LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State's Transportation Plan Gets Federal OK
28 Mar 2024 15:06

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]

New Funding Plan Ahead for Visit Sitka?
28 Mar 2024 15:02

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]

Sitka 'Frankenstein' Puts Classic Tale in New Ligh...
28 Mar 2024 15:01

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]

State May Los Millions Over Ed Dept. Missteps
28 Mar 2024 14:59

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]

Gov Signs Bill On Internet In State Schools
28 Mar 2024 14:57

By JAMES BROOKS
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    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]

Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from Tongass
28 Mar 2024 14:56

By YERETH ROSEN
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    Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]

City League Games Thursday
28 Mar 2024 14:52

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Police Blotter
28 Mar 2024 14:50

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
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March 28, 2024, Community Happenings
28 Mar 2024 14:48

This Week in Girls on the Run By Sitkans Against Family Violence
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New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

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Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
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Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

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Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

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Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
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House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
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March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

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Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
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At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
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26 Mar 2024 15:22

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    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

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Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
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Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
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City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
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House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
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By JAMES BROOKS
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Daily Sitka Sentinel

June 2, 2023, Community Happenings

Climate Connection: Electric School Buses

Last year, the Sitka School District submitted a proposal to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program to replace seven diesel school buses and three smaller diesel buses with wheelchair lifts with electric vehicles. As a result of the overwhelming nationwide response, the program doubled the amount of funding awarded. However, in Alaska only Wrangell was awarded one electric school bus. The Sitka School District was wait-listed. EPA funding is designed to continue for four more years. The 2023 program has been divided into two parts: a grant program and a rebate program. Unfortunately, the Sitka School District does not meet the 2023 grant requirements, but may be able to apply to the rebate program when the program details are released in the fall. 

The World Resources Institute (WRI) anticipates that the Total Cost of Ownership of electric and diesel school buses will be comparable by the middle of this decade because of decreases in battery costs and efficiencies of scale in component markets and manufacturing. The Total Cost of Ownership consists of purchase price, price and operating cost of charging infrastructure, incentives to subsidize purchases, fuel expenditures, maintenance and repair costs, and registration fees and insurance. An electric school bus can expect to save over $100,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance costs, compared to an equivalent diesel bus. Until Total Costs of Ownership are comparable, the EPA rebates and grants are important to lower the lifetime investment in electric buses compared to new diesel buses. WRI has a Total Cost of Ownership Calculator to allow school districts to customize projected costs depending on location, cost of electricity for chargers and diesel fuel, miles traveled on city or highway roads, financing of new buses, and size of school buses. Average annual mileage for our school buses pre-pandemic varied from 2,300 to 11,600 miles (daily mileage per bus was 14-70 miles), which was much less than any of the categories in the calculator. Our low mileage rates may result in longer projected vehicle lifetimes than assumed in the calculator. 

Our School District has contracted for school transportation in past decades. Last year, the current provider had diesel buses dating from 2001 to 2008, with a contract that is typically three years. Long-term planning could assist in determining whether to contract with a vendor with a plan to transition to electric buses, to hire an electric bus service company, or to invest in its own electric fleet with employees or contractors for driving and maintenance. Level 2 charging of buses will require collaboration with our municipal electric department. Now is the time for parents, teachers, school board, and assembly to begin conversations to facilitate federal funding program applications and to meet municipal decarbonization goals. A transition to electric school buses will benefit our children’s respiratory health, lower Sitka’s greenhouse gas emissions, and save money that can be invested in education.

--Kay Kreiss, Transition Sitka

 

Music Festival

Concert Saturday

Sitka Music Festival’s “Rachmaninov at 150” concert will be staged 7 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at Harrigan Centennial. It will feature works by Turina, Tillis and Rachmaninov. 

Tickets are $22.50 for seniors, military members and youths, and $27.50 for adults, when purchased in advance, or $25 and $30 at the door. Learn more at sitkamusicfestival.org, or call (907) 747-6774.

 

SMF to Present

Family Concert,

Ice Cream Social

Sitka Music Festival will present its free outdoor Sea Mart Family Concert  and ice cream social 3 p.m. Sunday, June 4, at Stevenson Hall on the SJ Campus.

It will feature world-class musicians performing string quartets by Mozart and Mendelssohn.

The event will be held rain or shine. Learn more at sitkamusicfestival.org, or call (907) 747-6774.

 

Life Celebration

For Galen Insteness

The family of Galen Insteness, who passed away on Nov. 12, 2022, at the Sitka Pioneers Home, will host a celebration of life gathering 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 12, at the Sitka Pioneers Home Chapel.

A short memorial service, story sharing, singing and food will be part of Galen’s remembrance.

Those with questions can call Lori Moles: 907-209-3679.

 

Boating Safety

Class in Sitka

Alaska Marine Safety Education Association  will offer a recreational boating class 8 a.m.-5 p.m. June 10 at NSRAA, 1308 Sawmill Creek Road.

The cost for the class is $125. Interested boaters may register online at www.amsea.org or call (907) 747-3287.

The class will cover trip planning, weather and risk assessment, distress signals and mayday calls, personal flotation devices, cold-water survival skills, man overboard recovery, the seven steps to survival, basic shore survival, and engine breakdowns.

The class is an introduction to skills needed for safe boating for new boaters, and a refresher class for more experienced ones.

 

 Aloha Hart Returns

To Sitka Lutheran

Aloha Hart will again provide volunteer service this summer at Sitka Lutheran Church.

She is from Coupeville, Washington.   

Proclaiming the Gospel, and explaining Sitka Lutheran’s rich Finnish-Lutheran history to tourists are among the duties Hart will perform.

She will work alongside other volunteers as they serve the tourists and the community.  

Regular Sunday morning worship services are held at 10:30 a.m. in the building and on Zoom. For information call the church office at 747-3338, visit the church’s web site at: http://www.sitkalutheranchurch.org/ or e-mail the office at slc.admin@acsalaska.net.  

 

Medvejie Run

Set for June 24

The 17th Medvejie Solstice Run is scheduled 9 a.m. Saturday, June 24, at Herring Cove.

The fundraiser for Sitka High track and cross-country teams includes three distance events – half-marathon, 10K and 5K – and begins and ends at Herring Cove.

Pre-registration is recommended and is available online at runsignup.com – “Medvejie Solstice Run.”

Race day registration begins at 7:45 a.m., and ends promptly at 8:40 a.m. Pre-registration fees are: $30 – 5K, $35 – 10K, $45 – half-marathon. The first 75 registrants will receive an athletic T-shirts. Race-day registration is $10 more. SHS cross-country and track team members can run for free, with T-shirts costing $10.

A virtual run option is available for $30.

Visit the Medvejie Solstice Run page on Facebook for more information, or email: runsitkahigh@gmail.com.

 

Rally Sunday to

Support Navalny

Sitka residents are invited to participate in a rally raising awareness in support of Alexei Navalny and other political prisoners and dissenters in Russia at 5 p.m. Sunday, June 4, at the Lake Street roundabout.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

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