Second financial option, credit union comes to Skagway in April
By Gretchen Wehmhoff
Skagway will see a second financial institution open in downtown this April.
Credit Union 1 (CU1) plans to add a branch in town in response to a letter they received from Skagway officials last January inviting financial companies to explore Skagway as a new branch destination.
Two years ago, CU1 announced it would seek branches in Wasilla and Kotzebue. Then the invitation from then Skagway Borough Manager, Brad Ryan showed up.
“With two other branches opening this year, Skagway wasn’t on our radar for expansion, but the assembly’s request got our attention,” said CU1’s President and CEO, Mark Burgess.
Burgess and chief operating officer, Erika Smith, came to Skagway in Apriljust before the cruise season got going.
“When we visited the community, we met incredible people who exemplify the Alaskan spirit—innovators, small business owners, and families building their future. It became clear that CU1 could make a real difference here,” said Burgess.
“We were there, seeing everybody getting set up, talking to a bunch of the businesses and [hearing] some of the struggles that are happening down there. Like it’s a couple days sometimes to do a wire transfer. And, you know, there’s only one option in town, so financing things can sometimes be tough,” Burgess said.
He also heard from those who didn’t bank with Wells Fargo, the only banking option in Skagway.
“Someone told us about having to have an account someplace else, and they had to bring a bunch of money on the ferry to go someplace else because they didn’t want to have an account at Wells Fargo. I was like, man, this seems like something that we can just help with,” Burgess said.
According to Burgess, CU1 is the only state-chartered credit union, as opposed to a federal credit union, in Alaska. This allows the credit union, with state approval, to set up branches anywhere in the Alaska. Other credit unions need federal approval to adjust their charter to add a branch.
The new branch will open at 306 B 3rd Ave. The loca-
tion once housed Quilt Alaska.
The branch will offer regular services such as handling money, accounts and loans. The company plans to hire Skagway locals to work at the credit union. Those employees will be flown to Anchorage for on-the-job training at other branches before the grand opening.
The credit union will be open Monday through Friday with an Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) open on Saturday as well. An ITM differs from an ATM (Au-
tomated Teller Machine) in that the customer can elect to interact and converse with a real teller via video.
Burgess says the advantage of being an Alaska credit union is that most decisions can be made here in the state. For instance, Burgess will be talking to his team about possible money exchange, particularly for Canadian currency.
“I know, at the very least, anyone who needs American money would be able to use the ITM to pull cash out from any of their Canadian
bank accounts. That would work totally fine,” said Burgess.
Construction crews are headed to Skagway at end of February to get the building ready and create a financial institution in the former quilt shop. They will set up all the necessary security measures for protecting the money. Burgess plans to keep support local.
“We are using the local hardware store to source all of our materials,” he said.
RCA notice of rate hikes for AP&T/Goat Lake Hydro met with frustration
By Gretchen Wehmhoff
The Borough Assembly special meeting on Jan.3 addressed a proposed rate increase by Goat Lake Hydro and AP&T included in a notice from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA)
Citizens at the meeting expressed frustration over a 70% increase, citing “mismanagement and corporate greed.”
During his testimony, resident Tim Bourcy spoke to the dependency on Skagway
and the burden placed on the community. He believes that AP&T, in requesting the increase, doesn’t consider needs of the community.
“Do you think this company gives a rat’s a** about year-round businesses in this community, no, they don’t. It’s about their profits, and it’s about them, you know, staying whole. The reality is, we aren’t going to be whole. Skagway has been used as the as the cash cow for everyone, for fuel, for freight, for everyone for a long time,” Bourcy said.
During the meeting, borough attorneys highlighted that the increase is driven by costs from a subsea cable repair project. Assembly attorney Robin Brena suggested that after initial review of the filing, the subsea cable that was damaged and needed repair was underinsured, and that part of the hike in rates could be to recoup losses. He also suggested there was a change in capital structure. They, Brenna and attorney
The Skagway cheer squad has been delighting the crowds during high school basketball games this seasons. Catch them again Jan. 26-27. -Photo by Jeff Brady
Page 2
The Skagway News.
