The Skagway News - March 10, 2023

Major fire destroys 1940s era building

Displaces four businesses

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

A major fire broke out in the former “Jim Jewell” building on Ninth Avenue, Sunday, Feb. 26 around or after 9:45 a.m.

Calls to 911 dispatch started coming in shortly after and Skagway Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) units were dispatched to the structure by 9:53 a.m. After an initial assessment, an all-call was made for reinforcements and more engines. SVFD reports that about 45% of the building was engulfed in flames when they arrived.

No occupants were reported to be in the building, built during WWII, and no deaths or injuries were reported. Several firefighters were treated briefly throughout the day for exhaustion and issues related to the cold weather, then returned to duty. Fire personnel frequently needed to change out their turnout gear as it became crusted with ice.

Temperatures ranged from 8 - 20 degrees through the day with strong northwinds from 5 - 28 mph. SVFD said the winds kept engines from staging on the south side of the structure.

The building, owned by Max Jewell, housed four businesses: Hanson General Contracting, Packer Expeditions, Skagway Development Corporation and the State of Alaska Courts.

Residents and business owners nearby rushed to assist. Employees of Packer Expeditions and passers by helped pull equipment such as chain saws, radios, a trailer of kayaks and more out of

(see back page - Firefighters)

Fire marshal ruled fire accidental, building uninsured

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

According to the Skagway Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) and Alaska Fire Marshal’s office, the cause of the large building fire of Feb. 26 was determined to be accidental. The preliminary report says the fire originated in the southeast corner of the structure and was “electrical in nature, secondary to water damage into the electrical system.”

Fire Marshals Richard Harrop and Brandon Lewis assisted SVFD in the investigation. SVFD released the building back to the owner.

Mayor Andrew Cremata, who met with Harrop, Lewis, Municipal Manager Brad Ryan and Fire Chief Emily Rausher, said the final report will be available to the municipality in approximately one month.

The fire consumed three lots of the block between Broadway and State, and 8th and 9th. The building, owned by Max Jewell, was a total loss.

Rauscher filed details of the blaze with the National

Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) as per protocol. From the building permits, the investigation team confirmed that the building had draft stops, but no fire walls which exacerbated the fire’s hold on the attic area.

The fire also burned portions of the house to the east of the building owned by Kathy Shen.

There were no sprinklers in the Jewell Building and the team did not hear fire or smoke alarms in the structure while batting the blaze. Rauscher reported she heard smoke alarms in Shen’s building.

While the investigation team did not approach the business owners in the com-

plex regarding insurance, the NFIRS did ask about the building’s coverage. It was not insured. The Skagway News was unable to reach Jewell for comment.

Rauscher said the first “360” look at the fire determines the attack. There were several fuel/propane tanks that firefighters worked to keep cool in the southeast corner.

Three hydrants were used during the fire, one had a frozen nut on top that was eventually freed.

Rauscher credits AP&T’s Sam Nelson and Public Works’ Tyson Ames for helping on scene. It took several steps to isolate the electrical grid from the town,

to the north end to the block. Nelson worked to stabilize the power.

Ames assisted with frozen hydrants, defensive hose handling and spreading gravel as the road and block became iced over in the cold temperatures.

Rauscher said there were nine volunteers and five staff on duty. She said that former volunteers jumped in as well as several community members to handle defensive hoses, warming services for the firefighters and meals for those fighting the fire. At the end of the day, Rasucher said, “Everybody got to go home. Everyone got to go home and hug their family.”

Assembly approves 35-year agreement with Yukon for Marine Services Platform

By Melinda Munson

On Feb. 2, with the assembly chambers full of an unusual amount of suit jackets worn by visitors from the north, the Skagway Borough Assembly voted to approve “general terms for an export cooperation agreement

with the Yukon Government for construction of a Marine Services Platform (MSP).”

Resolution 23-08R states that the muni would provide three to four acres of land adjacent to the MSP, with a total of six acres of land within the borough, “for

designated export users.” The use is preferential, but not exclusive, meaning the municipality could use the acreage for other purposes when not needed by export users. In exchange, the Yukon Government would fund (see page 13- Muni )

Photo by Kari Rain

Flames and smoke engulf the east end of the Jewell Building. More pictures and story on page 8.

The Skagway News. Skagway’s First Newspaper

Christened in 1897, buried alive in 1904 and resurrected in 1978, The Skagway News is currently celebrating 46 years of reporting in Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, recording our Centennial years and beyond.

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Vol. XLVI, No 4 (943) March 10, 2023

Published on the second and fourth Friday of the month

Phone: (907) 983-2354 www.skagwaynews.com editor@skagwaynews.com sales@skagwaynews.com

Publishers

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Managing Editor

Melinda Munson

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Opinion

First Lady Volunteer of the Year Award nominations

Serving as Alaska’s First Lady has given me the opportunity to meet many truly inspiring Alaskans. Reflecting on this time, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to call Alaska home and to be surrounded by such dedicated and inspiring individuals. It is my pleasure to be able to honor a select few of these individuals with a First Lady Volunteer of the Year Award.

Volunteerism is a key pillar of Alaska’s rich history and future. I am happy to continue the First Lady’s Volunteer Awards, an annual tradition started by First Lady Bella Hammond in 1975 to recognize and pay tribute to a special group of volunteers that make extraordinary contributions to our communities and state. It is a special honor for me to present these awards to individuals who are selfless, caring, and make positive impacts on the lives of other Alaskans and our communities.

Last year, our program recognized

Skagway School

a buzz at the Spelling Bee

Alaskans who advocate for our state’s most vulnerable populations, developed programs for children to partake in martial arts free of charge, provide food and resources to students in the small Athabaskan village of Northway, improve the lives of those experiencing addiction, enrich our state with community events and fundraisers, and lend a calming presence for Alaskans in hospice care. Each one of these Alaskans has made our state a better place to live, and I thank them for their service.

Exceptional volunteers are not those that seek recognition, but rather do the hard work with a giving heart. The First Lady’s Volunteer Awards shines a light on these special Alaskans. Each nominee has an uplifting story to tell, and I look forward to sharing those stories with all Alaskans when the recipients are announced.

Recipients are chosen by a committee of Alaskans in a selection process

that values long term volunteerism, and high impact service to community. The 2023 recipients will be honored at a ceremony at the Governor’s Residence in Juneau this spring. The committee members and I are looking forward to reading the nominations with the opportunity to highlight the good work that is being done across Alaska. Please join me in recognizing deserving Alaskans by submitting a nomination. Nominations for outstanding volunteers are being accepted now through March 13, 2023. Nominations can be submitted online at volunteerawards. alaska.gov or by submitting hard copies which are available to pick up in person in the Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Soldotna, or Palmer Governor’s Office. For more information, please contact the Office of the Governor at 907-7411124.

Rose Dunleavy is the current first lady of Alaska

Photos by Melinda Munson

Skagway School Spelling

Top: Piper Caposey Second row: Emerlee Jared, Booker Klug, James Reddick and first place winner, Henry Barrett. Third row: Krishna Wadhwani, students wait for their turn at the spelling bee.

Ferry system management says state is working to fix hiring problems

By Larry Persily Wrangell Sentinel

The Alaska Marine Highway System is working faster to hire more crew, trying to fix problems that slowed the process so much the past four years that the state failed to keep up with retirements and resignations.

The hiring process was so cumbersome and excessively choosy that the state brought aboard just a few new workers out of 250 applicants forwarded by a search agency over the past year, according to a January report from the recruitment contractor.

