WEEKEND HANGOUT – Gina Lusher, foreground right, and other Sitka Cirque aerialists rehearse Thursday night for this weekend’s show, Cirque Noir, at the 207 Smith Street studio. The show includes cage dancers, live music and champagne. Kids from first grade through high school will have a separate fundraiser showcase event Saturday afternoon from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tickets for both shows are available online at sitkacirque.com. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Staff Writer Ongoing construction of a stretch of Sitka’s sea walk a [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Sitka Tourism Task Force’s second open house drew more [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer The Planning Commission unanimously approved three condition [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff Sitkans can get a glimpse into a chapter of local history at an open house 1 to 3 [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ Northern Journal The Biden administration could jump into a high-profile lawsuit [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today: December 7 A woman asked police to help [ ... ]
Climate Connection: Outdoor and Indoor strong style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">Carbon Dioxide Carbon dioxide (CO2) is formed from burning [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Staff Writer Two housing professionals –– a banker and a real esta [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Sitka Sound Science Center has announced that Arleigh Re [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Students from Outer Coast will take the stage at Sitka T [ ... ]
By JOAQLIN ESTUS Alaska Beacon The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will soon issue an Environmenta [ ... ]
Boat Parade Dates Listed Sitka’s annual boat parade is planned to go north on Sunday, Dec. 17, a [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer The Sitka Tourism Task Force and city staff are hoping T [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Staff Writer Aerial performances on silks, a champagne chandelier and [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff The Sitka High drama, debate and forensics team invites the community to watch So [ ... ]
Police Blotter Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today: December 5 At 12:51 p.m [ ... ]
David Williams Jr. Dies in N. Carolina Sitka resident David Grayson Williams Jr., 61, passed away [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer With winter weather on the way, the Sitka Homeless Coali [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor With only days to go before the Region V wrestling tourn [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE Alaska Beacon The Alaska Police Standards Council voted down a regulation chang [ ... ]
By ANDREW KITCHENMAN Alaska Beacon The body charged with policing the ethics of members of the Ala [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE Alaska Beacon Charlene Apok sat in front of multiple computer monitors in an An [ ... ]
Winter Tumbling Registration Open Registration is open for winter tumbling programming at recreati [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today: December 4 At 8:44 a.m. a two-car accid [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
CG Spots China, Russia Naval Vessels Off Kiska
By MARK THIESSEN
The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE (AP) – A U.S. Coast Guard ship on routine patrol in the Bering Sea came across a guided missile cruiser from China, officials said Monday.
But it turned out the cruiser wasn’t alone as it sailed about 86 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island, on Sept. 19.
Two other Chinese naval ships and four Russian naval vessels, including a destroyer, were spotted in single formation, the patrol boat, known as a cutter called Kimball, discovered.
The Honolulu-based Kimball, a 418-foot vessel, observed as the ships broke formation and dispersed. A C-130 Hercules provided air support for the Kimball from the Coast Guard station in Kodiak.
“While the formation has operated in accordance with international rules and norms, we will meet presence with presence to ensure there are no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska,” Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, Seventeenth Coast Guard District commander said.
The Coast Guard said Operation Frontier Sentinel guidelines call for meeting “presence with presence” when strategic competitors operate in and around U.S. waters.
The Kimball will continue to monitor the area.
The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to questions about the incident from The Associated Press.
The Chinese and Russian formation came a month after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned about China’s interest in the Arctic and Russia’s military buildup there.
Stoltenberg said Russia has set up a new Arctic Command and has opened hundreds of new and former Soviet-era Arctic military sites, including deep-water ports and airfields.
China has declared itself a “near Arctic” state and plans to build the world’s largest icebreaker, he said.
“Beijing and Moscow have also pledged to intensify practical cooperation in the Arctic. This forms part of a deepening strategic partnership that challenges our values and interests,” Stoltenberg said in a visit to Canada’s north.
This wasn’t the first time Chinese naval ships have sailed near Alaska waters. In September 2021, Coast Guard cutters in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean encountered Chinese ships, about 50 miles off the Aleutian Islands.
Login Form
______________________
AK COVID-19
At a Glance
(updated 9-12-2023)
By Sentinel Staff
The state Department of Health and Social Services has posted the following update on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Alaska as of 8:57 a.m. Tuesday, September 12.
New cases as of Tuesday: 278
Total cases (cumulative) statewide – 301,513
Total (cumulative) deaths – 1,485
Case Rate per 100,000 – 38.14
To visit the Alaska DHSS Corona Response dashboard website click here.
COVID in Sitka
The Sitka community level is now "Low.'' Case statistics are as of Tuesday.
Case Rate/100,000 – 152.50
Cases in last 7 days – 13
Cumulative Sitka cases – 3,575
Deceased (cumulative) – 10
The local case data are from Alaska DHSS.
______________________
20 YEARS AGO
December 2003
The Sawmill Cove Industrial Park board of directors endorsed a final contract tuesday for the city to sell a minimum of 40 million gallons of reservoir water per year to an export company based in New York City. ... under the contract Quest would have the right to purchase up to 1 billion gallons of water per year at 1 cent per gallon
50 YEARS AGO
December 1973
The City and Borough of Sitka conducted a community public opinion poll evaluating municipal services and facilities. ... The overall results gave this priority order: 1. roads and highways; 2. water and sewer; 3. downtown parking; 4. garbage collection and disposal; 5. hospital and medical facilities; 6. planning and zoning; 7. boat harbors.