The Skagway News May 10, 2024

THE SKAGWAY NEWS.

Compliance issues risk DMC grant approvals

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

At the May 2 assembly meeting, Skagway’s Civic Affairs (CA) recommend changes were needed to Dahl Memorial Clinic’s (DMC) organizational structure and sought direction from the body.

CA Chair Alex Weddell provided a document clarifying the discussions and recommendations to come out of the committee in pursuit of assembly direction.

The committee’s concerns stem from commentaries received in January when DMC received a Notice of Awards and Conditions from Health Resource Service Administration (HRSA) for the last year of a three-year grant. One consideration was on the issue of scope, which will be addressed by the DMC board. The other comments were in regarding the organization’s board authority and board composition.

The document says that the DMC Board needs “its own set of bylaws which specify the process for ongoing selection and removal of board members and needs to align with Skagway Municipal Code (SMC.) It also noted that Resolution 23 -27R, authorizing the creation of a selection committee for hiring the DMC executive director, does not align with municipal code.

The goal is to seek a solution that would fall within a 60-day response window.

DMC Executive Director Albert Wall offered CA three suggested paths to remedy the situation as soon as possi-

Happy Dock Day

Local air carrier adopts new tech with aim to make travel in Southeast safer, more reliable in multiple weather situations

By Claire Stremple Alaskabeacon.com

The air was clear and smooth over the Lynn Canal between Juneau and Haines on Thursday, so there was no need to use the new technology installed in the Cessna Grand Caravan’s instrument panel. But when the clouds roll in, as they are forecasted to do next week, the updated avionics will allow pilots to fly this common route through conditions that could typically ground passengers, mail and cargo.

“We put all this in place and then we have had just gorgeous weather,” said Alaska Seaplanes’ Marketing Manager Andy Kline with a laugh.

The company has developed new approach paths and installed GPS equipment to make low visibility flights safer and more reliable.

For people who live in communities like Haines,

with no jet or road access, travel in and out is mitigated by the weather and the ferry schedule. The comings and goings of the state’s ferries are so critical that they are announced on the radio with the weather. Locals typically build an extra night into their travel plans to account for canceled flights. “If you want to get there, take the ferry,” is a well-worn piece of travel advice that longtime residents dole out to newcomers.

“We have a goal of being as reliable as the jet,” Kline said of the small plane operator. “We’re not there yet. And even these new approaches don’t get us quite there yet. We’re still going to be on the ground sometimes when the jets are flying.”

To realize that goal, Alaska Seaplanes, the region’s most comprehensive carrier, has developed new approach paths and installed

GPS equipment sensitive enough to allow instrument flights even in the challenging geography of the region.

Haines, Hoonah, Sitka, Juneau, Kake, Wrangell and Petersburg flights will benefit from the upgrades, which were costly for the small carrier. Flight prices have gone up significantly in the last five years. A disadvantage for small companies is that they must go through the

same approvals processes for new routes as major carriers, like Alaska Airlines, which is a time burden on the small staff.

Kline said it has already changed how often flights get out and the conditions travelers experience. “People who’ve flown to Hoonah have never flown through the clouds,’ he said. “So we’re actually having to brief our

Photo by Cody Jennings

Pilot Gregg Hake demonstrates how advanced GPS avionics allow pilots to program approach paths and fly in low visibility conditions on May 2, 2024.

(Photo provided by Alaska Beacon)

Skagway’s new floating dock is attached to Ore Dock after a towing accident caused a two-month delay The doc was repaired in Ketchikan. The dock arrived in the afternoon of May 2 to calls of “Happy Dock Day.” More pictures on page 8.

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 47 years of reporting in Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, recording our Centennial years and beyond.

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Next issue will be published MAY 24, 2024

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Vol. XLVII, No. 8 (970) May 10, 2024

Published online the second and fourth Friday of the month

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

editor@skagwaynews.com sales@skagwaynews.com

Publisher Gretchen Wehmhoff

Contributors & Volunteers Alaska Beacon Jeff Brady Chris Copley Rashah McChesney Katherine Moseley Vivian Meyers Larry Persily Kerri Raia

Scott Raia

Joe Stoltze

Denise Welch

Editor Emeritus

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May 10, 2024

Alaska’s newest cruise port, Port Klawock, celebrated the arrival of its first cruise ship, Seabourn Odyssey May 6 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Indigenous-owned port is located near the Tlingit village of Klawock on the Pacific side of Prince of Wales Island. Port Klawock is the latest initiative from Na-Dena`, a joint venture between the Alaska Native corporations

and

Limited, and Klawock Heenya, the Native village corporation of Klawock. “Our investment in Port Klawock is a testament to our commitment to sustainable development that benefits all communities on Prince of Wales Island,” said Doyon, Limited Senior Vice President and CFO Patrick Duke. “We’re here to build something that lasts, respecting heritage and natural resources.”