“Since 2019, AMHS has lost more staff annually than recruitment efforts can replace. For every person hired, 1.8 people leave,” according to a Department of Transportation report prepared in January.

“The shortage of qualified crew members threatens the ability of AMHS to man the fleet. Being short-staffed, vessels are frequently at risk of going into layup and sail with a crew operating by extensive holdovers and significant overtime status, leading to low morale,” the report added.

The ferry system last month acknowledged that the Kennicott, the second-biggest active ship in the fleet, would be dropped from this summer’s schedule for lack of crew, jeopardizing service to Yakutat and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and likely eliminating a couple of stops in Wrangell each month May through September.

Though the summer schedule was due out weeks ago, as of March 6 it had not been released, preventing travelers from booking tickets for the heavy-traffic season that starts in less than two months.

Ferry system officials have said they do not want to release the schedule until they are certain they can provide the service — which depends, in great part, on stretching available staff to cover as many sailings as possible.

In February 2022, the state hired an Anchorage-based contractor to help recruit and bring in job applicants for the ferries, offering the contractor $5,000 for every new employee. Of the

pool of nearly 250 applicants gathered since then, the Alaska Marine Highway System hired just four, according to a report prepared by the contractor PeopleAK, which used to operate under the name Alaska Executive Search.

“While technical qualifications were a barrier for some applicants, AMHS is losing many potential employees due to a cumbersome application process and lack of timely communication once applications are initiated,” according to the PeopleAK report.

The reasons vary for why so few applicants were hired, but some of it can be blamed on the state, which was too quick to reject people for issues so picky as mistakes in their cover letter, Katherine Keith, deputy commissioner at the Department of Transportation, said in an interview last week.

Hiring personnel were too cautious and waited too long for everything to get finished, such as maritime credentials, before making job offers, she said.

In an effort to start fixing the problems, the state has cut out a couple of steps in the applicant review process, Keith said. In addition, the Department of Transportation has designated a staffer whose sole job is to oversee hiring.

Working through the stack of applications has produced some immediate results. Of the 250 past applicants, the department identified 60 who met job qualifications and 12 were hired as of Feb. 24, with more job offer letters going out soon, Keith said.

The marine highway is budgeted for more than 600 onboard crew positions.

In another move to bring on new employees faster, the state is making “conditional hires,” Keith explained, getting crew into onboard training while waiting for Coast Guard licensing and other credentials.

That training could occur either on vessels while underway or aboard the Matanuska, which is tied up in Ketchikan while the state decides what to do about millions of dollars of steel repairs needed on the

60-year-old ship.

The state also is making it easier for new hires to earn a $5,000 recruitment bonus. Instead of requiring that they stay on the job 18 months, new hires can keep the bonus after six months on the job, Keith said.

In addition to the hiring report by PeopleAK, the ferry system last month received several reports from other consultants focused on management, operations, financial durability and fleet maintenance.

“The whole organization is inert, toxic and bureaucratic,” said a report titled “Operational Resiliency and Efficiency,” prepared by a team of contractors from Alaska and Seattle.

“While AMHS’ values are right, its structures are wrong. Too much of it still has the feel of the 1960s, ’70s, and ‘80s, both for those working for it and those using it. Shoreside administrative management are run off their feet. Capacity problems lead to shortages of staff, especially sea staff and management services that are slow and unresponsive.”

The report also addresses the loss of passenger traffic: “Customers are disempowered, with little choice but to use other modes of transportation, notably by air using the very efficient Alaska Airlines, private floatplanes, private ferry services and barge services (for transportation of vehicles).”

Southeast ferry passenger counts have fallen by about 60% since 1992, with state budget cuts imposed in 2019 adding to the decline in service and leading to the most crew resignations in a single year.

“The system has been un-

der a lot of stress for years,” Keith said. “We’ve taken that extremely seriously,” she said of the consultants’ reports.

An evaluation prepared for the state by Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group identified other problems:

“AMHS department managers and ship captains do not have annual budgets to operate within. They therefore must apply for and justify even relatively small expenses, even if it is an ongoing one such as toilet paper.

“Communications through-

out AMHS appear to be poor quality, untimely and often never occur at all.

“Current staffing level of AMHS do not have the skills, knowledge and capacity to adequately perform the required functions necessary to maintain compliance with the proposed additional federal awards.”

Congress last year approved grant funds that will direct almost $300 million to the ferry system for operations, repairs and new vessels.

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

March is Women’s History Month and we, Melinda and I, write history. That’s the major afterproduct of a newspaper – the place for research about what happened in a town, nation or country. Newspapers record history.

We are also part of history as women owners of a media outlet in Alaska. We aren’t the first. Take a quick look around the state to Anchorage Daily News, The Nome Nugget, The Petersburg Pilot, The Sitka Sentinel, The Wrangell Sentinel and more. All have been, or are currently owned, partially or in full, by women. Historically it has been the newspaper business that opened the door for dynamic and driven

female journalists like Nellie Bly, Helen Thomas, Connie Chung and Barbara Walters – only a few of many women who pushed the limits while writing the truth.

According to studies by WalletHub, Alaska has the highest share of women-owned businesses in the United States at 24.71 percent. Great – we are ahead at being behind.

Women make up about 50% of the population of the planet, and the U.S., yet only 27% of legislators in the U.S. are women and only 25% hold board seats with Fortune 500 companies. In fact, the U.S. ranks 27th in the World Economic Forum study of gender equality in 146 countries. We improved from 30th the year before.

Skagway is represented by a vocal and successful group of women owned and run businesses. Just drop into the Skagway Biz messenger group and you will meet most of them.

The other day I watched an NBC news story about

Child Find: April 27, 2023

a woman who fell in love with her 1974 Volkswagen. She was the second girl to take auto mechanics in her school, and after enduring work in the field where she felt she always had to prove herself, and knowing she was always being watched to see when she would fail, she started her own business where she taught and engaged women in the love of cars – Bogi Lateiner’s Girl Gang Garage

Yes, it happens. Whether subconsciously or overtly, generations of women have had to endure, ignore or push back on the critics.

When I coached squirt hockey in the 80s, I decided to take the first level coaching course from USAHockey. I was the only woman in the class of about 30 fathers, uncles and other coaches just looking to learn more about coaching kids. The instructor was another story. While I was irritated, I pushed back at times – like the time he referred to me as Sweetpea.

“My name is Gretchen.”

Skagway School District is scheduling appointments for our birth to five year old annual early development screening April 27, 2023. This screening will be conducted by a collection of specialists at the school. We will be screening for vision, hearing, developmental delays, speech/language impairments, and more.

You do not need to have any concerns to bring your child in to participate, we will also do general developmental surveys to track milestones. Our goal is to have all Skagway children birth to five years old participate!

The purpose is to locate children with potential disabilities so that a free and appropriate public education can be made available. The types of disabilities that, if found, cause a child to need services are:

• Cognitive Disability

• Speech or Language Impairment

• Emotional Disturbance

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Other Health Impairment

• Deaf-Blindness

What is Child Find?

• Hearing Impairment, Including Deafness

• Visual Impairment, Including Blindness

• Orthopedic Impairment

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Specific Learning Disability

• Multiple Disabilities

Child Find refers to activities undertaken by a public education agency (Skagway School District), to identify, locate, and evaluate children between the ages of birth to twenty-one residing within the school’s geographic boundaries who are suspected of having disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, and determine the child’s need for special education and related services.