Skagway’s First Newspaper Christened in 1897, buried alive in 1904 and resurrected in 1978, The Skagway News is currently celebrating 48 years of reporting in Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, recording our Centennial years and beyond.
ADVERTISING & NEWS COPY DEADLINES
Next issue will be published FEB. 14, 2025
Please email sales@skagwaynews.com
All ads and classifieds by Feb. 7
COPY, LETTERS, CALENDAR DEADLINE:
Please email editor@skagwaynews.com
All news copy, letters and calendar events by Feb. 8, 2025
Vol. XLVIII, No 1 (986)
January 24, 2025
Published online the second and fourth Friday of the month
The Skagway News welcomes opinions pieces and letters to the editor.
Opinion pieces should be no longer than 600 words and will be published based on space availability and relevance to current and local events. Letters to the editor should not exceed 250 words.
Obituaries for people with connections to Skagway are printed free of charge up to 700 words
Subscriptions
Sign up on line at www.skagwaynews.com or call 907-983-2354
Mail checks to:
The Skagway News P.O. Box 125 Skagway, AK 99840
All subscriptions include online access.
Online Only $27 • Print $50
USPS 697130 ISSN 0745-872X
Periodicals postage paid at Skagway, Alaska 99840 and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER send address changes to: The Skagway News PO Box 125, Skagway, AK 99840
Editorials, Opinions and Letters
January 24, 2025
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Autocorrect works in texting, not fact-checking
By Larry Persily
Close to 20 years ago, when I was working for the Anchorage Daily News, the paper was moving more aggressively into the online world, allowing readers to post comments at the end of news stories, opinion columns and letters to the editor for everyone to see.
I thought that was a bad idea, opening up a free platform for people to spread and promote mistruths, half-truths and full-out falsehoods to tens of thousands of readers every day. Not to mention personal attacks on innocent people, accusations and hostile language.
The problems would overwhelm the benefits of a community forum of ideas.
The editor said not to worry, other readers would respond and post their own comments, tagging any errors and redirecting humanity to a better path.
Sort of like an autocorrect feature.
Only it didn’t work out that way. The online comments worked like flypaper and attracted a lot of errors, personal attacks and accusations. The newspaper eventually decided the self-correcting plan was self-defeating and shut down the online comments.
Though some newspapers still allow their websites to provide an unedited, unrestrained bullhorn for reader comments by everyone about most anything, far more papers have either dropped the free “service” or spend ex-
tra money for staff to moderate online discussions.
Of course, the more profitable answer is to not spend company money on anything other than depositing subscriber payments. Money talks, and money talks louder when there are no volume controls.
That’s the route Meta took last week. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, is the 21st century equivalent of phone lines, telegrams, the mail, street corner handbills, grocery store bulletin boards, highway billboards, bullhorns, political rallies, carrier pigeons and skywriting all rolled into one dominant force in the world.
Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg announced Jan. 9 that the company will dismantle its fact-checking program, shutting down its obviously imperfect and maybe unworkable system intended to limit the spread of falsehoods on its platforms. Some called the fact-checking censorship, while others called it inadequate and ineffective. No matter what your complaint, it’s going away.
Instead of trying to maintain order in the online playground, Meta has thrown up its hands and will rely on users to add context or refute claims in notes that will appear next to specific posts. It’s the self-correcting approach.
“We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship,” Zuckerberg said. “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritizing speech. So we are going to get back to our roots, focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.”
As part of simplifying its policies, Meta said it will lift restrictions on hot-button topics on its services and claims it will focus its enforcement efforts on the worst or illegal postings. Or so it claims, though many police and parents will tell you that Meta hasn’t earned good grades so far in protecting children from exploitation.
Meta is following the lead of the Pied Piper of Everything Goes, Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform X and also seems to own President-elect Donald Trump’s ears, or at least one of them.
