Clinic Board
Mission Abuse
Shoulding
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THE SKAGWAY NEWS.
Reorganization PAGE 3
Details confirm dark past PAGE 3
February 11, 2022
Sk a g w ay, A l a s k a
Tribal Admin of the Year awarded to Kinjo-Hischer By Melinda Munson Sara Kinjo-Hischer, tribal administrator for Skagway Traditional Council (STC), a federally recognized tribal government, was named 2021 Tribal Administrator of the Year. The designation was bestowed by the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association, which started awarding the distinction in 2018. “Sara is a steward of truth, justice, hard-work, teamwork, community health, education and welfare,” her nomination form stated. “She is of strong moral character and ethics. And she is dedicated to working towards goals that embody the best interests of Skagway Traditional Council, its members and the interests of Indigenous peoples on a global level.” For Kinjo-Hischer, who describes herself as an introvert, the award was a surprise. “It was completely shocking,” she said. “I’m honored. There are a lot of tribal administrators out there that deserve this.” STC president Jaime Bricker thinks Kinjo-Hischer is more than deserving. “Sara is special in a lot of ways,” Bricker said. In 2014, when Kinjo-Hischer was hired by STC, the council was reeling. Their former tribal administrator, Delia Commander, embezzled nearly $300,000 from Skagway Village. The investigation and sentencing wouldn’t be complete until 2018. “We had been through a pretty traumatic experience (see page 4 - Kinjo-Hischer)
Nope. Not a typo. Page 5
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Photo by Melinda Munson
Parent Jaime Bricker waits anxiously for the final results of the First Lego League state championship. The Cargo Crocs, Skagway’s junior high robotics team, competed remotely due to weather-related travel issues.
Masks encouraged, not required at school Nurse position advertised
By Melinda Munson Changes in the Skagway School’s 2021-2022 mitigation plan now give students of all ages the option to go maskless, regardless of vaccination status. Testing to forego face coverings is not required. “Cloth face coverings or face shields are encouraged to be worn at all times inside the building (lunch excluded). Masks will remain optional for all staff and students inside the building, in all outdoor settings and extracurricular activities,” the plan states. “We still highly encourage masks,” said Superintendent Josh Coughran, noting the office has N-95 masks available to families. At a recent visit to the school, it appeared a majori-
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ty of students were choosing not to mask. Dani Arnold, who has two children enrolled at Skagway School, was pleased by the changes to the mitigation plan. Previously, only those twelve and older could be maskless. “I’m very happy for the children to be able to go to school in a somewhat normal atmosphere. If a parent doesn’t like it, they have the choice to make their kid wear it,” she said. In a letter to the school board, Teacher Courtney Ellingson expressed her support for the changes to the mask policy. “...We have many other layers of protection in place. Skagway did a great job of ensuring ease and support with testing, vaccination, travel protocols, etc. and at this point, I’d say we’re doing a pretty good job of managing COVID. The log-
BLOTTER PAGE 5 CLASSIFIED PAGE 7
ical next step would be to encourage masks but offer choice.” Students involved in afterschool activities must test at the school once per week. Anyone traveling on behalf of the district, student or staff, will be tested before departure and three to five days after return, in which case a mask is required until receipt of a negative COVID-19 test. Parents whose children are not in extracurricular activities can contact the office and request their child be periodically tested. The school uses rapid antigen testing kits overseen by trained administrative staff. According to the Food and Drug Administration, antigen tests detect the newest COVID-19 variant, omicron, but “they may have reduced sensitivity.” Parent Raniyah Bakr, who is currently caring for a child with COVID and deal-
ing with the illness herself, wishes the school board took a more cautious approach to mitigation. She recently traveled to Whitehorse and is unsure where the exposure occurred. “This is not a great time to take masks off,” she said, citing growing research that suggests patients are testing positive with omicron long after they’ve been contagious. She’s particularly concerned for her preschooler who is too young to be vaccinated. “I don’t feel like my kids are safe. I don’t feel like my preschooler is being looked out for,” she said. Bakr has been isolating from her partner and daughter for two weeks. “It’s not just a cold,” she warned. The district will imple(see page 3 - Masks)
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Feb. 11, 2022
Opinion
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
STC response to diocese findings We are appalled that a trusted entity, such as a community church, introduced five sexually abusive individuals into the Skagway community. It concerns us that there may be much more as this investigation only included years after 1951. In comparison, the St. Pius Mission operated for 19 years that would not be included in this investigation. This investigation also only includes abusers that were reported and had sufficient evidence of their abuses. This leaves room for many more that minors did not report or could not report. This is not a definitive list. In terms of St. Pius, we have seen no record of Cowgill being held accountable for his sexual misconduct during his lifetime. It is a sad truth that many