If you suspect your child has a disability, you know of a child who you suspect may have a disability, or you have questions about special education for children with disabilities, please contact Cody Burnham at Skagway School by calling (907)983-2960 or email cburnham@skagwayschool.org to schedule an appointment.

“I know, Sweetpea, but I need to move this box.”

“My name is Gretchen.”

At this point, the man who was assisting him backed away with hands up, a motion that said, “Hey, it’s not me.”

The trainer also had trouble figuring out how to address the group with a woman present.

“Okay men (guys, boys – insert the common words here) and lady.”

I was irritated, and actually surprised, that the materials we were given followed the same path. All the cartoon-like illustrations show “Dad” helping the coach in the box and “Mom” bringing the cookies.

I understood what Bogi meant about being watched. The first day of training was in the classroom. The second day was on the ice. I didn’t think about it as I stepped on the ice, but I saw it when I turned towards the instructor for directions.

Most of the men were parents who wanted to be involved in their kids’ lives. Some of the men had young daughters who wanted to play. Many were new to skating. There was no judgment from my classmates, rather, I saw several of them look uncomfortable when the instructor drew attention to me.

I could skate. I put on skates when I was seven and practiced on the rink my dad made in our backyard. I started playing hockey in the first year of women’s hockey in Anchorage. Getting on the ice and passing the puck was not a worry for me, but I felt the eyes. Mostly curious, but I felt them watching.

I do see hope.

When my granddaughter was 8 or 9, she was surfing through cable channels. She stopped on Ironman, then groaned and changed the channel.

“Why are women always being rescued? Why can’t they do the rescuing in movies?” she said.

As streaming brings back decades of television, we can see that trend of women in the films and television.

I used to show the movie “All the President’s Men” to my journalism classes until I looked at it from a different

angle. Have you ever wondered why the only mention of Katherine Graham, the owner of the Washington Post at the time, was in one line that mentioned “getting her panties in a bunch?” Have you watched the interactions with the women in the film? I stopped showing it and dropped it from my tool bag.

In the past decade we are seeing what we missed. I think one of the greatest movies that speaks to “herstory” is in the film, “Hidden Figures” where a group of Black female mathematicians check and calculate the numbers used by NASA in their space program. Their employment survival depended on their ability to work together and learn new technology to engage with computer programming. We didn’t know much about these strong, intelligent, capable and dedicated women – because they were kept in a separate place and treated – well “badly” is the work I can print. These women endured. They chose their battles and pushed forward. They made way for their children and grandchildren.

If you look on page 12 of this issue, you’ll read about young women in Skagway who are succeeding. Adalia Deach is looking at five digit scholarships - more than $90,000 to pursue her talents. Callia Fielding has become synonymous with powerful orations. Tessa Murphy and Fielding will be headed to nationals with a refreshing interpretation of “The Princess Saves Herself in This One.”

Mina Lee literally climbed mountains to raise funds for those in need, then found a corner in the historic part of town to fill with music. Beautiful, skilled and “listen to me” music.

Women have now become the majority of students enrolled in colleges and universities. Several young women from Skagway and other parts of the country are earning scholarships, entering military academies, going into space and standing up.

Girls who participate in the local robotics program

Seniors to get new, year-round location for center

By Melinda Munson

Last fall, Skagway elders ceded their winter program home, Big Dippers, so that Little Dippers Learning Center could provide year-round childcare. Thanks in part to a $75,000 donation from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, seniors will now have a permanent location.

The municipality will lease the former You Say Tomato building for $3,000 per month, with a three-year agreement. The owners will be responsible for maintenance and ADA compliance.

“...it is a very generous donation. So, thank you very much Royal Caribbean,” said Assemblymember Reba Hylton who sponsored Resolution 23-09R.

“It’s been a need for many years that the seniors have their own designated spot to meet so they don’t have to keep moving their things on a seasonal basis, which has been the current situation, for actually quite a while now,” Hylton said.

According to Hylton, $50,000 of the donation will go towards the lease and “outfitting the property on 21st” including “couches,

tables, appliances and electronics.”

The remaining $25,000 will fund a contracted senior coordinator, whose job is yet to be defined.

“...Deputy Manager Deach and I will work on that scope of work and then bring that back to civic affairs to fine tune and get more input from fellow assembly members,” Hylton said.

Assemblymember Orion Hanson gave some history about Skagway and the desire for a senior center.

“I’ll point out that I was elected to the assembly in 2016,” Hanson said. “At the same time, a ballot passed by three or four votes to build a senior center for $7 million with seven apartments. And that has been a quagmire to this day. So, this is a path forward to get this done. And I think it’s long overdue.”

Cremata congratulated Hylton and Assemblymember Deb Potter

“…with so many other high profile items on a very large agenda, it can easily get lost, especially with members of the public, that a lot of work went into this. I can appreciate the amount of

Pushing forward

(Continued from page 4)

are being introduced to careers that were rarely in their reach.

The US Women’s soccer team decided that they had endured enough. They pushed back. They pushed back because the world was finally watching. The women had to win more, promote more and succeed more than their male counterparts in order to finally be seen. And they used that platform to make a difference for all

young girls.

I watched in the classroom. Every five or six years there was a change. It wasn’t sudden, but it was different. Boys and girls interacted together in sports, sciences and academics. It was more natural each year. And these young people became part of society and insisted we include more. They no longer endured, they pushed forward because the barriers became weaker.

There definitely is hope.

work you put into it, Assemblyperson Hylton and Assemblyperson Potter. I know we’ve had a lot of back and forth discussion about it, and also staff.”

While the You Say Building does have a commercial kitchen, the senior

lunch program, sponsored by Catholic Community Service, remains separate from the senior center and hosts in-person lunches at

Skagway First Presbyterian Church. The lunch program currently has vacancies for chef manager and support staff.

Photo by Melinda Munson

The former You Say Tomato building on the corner of State Street and 21st.

Developer eyes private property in Haines, Skagway’s ore loader

By Max Graham Chilkat Valley News

March 2, 2023

A Canadian developer with a murky track record says he is eyeing Haines as the site of an ore terminal that would serve “several” Alaska and Yukon mines.

Prosperity Investments, an Edmonton-based firm whose owner has a history of unfinished projects, has proposed to buy Skagway’s aging ore loader for $1, to dismantle and move it and to use the conveyor belt and other equipment to load ore for shipment from Haines or another “undisclosed” loca-

tion. Prosperity also has proposed to dredge Skagway’s contaminated ore basin and use the dredged material to make concrete for building new ore transport equipment.

The company is “in the process of designing and building” a new ore terminal, project manager Terry Woodthorpe said in a proposal submitted to Skagway officials last week. That “includes building five new ore concentrate sheds of different sizes for different minerals,” he added, though the proposal provided few details and no drawings or cost

estimates.

But Prosperity Investments, which was incorporated in Alaska two weeks ago, still hasn’t determined a site for the terminal, company owner Harold Jahn told the CVN this week.

Moreover, Jahn’s business record includes a lawsuit over a breach of contract and a number of unfinished or disputed projects in the U.S. or Canada.

Promoting his experience, Jahn told the CVN he has been working for years to build a new deep water port complex in Kitimat, British Columbia, and aims to start

MUNICIPALITY OF SKAGWAY NOTICE OF SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION

TUESDAY, April 18, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, there will be held in the Municipality of Skagway, Alaska, a SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION

THE FOLLOWING QUESTION IS ON THE BALLOT:

Ø Shall the rate of sales tax collected upon sales made and services rendered in Skagway be increased from 5% to 6.5% for increased operational and infrastructural demands during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of each calendar year, April through September?

