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Keystone Kops

Alaska State Trooper Bryce Schwartz shakes hands with Laurie Nesheim as this year's contingent of Keystone Kops look on in front of the Prospector statue Sunday morning. Trooper Schwartz swore-in the group of merrymakers who officially kick off the Alaska Day Festival. The Keystone Kop volunteers have been a part of the festival ever since the celebration began in the 1950s. A schedule of events is published on page of today's Sentinel.
KEYSTONE KOPS - Alaska State Trooper Bryce Schwartz shakes hands with Laurie Nesheim as this year's contingent of Keystone Kops look on in front of the Prospector statue in front of the Pioneer Home, Sunday morning. Trooper Schwartz swore-in the...
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Today's top stories

Police Chief Hall Warns of Fentanyl Danger

Sitka police today show evidence gathered at a recent drug bust.
As law enforcement agencies across Alaska coordinate to combat the state's ongoing fentanyl crisis, Sitka Police Chief Mike Hall said that the crisis exists at a local level. Sitka police last week arrested three people for carrying suspected...
Left, Kevin Mosher, JJ Carlson, Sherri Blankenship and Darrell Windsor recite their oaths of office as newly elected city officials during Tuesday’s Assembly meeting. Mosher was sworn in as Sitka’s new mayor. Carlson and Blankenship won their seats in the municipal election, while Windsor was appointed by the Assembly to fill the seat vacated by Mosher.

New Assembly Picks Windsor for Open Seat

Sitka’s newly elected mayor Kevin Mosher, Assembly incumbent JJ Carlson and newly elected Assembly member Sherri Blankenship were sworn into office at Tuesday’s regular meeting. The swearing in by City Clerk Sara Peterson followed the...
Ashley Eisenbeisz, front, plays R.C. and Kelly McElligott plays Agnus White in the psychological thriller "Bug." The play opens 7 p.m. Thursday in Odess Theater and runs through Saturday.

'Bug' Brings Suspense to Sitka Stage

Audiences coming to the psychological thriller BUG, opening Thursday, will see something  “a Sitka audience has not really seen,” director Rach Roach said. “The show is meant to be unsettling,” Roach said Tuesday, before a dress rehearsal....
Mt. Edgecumbe High School student Annmarie Sakar performs with fellow members of the Yup'ik Dancers Monday night during the Sheet'ka Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Outer Coast students and faculty organized the event that included a fish and fry bread dinner as well as dance performances by Tlingit dance groups and Mt. Edgecumbe High School Native dance groups. More than two-hundred people turned out for the four-hour-long event.

Indigenous Peoples Day

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY - Mt. Edgecumbe High School student Annmarie Sakar performs with fellow members of the Yup'ik Dancers Monday night during the Sheet'ka Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Outer Coast students and...
Sally Stockhausen, chair of the State Board of Education & Early Development, gets a tour of the Mt. Edgecumbe High School campus this morning from Korben Hollenbeck, at front, Lorne Foruria, at right, and Rylan Clark-Pruitt, in back.

Education Board Visits, Takes Up MEHS Issues

Alaska State Board of Education members are in Sitka for a regular meeting today and Wednesday at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, with a number of business items focused on operations at MEHS. State Education Commissioner Deena Bishop and Deputy...