Panthers head to Juneau for track and field regionals

Neda Konkude prepares to let go of the discus at the track meet in Haines last weekend. On the right, Lina Rauscher pushes through the 400 meter race.

with

Please send corrections to editor@skawaynews.com

Photo by Lex Treinen, Chilkat Valley News

Photo by Lex Treinen, Chilkat Valley News

Huna Totem

Doyon,

Photo provided by Port Klawak/Thompson & Co. Public Relations

DMC seeks restructuring approval from assembly to come into compliance

from Front page

ble in order to minimize risk when seeking and maintaining grants; an elected board, become a 501c3 non-profit corporation and a short-term model.

CA discussed the options and determined the elected board model would require draft code to match the plan.

The report by CA presented to the assembly noted that there may not be enough legislative backing to support the elected board model.

While moving to a 501c3 structure is preferred by HRSA, residents voted in 2023 to require any sale or lease of DMC and the E.A.

Jenny Rasmuson Community Health Center Building to be ratified by voters. In their report, CA said that may mean switching to that structure could involve a vote.

In the end, the committee the committee offered three suggestions to the assembly.

• Pursuit of the 501c3 option

as a long-term model for the DMC

• In the meantime, move forward with the “Short term model” to ensure compliance within the 60-day deadline with the following actions:

• Repeal of Resolution 2327R

•Direct staff to draft

amendments to SMC 3.17 with language for a self-appointing board as per HRSA compliance conditions and to draft corresponding bylaws.

The next CA meeting is schedule for May 14 at 7 p.m.

State leaders join national “One Pill Can Kill” campaign

By Yereth Rosen Alaskabeacon.com

With Alaska’s drug overdose deaths surging, state leaders on Monday kicked off a new campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of the drug that caused most of them: fentanyl.

The new campaign, called “One Pill Can Kill,” is national and spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal agencies. But it has special meaning in Alaska, which last year had a record-high total of overdose deaths, they said.

Preliminary numbers show that 342 Alaskans died from overdoses in 2023, a 40% increase over 2022 totals, according to the state Department of Health. Of the total, 264 – about three-quarters –were from fentanyl, up from 151 fentanyl deaths in 2022, according to the department’s preliminary numbers.

“Alaska is under attack,” Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said at a news conference held at the Department of Public Safety Crime Labora-

tory in Anchorage.

“This is the largest in Alaska’s history, and it marks a really devastating moment in history,” Heidi Hedberg, commissioner of the state Department of Health, said at the news conference.

Beyond the statistics are personal tragedies.

Sandy Snodgrass, a mother who lost her son in 2021 to a fentanyl overdose, recounted some of the details. “He was only 22 years old and my only child,” she said. “He died within shouting distance of help in a wooded area a short distance from a Wells Fargo drive-through and McDonald’s drive-through on Debarr Road in Anchorage. The devastation of his fentanyl poisoning death has impacted his family, friends and community in ways that I cannot fully describe here today.”

Hedberg said public education, including the One Pill Can Kill awareness campaign, is only one part of a multipronged state effort to stop fentanyl deaths.

While the Department of

Public Safety works to intercept drugs so that the supply does not reach the public and the Department of Law pursues legal approaches to the problem, the Department of Health’s antiopioid work focuses on harm reduction and treatment as well as on education, Hedberg said.

Last year, she said, the department distributed more than 46,000 antioverdose naloxone kits and over 89,000 fentanyl test strips.

Now the department is preparing to distribute $3.3 million in grants for local, regional and statewide programs for harm reduction and treatment. A request for bids from potential grantees was published last month.

Money for the grants comes from one of the national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, a $26 billion settlement struck in 2021 with manufacturer Janssen/ Johson & Johnson and three pharmaceutical distributors. The settlement was made final in 2022. Alaska is expected to get $58.5 million

Man arrested for stabbing on cruise ship

JUNEAU,

Alaska – A South African man was arrested by the FBI today on criminal charges after disembarking a cruise ship in Juneau for allegedly stabbing multiple people with medical scissors while aboard the ship.