For " # Against " #

Ø The E.A. & Jenny Rasmuson Community Health Center building and the Dahl Memorial Clinic business shall not be leased or sold without ratification by public vote.

For " # Against " #

Ø Shall the Municipality of Skagway lease the E.A. and Jenny Rasmuson community Health Center building and land for $1.00 to SEARHC and sell the Dahl Memorial Clinic business and assets for $1.00 to SEARHC?

For " # Against " #

ELECTION HOURS: The polls will open at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 and will close at 8:00 p.m. on the same day.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE: The deadline to register to vote in the April 18, 2023 Special Municipal Election is Sunday, March 19, 2023

VOTER QUALIFICATIONS: A person may vote in a municipal election only if the person:

1. is qualified to vote in state elections under AS 15.05.010;

2. has been a resident of the municipality for 30 days immediately preceding the election;

3. has registered before the election as required under AS 15.07 and is not registered to vote in another jurisdiction

ABSENTEE VOTING: Voters who will be out of town for the Special Municipal Election on April 18, 2023 are able to vote absentee in person at the Borough Offices beginning Monday, April 3, 2023 and ending Monday, April 17, 2023 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. In order to allow sufficient time for mailing, absentee ballots by mail should be requested by Friday, April 7, 2023

For more information visit www.skagway.org and click on “Government” then “Elections ” or contact the Borough Clerk at s.burnham@skagway.org or 907-983-9706.

construction by 2027. He said it’s a $2 billion project spanning 200 acres including two container ship terminals and a dry dock. The CVN spoke with sources at the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, District of Kitimat and Haisla First Nation, several of whom had not heard of Jahn’s project. One official had heard of it but was unaware of any official steps being taken to advance it.

Still, Jahn’s ore loader proposal shows outside interest in shipping ore from Haines, or at least promoting it.

The issue of industrial mine export – which some residents worry will create haul truck traffic and pollute the environment – has long been contentious in Haines. In recent months, Lynn Canal Conservation has campaigned to prevent shipping ore from Lutak Dock, a large public freight dock that’s being renovated.

But Prosperity Investments’ proposal adds a new element to the debate. The Skagway Borough Assembly will address the proposal March 2. If the assembly rejects it, Prosperity still plans to develop an ore terminal with new equipment, Jahn said.

“It would be nice if we could stay in the region (near Skagway),” he said. The project could create local jobs, he added, and he suggested that Skagway’s ore terminal workers could stay employed by commuting to Haines in “fishing boats.”

Prosperity is exploring two potential sites in the Haines Borough, Jahn said. He declined to specify where, beyond stating that one is far from the town itself.

“At this time, because we’re in discussions with a bunch of different people, and we haven’t purchased any properties at this point, we can’t really disclose where those potential sites are,” Jahn said.

There has been some speculation that a private ore dock could be built on a waterfront parcel north of Lutak Dock, recently acquired by a subsidiary of Colaska, the parent company of Southeast Roadbuilders and SECON. But the company

has had no contact with Jahn or Prosperity Investments, SECON general manager Tim Dudley said in an email to the CVN.

The property “was purchased to support our current operations in Southeast Alaska,” he added.

If Prosperity Investments can’t find a lot to buy or lease in Haines, it would take Skagway’s ore loader elsewhere, Jahn said. “We could have those pieces of equipment sit on barges for a couple years,” he added.

“I’m not a big fan of proposals that have vague elements in them. I would definitely want to know where it’s going to go,” said Skagway Mayor Andrew Cremata. “An ore loader with massive holes in it and probably mercury and lead contamination going into our backyard (Lutak Inlet) doesn’t really work for me.”

In a phone interview this week with the CVN, Cremata didn’t mince words about the state of the loader.

“You look at it from the outside and you go, ‘Oh, that’s in really terrible condition.’ And then you look at it from the inside and (see) light pouring into multiple holes, some quite large,” he said. “I don’t think it takes a genius to figure out that it is still a giant environmental hazard and has been for some time.”

The loader, which operates until March 18 under a lease with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, is expected to be removed this year as part of a project to clean up the basin around the dock, which has been contaminated with lead and zinc from past ore shipments.

“The logic would be we could reuse that equipment rather than it just going to scrap,” Jahn said.

Not only is the loader likely to be removed whether or not Prosperity buys it, but Cremata has proposed an or(see page 7- Haines)

Haines, Skagway assemblies not keen on developer proposal

(Continued from page 6)

dinance, yet to be voted on by the Skagway assembly, that would require ore to be loaded onto ships in closed containers, rather than by a conveyor belt.

That method isn’t a viable option for Minto Mine, which currently ships out of Skagway, Minto’s chief executive, Chris Stewart, said in an email to the CVN.

Both Jahn and Stewart said Skagway’s equipment can operate without polluting. “The ore loader works well in its current state, as we have seen from our air sampling during the loading process – no contamination during ship loading – but for whatever reason (I believe just legacy feelings about it) the Town of Skagway wants it gone from their dock,” Stewart said.

Haines is the next closest port for Minto, and if it’s not in play, the company would have to truck to Stewart, British Columbia, hundreds of miles to the south.

“Minto is actively looking for other loading options beyond Skagway and something closer than Stewart, B.C., would be preferable,” Stewart said. “If Haines had an ore loading port available, we would definitely consider that for our concentrate.”

Stewart said he has spoken with Jahn but is “not at liberty to discuss it at this time.”

Jahn said he has been in “daily” discussions with Minto over the past month.

There could be demand from other mines in the region, Jahn said, but he didn’t specify if any had directly expressed interest.

“There’s a list if you Google Yukon mining companies or Alaska mining companies,” Jahn said. “A lot of these companies—they have been in their processes for up to 10 years. We’re creating an Excel spreadsheet right now. There are about six Alaska mines and about eight Canadian mines. Those could all be potential users over the next seven-year period.” (There are six actively producing mines across Alaska, including three near Fairbanks and one in the Arctic.)

Jahn said he reached out

to operators of the Palmer Project, the major exploratory mine northwest of Haines and Klukwan. They are “definitely not an immediate client for us” but “could potentially be” later on, he said.

Former Haines Borough planner Dave Long spoke twice with Jahn in recent months, according to borough manager Annette Kreitzer, who said she didn’t know details about their conversations. Long couldn’t be reached for comment by press time.

Haines Borough Mayor Douglas Olerud told the CVN he hadn’t heard of Prosperity Investments or Jahn prior to hearing from Cremata about the developer last week.

“We heard that gentleman had talked to Mr. Long about permitting,” Olerud said at a Haines Borough Assembly meeting Tuesday. If Jahn’s ore terminal proposal were to move forward, it would come before the borough’s planning commission, Olerud added.

News reports and court filings from the past decade suggest Jahn—who has owned or directed numerous companies with different names—has a history of proposing projects that don’t always pan out.

In 2018, a U.S. District Court judge ordered a default judgment against Prosperity Investments for likely breaching its contract with a California tech company called Provision Holding. That company alleged that Prosperity entered into agreements with “a then existing state of mind and intention not to perform,” according to court filings. Prosperity didn’t file a response or appear in court, and the judge ordered Jahn’s firm to pay $450,000.

In 2012, environmental regulators in Alberta said a different company owned by Jahn, Heartland Industrial Park, hadn’t been complying with a groundwater monitoring program at a former chemical plant near Edmonton, where there was known contamination. About two years after Jahn’s company bought the site, government officials said they “made

multiple attempts to resolve the matter but the contamination issue remains unresolved.”

