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Today's top stories

Police Chief Candidate Meets Sitka Public

Michael Hall, one of two applicants in the city’s search for a new police chief, at center meets with Sitkans Tuesday evening at Harrigan Centennial Hall during a public meet-and-greet. The city will host anotherr public reception event for the other candidate, Wade Lyons, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Michael Hall, one of two finalists in the city’s search for a new police chief, gave a jovial speech before about 40 Sitkans during a public meet-and-greet event on Tuesday evening at Harrigan Centennial Hall. City leaders interviewed candidates...
Bob Sam stands behind an informational sign in the Russian Cemetery off Marine Street today. Sam, who has worked to restore Sitka graveyards since the 1980s, has been involved in a project to find the exact burial site of Saint Yakov, 1802-1864. Yakov was canonized by the Orthodox Church in 1994.

Search May Identify Historic Sitka Grave

On the salmonberry-covered hill of Marine Street, where the Holy Trinity Church used to be, Reverend Herman Belt of St. Michael’s Cathedral and Bob Sam, longtime cemetery caretaker, are hoping to have discovered the gravesite of Saint Yakov...
A map shows areas that could be "eligible for sale" to private interests if new language in a draft Senate reconciliation bill were to pass.

Trump Land Sale Plan Draws Protest in Sitka

Sitka residents are mounting a strong response to a draft provision of the U.S. Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill that would mandate the sale of roughly 2 to 3 million acres of federal public lands in 11 western states, including...

KCAW Seeks Action Against Funding Cuts

Local and regional community radio advocates are asking for listenrs’ help in fighting President Trump’s proposed rescissions which KCAW-FM says is “the most serious threat” to federal funding the station has faced. “Our ask to the public is to...

2 Rescued From Small Boat

Two men, ages 61 and 31, were rescued early this morning from a small boat foundering off Eagle Beach, police and fire officials said. The two were treated for hypothermia. Police received calls around midnight that cries for help were being...
Community news
Police Chief Candidate at Meet-and-Greet
The City and Borough of Sitka invites the public to meet Sitka police chief candidate Wade Lyons at a meet-and-greet 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 23, at Harrigan Centennial Hall in meeting room 3. For information contact the Human Resources office...
Yard Sale Benefit At Pioneers Home
Sitka Pioneers Home will host a yard sale fundraiser 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at the upper front lawn. Proceeds benefit the residents through the Sitka Pioneers Home Auxiliary. If raining, the sale will be in the basement recreation...
Transition Sitka Sets Annual Meet
Transition Sitka will hold its annual meeting 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at St. Peter’s See House. Those attending are asked to take a dish to share as well as their own place setting.  On the agenda is election of officers, reports from...
Free Dance Day Listed Saturday
Sitka Studio of Dance will offer a free day of dance Saturday, June 21, at 1310 Sawmill Creek Road. Classes in jazz, hip hop, tap (shoes provided), ballet, and modern will be offered to kids in Keet Gooshi Heen elementary school and Blatchley...
Blues & Dance at Community House
Community members are invited to an evening of free blues and dance 7-9 p.m. Friday, July 4, at the Sheet’ká Kwáan Naa Kahídi.  Sitka Tribe of Alaska will host Diné bluesman Levi Platero and his band for “Music Is Medicine.” Platero is a...
Calendar of Events June 18, 2025
WEDNESDAY 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Made in Sitka Market, Harrigan Centennial Hall 11-2 Salvation Army Little Store open Noon White Elephant Shop open Noon AA, St. Peter’s basement, call AA hotline 747-8866 for information  Noon STA Tribal Council,...
SHS Class of 1975 Set to Celebrate
The Sitka High School class of 1975 will celebrate its 50th class reunion over the 4th of July holiday. All are invited to join the parade. Gather at noon on by KIFW on Lake Street  for the 1 p.m. parade or simply join in from the sidewalk...
John Reiter. (Photo provided)
Moose Dignitary to Visit Sitka Lodge
John R. Reiter, Moose International Inc. board of directors chairman,  is visiting Sitka Moose Lodge 1350 this week. The lodge will host a free dinner of rockfish Olympian, rice, organic green beans, coleslaw and dessert 6 p.m. ...
SAFV Board Meets June 18
The board of Sitkans Against Family Violence will meet noon Wednesday, June 18, on Zoom. The meeting is open to the public. E-mail director@safv.org for a link to join. 
Police blotter

Police Blotter, June 17, 2025

Police Blotter Sitka Police Department received the following calls in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. today. June 16 At 9:25 a.m. a flag flying upside down on top of a tree near the Mt. Edgecumbe High swimming pool was taken down. A case was...

