NEWSIES – Lizzie Slogotski, from Victoria, British Columbia, right, hands out crayons to children at Sitka Public Library, Thursday. Slogotski and other cast members of the upcoming Sitka Fine Arts Camp production of “Newsies” wore their costumes as they handed out prizes and activities and sang songs from the Tony Award-winning musical. The show is set to be staged August 2-4 at the Performing Arts Center. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer An annual payout of $1,660 for the Permanent Fund Divide [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Scores of swimmers from across the country are con [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Planners, contractors and city staff have reduced the sc [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer The Planning Commission met for a special meeting Thursday n [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 25
At 12:23 a.m. a caller reported som [ ... ]
Climate Connection: EV Charging Infrastructure
Sitka has one of the highest per capita rates of ele [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer A decade after sea star wasting disease arrived in Sitka Sou [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Squared off against three other Southeast teams, S [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 24
A caller reported a t [ ... ]
Super Saturday
At the Fire Hall
The Sitka Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Super Saturda [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Funding for the Sitka Chamber of Commerce to continue pr [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer The Assembly unanimously passed a zoning map amendment for p [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 24
A neighbor reported hearing a mothe [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Racing alongside lifelong Sitkans and newcomers wh [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Austin Cranford filed Monday to run for Assembly in the [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN Alaska Beacon Alaska Democrats have rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris an [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 22
At 12:15 a.m. and 12:47 a.m. bears [ ... ]
STA to Distribute
Seafood Thursday
Sitka Tribe of Alaska will distribute salmon, rockfish, and black c [ ... ]
y SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer The Coast Guard and other agencies continued searchi [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland made a visit [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Robert Hattle says if elected to the Assembly he plans t [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Racing through broken cloud cover on an overcast r [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 19
At 12:50 a.m. neighbors complained [ ... ]
Cup’ik Artist Neva Mathiasr/>To Perform at SJ Museum
Sheldon Jackson Museum will host Cup’ik grass [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
January 20, 2023, Community Happenings
Climate Connection: Is Increasing Tourism Sustainable?
As our community embarks on a sustainability journey with a new Sustainability Commission and Coordinator, we think about what sustainability means. To some, it may mean preserving our current way of life going forward. To others, it means surviving climate catastrophes and accompanying economic chaos, mass migration, and decreased food production. Others may be more focused on preserving health and equitable wellbeing while lessening consumption and our dependence on fossil fuels as we try to mitigate global temperature increases to protect the earth for future generations. Despite differing views of what sustainability means, we likely agree that we are in unprecedented times of change.
Our community is facing choices with respect to a major economic driver in Sitka – tourism. In the pre-pandemic decade, Sitka had 152,000 average annual cruise ship visitors, with only three years topping 200,000. Citizens voted twice to not develop a public deep-water dock in town for cruise ships. The 2022 cruise ship passengers numbered 383,000 and are estimated at 510,000 or more on 220 ship calls in 2023. On the one hand, increased sales tax and head tax revenues, increased seasonal employment, and income for businesses catering to tourists are advantages. On the other hand, community desirability in 2022 suffered with pedestrian and traffic congestion, telecommunication insufficiency, diesel air pollution, housing shortages, and local access to businesses and recreation. Many see urgency in “right-sizing” cruise ship numbers before our economy is dependent on tourism, with possible replacement of local business by outside commercial entities better able to bid up downtown real estate prices. Three major cruise ship corporations visiting Sitka each lost more than half of their 2018 stock value, with two losing three-quarters or more, despite the return of bookings post-pandemic. With current inflation and recession worries looming, is pinning our community’s future on increasing cruise tourism wise?
The three pillars of sustainability are economy (profit), society (people), and environment (planet). In Sitka’s situation, money (profit) seems opposed to quality of life (people) and pollution (environment). Pollution stems from tourist land and marine transport and biofouling of hulls from the cruise liners which travel the world before docking in Sitka. Three of the cruise ships visiting Sitka this summer have been denied docking in Australia and New Zealand this winter because of biofouling. Equitable distribution of tourism profit and advantages is far from assured for Sitka residents.
Unlimited economic growth is not sustainable at a time when we need to strengthen our local circular economy and decrease our community contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The wellbeing of people and planet must be weighed against money interests in our changing world. We can limit tourist numbers downtown and on our waters. In Bar Harbor, Maine, citizens overcame their city assembly’s reluctance to limit tourist numbers in the last election. What do we want for a sustainable Sitka, and how do we best use our voices to get there?
Kay Kreiss, Transition Sitka
Ocean Wave
Quilters Meet
Ocean Wave Quilters will meet 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at United Methodist Church.
Monthly meetings, September through June, are open to all, members or not. Those wishing to pay the $25 dues receive a monthly newsletter, discounts on classes and other benefits.
For more information call President Sarah Jordan at 907-738-7272.
Open Sewing
Session Feb. 11
Ocean Wave Quilters will sponsor an open sewing session 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at United Methodist Church.
All are invited to attend. Irons, ironing boards, tables and chairs are provided. Lunch is a potluck. For information call Linda Swanson at 907-747-3471.
Service, Meeting
At St. Peter’s
St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church will hold one service, at 10 a.m., on Jan. 22, in person and with a Zoom option.
The annual meeting and a potluck will be held in the See House after the service. All are welcome. For more info, send an email to stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com or call (907) 747-3977 and leave a message for a call back. The church is located at 611 Lincoln Street, and is open every day to stop in for a time of quiet, prayer and rest.
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20 YEARS AGO
July 2004
The high sockeye returns at Redoubt Bay and Lake have prompted the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to raise daily bag limits to six for sport fishers and to 25 for subsistence fishers.
50 YEARS AGO
July 1974
The Assembly decided Tuesday against municipal participation in the U.S. Bicentennial Year commemorative project because of various objections to the project proposed: construction of a Russian tea house pavilion on the Centennial Building parking lot. The estimated local share of the project would be $37,000.