priests who have abused children never face consequences for their actions and at times are allowed to return to the congregation. The time of this investigation and letter also is concerning as many of the priests are no longer with us to face consequences. Furthermore, we are not aware of this letter being sent to students and/or their family or other actions that were taken as a result of releasing these criminals to our community under their watch. At this time, we would like to point out how important it is to report and document all abuses. We urge parents and educators to learn and be aware of signs of child abuse. Talk to children and teens about signs, and safe/unsafe touch. Teach children who they can
talk to if they feel something isn’t right. This includes parents, teachers, tribe, police and clinic. We all need to do our part to watch out for and care for children who may not have the courage, may not know actions are criminal or do not have trusting adults that they feel comfortable talking to. We hope that the diocese takes action to be sure these types of crime never happen again. The damage done to children in such situations is life long and has generational trauma that continues. We will be interested as to what actions the diocese will take now that there is evidence of wrongdoing.
Sara-Kinjo Hischer, Tribal Administrator Skagway Traditional Council
Vol. XLV, No.012 (919) Feb. 11, 2022
Published on the second and fourth Friday of the month
Phone: (907) 983-2354 www.skagwaynews.com editor@skagwaynews.com sales@skagwaynews.com Publishers Melinda Munson Gretchen Wehmhoff Managing Editor Melinda Munson Production Editor/Sales Gretchen Wehmhoff Contributors Nicholle Chandler Editor Emeritus
William J. “Jeff” Brady
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The Skagway News welcomes opinions pieces and letters to the editor. Opinion pieces should be no longer than 600 words and will be published based on space availability and relevance to current and local events. Letters to the editor should not exceed 250 words. Submit letters and opinions to editor@skagwaynews. com. Letters may be edited for grammar and length.
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Corrections
In the Jan. 21 issue, Beau Dennis’ Tlingit name was incorrect. The correct spelling is Neechxwuduyaa. We regret the error.
Editor’s Note: The Skagway News chose to publish the 2019 letter from Bishop Andrew Bellisario to supplement the discussion of Garden City RV Park and the upcoming archeological assessment. We invited Skagway Traditional Council to respond to the documents.
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Feb. 11, 2022
By Melinda Munson The municipality is accepting bids for an archeological assessment of Garden City RV Park, the former site of the Saint Pius X Mission. The borough purchased the property in 2013 from the Catholic Diocese. The St. Pius boarding school educated mostly Alaska Native children from 1932 to 1959. The assessment is being done at the request of the Skagway Traditional Council (STC), which notes a lack of enrollment records. One record that is available, is a letter dated Aug. 21, 2019 from the Diocese of Juneau, obtained by KHNS (see documents on page 2). The document lists seven men “who have been determined by the diocese’ inde-
pendent commission to have credible evidence of sexual misocinduct involving minors and vulnerable adults.” The first name is Francis A. Cowgill, who served at Pius X from 1952-1959 as assistant priest. He is listed as having allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors from 19561964. Jaime Bricker, president of STC, says she has not personally heard anyone make accusations against Cowgill. She described the commission’s findings as “grotesque” and “devastating.” “I think it’s important to remember that although there may be some positive history (at the school), there’s also some negative experiences and negative history, and it’s document-
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Archeological assessment of mission school moves forward, document confirms sexual abuse at Pius X ed … There are documented cases of abuse and atrocities and that’s difficult to argue with,” she said. Sara Kinjo-Hischer, STC tribal administrator, is tasked with locating students who attended Pius X and collecting records. She said an archeological assessment which includes ground penetrating radar will bring “peace of mind” after over 1,000 bodies have been found at religious boarding schools for Native children across Canada and in some areas of the United States. In the latest case, 93 potential grave sites were identified at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in British Columbia. St. Joseph’s was served by the Sisters of St. Ann, the same order that assisted founder Father G. Ed-
Clinic board reorganizes, two executive sessions for interim executive director By Melinda Munson The Dahl Memorial Clinic (DMC) Board of Directors held elections Dec. 13. The newly elected officers include Jeremy Simmons, president, Cory Thole, vice-president, and Lisa Mandeville, secretary. The terms are for one year. In the Jan. 27 board meeting, Simmons said he would monitor SEARHC’s proposal to run the clinic, a topic which divides the community. Simmons emphasized his