Obituaries
Joyce Marvel Martin Dies; Former Resident Was 94
Joyce Marvel Martin, a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on June 6 at the age of 94. Joyce got her name because, as her family put it, marvelous day!” “The day of her birth was a joyous and Born on...
Agnes J. Greimann Dies; Longtime Alaskan was 92
AGNES J. GREIMANN  Agnes Joyce Greimann passed away, peacefully, on March 29, 2025. Agnes was born on December 15, 1932, in Alberta, Canada. On February 19, 1949, Agnes met Paul, in Edmonton, Alberta. After a week of dating , Paul left for...
Longtime Sitka Resident Marian Blankenship Dies
Longtime Sitka resident, Marian Blankenship, passed on to her eternal home, in the early morning hours of May 28, 2025, at the age of 92. Marian was born Marian Jean Myers, to Clarence and Sadie Myers, on March 8,1933, in Ketchikan AK.  She...
Barbara Pamela (Craig) Chittenden
Memorial Service June 13 For Barbara Chittenden
Memorial Service June 13 For Barbara Chittenden Memorial services for Barbara Pamela (Craig) Chittenden, who had deep roots in Sitka, will be Friday, June 13, at Sitka National Cemetery. Her ashes, along with those of her husband Gene, will be...
Sports

Sitka Women’s Softball Expands to Five Teams

Lauren Bell hits a grand slam homerun Tuesday night at Kimsham Field in city league action.
Tatiana Perkins is from a softball family, which means that her history with the sport can be counted in generations.  She grew up on the softball fields — a proud “field rat” —  playing with other kids when too young to participate in...
Sitka baseball sophomore infielder Jude Gluth, softball junior pitcher/2B/1B and senior outfielder/infielder/pitcher Josh Gluth hold the team's 2025 state championship trophies Saturday at Anchorage's Mulchay Stadium. (photo courtesy Heather Gluth)

Sitka Wolves Sweep State Championships in Baseball and Softball

Baseball By KLAS STOLPE For the Sentinel With just one out waiting to be closed on Saturday, Sitka senior Bryce Compagno-Calhoun looked down from the pitcher’s mound toward senior catcher Tanner Steinson.   “It was, I don’t know,...
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Sitka Yesterday June 18, 2025

20 YEARS AGO

June 2005

Photo caption: South Korea’s MBC Broadcast camerawoman Mi Young Lee films inside the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi. The Asian film crew is visiting tourist sites in Sitka for a travel feature to be aired by the TV and Web company. The crew also watched Sitka dance groups, visited the Dog Point Fish Camp and hiked local trails.

50 YEARS AGO

June 1975

The annual Sitka Summer Recreation Program begins Monday. Program Director Jon Tatum said activities include an archery program, races and other athletic competition, and a variety of arts and crafts.

Around Alaska

Federal land sales, more logging and more oil revenue: What’s in the big federal bill for Alaska?

Members of the U.S. Senate last week proposed a major sale of federal land as part of the “Big, Beautiful Bill” proposed by Republicans to fund the U.S. government. If adopted, the proposed sale could be significant for Alaska, where the federal government owns and manages 61% of all land in the state. Under language […]

The big, the bad and the ugly, even for Alaskans

The Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill, or BBB, is a boon for America’s ultrarich at the expense of the poor and the working class. And with adding $3.4 trillion to the national deficit, this boon for the wealthy could also be at the expense of an economy rattled by Trump’s on-and-off again tariffs.   According to […]

Four new bills become law in Alaska, two with governor’s signature

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has signed a bill expanding the exemptions that allow some Alaskans who are absent from the state to receive Permanent Fund dividends. House Bill 75, from Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, was one of four bills that became law last week. “We were pleased to see that it was signed into law,” said […]
Workers install panels at a solar project Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Galena, Alaska. (AP Photo/John Locher)

In rural Alaska, a village turns to solar and biomass energies to cut diesel and save money

On a former military base in Galena, Alaska, a school that houses about 200 high school students teaches sustainability among many things. One of the recent graduates is helping to build the …

ACLU of Alaska launches online reporting tool for tracking immigration enforcement actions

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska has launched an online reporting tool to gather information around local and federal law enforcement agencies increasing immigration enforcement actions around the state. The civil rights group is seeking to monitor Alaska immigration enforcement actions, as the Trump administration has ramped up arrest quotas for U.S. Immigration and […]

Coast Guard investigates storm-caused near-collision between two cruise ships in Juneau

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a near-collision between two cruise ships in the Port of Juneau that occurred Monday, when one of the two ships broke loose from its moorings and drifted toward the other. “Our investigations division, they’re running with a standard investigation, just like we would do with any similar such incident, […]

Trump administration revives plan to open most of Arctic Alaska land unit to oil development

The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed opening about 7 million more federally managed acres on Alaska’s North Slope to new oil development, resurrecting a pro-drilling plan proposed in the first Trump administration but never adopted. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management released the new draft integrated activity plan for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. […]

Conservatives must lead in protecting Alaska’s waters — which bottom trawling harms