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Community news
Community Calendar
October 15, 2026
THURSDAY 10:30 a.m. Senior Hiking, Thimbleberry, info: 907-738-1491 11-2 Salvation Army Little Store open Noon-1:30 p.m. Rep. Himschoot Constituent Connection, Sitka Legislative Information Office Noon AA, St. Peter’s basement, AA hotline...
Open House At Fire Department
Sitka Fire Department will host an Alaska Day open house 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. The Seattle Bagpipers will drop by to perform.
Trick-or-Treat Event by STA
Sitka Tribe of Alaska will hold a post trick-or-treating event 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Sheet'ka Kwaan Naa Kahídi. Snacks and warm beverages will be provided. The free substance-free event is open to all families and community members....
Alaska Pioneers Meet Postponed
The regular October meeting of the Sitka Pioneers of Alaska has been postponed until later in the month. The organization said the exact day, location and time will be announced in the near future. Question can be answered by contacting President...
ANS to Meet On October 17
Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 will hold a regular business meeting 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the ANB Founders Hall. On the agenda are the Grand Camp report, election and installation of officers, and other business. New members of all genders are...
Auction Being Held Online for SEDA
Sitka Economic Development Association has an online auction now through 5 p.m. Oct. 18 for a six- to eight-night Royal Caribbean cruise for two in an ocean-view state-room. The winner will be announced at Brewfest. Details and the links are at...
Rising Tides Celebration Listed Nov. 10
Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust will host the Rising Tides Celebration 5:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The event will honor the people, fisheries, and coastal communities that make Southeast Alaska so special, a news release...
City Utility Payment Counter Closure Set
The city utility and payment office, located on the first floor of City Hall,  will be closed Friday, Oct. 23. It will reopen on Monday, Oct. 26, with regular business hours beginning at 9 a.m. During the closure, customers may make utility...
Community Calendar
October 13-15, 2026
TUESDAY 6-8 a.m. MEHS Aquatic Center Pool Open  Noon AA, St. Peter’s basement, call AA hotline 747-8866 for information  Noon Rotary Club, UAS-Sitka Campus Room 230 1:30 p.m. Free Strong & Steady senior exercise class, Swan Lake...
Unitarians Gather
"The Call for a New Economy" will be the topic of Sunday’s meeting of the Sitka Unitarian Fellowship.  The discussion will follow the showing of the video "Closer to Home – Voices of Hope in a Time of Crisis." Gathering is at 10:30 a.m....

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Police blotter

Police Blotter
October 14, 2026

Police Blotter Sitka Police Department logged the following calls Tuesday. A protective services report was received, and assigned to an officer to follow up. A welfare check was requested after a photographer for school photos failed to show...

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Obituaries
 Former Sitkan Mackenzie Clarke Dies in Seattle
The family of Mackenzie Augustus Clarke, 37, with profound sadness writes that he died unexpectedly on September 16 in Seattle. The former Sitkan, a Sitka High graduate, was the beloved son of David and Raine Clarke, brother of Kelsie and Zachary...
Wrangell Teacher, Coach Phil Wayne Dies in Sitka
Phillip I. Wayne passed away peacefully at his home in Sitka on Monday, September 27, at the age of 89. Phil’s arrival on February 7, 1937, in Corbin, Kentucky, was prominently featured in the Corbin Times as the first Caesarean birth in Laurel...
SE Alaskan Harlan Adams Dies at 86
Harlan J. Adams passed away on May 26, 2026, at Swedish Hospital, Cherry Hill Campus, Seattle, Washington. Harlan was born on February 9, 1940, in Yakutat, Alaska. He and his family moved to Kake, Alaska in 1953. Harlan married Lavina on May 13,...
Max Edmund Williams Dies; Life-long Alaskan Was 81
Max Edmund Williams, whose Tlingit name was K’wanee, was born in Yakutat, Alaska, on September 9, 1944, to Ned and Emma Williams. He passed away peacefully at home in Sitka on August 11, 2026, leaving behind a life filled with adventure, family,...

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Sports

Huge Mt. Edgecumbe Braves Team Ready to Start New Season

A roster of 90 Mt. Edgecumbe High School students -- 49 girls and 41 boys -- is the largest that the Braves wrestling program has seen in at least five years, coaches Deedee Creed and Aaron Routon said during a regular practice on Thursday.
Mt. Edgecumbe High School wrestlers are starting the season with a large squad of newcomers and returners who represent about a quarter of the student body, and are leaning on each other to build a competitive squad by the end of the...

City League Basketball Update

The 2026 City League basketball season continued Monday night at the Blatchley Middle School gymnasium, with Tlingit Hustlers defeating Ludvig’s Layups 44-31. Sunday’s games saw Vangreens beat Ludvig’s Layups 69-54, with Marjo Vidad scoring a...