According to court documents, on May 6, 2024, Ntando Sogoni, 35, was working on the cruise ship when other ship employees observed the defendant attempting to deploy a lifeboat. Sogoni was contacted by ship security and escorted to the ship’s medical center for an assessment.

Upon arrival, Sogoni physically attacked a secu-

rity guard and a male nurse inside an examination room and proceeded to enter another examination room where a woman, who is a U.S. citizen, was being examined. He grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the woman multiple times in the arm, hand and face. He also stabbed two security guards who intervened—one in the head and one in the back and shoulders. Sogoni was detained and held in the ship’s jail prior to his arrest. Sogoni is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction in violation of 18 U.S.C. §113(a)(3). If convicted, he

faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case. This is from a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Alaska.

over 18 years from it, Hedberg said.

There have been other national opioid settlements to which Alaska is a party since then.

Another part of the state effort is increasing penalties for distributors of fentanyl and other deadly substances.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Attorney General Treg Taylor, who both spoke at the event, pushed for final passage of state legislation, House Bill 66, that would classify as second-degree murder the act of providing a drug to someone who later suffers a fatal overdose.

“Some people may think that’s harsh. But if you apply that to any other aspect of society – somebody cuts the brakes on a car, and someone is killed, somebody doesn’t maintain an airplane, somebody plays with a gun –they all have consequences,” Dunleavy said.

“The known increased risk caused by fentanyl justifies

charging them with a homicide,” Taylor said.

The bill passed the House last year and was pending, as of Friday, in the Senate Finance Committee, usually the last committee prior to a floor vote.

The bill would also enhance potential penalties for anyone who surreptitiously drugs an unwitting person, for example, with depressants or tranquilizers that are commonly referred to as “date-rape” drugs.

“Both of these laws, along with the One Pill Can Kill campaign introduced here today, will add three powerful tools to the toolbox to bring the fight to fentanyl,” Snodgrass said.

Skagway students win honorable mention in ADN/UAA writing contest

The Loss

By Hudson Guilliams Fifth Grade (Teacher Mary Thole)

Sometimes you think of who or what you are, and that results in you thinking of your memories. Well, what if I told you that I don’t have that anymore.

Chapter 1

The Confusion

Today is going to be the best day ever! Just so happens it’s my golden birthday and I’m turning 14!

Anyways, my name is Tony R. Nelson, and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. My 14th birthday party is today and it starts– Now! Oh! Adams here! He’s been my best friend since we were babies, but what I’m really excited about is that today I’m getting my computer mind! “To—ny!” says mom, “Time to inject the computer mind chip!” Oh! It’s time! Everybody starts counting to three and then–

Chapter 2

The Room

I wake up in a bed that I’m not familiar with. The walls are gray—, and it looks like they’re made of— concrete? There’s also something floating in front of me. It says error code 37438219. The screen on it changes and then it says, “You can call me an error code robot.” I have a lot of experience with robots, although I don’t remember how. I just realized, I don’t remember anything! I don’t even remember who I am! I can only remember one thing– I think I got hacked! I have to find out who It is. I start by getting out of bed, but once I open the door, there’s nothing but halls! I start walking for a while, but I’m starting to get tired. Right as I’m about to give up, I spot a digital map of the very big maze of halls. I absorb it into my computer mind and start following it.

Chapter Three

Escaped

When you escape from a facility with 100,000 guards chasing you, you sometimes have second thoughts. That’s what I had when I was running for my life out of a huge building being guarded by a bunch of trained professionals and German Shepherds. I started by trying to escape by an ally but it was too far away and the guards would get me. Then, my chance of escape came to me in perfect clarity. I had to quickly hijack a van or a car. My dad has been teaching me how to drive since last year. I just haven’t gotten my license yet. So you could call me a driver for sure. I spotted a car in a parking lot about 60 feet away from me. I had to try to get to it without being caught by the guards. I tried to wait for the right moment and

Mr. Johnson’s Pirate Ship

By Jacob Moncibaiz Fourth Grade Teacher Danielle McManus

It was a quiet afternoon, and Mr. Johnson decided to surprise his students with a working pirate ship. Mr. Johnson went on Amazon to buy a pirate ship with two day shipping. The next day, he heard the doorbell ring Ding Dong. He sprang out of bed and ran to the door just to find out that it was his neighbor asking for a cup of sugar. Mr. Johnson walked to the kitchen and got his neighbor a cup of sugar. After Mr. Johnson’s neighbor got his sugar, he headed home. Mr. Johnson tiredly walked to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee before work. He decided to look out the window, and he saw a delivery driver with a big pickup truck with Mr. Johnson’s pirate ship in the back coming up the road. He ran as fast as he could to the door, but

then I burst toward the car as fast as I could.