Jahn said this week that his company successfully remediated and redeveloped the property. “We had to spend a great deal of time with Alberta Environment to determine a plan to clean up the site, I believe we spent around $400,000 over a 24-month period (to) clean it up to be reoccupied and subdivided,” Jahn said in an email. (The CVN contacted local officials and the Alber-

ta Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas but was unable to verify Jahn’s statement by press time.)

That same year, in 2012, a different company owned by Jahn, Pacifica Deep Sea Terminals, agreed to buy a former pulp mill on Vancouver Island for $8.6 million, but that deal went south after being extended three times, according to reports in the Campbell River Mirror.

Jahn told the CVN that a last-minute disclosure of contamination at the site— by the company selling

it— had gotten in the way of access to funds from his mortgage company.

In 2019, Jahn told officials in Fernley, Nevada, that he had partnered with other entities with plans to develop a K-12 school, 2,000 low-rise apartment units, a technical college and a main street area with shops and restaurants on land north of town, according to a 2019 Reno Gazette-Journal report.

A source familiar with the development told the CVN that Jahn is no longer involved in that project.

Businessman with “murky track record” unsuccessful at assembly meeting

By Melinda Munson

The Skagway Borough Assembly unanimously voted down two proposals by Prosperity Investments (Alaska) LLC .

The first plan would have removed the aging ore loader at the price of $1, on or before April 27, to be relocated to another community.

Company spokesperson Harold Jahn, described by the Chilkat Valley News as “a Canadian developer with a murky track record,” disputed that the loader was headed to a competing community.

“There’s a lot of rumor spreading that this equipment would go to Haines and our intent is not to take it to Haines,” Jahn said.

He suggested that Bellingham, Washington could be the future site of the refurbished ore loader.

“He told me multiple times that it’s for Haines,” confirmed Borough Manager Brad Ryan.

Assembly members voted down the proposal, opting to stick with the current Ore Dock redevelopment plan, which has yet to go to bid.

“I’m not willing to gamble our economy based on a tight timeline,” Assemblymem

ber Deb Potter said.

“He can make that same offer to the contractor,” Ryan said. “The risk to us was huge.”

Ryan also noted that “the municipality is aware of the degraded condition of the ore loader, which was a major factor in the municipality’s decision to remove it instead of continuing to use it. It does not feel responsible to allow the structure to be re-erected and used in another community waterfront area, where residents will subsistence fish for salmon and halibut, and harvest shellfish.”

Prosperity Investments’ second proposal was to dredge the sediment in the Ore Terminal at a cost to the municipality of $1, to be carried out in the next 12 months. A letter from Prosperity stated they are building an ore concrete export terminal in an Alaskan community and are seeking a “regional source of fine and course dredged fill materials for the concrete that can be delivered by barge.”

The Ore Terminal has a history of contamination. After less than 20 seconds of discussion, the dredging request was also denied.

The Skagway News file photo (2019)

Photo by Joe Stoltze

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Kari Rain

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Kari Rain

Photo by Jon Hillis

Photo by Jon Hillis

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Fire impacts four businesses, services and utility assistance program

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

Josh Colosky had omelets on his mind when he drove into town Sunday morning, Feb. 26, to buy some eggs. On his way back from the store he saw smoke coming from somewhere and called his friend up on Dyea Road to ask what he saw. By then, Colosky had arrived at the Jewell Building. He called Orion Hanson, owner of the shop that was on fire. There was no answer. He called 911. Colosky said it took awhile to get a hold of Hanson and his former boss, Tim Bourcy, who owns Packer Expeditions. Colosky eventually drove to Bourcy’s place to tell him.

Colosky and passers by who came upon the blaze started to pull items out of the Packers office and yard. He said that they were trying to grab most of the flammable items such as gasoline, gas tools and paint. The group also saved several large tools, a trailer of kayaks and a cart of radios.

Bourcy arrived and the two took pictures of what they could then Bourcy directed everyone to get out of the building. According to Bourcy, his shop is insured.

Jon Hillis is the new executive director of the Skagway Development Corporation (SDC). Employee Eliza Russell, the catalyst manager, was first to arrive. Hillis told her to not enter the building.

“We lost everything,” Hillis said.

Hillis said that fortunately SDC had already finished their taxes and grant reporting and hopes that they can reach out to those sources to send information back.

SDC had been working to build up its Small Business Resource Center. There was a conference area as well as a library of business management and start up books. The resource center also had computers, printers, scanners and a spiralizer

for community business use. It’s all gone.

Most everything will be covered by their insurance, but Hillis says replacing hard to find items will be the challenge.

He regrets the loss of a picture showing an overhead view of Skagway from1969. In 1972 it was overlaid with building and business names. He’s not sure where he can replace it, but will be contacting the Skagway Museum, National Park Service and USGS.

SDC is actively looking for a new space for their offices that is on the first floor and has parking.

SDC runs the utility assistance program in Skagway. Hillis says that anyone who submitted a request for January should verify that it was received and consider resubmitting. The Skagway Library is providing a secure drop off for any documents that need to be processed or delivered to SDC. The library also has printers and copiers should businesses need them.

Hills said that the phones are still working and that those who call should make sure they leave a message so he can get back to them. The number is 907-983-3414.

Kathy Shen owned the house to the east of the Jewell Building. She uses the home for employee housing and has rentals. Two renters were displaced due to the fire.

The west side of the structure and the roof will need replacing. Shen said she is in talks with the insurance company and hopes to get the okay to start work on repairs.

Shen credits the Skagway Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) for putting out the fire and saving her building. “They did an amazing job,” she said.

The Skagway Courthouse also lost everything physical such as furniture and computers.

Alaska Courts Public Information Officer Rebecca Koford says all cases that had come in by Friday were digitized into the online system before the weekend.

Koford says Haines and Hoonah will pick up the Skagway cases. People will be able to participate telephonically and can utilize online filing. The Haines courthouse number is 907-766-2801.

A new location will be determined after the invitation to bid is out and answered. Koford says it could be between three and nine months before a new location is found depending on the responses.

The courthouse is self-insured through the Alaska State Division of Risk Management. They began renting 475 square feet in the Jewell building in September 2021.

Hanson watched the fire from across the street. He talked about it at the end of the March 2 assembly meeting.

“It’s extremely difficult to see your business burn to the ground. I don’t know what I lost, but I’m not going to find it,” Hanson said.

Hanson shared gratitude for the firefighters, police, volunteers and municipality. He noted that decisions made by the different groups saved structures, including bringing in the excavator in the end to knock down the front to protect other homes.

He said that the next day he and his crew went to the site and were in awe of the destruction.

“I just kind of looked at my crew and I said, we got work to do … if you can be safe, let’s go to work,” Hanson said.

Hanson addressed those in the chambers.

“This year, 2023, this winter has been a bad one. But we have a great community. And, you know the engine of our economy will be back and I know we’ll be better,” he said.

Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff

Photo by Jon Hillis

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Mixed results for Panther teams at

By Jeff Brady For The Skagway News

Skagway High School’s basketball season ended at region tourney last weekend in Sitka with early success, but some missed opportunities down the stretch kept both teams from advancing to state tourney.

SHS boys go 2-2 to finish third

The SHS boys entered the tournament with a 7-6 record as the third seed in a balanced field. Their hopes for moving on to state tournament were high.