As lifelong Alaskans and proud Republicans, we believe in stewardship — of our oceans, our communities and our resources. That’s why we see benefits to Senate Bill 161 and House Bill 203, bills that would ban bottom trawling in Alaska’s state waters. There are many much more sustainable ways to harvest fish from the ocean […]
From the Associated Press
National news
People evacuate after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

The top photos of the week by AP's photojournalists

June 13-19, 2025 This photo gallery, curated by photo editor Anne Marie Belgrave, highlights some of the most compelling images worldwide published by The Associated Press in the past week. …
California National Guard stand in formation guarding the federal building in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Appeals court lets Trump keep control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles

An appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids. Thursday’s decision halts a ruling …
An Israeli soldier plays beach volley at sunset in Tel Aviv's beachfront Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

The top photos of the day by AP's photojournalists

From front-page news to powerful moments you may have missed, this gallery showcases today’s top photos chosen by Associated Press photo editors. ____ Follow AP visual journalism: AP …
Palestinian supporters hold bengals while marching against Israel's attacks on Gaza, in Santiago, Chile, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Latin America and Caribbean week in pictures

June 13-19, 2025 A federal court granted a request by former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to serve a six-year prison sentence for corruption at her home in Buenos …
International
A fire erupted and cars were ablaze following an Iranian attack in southern Israel on Friday. Earlier on Friday, the Israeli army said that "sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran” towards Israel.

Israel and Iran launch strikes a week into their war as new diplomatic effort takes shape

Israel and Iran have struck at one another again a week into their war as President Donald Trump weighs U.S. involvement and new diplomatic efforts appear to be taking place. Iran’s Foreign …
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, visiting New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, left shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to their bilateral meeting in Beijing, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Shen Hong/Xinhua via AP)

New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon talks trade in meeting with China's Xi

The prime minister of New Zealand has stressed the importance of his country’s trade ties with China in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was in Beijing on …

China sends scores of planes across central line in Taiwan Strait

China has sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait unofficially dividing the sides. China considers Taiwan its …
People walk in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Friday, June 20, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Asian shares are mixed and oil gains as world waits to see if US will join Israel's war against Iran

Crude oil prices have climbed and Asian shares are trading mixed as markets await more clarity on whether or not the U.S. will join Israel’s war against Iran. Investors remained wary after the …
National Sports
Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis celebrates his fifty runs during day four of the first cricket test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle, Sri Lanka, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Kamindu Mendis inches closer to another test century as Sri Lanka closes in on Bangladesh's total

Sri Lanka has edged closer to Bangladesh’s formidable first-innings total, reaching 465 for six at lunch on Day 4 of the series-opening cricket test and cutting the deficit to just 30 runs. Kamindu …

Bogaerts homers among 4 hits as Padres beat Dodgers 5-3 to avoid four-game sweep

Xander Bogaerts homered among his four hits and scored three runs, and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to avoid a four-game sweep. Rookie Ryan Bergert gave up three hits in 4 …

Kurtz does it again with homer off Hader in 10th to lift Athletics over Astros

Nick Kurtz hit a two-run homer off closer Josh Hader in the 10th inning to give the Athletics a 6-4 victory over the Houston Astros. Willie McIver launched his first major league homer and drove in …
Entertainment
FILE - K-pop band BTS's member J-Hope reacts after being discharged from a mandatory military service outside of an army base in Wonju, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

What to know about BTS as the K-pop group returns from military service

Remember BTS? The massively popular seven person K-pop group BTS has completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. The rapper Suga will be the last one slated to join his bandmates when he is …

Napoleon's world is on display for a landmark auction, from divorce papers to his iconic hat

The Hollywood epic “Napoleon” exposed the legendary emperor to a new generation. Now over 100 relics are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic …

Nero's ancient Rome and Jazz Age New York meet in `The Comet/Poppea' at Lincoln Center

“The Comet/Poppea” has started its five-performance run at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City in New York. The performance is a 90-minute combination of Monteverdi’s 1643 opera …
Health
Lucy Abalo, Community Health Extension Worker riding her Buffalo bicycle in Lira, Uganda, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

In Uganda, a tougher bicycle offers hope for better health coverage in rural areas

Roads in parts of rural Uganda can be rough in dry weather and a churn of mud in wet. That's a challenge for local health workers. A U.S.-based nonprofit is partnering with the health ministry of the …

UK lawmakers to vote on allowing terminally ill adults to end their lives

British lawmakers are set to vote on whether to back a bill to help terminally ill adults end their lives in England and Wales. The vote Friday could be one of the most consequential social …

'I was terrified I was going to die.' Rape victims in Brazil struggle to access legal abortions

A Brazilian woman who says she became pregnant after being raped in March should have been granted access to a legal abortion. But when she sought to terminate the pregnancy at a hospital, she was …