Chapter 4

The Research Facility

When I got to the car, I had almost forgotten what I was doing. I quickly remembered and opened the door to the car. The car was small, and dirty. It was one of those cars you would see in your mind if you heard the two words, 1970s cars. I clearly didn’t have any time to think about this. I had to move. And quickly. I pulled the stick and got the car running. I drove for about 20 minutes until I was sure I had escaped the guards. I soon spotted a building that said, The federal research building of Chicago. I got interested and got out toward the building. In the lobby, there were two security guards and a German shepard. They asked me how old I was and if I had a license. I said yes, which was obviously a lie. They let me in and when I got in, there were a bunch of computers, people, and halls. I went down one of the halls and a man in a gray suit walked up to me and said, “Son, I don’t know what you’re doing in this research building, but do you need any help?” I said, yes sir I don’t know if you have one, but my computer mind has been hacked. The man in the gray suit said, “Well maybe some good ol’ research will help.” I said, yes sir, that would be helpful. So the man in the gray suit took me to one of the computer rooms and told me to follow him. Once we got to his computer, he logged in. After about an hour, we had significant evidence on the hacker. We had found out that the hackers name was error code 3743, and the hacker came from the building I had escaped from. The man snuck me into a bed in the facility. When I was about to go to bed, an error code robot entered the room and said, “Evidence was found.”

Chapter 5 Memory

I blacked out. When I woke up, I felt different. I realized, I have memories again! The error code robot came up to me and said, “yes, every fourteen year old has this glitch when they first get their computer minds.” I said, “so this was all just a test? “Yes,” the error code robot said, “this is just a test.” “Tony!” Mom said, “time for breakfast!” Coming mom! “So, Tony, enjoying that computer mind of yours?” I say yes, even though I have a big story to tell that will go down for generation after generation.

when the delivey man dropped off the package, it was broken.

Mr. Johnson asked for a refund but the delivery man said he couldn’t get a refund because the delivery business was going short on money for the boxes and tape. He emailed the manager of Amazon, but the manager said all purchases were final. Mr. Johnson was upset and was ready to give up.

The next day he woke up with a fresh idea, so he started his truck and got the ship in the back of it with his neighbor’s help. Mr. Johnson drove his truck to the docks to repair the ship. He tried to use instant seal foam, but since they were in Texas, it was too hot. The sealing foam was melting and dripping down on the pavement. Mr. Johnson moved his truck in the shade with the boat in the back. Just as Mr Johnson was getting ready to use some more sealing foam, he realized he had run out, and he couldn’t go to the hardware store because it closes at 5:00 and it was 5:06. Mr. Johnson saw his students fishing and decided to ask his students for help even though it would ruin the surprise.

Mr. Johnson asked all of the students to head into the classroom to discuss how to fix the ship. Jeff suggested that they should use cement, but Mr. Johnson had to explain that the cement would weigh the boat down. Sally said that they should turn the hole into a window and use rubber floaties on the bottom of the boat, but that wouldn’t work either because the floaties wouldn’t be strong enough to hold up the boat and we don’t have strong enough glass for the water presser. Just as everyone was giving up, Simon walked through the door and explained that he had heard about their conversation about the pirate ship and he knew how to help.

Simon explained, “My dad was a pirate before he retired, and he has leftover parts from his ship.” You can come to my house and grab some nails and planks and then head back to the boat. Moments later, Mr. Johnson and Simon got in the pickup truck, went to Simon’s house to grab the planks and nails, and went back to the boat. Jeff held the planks while Sally hammered in the nails, and Simon showed Mr. Johnson the blueprints of the boat. Jeff and Sally finished putting in the last plank and nails until it was time to sail across the ocean.

As Mr. Johnson was about to step onto the boat, he gave his students one final wave goodbye and then he sailed away. The end

Paw Prints

By Katherine Moseley

Lucy and her brother, Skeeter, dutifully wait to have a go at the meatball cupcakes Jan Wrentmore made for their sixth birthday party. Lucy belongs to Wrentmore and Skeeter belongs to Katherine Moseley. It’s our party

Do you spoil your dog? Alaska ranks second in the United States, right behind Florida, in pampering and spoiling their canine companions. This information was shared in an article in the Forbes Advisor (3-252024) by Kelly Anne Smith called “States with the Most Spoiled Dogs.”