And it started out well for the Panthers. In the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, Skagway faced Hydaburg. The Panthers had split with the Warriors a couple weeks ago in Hydaburg, but Skagway had Austin Bricker back this time (he had sprained an ankle in a loss to Klawock on that Prince of Wales road trip). His 6’5” presence in the paint is huge, especially on defense.

The lead changed hands five times early as Hydaburg took a 10-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. A nice inside feed from Bricker to fellow senior Josh Cochran started off the second quarter, and Skagway never gave up the lead again. Hydaburg tied it up early in the third quarter, but the Panthers then cut loose on a 20-point quarter, despite losing starters Jake Sager and Landon Rodig to fouls. Bench play by Camden Lawson and Liam Ticcaro was key as the Panthers increased their lead and won easily, 60-42.

In Thursday’s semifinal, Skagway would face second seed Klawock, a

team they had taken to double overtime a couple weeks prior. It was a battle throughout the game, as Bricker and freshman Royce Borst knocked down treys for Skagway, but were countered with big shots by a well-balanced Klawock team. After being down 25-21 at the half, Skagway opened the third quarter with a Bricker three-pointer and a Sager-to-Cochran connection to take a 26-25 lead. But after a Chieftains time-out, Klawock scored a three-pointer and never gave up the lead again. Skagway just couldn’t make the crucial shots to give them a chance and fell, 56-48.

This sent Skagway to the consolation round, where they had little trouble with Angoon and Yakutat. Borst and Sager were solid in the backcourt against Angoon in a 60-45 win on Friday. Yakutat was big down low, but didn’t have great guard play. The Skagway defense was solid Saturday morning with Rodig disrupting the passing lanes and knocking the ball ahead to Sager for easy lay-ups. Skagway won 62-41 and the starters got to rest much of the fourth quarter. Senior fan favorite Paul Cooper got into the scoring column to the delight of the Skagway fans. A rematch with Klawock awaited.

In the tourney finale, Skagway faced Klawock, who had lost big to Kake Friday night in the championship game. Before a packed house at the Mount Edgecumbe gym, the teams fought evenly at the start of the game. Borst remained hot and knocked down a trey to send Skagway up 9-8 early. But Kla-

wock’s Marley and the Panthers and Lawson traded with Klawock

Skagway would to 42-40 early big shots by Sager wock would

The Chieftains end of the third lead up to 10 in tually winning, Senior forwards chran closed out ing named to along with junior Bricker and Cochran Academic Team, with a 3.0 or higher With a solid year, the Panther tender again under

Lady

Panthers final win.

The SHS girls with a 2-6 record the last seed in ever, that made In probably year, they soared opening round.

Lady Panthers run over the next a 24-17 halftime was connecting there was good a scrappy defense they held off a 38-30. Unfortunately, guard Lennon

Athena Smith won the free throw contest for the 3rd year in a row. She also won the 3 point contest.

Lina Hischer passes off to Ava Myers in their game against Kake Thunderbirds.

Ave Myers at the line against Angoon Eagles.

Sportsmanship awards for Kelsey Cox, Lina Hischer, Paul Cooper and Josh Cochran.

Athena Smith inbounds with a bounce pass to Ava Myers against Kake T-birds. (right)

Photos by Jaime Bricker of Skagway

at Southeast regionals

Marley Kness was even hotter, Panthers couldn’t stop him. He traded treys to end the half holding a 35-31 edge. would get the deficit down in the second half with Sager and Borst, but Klanot surrender the lead. Chieftains went up by seven at the third quarter, and kicked the in the final period, evenwinning, 72-63.

forwards Bricker and Coout their careers by bethe all-conference team, junior point guard Sager. Cochran also made the Team, an award for seniors higher GPA. group coming back next Panther boys should be a conunder coach Ross Barrett.

girls entered the tourney record (4-10 overall) and in a five-team field. Howmade them even hungrier. their best game of the soared past Kake in the round. Down 11-3 early, the Panthers lit it up with an 18-4 next 10 minutes to take halftime lead. Abby Myers connecting on three-pointers and good ball movement. With defense in the second half, a late Kake rally to win, Unfortunately, they lost point Jennings to an ankle in-

jury, which would hurt their chances moving forward.

The young team with no seniors then faced top seed Angoon. A similar scenario played out with Skagway falling behind 17-6 in the first quarter and then mounting a run to start the second quarter. Some big shots by Athena Smith snagged the lead at 21-20. However, Skagway was not able to hold down Angoon the rest of the way. The Eagles went on their own scoring run to go up by 15 at the half, and then held Skagway to just two points in the second half. Final score was 59-34.

The Lady Panthers would face Kake again in the consolation round Saturday morning. Jennings was back in the line-up, but her play was limited. Kenadie Cox got things going for Skagway to take an early lead, and the game was close through the first half as Kake went up 18-12. The shots just weren’t falling for Skagway again in the second half, and Kake took the rematch, 39-23, to end the Lady Panthers’ season.

The Kake girls moved on to upset Angoon for second place and a state berth, along with region champion Klawock.

Myers and Smith made the all-conference team for Skagway, and Smith amazingly won both the free throw and three-point shooting contests. They will be back next year to lead a more experienced team for coach Nate Jennings.

Panthers exit after quarter-

All Tournament Team with Bricker, Cochran and Sager honored for Skagway.

Lila and Elliot Lawson lead cheers for the Skagway Panther fans throughout the Region V 1A Tournament. (left)

Nate and Mason Jennings were sportscasters for the boys Panther games on KHNS Radio.

Skagway Boys Panther time out under the leadership of Coach Ross Barrett.

6’5” SHS Senior, Austin Bricker, goes toe-to-toe with Marley Kness of Klawock for the tip to Jake Sager.

Senior Josh Cochran against the Angoon Eagles.

DDF finishes with national qualifiers, readers theatre ends its run

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

Skagway School’s Debate, Drama and Forensic (DDF) team finished their season Feb. 24 - 26 at the state tournament in Anchorage.

Callia Fielding earned first place in the original oratory (OO) competition, setting her up for a trip to nationals to compete in the National Speech and Debate Associ-

ation Tournament in Arizona in June.

Fielding and Tessa Murphy placed third in duo interpretation (DUO) with their interpretation of “The Princess Saves Herself in This One.”

Fielding and Murphy received a command performance where they were invited to share the piece with the tournament audience af-

ter finals. The two qualified to participate in the same event at the National Catholic Forensic League in Kentucky in May.

Murphy placed third in Extemporaneous Commentary (EXC). She placed first in the event at the Mt. Edgecumbe tournament.

The team’s Reader’s Theatre placed second in each of

the Southeast regional tournaments, but they were not able to bring home a trophy at state. The ensemble included Evelyn Borst, Fielding, Lina Hischer, Athena Smith and Kaitlyn Tronrud.

Regional tournament results for the 2022-2023 season:

September, Mt. Edgecumbe; Informative Speaking - Fielding

first, EXC - Murphy, first, DUO - Fielding/Murphy second, RT second.

December, Ketchikan; RT second, OO - Fielding second, Informative (INF) - Fielding fifth. January, Juneau; DUO - Fielding/Murphy first, INF - Tronrud first, Borst third, Fielding sixth, RT -second, EXC - Hischer fourth, OO - Fielding fifth

Self-taught Skagway artist earns scholarship to illustration program

By Melinda Munson

Senior Adalia Deach is known to delight Skagway School elementary children with illustrations for their birthdays or other special occasions. Young students come home with the treasured creations and proudly display them on their refrigerators or bedroom walls.

