city tourism funds for the St. Michael’s Cathedral renovation, a private citizen is stepping forward to help.
The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, dropped off a check at St. Michael’s this afternoon.
“I have always thought of Sitka as the heart of Alaska, and St. Michael’s as our centerpiece,” the donor said in a written statement. “The building should be beautiful and in good condition with flowers and evergreens around her. We Sitkans see this every time we are downtown. I would be happy to make that contribution of $5,000. How about you?”
“It’s a landmark, for heaven’s sake,” the donor commented to the Sentinel this afternoon.
The Assembly, which had voted 5-2 in favor of the city contribution when it was first introduced, voted it down on a 3-4 vote last Tuesday. Those who had changed their minds said they were concerned about the threat of lawsuits by opponents who have cited the First Amendment principle of the separation of church and state.
Bob Potrzuski, who voted in favor of the contribution in the two votes by the Assembly, said he has received more comments on the final decision than on any other issue. Most of the comments were against the Assembly’s decision against the contribution, he said.
It was on an icy Sunday morning 52 years ago today that the great fire of 1966 leveled the 1848 Cathedral and many other buildings in the heart of downtown Sitka.
From its start in an overheated furnace in a downtown shop, and despite the concerted efforts of the Sitka Volunteer Fire Department and scores of volunteers, the fire spread rapidly, fanned by gusty winds and fueled by the wooden buildings, many over a century old. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but property damage was estimated at the equivalent of $26 million today.
Low-interest disaster loans and insurance proceeds allowed the major structures to be replaced within a couple of years. A non-denominational fundraising campaign was started to assist the Russian Orthodox church in replacing the historic St. Michael’s Cathedral.
Completion of the replica in 1977 removed the last outward sign of the disastrous 1966 fire.
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20 YEARS AGO
May 2004
Sitka Community Hospital has drawn $193,000 on its line of credit from the city to make payroll, which will be paid back within 60 days, hospital officials told the Assembly Tuesday.
50 YEARS AGO
May 1974
Congressman Don Young, R-Alaska, has announced that Sitka has received an Airport Development grant from the Department of Transportation for $4,201,166 for paving the runway extension, runway lights, a runway embankment and other improvements at the Sitka Airport.
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