This came as a shock for me to read because Skagway is home to some of the most spoiled and pampered pets that I know. Of

course, the definition of being spoiled is subjective. The article mentions such things as holding a dog-friendly birthday party for your dog, and spending more money on your dog’s healthcare and grooming than you do on your own.

Skagway is a great place to be a dog. Every dog has a home and there are no strays. There are trails and mountains to climb. Rivers to play in. Places to run untethered. Dog “play

groups.” Birthday parties. A place to be bathed and groomed. Sometimes there’s even a treat or two from our local businesses.

Dogs bring us joy and unconditional love. They are by our side for life’s ups and downs. If you are lucky enough to share your life with a dog, you know what I’m talking about. Let’s help make Alaska #1 for 2024! Spoil your dogs!

It’s spring in the Garden City. This issue The Skagway News looked for gardening sites and stumbled on Epic Gardening, a website that gives pretty fast advice that that is easy to understand. Nice pictures, too.

Epic Gardening

Want to know how to store bulbs and build raised garden beds. What about fruit trees and indoor plants. It’s a business with a lot of free advice.

Photo by Katherine Moseley

Photo by Katherine Moseley

Charles Deach

I am set to graduate as the salutatorian of Skagway School class of 2024. This summer, I will be working at the Skagway Harbor as a groundskeeper so I can save up for my college tuition. I am planning on attending Pennsylvania State University and majoring in Aerospace Engineering for my Bachelor’s of Science this fall. I am so excited for the future, and I am also incredibly grateful for Skagway’s supportive community that has lifted me up to where I am now.

Gunnar Mixon

My plan for after I graduate high school is to keep working for Alaska Commercial Company. I want to travel a bit around Alaska. I own a group called Skagway Paranormal. I want to grow that a bit - explore more haunted locations around Alaska. I’ve been working for AC for about six years. I want to keep working for them and maybe in the future become the president and maybe eventually Chief Executive Officer. Who knows what the future holds? I just can’t wait to graduate high school.

Isaiah Moseley

“Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself” -Bill Gates

Skagway High School graduation May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Ava Myers Athena Smith Jake Sager

In July I will be attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks online. I will be majoring in accounting and working towards getting a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

I always knew I did not want to go to college. I knew I could learn by other means and be successful. I currently work for the Municipality of Skagway as a laborer and groundskeeper. While I like this job and the people I work with, I have other plans. I have been volunteering at the Skagway Fire Department and plan to attend the Illinois Fire Service Institute in September and October. My goal is to continue to work for the Municipality of Skagway but as a fire fighter and EMT. Outside of work, I plan to continue doing what I love most, fishing and hunting.

I will be graduating valedictorian of Skagway High School’s Senior Class of 2024. I will be attending Providence College in Rhode Island this fall. I am excited to study economics and plan to major in finance. I feel extremely lucky to have had the support of not only my family, but the entire Skagway community. Skagway truly is a unique and magical place to grow up. Time is precious... waste it wisely!

Skagway students are everywhere... seriously.

Do you have pictures of Skagway students doing great things? Send them, along with the names of those in the photo, to editor@skagwaynews.com. For the next issue we are looking for pictures from Prom and graduation. Don’t forget to send in those pics from Close-Up!!

Selflessness

Sportsmanship

Elias Ryan, Camden Lawson, Hudson Guilliams.

Mason Jennings, Isaiah Moseley, Avelyn Verhaeghe

Anika Thole, Rilynn Mixon, Mia Quiroga

Elliot Lawson,Neda Tonkute, Adalyn Gunzburg

Humor

Charles Deach, Calvin Miller, Evelyn Borst, Kenadie Cox and Lina Hischer stand on the shore of the Arctic Ocean under the famous Whale Bow in Utqiagvik. The students were attending the Alaska Association of Students Governemnts conference in April

Evelyn Borst, Charles Deach, Kenadie Cox, Calvin Miller and Lina Hischer stand at the Arctic crossroads sign in Utqiagvik. The students were attending the Alaska Association of Students Governemnts conference in April.

Neda Tonkute traveled with Skagway students to Art Fest in April. She won the “Best Work Brought to Art Fest” for her artwork pictured here.