This fall, Adalia has the potential to share her art with a wider audience as she heads to the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City. Accepted into the BFA Illustration Program, Adalia was awarded the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship, a merit scholarship worth $23,500 each year, which will cover half of tuition.

SVA described the scholarship process as “highly competitive” and “given in recognition” of Adalia’s “academic and artistic success.”

Growing up, Adalia didn’t usually have access to an art teacher at

Skagway School, which recently revitalized its art program with a full-time art instructor.

Adalia started drawing seriously in eighth or ninth grade.

“It wasn’t that great,” she said, describing her art skills. “I’ve been working at it since then.”

She attended Sitka Fine Arts Camp for six years. Adalia has also been active in robotics, choir and designed the school year book cover for the past several years.

Father Matt Deach described his daughter as “kind.”

“She’s something else for sure,” he said. “Very self-reliant. She goes and learns stuff.”

He described a time when a friend shared a video of Adalia proficiently singing and playing the ukulele at age 11. It was a shock. While the Deaches kept a ukulele in their home, Adlia had never had instrument or singing lessons.

He said the same discipline and talent extends to her art.

“She can just look at something and draw it.”

Adalia is looking forward to practicing art forms she hasn’t had an opportunity to experience in Skagway: printmaking, block printing, sculpture, oil painting. She’s also excited to be “taught professionally.”

“I’m really excited to meet new people,” Adalia said. “I haven’t gone a lot of places.”

When asked if he was nervous to have his daughter in such a big city, Matt was frank about Alaska’s violence against women statistics.

“Anchorage is far more terrifying to me,” he said.

Adalia hopes to finish out the summer in Skagway in her part-time job at the library. One of her favorite aspects of the work is reshelving books

where she’ll sometimes flip through a book to quickly check the art.

“I think we should have illustrations in all books,” she said.

Callia Fielding and Tessa Murphy are performtheir duo interpretation of “The Princess Saves Herself in This One.”Callia re-

Photo provided by Alaska School Activities Association

Photo provided by Alaska School Activities Association

Callia Fielding receives first place in original oration at the State DDF Tournament in Anchoage

Muni negotiates contract with Yukon for Marine Services Platform

(Continued from front page)

a marine services platform as part of the Ore Dock redevelopment at the approximate cost of $17 million. The municipality “will at all times own, operate and manage the MSP,” according to the resolution.

“The Marine Services Platform will ensure Skagway broadens the scope of its year-round economy while modernizing the way we export mineral concentrates,” said Mayor Andrew Cremata. “In my opinion, this project signals to the Yukon mining industry that Skagway wants their business as long as we maintain robust environmental standards that protect the health of our res-

idents.”

“This is also an opportunity to build a positive working relationship with our neighbors to the North that will last for generations and ensure the Klondike Highway remains open and well-maintained,” Cremata continued.

Yukon Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Justin Ferbey, traveled down the Klondike Highway to attend the assembly meeting.

“We find it an incredible opportunity now to have a government to government relationship,” Ferbey said. He noted that his great-great uncle started out in Skagway.

With the 55-year port lease ending this month, the bor-

ough is free to negotiate new contracts. Assemblymember Sam Bass didn’t appear keen on the length of the agreement.

“I’d like to think this would be discussed much more than we are able to do tonight,” Bass said. “We’re going to tie 35 years – 2058. My kids will be my age by the time we can read, talk about this issue. This is a major part of our waterfront.” He also suggested the borough fund its own marine service platform. Bass’ appeals received little support from other assembly members.

“Thirty five years is a long time and we’re coming out of a lease – it was 55 years – and we’re all reeling from

Feb. 20

-Dispatch contacted the clinic on duty provider.

Feb. 21

-Dispatch received a report of a lost keyring containing keys and a crystal.

-Police posted a public service announcement advising of parking regulations.

Feb. 23

-Fire personnel responded to a 911 call reporting a small house fire.

-Dispatch contacted a vehicle owner with lights left on.

Feb. 24

-Dispatch assisted a citizen in contacting the on duty provider.

Feb. 25

it for sure,” Borough Manager Brad Ryan responded. “But this one, I feel, we have a better understanding as we’re going forward. We’re getting access and can utilize that property and the revenue. And by no means does it tie up the T-dock [MSP].”

Assemblymember Orion Hanson was satisfied with the terms, preferring the mines to pay for the infrastructure and the municipality to collect fees.

“With this agreement, it would be $15 per ton with an escalator … And that’s $15 a ton

Police & Fire Blotter

Submitted by Skagway Police Department

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

-Police personnel assisted a citizen with fingerprinting.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

Feb. 26

-Fire personnel responded to a 911 call reporting a large structure fire.

Feb. 27

-Dispatch received a report of a lost dog . The dog was later reunited with its owner.

March 1

-Klondike Highway closed due to Avalanche conditions. It reopened later that day.

-Dispatch received a report of an open window and made contact with the building own-

that goes to the municipality,” he said. “And how much have we gotten in the past per ton? Zero.”

The official contract has not been signed as the borough manager and the Yukon Government continue to finalize details. No one addressed the resolution during citizens present.

er.

-Police personnel helped reunite a lost dog and its owner.

-Fire personnel responded to a fire alarm that turned out to be a kitchen mishap.

March 3

-Police personnel assisted a citizen with fingerprinting.

-Dispatch received a report of a runaway puppy.

-Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.

-Fire personnel responded to a fire alarm set off by welding.

March 5

Dispatch contacted the on duty provider

Family Fun Page - print and share

Across

4 Bonkers

8 Sliding window

13 Alias

in California

28 Lyric poem

29 “Agnus --- “

30 Abe’s fourth son

31 Not a lot Hun might con characters about

34 School skipper

35 “Go placidly --the noise ...”

(Ehrmann, “Desiderata”)

36 Spot

37 Plump Down

1 Cold comfort?

2 Far Eastern intergovernmental organization

Color Me

3 College professor’s degree

4 Put on

5 She pondered about a grin without a cat

6 Finely ground grain meal

7 In good shape, musclewise

8 Residual mark of a wound

9 Right now

10 Sign of infection

12 “Firebird” composer Stravinsky

17 The Tiffany nework

18 Snowden’s former employer

20 Zachary Taylor was one

21 Game with a 40-card deck

22 Air freshener targets

23 Organization

25 Make political speeches

26 Implied

27 Target for Ritalin

29 Cacophony

32 It’s hit at bedtime

33 Chairman painted by Andy Warhol

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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 or 907-612-0313

BROADWAY BULLETIN BOARD

JOBS

“Skagway Child Care Council is happy to announce they will be opening the Little Dippers Learning Center February 21st. The Center still needs full time teachers for the summer, Housing is available. Little Dippers is a non profit learning center dedicated to serving children and families. For more information on how to apply please visit www. skagwaylittledippers.com

OFFICE SPACE

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT:

Upstairs portion of Boas Building (above Skaguay News Depot).

Approximately 600 SF total, or smaller 50-60 SF office if willing to share with another renter. Both have access to small kitchen and bath. Available April 1, 2023. Sublease subject to approval by National Park Service. Serious inquiries only. Contact Jeff Brady for more information: email skagbooksak@icloud.com or text 907-973-2354.

REAL ESTATE

Lot For Sale by Owner Lot 9 Block 74, $115,000. Call or text 907.723.2030

To reach the Dahl on-duty provider, contact police dispatch at 907-983-2232

SKAGWAY WORSHIP DIRECTORY Weather Watch

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. Sunday School 9:45 a.m.

