COVID-19 Pandemic
Dear Editor: As the season changes, we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our community has been resilient and adapted quickly, implementing preventative safety measures to limit community transmission. With the coming flu season, we anticipate additional hurdles ahead. Increased COVID-19 cases and transmission may cause the necessity to close schools, which is harmful to our children, families, and the economy. We call on all citizens to take personal responsibility for our community’s health.
The Sitka COVID-19 Unified Command has worked diligently to keep the community informed of the current case count and risk level on our dashboard which can be found at cityofsitka.org. For each risk level, there are recommended mitigation efforts that our community members can follow to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and ultimately allow our schools to continue operating.
Please continue practicing proper hygiene, physical distancing and wearing a mask. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, please stay home. Avoid large gatherings. Cover your mouth and nose if you sneeze. Wash your hands with soap frequently and thoroughly, or use hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your face. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. If you are not able to safely physically distance, wear a mask. All individuals older than six months should get a flu shot.
These preventative measures will assist in keeping our kids in school, employees at work, and our healthcare resources intact and available.
Thank you for your individual effort in these regards, for the safety of your family, neighbors, and community.
Sitka COVID-19 Unified Command John Leach, CBS City
Administrator and
Incident Commander,
Dr. Elliot Bruhl, M.D.,
SEARHC CMO and
Incident Commander
Emergency Thanks
Dear Editor: About two weeks ago I was admitted to SEARHC Hospital. Why is not important . . . what is important is how everyone helped me from the time I was home, admitted and discharged. Thank you so much, Sitka Fire Department ambulance crew. Your patience and knowledge is a great asset for those who do not understand what is happening around them. Thank you to the doctor and all medical staff involved with my admittance, emergency surgery and care. A special thanks also to the unknown blood donors who gave a part of themselves to help a person unknown to them. Whether it was your blood or not, thank you so very much for your generous donation!
More thanks go out to all the day shift and night shift crews in your diligence to provide a clean and safe facility, providing healthy and great tasting meals, the pharmacy and the lab folks. The teamwork at SEARHC was like a well-oiled machine and my care was in great hands in every direction.
Thank you, sis Gina, as well as Harvey and Terrence Kitka, for your support, your skills and help while I was “busy” getting better. And, I cannot sign off without a huge heartfelt thanks to Amy Jo and Mike Howard, as well Chaix and Dale Welty – without great neighbors such as yourself who sacrifice to make sure “all is safe in da hood” and always putting people around you first even if your schedule is interfered with.
Thank you so much to my wife Sharon and little girl Zeylinn (oops not so little anymore!!!). I am so thankful and have so much appreciation to everyone in my time of need. Please do not take this the wrong way but … I hope I don’t have to see any of you for a very long time … unless you invite me for fun stuff.
Frank E. Joseph, Sitka
Soros in Sitka
Dear Editor: Had I run into candidate Albertson at the polls Tuesday, I would have asked him a couple of questions and informed him of a very simple fact.
The questions: Exactly where and when did Attorney General Barr link Antifa and BLM to George Soros? If he did it recently, it is well-hidden from a Google News hunt and gather. And regardless of that, why did YOU choose to bring this up the night before the election?
The fact: The day you or anybody else in Sitka, Juneau or Washington can prevent Alaskans (or any American) from receiving money from people like George Soros (or anybody else), and being “held to account” (sic) because you (or anybody else) – in your (their) learned, reasoned, and proven-by-facts wise opinion – determine that Soros (or anybody else) is “anti-American”…….
The day that happens, Marshall Albertson, your name can become your title, and you and people like you will have succeeded at exactly what it is that you claim Soros and his legions are attempting to accomplish: “destroying America.” Just like Sen. Joe McCarthy was doing back in the 1950s with his inquisition against “communists.”
It’s a shame you are not as concerned about what money coming from people other than (and diametrically opposed to) Soros and his ideology are doing to America: the corporations, unions, banks and brokers, and all the other special interests with their armies of lobbyists and bottomless-pit contribution machines: America’s $1 = 1 vote system of politics, and thus its government and governance (aka Citizens United).
More importantly, it’s a bigger shame that you are not as concerned about the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States as you no doubt are about the Second.
The interesting albeit troubling thing is that there are more than just a few Sitkans, Alaskans, and Americans who agree with your pontification on Soros and what to do about it; particularly when it comes to those Amendments. Folks like you are doing Soros’ business for him, and don’t even know it.
Jeffrey G Moebus, Master Sergeant,
U.S. Army (Retired),
Drop UFA Support
Dear Editor: To ALFA, ATA, BBFA, SPC and FVOA. As a member in good standing I would like you to consider dropping out of UFA because of not supporting Al Gross for the United States. UFA always says vote fish. Well, then vote for the fisherman, Al Gross. We haven’t had a good fisheries senator in the U.S. Senate since Ted Stevens, Warren Magnuson or JFK (SK funds for fishermen).
To not vote for a fisherman is a punch in the gut for a fisherman of 40 years like myself or Al. A fisherman that works his way from the back deck to become a doctor and yet still fishes. If I have a fisheries question I don’t have to spend two hours trying to explain the IFQ 3% tax mismanagement. Mostly because I would be lucky to get 10 minutes from Sullivan. Or, how about the wasteful and highly unregulated bycatch of Bering Sea halibut. Which hurts many communities throughout the state including Juneau where Al Gross grew up. He understands these problems because he has lived them and seen his friends hurt because of them. So please consider dropping out of UFA. I have.
Michael J. Mayo,
F/V Coral Lee
DV Awareness
Dear Editor: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. SAFV is using this as an opportunity to let all readers know that this kind of violence can occur to anyone no matter their age, gender, race, education, income level, sexual orientation, nationality, or any other circumstances.
Experiencing domestic violence is never the victim’s fault no matter what they are told. Violence does not have to be physical to hurt and lead to long-lasting effects. Verbal and emotional abuse or being driven to believe one is crazy are forms of violence that can feel more destructive with longer-lasting effects as we repeatedly hear from survivors. SAFV wants survivors to know they are not responsible for the violence that occurs behind closed doors.
We have some good news. SAFV advocates are available at all hours on the phone or by text to listen to your experiences and concerns. You do not have to be a resident to receive our services. We offer confidential assistance and will not judge for any of the decisions you make because we understand that you know best what is right for you at this very moment.
If you need to talk to someone, please call 747-3370 anytime or send a text to 907-623-7820 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. seven days a week. We are here for all people of Sitka, Angoon, Kake, and Port Alexander. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Staff members at
Sitkans Against Family Violence
