ON PARADE – Children dressed as their favorite animals hold a Sitka Spruce Tips 4-H Club banner as they march down Lincoln Street on Earth Day, Monday. The Parade of Species was held in recognition of Earth Day. It was hosted by Sitka Conservation Society, University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the Sitka Sound Science Center. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly its regular meeting Tuesday approved dou [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
“We want to hear from the public, what they value i [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Sitka schools were notified at around noon today that the city administrator had re [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s track and field athletes faced off aga [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska is getting an infusion of nearly $125 million to build and [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Senate voted unanimously on Monday to make it easier f [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House’s Rules Committee has eliminated, at least temporaril [ ... ]
By DAVID A. LIEB
The Associated Press
A conservative quest to limit diversity, equity and inclusion in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Alaska’s three-member, bipartisan congressional delegation is sid [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 23
At 3:14 a.m. a downtown bar report [ ... ]
Vaughn Blankenship
Dies at Age 91
Vaughn Blankenship, a longtime Sitka resident, died Tuesday at SEARH [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With about a month left before the end of the regular [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city will hold a public meeting Wednesday for pub [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
With only days to go before the statewide Native Yout [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Daily Sitka Sentinel and KCAW-FM Raven Radio won awards Saturday at the [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
To address a surge in mental health problems among young Alaskans [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill passed Thursday by the Alaska House of Representatives wou [ ... ]
City to Conduct
Relay Testing
The city electric department is conducting systemwide relay testing th [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Another lawsuit that has implications in Southeast Al [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly on Tuesday will consider final reading o [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Competing in their first home games of the season, Si [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Citing what they characterized as unacceptable risks to wildlife [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The Yup’ik village of Newtok, perched precariously on thawing permafro [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Legislators OK Initial Allocation of Virus Aid
By BECKY BOHRER
The Associated Press
JUNEAU (AP) — A legislative committee agreed Friday to the allocation of about $125 million in federal coronavirus relief aid requested by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a fraction of the total request, as lawmakers said work continued in reviewing the remaining requests.
The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee is expected to meet again Wednesday. Senate President Cathy Giessel said she expects it will hear the administration’s proposal for distributing community assistance and small business relief, two of the biggest-ticket items.
Giessel, a committee member, said the administration was working with lawmakers to address technical and legal issues that had been raised. At this point, she told reporters she saw “no imminent reason” for the full Legislature to reconvene, “but I never say never.”
The Anchorage Republican said there is a ratification process that would allow the Legislature, when it next meets, to ratify the action taken, “to close the loop on the legislative appropriation process.”
The Legislature recessed in late March amid coronavirus concerns; the clock on the session has not yet run out.
Committee vice-chair Sen. Click Bishop said Friday’s action comes “during an unprecedented public health disaster” and does not represent an abrogation of the Legislature’s appropriating authority.
Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, expressed concern with the process, particularly related to community assistance.
“As much as I think many legislators are hesitant or reluctant to go back to Juneau to appropriate the federal dollars, I don’t see how you get around it,” he said, adding later: “The constitution says the Legislature appropriates.”
Dunleavy submitted his funding requests through the committee under a process set out in state law. It allows a governor to submit to the committee plans to accept and spend additional federal or other program funds on a budget item. It delays for 45 days use of the funds unless the committee earlier agrees.
Questions at various points have been raised about the appropriateness of using the process for some of the items. Lauren Giliam, a Dunleavy spokeswoman, said by email the administration believes it is acting within the confines of the process.
Giessel said revisions made by the administration are improvements over the originals. Items agreed to Friday include funding for schools, transportation and public safety.
Committee chair Rep. Chris Tuck said he looked forward to Wednesday’s meeting and taking up the issues the committee can “legally address.”
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20 YEARS AGO
April 2004
Michael Stringer, environmental specialist for Sitka Tribe of Alaska and a founder of the community garden, takes the concept of Earth Week literally. This weekend he hopes others will share his appreciation for “earth” and things growing in it by joining him in preparing the community garden just behind Blatchley Middle School for another growing season.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1974
Classified ads Houses for Sale: Price dropped to $36,500 for 2-story, 4-bdrm. carpeted home on Cascade. Kitchen appliances, drapes, laundry room, carport, handy to schools.