Women’s Prayer 10 a.m Tues. Bible Study time varies. Please inquire. Online access available to all events.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11th & State • 983-2518

Sun. Sacrament Meeting...10 a.m.

Sun. School/Primary ...11:10 a.m. Relief Society/Priesthood..12 p.m.

St. Therese Catholic Church 9th & State • 983-2271

Sun. Mass.......................5 p.m.

Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m.

a priest is available)

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MUNICIPALITY OF SKAGWAY

PUBLIC NOTICE

March 3, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 2:00pm, there will be held in the Municipality of Skagway, Alaska, a Public Auction through Sealed Bid of abandoned and impounded property. The Municipality is posting this in accordance with Tariff No. 3 Item 190 B3.

It is the intention of the Municipality to sell the following properties:

Property Name: P/V Call of the Wild, 43’ vessel

Previous Owner: Pete Densmore, 107 Platinum Rd., Whitehorse, YT Y1A -5M3

Item Location: Skagway Harbor Staging Area

Fees owed: $3,014.16

Property Name: Red building - aka old M&M building

Previous Owner: Rainforest Rentals, LLC , PO Box 535, Skagway, AK 99840

Item Location: Skagway Harbor Staging Area

Fees owed: $560.75

Property Name: Arabian Camper, 24’ Camper Trailer

Previous Owner: David Lehman, PO Box 1056, Skagway, AK 99840

Item Location: Skagway Harbor Staging Area

Fees owed: $2,911.42

Property Name: P/V Amelia, 30’ Vessel

Previous Owner: Gus Steiner, 7 Spinel Place, Whitehorse, YT Y1A -6A6

Item Location: Skagway Harbor Staging Area

Fees owed: $688.93

QUALIFIED BIDS

The bid must be, at a minimum, equal to the outstanding charges on the property listed above. Item/s will be sold for cash to the highest bidder (unless the vessel is sooner redeemed). Bids must be sealed and clearly labeled with the property name, date and time of bid due, and Bidder ’s name.

Bidder must have no outstanding balances or accounts with the Municipality. Any bid, amendment, or withdrawal, which has not been actually physically received by the Municipality prior to the scheduled time for submitting bids shall not be considered.

At any time prior to the scheduled time for submitting bids, the owner, master, operator or managing agent may redeem the vessel by a cash payment of all Skagway charges against the property.

FILING DATES

Sealed bids must be delivered to City Hall located at 700 Spring Street, Skagway, AK 99840 by 2:00pm on March 23rd, 2023. Bids will be opened in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall immediately following the bid deadline.

TERMS OF SALE

Property sold as is. The Municipality shall not be liable for the condition of the property or any items in or on the property. The successful bidder takes possession of all items in or on the property and shall be responsible for any disposal of that property upon sale. Item/s sold must be removed, at the expense of the winning bidder, from Municipal property within fourteen (14) days after award of sale, unless a new written storage agreement is entered into with the Municipality. The Municipality will not assist the successful bidder in any way with the removal of the property from Municipal property. The successful bidder shall be responsible for any damage to Municipal property caused during the removal of the property purchased. For more information contact the Harbormaster at (907) 983.2628 or m.oboyle@skagway.org.

If there are no bidders for the property, the Municipality may destroy, sell at private sale or otherwise dispose of the property.

Firefighters helped by community in cold, windy conditions

(Continued from front page) the office and yard until the SVFD cleared the fire area.

Orion Hanson, owner of Hanson General Contracting, stood with friends across State Street as his business on the east end of the building became fully engulfed in flames. He said about nine people started calling and texting him about the fire.

According to SVFD, the fire first appeared to take over the southeast corner of the area and fire crew worked to save the home to the east from damage.

“There is some charring, but the home was saved,” said borough manager and point of contact for the incident, Brad Ryan.

Fire Chief Emily Rauscher’s radio was busy as the crews took on the fire. SVFD and Ryan reported that a crew worked to evacuate residents on the east end of Ninth and on Eighth Avenue. Most residents complied, some waited. Thick smoke billowing to the southeast caused residents to leave their homes further into town.

Annie Matsov and her children evacuated their home due to the smoke then observed from the Assembly of God yard as husband and dad, Alex Matsov, a firefighter, worked on the blaze. Later in the afternoon they would help roll hoses.

Tim Bourcy watched from across the street as the fire and smoke came closer to his business, Packer Expeditions. Eventually the fire claimed the building. Bourcy was phasing out his business after 30 years. While his employees and others tried to save as much as they could, the building and most equipment succumbed to the fire, settling in a final smoking heap. Bourcy is insured.

By the afternoon the fire had reached the entire length of the structure. As parts of the building threatened to fall into State Street, Public Works used an excavator to push the front wall back onto itself.

Ryan said Public Works, including the water department, worked to make sure the water was flowing.

SVFD utilized three hydrants -- Ninth and Broad-

way, Eighth and Broadway to attack the southeast and Ninth and State.

“Tyson Ames of Public Works was there all day helping in so many different ways. He was everywhere,” Ryan said.

“The hydrants need to flush and the hoses need to be clear,” said Ryan, as the water is pumped through the truck for optimal pressure.

Public works installed barriers and sanded the surrounding roads, coated with ice.

Alaska Power and Telephone monitored the electrical grid, shutting off power when needed.

Community members came to watch and assist.

SVFD credits municipal management and Public Works employees for their help holding defensive hose lines; former fire volunteers showed up to help.

One person offered hand warmers to people watching and working the blaze, Billi Clem walked down the sidewalk in front of the Assembly of God Church with a tray of hot chocolate and an invitation for folks to go inside to get warm or grab more hot drinks. Later, the church and multiple community members brought food to the firefighters, police and public works employees.

Assemblymember Sam Bass was seen helping the crew, Ryan helped hold hoses and Police Chief Jerry Reddick and the Skagway Police Department provided crowd control and additional hose handling.

In the late afternoon a call was made to Mayor Andrew Cremata that the incident could use assistance in clean up by rolling and gathering hoses. Soon an army of families and city officials were loading the hoses into trucks to be taken back to the station to thaw and get prepped for the next call.

In a press release SVFD says that the fire, labeled the Jewell Fire, “has been assigned to Alaska State Fire Marshal Richard Harrop and a fire investigation is undergoing. The fire scene has been secured and we will continue to monitor and secure the property until Fire

Marshal Harrop makes it into Skagway for a sight inspection scheduled for Feb. 28, 2023. We ask all residents to stay clear of the fire scene as to not interfere with the fire investigation.”

“The community response was tremendous,” said Cremata who praised the agencies working the fire. “Nobody was hurt and the other structures on the block were saved. It was a success for

the department and the community,” he said.

Ryan agreed in his own statements. “The community came together showing support, no one was hurt and the fire didn’t spread,” he wrote.

Rauscher added a personal note in her press release that “not all fire departments experience the support we had yesterday.”

She praised the former volunteers who joined in, the

municipal employees, the police and management for their help.

“The community support was truly exceptional, and I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to all of you,” Rauscher said.

This story was first published on www.skagwaynews.com on Feb. 27.

Photo by Kari Rain

Photo by Kortney Rupprecht

Flames engulf the east side of the Jewell Building, while the west wall of Kathy Shen’s rental housing catches fire. Firefighters suppressed the fire on Shen’s building, but the house is uninhabitable without repairs.

Vehicles in the fire area are coated with ice. Temperatures were below freezing on Feb. 26.