Rather than trying to fix the very real problem of spreading misinformation, Musk and Zuckerberg are declaring it’s “not my responsibility.” That is irresponsible.
Persily is the publisher of the Wrangell Sentinal
Increase in rates with spotty public notice
From FRONT page
Jake Stacy, recommended hiring a rate expert and submitting a protest to investigate the filing. The motion passed the assembly unanimously, directing staff to submit a protest and petition to intervene, ensuring thorough review and public comment before the extended January 24 deadline.
The Alaska Regulatory Commission (RCA) sent public notices regarding the rate increase request on Dec. 20 to at least three newspapers in the area to advertise the Jan. 6 comment period deadline.
Becki Alvey, Advisory Section Manager for RCA said neither Upper Lynn Canal papers could publish in time for the original January 6 comment deadline. The Juneau Empire who was able to publish the notice two days prior to the deadline date, but the state office decided that wasn’t enough time.
Missing publication deadlines for public notices in local papers has happened before.
During the last rate increase, RCA didn’t advertise in The Skagway News
or the Chilkat Valley News. Reporting from both papers discovered that the public notices were published in the Juneau Empire and the Peninsula Clarion on the Kenai Peninsula. Both Juneau and Kenai (approximately 1000 road miles from Skagway) do not receive AP&T services. Skagway challenged that rate increase as well.
This time, The RCA received requests from the Municipality of Skagway and Skagway Traditional Council to extend the public comment period. The RCA reviewed the requests and
Naloxone overdose kits (name brand NARCAN) have been placed around town to assist in an opioid emergency. They can be found at the following locations:
● AMHS Ferry Terminal
● Eagles F.O.E. Aerie #25
● Elks Lodge #431
● Grizzly’s General
● Skagway Recreation Center
● The Station
● U.S. Post Office
● Wells Fargo Bank
● Two kits are at the school
extended the public comment period to January 24. A new public notice was issued January 2 and mailed out. Alvey did not say where they were mailed. The Skagway News did not receive the new notice.
The timeline for decision on the filing by Goat Lake Hydro is due Feb.3.
Alvey says the RCA currently has a rule-making docket open (R-24-002) to consider possible changes to
Experts share preliminary causes for Wrangell’s deadly 2023 landslide
By Sam Pausman Wrangell Sentinel senior reporter
Unique bedrock formations, a thick layer of loose sediment, and a concentrated water drainage system flowing down from the ridgetop were three of the main ingredients that led to the Nov. 20, 2023, landslide that killed six people at 11.2-Mile.
These three causes, all benign on their own, became disastrous when heavy rains down poured on Wrangell Island. Though the airport weather station reported rainfall conducive to a “large but not especially large” storm, members of the public who live close to the landslide location told the team of experts that their personal rainfall data tallied around nine inches in the four days ahead of the slides.
University of Alaska Fairbanks professor of geological engineering Margaret Darrow led the team of experts in their research. Other members of her team, Josh Roering, a University of Oregon geomorphologist, and Annette Patton, a watershed extension specialist from Oregon State University, joined Darrow for the Jan. 18 presentation at the Nolan Center.
The event was well attended, and additional rows of seats were added to accommodate the large crowd eager to hear what the experts had discovered about the slide.
The team of experts’ initial takeaway was the sheer size of the landslide.
“This was truly an extreme, anomalous event,” Roering said, adding that the 11.2Mile slide is twice the size of the second-largest recorded landslide on the island.
The main slide ran down the hill more than two-thirds of a mile, then extending an additional 500 feet into Zimovia Strait.
It measured about 150 feet wide at the top, picked up and moved an estimated 63,000 cubic yards of material as it flowed downhill, according to a state report, equal to more than 6,000 standard-size 10-yard dump trucks.
The team wanted to identi-
fy what particularly made the slide so large. Though they admitted it is impossible to perfectly weigh the amount of responsibility each different factor held, the experts identified the staircase-like formation of the hillslope as a primary factor.
