City Electric Rates
Dear Editor: In response to the incomprehensible formula that the city has come up with for our new electric rates inspired me to write this letter.
We need to have a say in how the electric increase affects us personally; we know that an increase is unavoidable, but to make us pay 12 or 13 cents a kilowatt hour for heating our homes, is totally unaffordable. Our electric could end up costing us over $700 plus the utility bill; this pushes our payments to around $850-$900 a month and that’s IF we don’t have a really long cold winter, thus pushing it up even higher, becoming another mortgage payment.
I switched to electric heat years ago because a city employee encouraged it because it was a lot cheaper than oil, at 8 cents a kilowatt and dropping to a half cent after a certain amount. so we are ALREADY paying quite a bit more plus the utility increases.
We now have a large enough dam so we no longer have to conserve energy so do this instead: Charge us 15 cents a kilowatt to about 1,600 kilowatts (my basic average electric use) that = $240 then reduce the rate to 2 cents a kilowatt after = $80 for 4,000 kilowatts ... or ... 14 cents a kilowatt to 1,600 = $224. Then raise it to 3 cents a kilowatt for 4,000 kilowatts = $120.
This way we can afford to heat our homes and run our dryers, ovens and take more hot baths or have more fun in the shower.
Their formula will cause serious strain on most Sitkans not allowing people to support their families or meet any other of life’s needs, and this is going to make people leave Sitka or have to make expensive modifications so we don’t heat our homes, water and ovens with electricity which will add to the existing problem, making those left to carry this burden.
LuCinda Williams, Sitka
Parade of Species
Dear Editor: On Friday, April 24, several witnesses saw a stampede of wild animals and flora and fauna marching down Lincoln Street. Local biologists believe this incredible event to be occurring annually during Earth Day week: the 14th Annual Parade of Species, sponsored by the Sitka Conservation Society.
This year, over 150 children and parents participated in the parade which ended at Harrigan Centennial Hall where everyone enjoyed healthy snacks and activity booths by local organizations on Earth Day-related topics. The Sitka Conservation Society would like to thank everyone involved in this event.
Thank you to all of the organizations that set-up booths and celebrated with the marchers after the parade including the National Park Service, the Sitka Bike Friendly Community Group, Cooperative Extension and 4-H, the Sitka Herring Festival, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Raptor Center, the Sitka Sound Science Center, and Mt. Edgecumbe students and representatives, and dedicated SCS staff face-painters.
Thank you to the Sitka Sentinel and KCAW for advertising the event and to all the local businesses who allowed us to hang flyers. Also, thank you to all of the schools and teachers who were willing to pass out flyers to the children in their classes. This is the best and most effective way to remind children and their parents about the parade!
The Parade of Species would not have been possible without the amazing space and facilities provided by Harrigan Centennial Hall; Sitkans were so grateful to celebrate the parade outside of the building to enjoy the sunshine.
We would also like to extend a special thanks to Old Harbor Books, the Backdoor Café, and Harry Race Pharmacy for donating prizes for the costume contest for categories of “Best local plant or animal, best use of recycled materials, and most creative.”
The Parade of Species is a fun way to remember the principles of Earth Day and to encourage children to get involved and to learn about and discuss current environmental issues. We hope that people will choose to celebrate Earth Day not just once a year, but every day. At SCS, we are glad to see that the Parade has become a community tradition and we are happy to be able to sponsor such a well attended and fun event.
We look forward to seeing everyone again next year! Start planning your costumes!
Sarah Komisar,
Living with the Land
and Building Community JV,
Sitka Conservation Society
Thank You
Dear Editor: On behalf of the Mt. Edgecumbe High School music program, I would like to extend sincere (if slightly belated) thanks to the Junk Trunk.
Every semester, it is an obligation of MEHS music students to make arrangements to have appropriate concert attire, and there were a larger than normal group of students who were struggling to make those arrangements this year.
A senior student leader approached the Junk Trunk to request their assistance with locating and setting aside gently-used shoes and formal wear for our musicians and they not only agreed, but furnished the items without asking for payment. Thanks to this civic-minded business, all of our students were able to go on stage in Juneau at Music Fest looking their best.
Stephen Courtright
MEHS Music Teacher
and all of the MEHS music students
Juneau Opera Night
Dear Editor: I was fortunate to see the Juneau Lyric Opera production of Don Giovanni last weekend in Juneau. Although I was prepared to enjoy myself, I was frankly stunned by the extraordinary quality of the production – the singing and acting were uniformly superb; the story, heart-wrenching and hilarious in turns.
Happily, the opera is coming to the Sitka Performing Arts Center this Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Opera is the fastest growing performing art in the U.S. and the diverse professional cast of Don Giovanni—which includes singers from New York City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Seattle, Juneau, and Sitka – including several rising young stars – reflects opera’s growing popularity.
JLO’s contemporary staging of Mozart’s tragicomedy gives the story a sense of immediacy and relevance without impacting the sound and intent of the original.
How thrilling for Sitkans to have a chance to see a world class opera performed in our own world class performing arts center. Based on personal experience, I recommend that you attend Friday night’s performance so that you can return to see the show again on Saturday!
Tickets are available at Old Harbor Books and at the door. For more information, visit http://juneauopera.org/don-giovanni/.
Cindy Litman, Sitka
Cross Trail Repair
Dear Editor: On behalf of Sitka Trail Works and City and Borough of Sitka parks and recreation staff, we would like to extend appreciation to the Coast Guard Sitka Area Chiefs Mess for their volunteer efforts to repair and improve the Cross Trail from Yaw Drive to the Indian River Trail on Friday, April 17. This section of the Cross Trail had fallen into disrepair in the last couple years and will not be upgraded to a multimodal standard since it accesses Indian River Trail that is for pedestrians only.
In four hours, with the herculean efforts of 12 mighty chiefs, 1,600 feet of trail was totally transformed. The group dug out muddy spots, ditched for drainage, removed roots and carried and spread over seven yards of gravel alongside the city parks and recreation crew Jud Kirkness and Jeff Cranson and Sitka Trail Works’ Amanda Johnson. All the gravel was dug, wheel barrowed and carried by bucket. The action would be more aptly described as the gravel fairly flew.
Thanks go out to the Sitka Area Chiefs Mess who volunteered: MKC Rudy Ancheta, FSC Brandon Saiz, YNC Clara Whitehead, AETCS Tom Wallo, AMTCM Al Fowler, HSC Matt Reines, AMTC Kevin Morrison, AETCM Mike Ferreira, ASTC Mark Phillips, BMCS Kris Demetros, AETC Travis McGregor, AMT1 (Chief select) Chris Blackmon and AMTC Steve Davis. YNC Clara Whitehead gets extra thanks for helping organize the project with STW and CBS.
Once again, many thanks go out to the Sitka Area Chiefs Mess for the amazing trail work. The group is to be applauded for the amount of hard work and major muscle applied to the four hour effort! The trail surface is much safer and a great deal more walkable as a result.
Deborah Lyons,
STW Executive Director
Lynne Brandon
CBS Parks and Recreation Manager