Photo by Vivian Meyer

Photo by Vivian Meyer

Photos provided by Skagway School

Photo provided by Skagway School

Floating dock makes it to Skagway, Ore Dock gets ready for cruise ships

The Norwegian Sun maneuvers around the tug boats and new floating dock on May 5.

A flag reading “Skagway or Bust” decks the floating dock as it arrives in port on May 2.

The floating dock completes it’s trip to the Port of Skagway on Thursday, May 2.

A crane sets the passenger ramp in place, connecting the floating dock to shore.

Photo by Cody Jennings

Photo by Cody Jennings

Photo by Cody Jennings

Photo by Cody Jennings

Scholarships and opportunities

Skagway Arts Council Scholarships for Skagway residents

The Skagway Arts Council offers up to two scholarships of up to $300 to individuals who have lived in Skagway for at least one year and want to attend North Words. More information and applications are available on the SAC BlogSpot.

Things going on at The Skagway Public Library

Wifi is available outside the library 10am-10pm..

Windy Valley Babies (Story Time) happens every Wednesday at 10:30 am inside the Library. Story Time is specially designed for ages 0-3. Bring your 0-3 year old to sing and read stories with Ms. Anna!

Music Saturdays. Come play around on our mandolin, ukulele, guitar, banjo or piano!

(And you won’t even get shushed!)

Late Night Library takes place on select Friday nights at 6:00pm in the library. These evenings include crafts, game nights, special guests, and activities for young patrons in 5th grade and up! Passports: If you need to apply for a U.S. passport, Crystal Harris, our Library Assistant, is currently Skagway’s only passport acceptance agent. Applications are accepted by appointment only and Crystal takes passport appointments Tuesday through Friday. Please call for an appointment or more information at 907-9832665 or email library@skagway.org.

Skagway Visitors Department posted the 2024 Cruise Ship Arrival schedule. Here. https://www.skagway.org/svd/page/skagway-cruise-ship-arrivals-schedules

Learn gardening basics in statewide webinar series

Grow your gardening knowledge. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service agent Casey Matney will teach a series of 11 gardening webinars to help you get your garden ready for the upcoming growing season.

The free classes will be held online via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, from March 19 to May 28.Contact Matney at camatney@ alaska.edu or 907-262-3443.

May 14 — Planting Potatoes

May 21 — Hardening Plants and Transplanting into the Garden

May 28 — Composting: No Time to Waste To register for classes: https://www.uaf.edu/ces/garden/webinars/index.php

CLASSIFIEDS

News 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.

EMPLOYMENT

The Skagway News is hiring an Assistant Newsie Supervisor. This part time job involves accompanying the Newsies from May through August to the docks in the morning from approximately 6:45 - 8 a.m. Pay will be $18/hour for dock days The new coordinator will need both a CLAA ID and a current TWIC card. Applicants must supply at least two referrences as this job requires working with minors. Contact Gretchen for more information or to apply at editor@ skagwaynews.com or leave a message at 907-983-2354.

Pullen Creek RV Park Restrooms

Bid/RFP Status: Open - accepting bids and proposals

Bid/RFP Due Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024 - 2:00pm

Back to Bids/RFPs (May 3, 2024)

REQUEST FOR BIDS

PULLEN CREEK R/V PARK RESTROOMS

The Municipality of Skagway is accepting bids to construct the Pullen Creek R/V Park Restrooms. The WORK covered in the Contract Documents generally includes: Demolition of the existing restroom facility, Site

April 19

• Police responded to a burglary alarm for a downtown business. It was discovered to be accidently tripped by an employee.

April 20

• A caller reported ongoing disputes and harassment with their neighbor concerning public parking on the street.

• There was a noise complaint of loud construction taking place at 11:50 pm. An officer responded and the offending party wrapped it up for the night.

April 21

• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider two different times.

• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency and transported the patient to the clinic.

April 22

• A citizen reported they felt they had been drugged two nights previous while at a drinking establishment.

• Workers painting the road reported a woman was harassing them. An officer spoke with the workers and attempted to locate the woman.

• EMS personnel assisted with transportation for a medevac.

• A caller inquired if a black wallet had been turned in to the Police Department’s lost and found.

• A third-party SOS center contacted dispatch with GPS coordinates. Upon further investigation, it was discovered a citizen had become stuck in their vehicle up West Creek Road in deep snow.

April 23

preparation and the installation of a wood framed restroom building with slab on grade, and other miscellaneous related WORK. All work must conform to the requirements provided in the bid documents.