Wrangell’s mountains, especially out the road, are shaped like stairs, alternating between steep vertical pitches and flat plateaus. Because of this, rock, dirt and sentiment often tumble from the steep slopes and rest on the flat part of the step.
So, when the drainage coming down the mountain from the ridgetop seeped into these pockets of loose soil, they became unstable.
“In some ways having channels getting water out is a good thing, but having a lot of channels funnel water to one location is a really bad thing,” Roering said.
The team of scientists was able to map the drainage patterns. They shared the map during their presentation, making special note that a lot of the runoff water was draining into what was the initiation zone of the landslide.
Additionally, Patton pointed out that the soil on the slope was not very “sticky,” meaning it lacked the clay contents that could potentially fight back against forces that led to the landslide. Once the loose material became heavily saturated, it simply gave way. And since what was below it was more loose material, it just kept on growing.
One potential cause they were able to dismiss as a lead factor in the slide were the trees. Since the slide initiated in the upper elevation old-growth forest, they said that logging at lower elevations likely did not contribute to the 11.2-Mile slide.
They also eliminated a large-scale “blowdown event” as a contributing factor. Using LIDAR (airborne laser images) mapping from before and after the landslide, the team noted that there was no mass treefall caused by the storm on Nov. 20, 2023, thus eliminating this potential cause — though the slide later stripped the hillside of
its trees
Though the team of scientists was able to glean loads of information from their site visit last August, they continue to implore the Wrangell community to help them better understand the slides.
“We look at a lot of data, but you folks live here. You see it. You live it,” Patton said.
After the presentation, the team reached out and explained two crucial ways that people from Wrangell can better help the scientists. The first thing they suggest is if you are aware of a landslide, no matter how small, you should report it. The best way to do that is to go to the state website: https:// dggs.alaska.gov/hazards/ landslide-reporter.html.
Additionally, the team is putting a call out for any personal rainfall data from people who live out the road. You can report this by reaching out to the team directly, or by sending your data to the Sentinel, where it will be redirected to the scientists.
Patton also gave some advice for how to best recognize potential landslides. She said people often report seeing brown water coming off mountains in the minutes before a landslide — adding this is something to worry about if the water was running clear and then very quickly turned brown.
“If you see a change to the way the water is moving, that is something to pay attention to. It’s not always a definitive yes or no, but it’s a definitive warning sign,” she said.
Patton also noted that the
noise of the slide can be a warning sign, but she admitted that “once you start hearing something, you might only have moments.”
The team hopes to release its final academic report about the 11.2-Mile slide later this year. They said a
version of the report catered to the public, rather than the scientific academia audience, will be released as well.
Trump vows to revert name of Alaska’s highest peak from Denali back to Mount McKinley
Trump announced name change during inaugural address, along with renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”
By Corrinne Smith AlaskaBeacon.com
President Donald Trump announced the name of Alaska’s highest peak — and North America’s tallest at over 20,000 feet — Denali, would be changed back to Mount McKinley.
Trump was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, and made the announcement in his inaugural address, also promising to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.
“A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump said. “And we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs.”
William McKinley was the 25th president, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Trump has praised his tariff policies, known as the McKinley tariffs, which raised taxes on some imported goods.
“President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent — he was a natural businessman — and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama,” he said.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has opposed the name change.
“I strongly disagree with the President’s decision on Denali,” Murkowski said
in a statement on Monday. “Our nation’s tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known by the rightful name bestowed by Alaska Koyukon Athabascans, who have stewarded the land since time immemorial.”
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan has also publicly opposed the change, but did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
In December, Sen. Sullivan repeated his support for the name Denali, via spokesperson Amanda Coyne, who said: “Senator Sullivan, like many Alaskans prefers the name that the very tough, very strong, very patriotic Athabascan people gave the mountain thousands of years ago – Denali.”
In the language of Interior Alaska’s Koyukon peo
ple, Denali means “the High One.”
The naming of the mountain prompted debate and national controversy for decades.