primary focus is the board’s business of improving operations at DMC, which has struggled with staff turnover. “It’s all of our healthcare we’re trying to safeguard,” Simmons told the Skagway News. DMC Interim Executive Director Eileen Tremaine has fulfilled approximately one month of her three month contract. Thus far, there have been two executive sessions of the clinic board to discuss the interim executive direc-
tor position. Johanna Huff and Brent Kunzler are the only providers as temporary winter hire Kelly Cook, RN, “didn’t complete her contract,” Simmons said. DMC Board of Directors meetings are posted at skagway.org and are held at the clinic. The next meeting is Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Audio for clinic meetings is not currently posted on the municipality website.
Masks no longer mandatory at school (From front page) ment universal masking if there is “transmission” within the school. Transmission is defined as three cases of unknown origin within five days. Students can opt out of universal masking by testing negative for two consecutive weeks and continuing to test negative on a twice weekly basis. The superintendent reserves the right to require masks at any time, regardless of testing status. Parents will not be notified if a student in their child’s classroom tests
positive for COVID. Close contacts who have a positive COVID patient in their household can continue to attend school if they mask and test at home each day for the length of what would have been the quarantine period. Skagway School is now hiring a nurse, in part to help manage COVID-19 testing. The funding comes from a federal grant, obtained by the municipality, and will last about a year. The school will then apply to other grant sources to keep the position filled.
As far as Coughran knows, the school has never had a full-time medical professional. “I’ve never seen a school nurse (here),” Coughran said. The position closes Feb. 18.
gar Gallant at St. Pius. The borough will work with STC throughout the assessment process. The council offered to pay some of the costs and asked that a portion of the land be gifted to Skagway Village as acknowledgement of cultural harm. The municipality hopes to have the assessment completed in time to make re-
pairs to Garden City RV to support another few seasons of independent travellers in RVs. Borough Manager Brad Ryan assured the construction at Garden City “would only be completed after investigations for cultural significance cleared an area for development.” The bid period closes Feb. 18.
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Editor’s column
By Gretchen Wehmhoff I’m pretty simple. I don’t have a simple life, but when the world around me is off balance or moving fast -staying streamlined is my best chance at survival. I like my coffee black. Simple. I don’t have pierced ears. Simplifies the morning. I don’t get hairstyles that require dryers and curlers. Simplifies the day. I wear a pair of pants and a top. Simple. I wear the same pair of shoes every day unless I need my boots. Simple. In my 20s I got into makeup. It was fun and made me feel good. There is a sad irony that when our skin is blessed with youthful radiance, we cover it with makeup. As I aged and my skin started looking more wise, I dropped it off the “getting ready for the day” list. I still appreciate a good eyeliner and mellow shadow, but my make-up, once stuffed into a Caboodle box, fits in a small Ziploc bag that is opened
Feb. 11, 2022
Simply streamlined for survival once or twice a year. Simple. Since I traveled quite a bit, even before I started coming to Skagway, I’ve had a packing system that is easy. If it doesn’t fit in its assigned spot, it doesn’t go. Key things to remember are ID, passport, medication, credit card and electronics. Anything I might forget can be picked up along the way with the credit card, or I learn that I didn’t need it anyway. Now I pack for extended stays in Skagway. I created a “go bag” of medical stuff, toiletries, rain gear and things I need on the road, such as dog poop bags, duct tape and bug dope. I never empty it, accessing it at home and in Skagway. Load it in the car. Load it into the newspaper office. Load it into the car. Load it into the house. Repeat. Simple. I can eat the same thing for several days. I remember eating canned chicken and avocado on rice cakes for days at a time. If I made a pot of chili, I ate chili all week. Not a lot of variety, but fewer choices took less time and met my needs – simple. Now my husband cooks for me. Simply better. Food allergies contribute to my “simple” lifestyle. Because they eliminate more
than two thirds of menu choices at restaurants, I get to spend more time visiting or dealing with business. I like that. I watch my friends grapple with tough choices: fish or crab, cheesy or creamy, chocolate or flan. It looks so stressful. Sometimes I feel bad that it is so complicated, other times I get a bit annoyed because it takes so long. Sometimes simple doesn’t happen. Especially in the search for favorite snacks at convenience stores. Inventory at chain convenience stores reflect high turnover. If it’s popular, it’s on the shelf. If it isn’t … well, it’s not. For example, take original Doritos. I loved those. Doritos means “little golden things” in Spanish. The ingredients were simple: corn, oil of some kind and salt. As an avid reader of ingredients, I like simple. In 1968, Frito-Lay decided to spice it up with taco flavored Doritos, and with that, the charm of simplicity was broken. There have been over 100 flavors of Doritos in the U.S. alone. The original toasted corn flavor with the short ingredients list ranks #46 in the most purchased flavors.
