Climate & Candidates
Dear Editor: Thanks to the candidates who showed they were prepared to listen and discuss solutions to the climate change challenge.
The Sitka Citizen’s Climate Lobby has spent some time over the past two years encouraging everyone to think about taking action on climate change. Recently, this has also included engaging with our aspiring local government and School Board representatives. Several weeks ago, we sent all the candidates a questionnaire that asked about specific actions that could be taken to assist Sitkans in responding to the challenges we face.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank those candidates who did provide us with their views. Marshall Albertson, Rebecca Himschoot, Leo Jimmy, Fred Olson Jr., Crystal Duncan, Diana Dapcevich, Blossom Twitchell and Steven Eisenbeiz were brave enough to lay their cards on the table on this issue. With one notable exception, all of these candidates showed themselves to be open to exploring many of the solutions that we have suggested, and interested in engaging the community in further discussions of this critical issue.
Andrew Hames and Cass Pook were zoom-interviewed by our group, for which we thank them (see letter to editor on Sept. 22), and did not respond in writing to our request for additional information about their views or position on climate change. All of the School Board candidates recognized the importance of climate change and accepted our offer to provide them with information about funding options for reducing the carbon footprint of school buildings and transportation (Full Report: http://bit.ly/BenElecGuide; Recommended Projects: http://bit.ly/BenElecRecProjects).
Regardless of who is elected, we welcome ongoing involvement by these candidates and these leadership bodies. We have an estimated 10 years to turn the ship around, and make our beautiful community healthier, more equitable and resilient, and independent of fossil fuels. Importantly, this challenge presents opportunities to revitalize our community that we should not ignore. Oct. 6 is not the end of the discussion, and we look forward to working with our local leaders and citizens in the future.
Leah Mason, member,
Sitka Citizens’ Climate Lobby
George Soros
Dear Editor: I cannot remain silent. George Soros has been the subject of untruthful imaging and propaganda for years. He is simply a philanthropist trying to make the world a better place to live in. That is all there is to it. Conspiracy theories against him must stop and the City of Sitka should not be a target for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Let us all work really hard to stop discrimination and misinformation.
George Soros is a good person.
Lorraine Inez Lil, Sitka
Sportsmen Event
Dear Editor: Sitka Sportsman’s Association had a great turnout for their fundraising dinner and raffle Sunday, Oct. 4.
The top three raffle winners are: first prize winner of two Alaska Airlines vouchers is Debbie Daniels; second prize winner of the LFS Kachemak inflatable is Kim Rickard; and third prize winner of Orion Sporting Goods’ $500 gift card is Riley Bernhardt.
A big thank you to all of our sportsman’s enthusiasts for your support. Congratulations and a big thank you to all!
The fundraiser was made possible with so many generous donations. Sadly, earlier this year SSA was not able to host the Sitka Salmon Derby due to COVID-19 conditions, but with the aid of a few businesses that offered up their donations SSA was able to hold the fundraiser.
SSA would like to thank Alaska Airlines, LFS Marine Supplies, Orion Sporting Goods, AC Lakeside, Harry Race, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka Harbor Department, Sitka Tours/Prewitt, Alaska Raptor Center, Guns of Alaska, Munchie Mart, KCAW, KIFW, Elks Lodge and Elks great staff, Sitka Shore Shots and all the bakers who donated items to the “very” successful dessert auction.
Sitka Sportsman’s Association
Decolonization Dialogue
Dear Editor: Your readers may be aware of the Sitka Decolonization Dialogue Group because of the support that we provided to the campaign to remove the statue of a colonial administrator from in front of our town hall at the Harrigan Centennial Hall.
The group has been active since its creation in 2017 as one of the Sitka Health Summit’s annual projects. Contrary to what some have said, this year is not the first time that the subject of removing the statue has come up. However, in a year that has seen a dramatic upwelling of resistance to violence against Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC), even small gestures such as moving a statue can begin addressing historical violence, and begin healing the trauma that it inflicts. We are calling this larger goal Haa Tuwunáagu Wooch.een Yís – a Lingit phrase that translates to ‘‘For Healing Our Spirits, Together.’’
As part of our ongoing project to decolonize, the Sitka DDG has asked the many candidates for local government office about the support that they might provide to other decolonizing and anti-racist projects. Although not all have responded, many have provided thoughtful answers to our questions and suggestions. We would like to thank Leo Jimmy, Rebecca Himschoot, Fred Olson Jr., Blossom Twitchell, Crystal Duncan, Diana Dapcevich, and Steven Eisenbeisz for engaging with the community on these issues. Many of our questions were also included in the mayoral and school board forums provided by KCAW, and we thank the candidates who responded with thought and respect for the well-being of the entire community.
We will continue to seek out opportunities to make our community work for everyone who lives in it, and look forward to continuing the decolonizing dialogue in the years to come.
Thank you, and Gunalchéesh!
Kari Johnson, Ben Hughey,
Courtney McArthur, Leah Mason,
Sitka Decolonization
Dialogue Group