The name change effort from Mount McKinley to Denali began in 1975, when the Alaska Legislature asked the federal government to change the name. It was formally recognized by the Obama administration in 2015. It was seen as a victory in a larger movement to restore traditional indigenous place names, and acknowledge the history and heritage of Alaska Native peoples.
McKinley never visited Alaska, nor had any signif-
icant historical ties to the mountain or the state, according to the resolution renaming it. A local prospector named the mountain after the then-presidential nominee McKinley in 1896.
Reverting the name back to Mount McKinley is expected by executive order by
Trump, directing the change to the secretary of the Interior. Doug Burgum, the Republican governor of North Dakota, is expected to be confirmed to that role.
It’s unclear whether the 6-million acre Denali National Park and Preserve will also be renamed. It was
renamed in 1980, 35 years before the mountain’s name change.
Requests for comment to the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Tanana Chiefs Conference were not immediately returned on Monday.
Jan. 1 to 15, 2025
Jan. 2
•Police responded to two separate burglar alarms.
•Dispatch assisted citizen with contacting the on-duty provider.
Jan. 3
•Fire personnel responded to an EWS fire alarm.
•Dispatch assisted with a report of a burglar alarm.
Jan. 4
•Dispatch assisted citizen with contacting the on-duty provider.
•A Nixle message was sent reporting the Alaska Marine Highway cancelled today.
Jan. 5
•Dispatch assisted citizen with contacting the on-duty provider.
Jan. 6
•Fire personnel responded to a fire alarm.
•Police responded to a vehicle reportedly driving carelessly. It was determined the driver was not doing anything illegal.
•Yukon Highways and Public Works report they are closing the Klondike Highway today due to increased avalanche danger. A Nixle message was sent out to the public.
•A report of a lost diamond ring was received.
Jan. 7
•A Nixle message was sent notifying that the Klondike Highway was open.
•Fire personnel responded to a fire alarm in the downtown area. After investigating the building, a water leak was found in the system and air pressure drop leading to the alarm activation. Responsible parties are managing the situation.
Jan. 8
•Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute and spoke to the individuals in the household.
•Yukon Highways and Public Works report they are closing the highway for Jan. 9, due to increased avalanche danger with current weather forecasts of possible 10-20 inches of snowfall. A Nixle message was sent out to the public.
Jan. 9
•Stephanie Lynne Miller, 52 of Louisiana, was arrested for Domestic Violence Assault in the Fourth Degree.
•A report of a possible missing hiker was received. While gathering information, the caller confirmed the hiker was walking back to the house.
Jan. 10
•EMS personnel responded to a public service call.
•Police responded to a vehicle lockout.
•EMS personnel responded to an ambulance call.
Jan. 11
•Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute. Upon arrival, officers made contact with one individual and were unable to locate the other.
Jan. 12
•Dispatch assisted with a report of a burglar alarm. Fire personnel responded to a fire alarm in the downtown area. The responsible party reset the alarm.
Jan. 13
•Police responded to a suspicious vehicle driving recklessly near the downtown area. Police patrolled the area.
•A report of a lost wallet was received. The caller later reported it was found.
Submitted by Skagway Police Dept.
Police & Fire Blotter
Visitors to Talkeetna take in a view of Denali. President Donald Trump announced the name would be changed back to Mount McKinley during his inaugural address. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Scholarships, grants & opportunities
The Skagway Public Library
Wifi is available outside the library 10am-10pm.
U.S. Passports: Crystal Harris, our Library Assistant, is currently Skagway’s only passport acceptance agent. Applications are accepted by appointment only Tuesday through Friday. day. Please call to schedule. For more more information - 907-983-2665 or email library@skagway.org
Rasmuson Foundation is accepting applications for Tier 1 and Community Support grants
Tier 1 grants
Tier 1 grants will provide up to $35,000 per project and the application period opens Aug. 15. This is a rolling grant program, and applications are accepted throughout the year.
Community Support grants
The grants are intended for requests between $35,000 and $250,000. Capital requests will be approved quarterly, while non-capital/programmatic requests will be reviewed twice a year. Grants of this size do not require an invitation to apply, and organizations can access the application starting Aug. 15.