BASE BID

Work includes site preparation, wood framed building, exterior and interior components, concrete ramps and landings, and miscellaneous related work at 175 Congress Way, Skagway, Alaska 99840.

Bids shall include all labor, equipment, transportation, and materials to complete the specified work. Bids shall also include mobilization and demobilization to and from the Project site. Alaska Labor Standards, reporting and prevailing wage rate determination is made part of this bid package. If this project is over $25,000, a notice of award will be sent to the Alaska Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Section. The State will require that certified payroll forms are completed, and the State has the right to randomly audit the successful bidders company to ensure Davis Bacon Wages are being paid for this project.

A copy of the Request for Bids can be obtained by calling Skagway Municipal Offices at 907-9832297, or by e-mailing a.lawson@ skagway.org. Technical questions regarding this project must be directed in writing to the Borough Manager at manager@skagway. org and contracts@skagway.org.

Project completion schedule for the Base Bid is as follows:

Police & Fire Blotter

Submitted by Skagway Police Department

• Fire Department personnel responded to a report of a residential burn pile spreading to surrounding vegetation.

• An officer investigated a report of a sexual assault.

• A small rockslide above the railroad dock was reported.

April 26

• Benjamin Jonathan Burt, 21, of Washington, was arrested for an outstanding California warrant with request for extradition.

• A caller reported they believed someone hit their windshield with a hammer. They then reported they were mistaken and it was not actually their vehicle. An officer investigated and reported it looked like rock damage.

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

• A caller complained about a loud 4-wheeler speeding up and down State Street.

• A caller reported they had been assaulted and injured by a friend after an argument. An officer investigated and took reports from both parties.

April 27

• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider four different times.

• EMS personnel assisted with transportation for a medevac.

• A lost wallet containing photo ID, passport, social security card and cash was reported.

• A lost iPhone was reported.

April 28

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

April 24

• Police assisted with a vehicle lockout.

April 25

• AP&T notified dispatch of a scheduled power outage.

• A citizen reported a bike that had been stored in a container was now missing.

• A city worker reported crows getting into open garbage left out in an alleyway, and their attempt to speak with the offending party was met with profanities. An officer responded and spoke with the resident’s manager about lawful garbage containment and bear attractants.

• EMS personnel assisted with transportation for a medevac.

PROJECT COMPLETION

DATE FOR THIS WORK SHALL BE APRIL 15, 2025.

Bidders are expected to be familiar with the potential extreme and challenging weather conditions in Skagway, Alaska and the Municipality will assume all bidders have considered weather in preparing their bids and rely on all bidders having considered Skagway weather in submitting their bids. Extraordinary weather delays may be considered and addressed through contract modification in the sole discretion of the Municipality. Liquidated damages shall be a part of the final contract.

Bidders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this project through contact with the

lice responded and investigated.

• A caller reported a trailer’s septic tank was dumping onto the street. Police responded and discovered the trailer’s septic line had accidently been damaged when moving the trailer and the owners were on the scene working on cleanup.

• A resident reported ongoing harassment and name calling from their neighbor and wished for it to stop. Police responded and spoke to both parties.

April 30

• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider.

• A small rockslide above the railroad dock was reported.

• And iPhone was found at Lower Reid Falls and is being kept at the Visitors Center’s lost and found.

• A local restaurant reported a party of six walked out without paying. An officer responded, found the group, and had them return to the restaurant.

• A 911 call was received with no person on the line but distressing sounds in the background. Upon investigation, it was discovered to be an accidental dial due to the owner of the phone watching a TV show where a character said “Siri, call 911!” and their phone did.

May 1

• A caller reported tourists smoking marijuana outside of their home.

• A lost wallet was reported.

• US Customs reported a helicopter of unknown origins had flown over the border. An officer observed the helicopter going east and reported it did not land in Skagway.

• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider.

• Police assisted with a vehicle lockout.

• It was reported the yield sign at 1st and Broadway was laying on the ground. Public Works was advised.

April 29

• Police responded to a report of a tripped burglary alarm at a downtown business. It was found to be a false alarm.

• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.

• EMS personnel assisted with transportation for a medevac.

• A caller reported their ex-partner stole their cell phone and had been aggressive with them. Po-

Borough Manager and by visiting the site of the project.