Naturally, toasted corn is the ONLY flavor I can eat and it doesn’t make most shelves. A simple snack destroyed by the need for variety. Even the ingredients are not simple. There are ten words in the ingredients list for Toasted Corn Doritos. The number of words in the most popular nacho cheese flavored Doritos is 100. Not simple. Granted there are other brands of plain chips and Frito Lay has brought in Tostaditos, a plain chip made with white corn, but it’s not … “little golden things” simple. Other favorite snacks are headed in the same direction. On a long road trip I looked for the Kellog’s Rice Krispie Treat bars at the gas station. There were seven choices. Three “dunk’d” flavors, a chewy chocolate, rainbow M&M and a regular chocolate chip. The box of the original flavor was empty. Even Smart Water left the world of simple in keeping up with the competition of flavored waters. I looked at the rack. Not only were there four or five new flavors of Smart Water, such as cucumber lime and watermelon mint, but I could also choose which mood I would like to
THE SKAGWAY NEWS drink with choices like Tranquility, Renew and Clarity. Clarity? I wanted a bottle of water that I knew would fit in my car holder. Smart water. -- cool bottle, easy choice. There was no clarity in my choices. There was no “regular” water on the rack. I chose pineapple-kiwi, jerky, dog treats and coffee then headed up the highway. I may sound kind of picky, but in my roller-coaster life, I need to keep my arms and belongings inside the car. If it’s in my backpack, it’s simple. If it’s loose, it gets left behind. Maybe it started when I became a teacher, or a stepmom. Maybe from my years of travel. Or maybe I perfected it while I cared for my mom during her 14-year journey with Alzheimers. Simple is the only way to go in that world. Now I think it has more to do with maximizing the time I have left on this planet. The simpler my world, the more time to enjoy the opportunities and risks. Actually, it’s pretty simple. Get a good night’s sleep, drink coffee with your partner, run your day like a productive wild woman, slip into your recliner with a cup of coffee next to your husband and … repeat. Simple.
Kinjo-Hischer designated 2021 tribal administer of the year Continued from Front page
with a previous administrator … we were having a hard time finding someone who would commit,” Bricker said. According to Bricker, Kinjo-Hischer committed with zeal. Some of her first actions were to put financial protections in place. She then began the task of repairing relationships. Since Kinjo-Hischer’s tenure, STC has forged partnerships with Skagway School, the municipality, National Park Service, Dahl Memorial Clinic, Skagway Economic Development Corp., SEARHC and tribal organizations throughout the state and country. Kinjo-Hischer recently instituted electronic ballots, making the last STC election the most successful in terms of participation. In the past, the membership relied on
mailed ballots which were less efficient since many members live outside of Skagway. Kinjo-Hischer is also focused on cultural education. “She’s constantly bringing opportunities to the table,” Bricker said, describing a gut sewing class she participated in via Zoom, per Kinjo-Hischer’s recommendation. While all of Kinjo-Hischer’s work benefits the over 100 enrolled members of STC, many of the programs help the entire community of Skagway. Salmon in the Classroom, twice-weekly Covid-19 testing at no cost, co-sponsoring mental first aid classes, distributing free FDA food boxes, air quality testing and invasive species clean-up are just a sampling of the long list that Kinjo-Hischer oversees.