Program details, application tips, and frequently asked questions available at rasmuson.org.
A three-day certified pesticide applicator training course is scheduled for Jan. 28-30, with a second course planned for April 22-24.
Both courses will be taught by the University Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service via Zoom and are available statewide. Each class will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is designed to help participants understand and pass the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation exam.
A $75 fee includes study materials available at Extension offices. Contact mjohansson@alaska.edu
The materials will be mailed for an additional $25.
Register for each course via this online form. For more information, contact Phil Kaspari at pnkaspari@alaska.edu or 907-895-4215.
The deadline to register for the January class is Jan. 21. Deadline for the April class is April 15.
Fentanyl Awareness Competition for Alaska High School Students
Competition Details:
What: Students are to launch a “One Pill Can Kill” media campaign to reach high school students. The campaign can reach students in a variety of ways: posters in hallways, advertisements in student newspapers, or videos on social media are a few examples. Creativity is key.
The campaigns should use the “One Pill Can Kill” messaging and highlight the dangers of fentanyl, the risks of non-prescription drug use, and the importance of staying informed and seeking help.
Who: This competition is open to groups of high school students in Alaska. Schools
How: After launching the campaign, contestants must submit a report to Sullivan’s communications team explaining their campaign, how it was executed and what they learned.
Prize:While all campaigns will be featured on Sullivan’s website, the winning campaign will work with Sullivan’s communications team to design public service announcements featured as part of the statewide “One Pill Can Kill – Alaska” campaign and will be shared on Sullivan’s social media channels and offered for distribution to local television, radio, and print media.
Timeline: Submission Deadline: Feb. 28, 2025
Winners Announced: March 14, More information is here: https:// www.sullivan.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/one_pill_can_kill_competition_one_pager.pdf
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Alaska Broadband Office (ABO) announced the opening of the Alaska Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
The ABO received a State Digital Equity Capacity Grant from the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), of which $3.45 million will be made available for the instate grant program. This is the first of three tranches of Digital Equity Capacity Grant funding the ABO will receive.
The Grant program will provide funding to eligible entities proposing projects that will implement aspects of the Alaska Digital Equity Plan. These projects will work to eliminate barriers preventing Alaskans within the covered populations, identified in the Digital Equity Act of 2021, from meaningfully using the internet.
The ABO will begin accepting applications immediately through the 120-day application period ending on April 11, 2025. The grant application, and access to the online application portal – can be found on the ABO webpage at https://www. commerce.alaska.gov/web/abo/. SHI Acceptiong applications for college, voc-tech SEALASKA Scholarships Applications are open for the 2025-2026 school year.
The deadline to apply is March 1, 2025. However, Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is offering a $50 incentive to those who complete their scholarship application on or before Feb. 1 and who are accepted as scholarship recipients; if selected as a recipient, the $50 will be included in their scholarship award. Applications must be filled out and submitted online at scholarship.sealaskaheritage.org.
Awards will be made to Alaska Native Sealaska shareholders and descendants enrolled full- or part- time in accredited colleges,
universities and voc-tech schools. Students must also have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. The scholarship program was founded by Sealaska and is administered by Sealaska Heritage.
Alaska high school students invited to apply for fair scholarships
This year, the Fair will award $8,000 in scholarships. Scholarships are open to all Alaska junior and senior high school students who plan to attend college or vocational school. The 2025 scholarship awards include:
• $3,000 first-place award
• $2,000 second-place award
• $1,500 third-place award
• $1,000 4-H/FFA/Vendor/Dependent of Fair Member award
• One $500 honorable mention.
• Applicants recieve free tickets
To apply, students should submit:Application deadline March 26, by 4:30 p.m. AKDT.
For more information on requirements and submission, visit alaskastatefair.org or contact Kelly Larson, 907.746.7164 or kelly@ alaskastatefair.org.