The Municipality of Skagway shall not be responsible for any costs incurred in the preparation of bids. The Municipality reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bids must be sealed and clearly labeled with the following information: “Pullen Creek R/V Park Restrooms” Date and Time of Bid Due Date

(May 29, 2024, 2:00 PM) Bidder’s name Bids are due no later than 2:00 pm Alaska Standard time on May 29, 2024, at the address listed above or delivered directly to Municipal Offices on 700 Spring Street. All bidders are expected to consider weather in determining how

• A lost black Samsung phone was reported.

• Officers investigated a report of sexual harassment.

• A caller reported ongoing antagonism towards their dog from another dog owner

• EMS responded to a report of a fallen tourist who could not get up. The individual could not be located and was later discovered to have gone back to the ship.

• Police assisted cruise ship security with a Glock magazine containing bullets that had been confiscated.

May 2

• A caller reported a loose dog with no collar. They reported the dog went into a yard it seemed comfortable with so they closed the gate behind it.

• A caller reported two of their horses got loose. The horses were later found.

to deliver their bids timely and there shall be no exceptions for a late received bid on account of weather.

Faxed and e-mailed bids will not be accepted. Bids will be opened in the Assembly Chambers at 2:00 p.m. on Date of Closing.

The Municipality of Skagway is an equal opportunity employer.

LEGAL • RFB • RFP

LEGAL • RFB • RFP

BROADWAY BULLETIN BOARD

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Library Hours:

Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fri. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sat-Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Call 983-2665 or email library@skagway.org

Dahl Clinic Winter Hours:

Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Sat. and Sun.

907-983-2255

For after-hours emergencies, dial 911.

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 M-F 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

RECREATION CENTER

Skagway Recreation Center • 12th & Main • 983-2679

SKAGWAY WORSHIP DIRECTORY

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 9:30 a.m. Seafood Socials 5:30 p.m. Wed.. Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Tues. 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..........4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)

THE FUNNIES

Weather Watch

More precise GPS technology and Federal Aviation Authority approval to fly new routes is expected to lead to fewer cancellations and increased safety

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passengers before they get on board because people get really concerned.”

Most Southeast communities do not have airports with ground control and towers; they have airstrips. Pilots typically fly under a set of regulations designed around high visibility conditions, so they have lower thresholds for getting out in inclement weather. Instrument flights can be employed in low visibility conditions. They rely on GPS technology and Federal Aviation Administration approved flight paths. Seaplanes recently updated nearly all its wheeled aircraft — float planes were not part of the change — and just had its new flight paths approved for use.

A new approach years in the making

Alaska Seaplanes Assistant Chief Pilot Gregg Hake helped explain the changes at a community meeting on Thursday at the Haines library. The route between Juneau and Haines is one of the primary runs out of Juneau.

“How many of you have had a flight canceled?” he asked the crowd.

The room erupted in laughter as every hand went up. “Trick question!” called out former mayor Jan Hill.

Hake said in the week after the upgrades, he flew four flights using instruments that would have otherwise been canceled or delayed.

Flights that use what is called IFR, or instrument flight rules, technology are not new, but the sensitivity of the new equipment and

the paths it allows the planes to take are new. Federal approvals took years.

“When you don’t have visual recognition in the clouds, it’s flying you on a very specific approach that keeps you away from mountains and keeps you at the right altitude and all those things,” Hake explained.

Water and mountains complicate the flight paths in Southeast Alaska. Cooperation is involved, too. Ground control is in Juneau, but the airspace over Haines and much of Southeast Alaska is controlled by a tower in Anchorage.

“The legendary status of Alaska as being a difficult place to fly in comes particularly true here,” he said. “We’re flying between mountains that come straight up out of the water, which complicates things like radio communication, complicates things like GPS reception.”

Hake said pilots are not able to use very many landbased navigational devices because the mountains block the transmission to the airplane.

There are other variables, too. He said magnetism from iron in the Chilkat mountain range can throw a compass 20 degrees off north. Luckily, that does not affect satellite navigation systems.

High visibility is a perk on a flight over seemingly endless icefields and glacier-carved fjords whose silt marbles the deep jade color of the water. But, for people who live here, the option to fly safely in marginal weather is important.

An Alaska Seaplanes cargo truck pulls up to one of the company’s aircraft in Haines on May 2, 2024. Cargo and mail flights are are also susceptible to weather disruptions, which can leave communities like Haines waiting on letters and parcels for days or weeks.

Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon

Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon

Puppies that will work as sled dogs for the glacier tour in Skagway are briefly unloaded in Haines after a flight from Skagway. They were ultimately en route to Juneau for socialization, on an Alaska Seaplanes flight.