Sports Calendar: 10/13/26

Volunteer judges are needed for the Drama, Debate and Forensics tournament at Sitka High, Oct. 16 and Oct. 17. Contact christian.litten@gmail.com Tuesday, Oct. 13 Si Wednesday, Oct. 14 9 Thursday, Oct. 15 1 p Friday, Oct. 16 Sitka High and...

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Sitka Yesterday
October 14, 2026

20 YEARS AGO

October 2006 

John Straley, the new Alaska State Writer Laureate, can point to a person who inspired him most in his work. His eighth-grade English teacher encouraged Straley to read his first story aloud to his class. Although Straley had struggled with dyslexia, he found he could read his material aloud. “People enjoyed it, people laughed,” Straley said.

50 YEARS AGO

October 1976

The two incumbents in Tuesday’s municipal election, Earl Richards and Norm Wilson, were the top vote getters in their respective races for Assembly and School Board. ... The $125,000 Sitka High art facility bond issue passed 721 to 455.

Read previous Sitka Yesterdays

Around Alaska
President Donald Trump dances at a campaign rally at Majestic Valley Arena, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Kalispell, Mont. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The Latest: AP-NORC poll: Strong majority of voters believes Trump is failing at home and abroad

A strong majority of voters believes President Donald Trump is falling short at home and abroad, and they want major change in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new AP-NORC poll that …

Taiwan is nearing an investment in the trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline project, officials say

The nation of Taiwan is coming closer to a multibillion-dollar investment in the trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline and is preparing to buy as much as 30% of the pipeline’s production, its economic affairs ministry said Wednesday. The announcement was short of the firm commitment that President Donald Trump and administration officials announced on Tuesday during […]

One year after ex-Typhoon Halong, Western Alaska’s recovery is ongoing and uncertain

One year since the remnants of Typhoon Halong ripped through coastal communities of Western Alaska, displacing an estimated 1,600 residents and prompting the largest mass evacuation of the region in state history, the recovery effort is ongoing and uncertain. Today there is no official tally of how many residents are still displaced from their homes. […]

Alaska needs farmers. Farmers need farmland.

This summer, I stood with a landowner at the edge of a hayfield her parents cleared more than 60 years ago. Wisps of her grey hair caught in the wind, and her eyes narrowed as she looked out over her farmland ground, thinking about so many neighboring farms that have been converted to gravel pits […]

At Alaska rally, Trump endorses Wilson and seeks to boost Sullivan and Begich

In a surprise announcement Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he is endorsing Republican Alaska gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson in the four-way race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Polls indicate Wilson and two other Republicans — Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor — are trailing the lone Democratic candidate, Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. In a rally at […]
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, as he speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright applaud. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump is heading all the way to Alaska in a sign of just how close its Senate race may be

President Donald Trump is making an unusual campaign trip with the midterm elections looming. He's heading to Alaska to support Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, holding a Tuesday rally in Wasilla. The …

Trump rally puts Wasilla in national campaign spotlight

The bedroom community made famous during former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s 2008 vice presidential run took center stage on Monday in the national fight for control of Congress. President Donald Trump came to Wasilla to campaign for U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican facing a stiff challenge from former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat. […]
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Covelli Centre, in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Latest: Trump’s diesel deal with Putin draws criticism from a frustrated Congress

Republicans and Democrats alike are criticizing President Donald Trump’s diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They're saying it's fueling Russia’s war against Ukraine and violating …

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From the Associated Press
National news
FILE - Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Texas state Rep. James Talarico speaks during a television interview at a food drive at the Frederick Douglass Human Services and Justice Center, Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

Talarico rallies as his Texas US Senate race against Paxton enters final weeks

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, is rallying with supporters as he aims to become the first Democrat to win statewide in over 30 years. The state lawmaker started as …
A dealer walks near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A deepened tech sell-off drags Asian stocks lower as markets in South Korea and Japan sink

Asian shares are falling sharply with markets in South Korea and Japan sinking as a sell-off of technology shares deepens. The declines in Asian shares follows losses on Wall Street after …
FILE - The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a news conference, May 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

Trump administration sues California to block state from counting alleged noncitizen mail-in ballots