Alaska Children’s Trust opens nominations for 2025 Champions for Kids Awards
This year’s theme, A Beacon of Hope, celebrates individuals who light the way for brighter futures by supporting children, youth, and families across Alaska.
Awardees will be honored at ACT’s Champion for Kids fundraiser event in April.
Deadline: Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at 5 p.m.
Submit Nominations: Visit https://www.alaskachildrenstrust. org/champions-for-kids February webinars on chainsaw safety and cutting firewood
In February, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will host three free webinars on cutting wood safely and keeping chainsaws in good working condition.
Glen Holt, an Extension biomass technician will lead the webinars.
Wed., Feb. 5, at noon. Learn how to dry, season and store your firewood efficiently in “Firewood Efficiency: Get the Most from Firewood.” Register using this online form.
Wed., Feb.12. at noon Safety gear and tools: “Safe Chainsaw Use: Tree Cutting Basics” Basics of felling, bucking and limbing a tree for firewood. Register using this online form.
Feb.19, Holt will give an interactive presentation on the basics of chainsaw maintenance. Register using this online form.
All webinars will be recorded, and links will be shared with those who register.
For more information about the course and accomodations, contact Molly Johansson at mjohansson@ alaska.edu, 907-786-6313.
CLASSIFIEDS
Classified Ads cost 40 cents per word, $4 minimum. SERVICES
FOOD BANK DONATIONS WELCOME. Donations may be sent to the Food Bank, PO Box 200, Skagway, AK 99840. The local Food Bank helps those in need with groceries. If you need assistance, or know anyone who needs assistance, at any time of year, call any pastor.
Weather Watch BULLETIN BOARD
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVATIONS FOR PREVIOUS 24-HOUR PERIOD BEFORE 7 A.M.
Assembly of God Church 8th & State • 907-983-2350 Sun. Worship....................11 a.m. Wed. Bible Devotions & Prayer 7 p.m.
Email skagwayag@outlook.com
First Presbyterian Church 5th & Main • 983-2260 Sunday Worship 11 a.m. Online access available
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11th & State • 983-2518 Sun. Sacrament Meeting...10 a.m.
St. Therese Catholic Church 9th & State • 983-2271 Sun. Mass..........5 p.m. October - April (when a priest is available)
Solid Waste Facility Hours T, Th, Sa, Su. 1 - 3 p.m. Skagway Museum 907-983-2420
Border stations: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. Call each station for specifics. Ferry Terminal Hours Daily 8:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. Earlier when there is an early ferry Skagway Rec Center https://skagwayrecreation.org
Despite some weather disruptions, the Skagway High basketball season was in full swing in early January. The Panther teams swept both Hoonah and Angoon at home (see photos), and the SHS boys and girls squads then went 2-1 at a non-conference tourney in Petersburg Jan. 16-18. Unfortunately, bitter cold and windy weather led to the cancellation of the annual Don Hather Tourney in Skagway at the beginning of the month. Kake, one of those teams that couldn’t get to Skagway for the DHT, is slated to make another try on the ferry for important conference games at the Panther Den on Sunday and Monday Jan. 26-27.
Photos and wrap-up by Jeff Brady
Coach Nate Jennings talks to his girls during a time out in the Hoonah series. Skagway swept the Braves, 40-23 and 31-24.
Skagway freshman Millie Myers pauses before driving to the basket against Hoonah. She led all scorers with 24 points.
Coach Ross Barrett works on a play with his team during a break in the action against Hoonah. The Panthers won easily, 62-28 and 63-16.
Skagway senior guard Landon Rodig scores on a fast break against Hoonah.
Skagway senior Kaitlyn Tronrud fights low for a shot against Angoon. She has been a consistent threat on both ends of the floor for the Lady Panthers, scoring 20 in this win.
SHS junior threats Royce Borst (shooting) and Camden Lawson (trailing the play) have been leading the Panthers’ scoring. Borst (37 points in this win) even had a couple of dunks in these early season wins, while Lawson (16 points) was deadly from threepoint territory.