The Trump administration has sued California election officials. The lawsuit filed Thursday asks a judge to bar the state from counting mail-in ballots for next month’s midterm elections from …
An American Barn Owl sits perched on a water tower on the Upper West Side neighborhood, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A rare family of barn owls moved into Manhattan's Upper West Side. New Yorkers are captivated

Manhattan’s Upper West Side has been reveling in the company of its latest celebrities: A family of barn owls nested in a water tower atop a building near Central Park. An expert says this is the …
International
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham says goodbye to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Ukraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries, officials say, as US relations teeter

Officials say Ukraine has launched a drone and missile attack on a Russian oil refinery. The strikes came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a brief energy infrastructure …
People crowd at a minibus station used by displaced to leave the city, in Taiz, Yemen, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marzouq Al Jabri)

At least 6 explosions heard near Yemen government-used palace in Aden, witnesses say

Witnesses in Yemen’s port city of Aden say they heard at least six explosions near the palace used by the internationally recognized government. The rare explosions there caused panic among …
A man walks past a FIFA sign at the headquarters during the FIFA council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP)

At showdown FIFA meeting, Infantino apologizes for World Cup furor but leaves critics unhappy

Gianni Infantino has given an apology to his toughest critics at a showdown meeting in Zurich but no new details or documents on FIFA issues that most concern them. No documents about the $4.2 …
Buildings line King Fahd Road in the Olaya district of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026 (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer)

Saudi diplomat says Iran encourages Houthi escalation of attacks on the kingdom

Iran’s government is encouraging the recent escalation in attacks by Tehran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, according to a top diplomat for the kingdom. The escalation includes strikes on …
National Sports
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (0) celebrates with teammate quarterback Geno Smith (7) after a touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Jets' Frank Reich says Geno Smith ditched pass, checked to 'perfect play' on Braelon Allen's TD run

The New York Jets have found success with running back Braelon Allen stepping up in place of the injured Breece Hall. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich says the two are the best running back …

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick looks on during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Manchester United in Madrid, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Man United troubles deepen with player outbursts after poor start to season

A player revolt was about the last thing Manchester United needed in another troubled start to a season. Lisandro Martinez’s outburst following Tuesday’s Champions League defeat against Atletico …
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) celebrates with Malik Nabers (1) after they connected for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Jameis Winston’s starting dream is alive as the Giants roll into a game against the Saints

Jameis Winston is entrenched as the New York Giants' starting quarterback with the team 3-1-1 and playing one of his former old teams on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints come to town. Winston has …
Entertainment
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Noah Centineo in a scene from "Street Fighter." (Paramount Pictures and Legendary Pictures via AP)

Movie Review: 'Street Fighter' is a campy '90s nostalgia ride and a complete mess

“Street Fighter,” Kitao Sakurai’s adaptation of the vintage arcade game, is very enthusiastic, weirdly convoluted and a complete mess, writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. As much as …

US-Best-Sellers-Books-PW

US-Best-Sellers-Books-PW Week ending 10/10/2026
President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

BBC asks judge to force Trump to sit for deposition in his own lawsuit against the channel

Lawyers for the BBC say that President Donald Trump is trying to delay sitting for a deposition in the defamation case he brought against the British broadcaster until January 2027. In a filing this …
Health
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday Sept. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump administration advances plan for peptide drugs favored by RFK Jr.

Federal health officials are moving ahead with plans to broaden access to a class of unproven injectable drugs called peptides. According to a government online posting Thursday, the Department of …

FILE - A Medicare Advantage PPO card rests on top of a Medicare card in Portland, Ore., June 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

A new Medicare season begins, but some shifts will arrive in 2027

Open enrollment for Medicare plans begins Thursday, allowing people to choose between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans until Dec. 7. Changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. These …
FILE - Huey Newton, Black Panther Party minister of defense, raises his arm as he is surrounded by the press at Philadelphia's International Airport, Sept. 4, 1970, upon his arrival for a convention in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy, File)

Black Panther Party stalwarts to celebrate 1966 founding in Oakland, programs that aided the poor

The legacy of the Black Panther Party lives on six decades after its founding, in the work of a Seattle medical center started to address systemic health disparities in the African American …
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