Kinjo-Hischer says her favorite part of the job is “constant learning.” Explaining precisely what a tribal administrator does can be tricky. This year’s winner describes it as a cross between a social worker, grant writer, chief financial officer and many other positions, including a janitor. “Sometimes I’m cleaning the gutters in the summer,” Kinjo-Hischer said. Kinjo-Hischer is not a tribal member. Her family comes from Okinawa, Japan, a place that had canoes, traditional dancing and its own language. “Our kingdom was taken away,” Kinjo-Hischer stated, describing Japanese oppression of the Okinawan culture. “Obviously it’s not the same,” Kinjo-Hischer said, but thinks the parallels help her better comprehend Alas-
ka Native culture. “It was easier for me to understand the feeling of losing that,” she said. The tribal administrator of the year has the opportunity to be featured in a short documentary. Kinjo-Hischer isn’t so sure she wants to be in front of the camera. “I’m debating,” she said.
To view the last two winners, visit the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association webpage at https://www.aktaa.org. The Diomede documentary was nominated for an Emmy in 2020. Kinjo-Hishcer is grateful to her council, and staff. “I’m sharing this with all of them,” she said.
Photo provided by Sara Kinjo-Kischer
Sara Kinjo-Hischer, Skagway Traditional Council (STC) tribal administrator, and Andrew Beierly, council vice-chair, accept the Don Hather Wall of Fame Award from Skagway School in May 2021.
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Feb. 11, 2022
By Nicholle Chandler I was born on my brother’s second birthday. Being two years younger and highly impressionable, he would tell me what I should do (and still often does), knowing I would most likely do it. I quickly learned it was him tricking me into doing something that would either get me in trouble or things he didn’t have the guts to do himself. To this day, when people tell me I should do something and dump unsolicited advice on me, I instantly feel annoyed and defiant. Whether their comment meant well or not, placing the word “should” in the sentence often conveys that I’m inadequate and I need to change something to fulfill their hopes or expectations of me. Inadvertently, I resist their words and often feel more anxious and confused. Yet, I have used the same language in the past with myself whenever attempting to kickstart something into action. “I should downsize my stuff.” “I should work on my business more.” “I should eat better.” “I shouldn’t buy that!” “I should be more productive!” Wow, those all sound SUPER fun! *eye roll. It’s right up there with, “I should take out the trash.” No one likes to do chores! While some shoulds can temporarily help move you into action (and get the mundane tasks done like paying your taxes), over-shoulding can have harmful effects. “Shoulding yourself” comes from psychologist Clayton Barbeau. It means putting pressure on yourself to do or be something based on what you think you’re supposed to do or be. Whatever comes after the should is an obligation, not necessarily a genuine desire. When you over-should, it’s
often coming from a place of lack, shame and inadequacy. Insecurities and anxiety can go up, and your sense of self-worth can go down. This can breed inaction and stagnancy, so the more you feel like you “should” do something, the less likely you’ll actually do it. So how do we get out of the habit of shoulding on ourselves (and others)? • Become more aware of your words. • Get more specific with what you want. • Take action. When you hear yourself shoulding in your head, What makes it a “should” and not a “want”? When you aren’t taking action, it’s often because of an internal resistance such as fear of failure, feeling it’s too complicated or that it’s an obligation. We either manifest a story about what could go wrong, making assumptions based on our history, or it’s too hard or mundane to start. For example, maybe you wanted to start eating better this new year. So you set a daily habit of eating 12 servings of fruit and vegetables. You started off the first few days great, but then life happens. Maybe you forgot to go to the grocery store or went out to eat more than you anticipated, or perhaps you are craving a cheeseburger, and YES, the lettuce, tomato and onion count! Falling off the bandwagon of what you think you “should do” often leaves feelings of failure or that you lack discipline, willpower or personal integrity. You didn’t fail! You set yourself up from a framework of obligation and not desire. You make the rules! Stop shoulding yourself with obligatory energy and change your words. Instead of “I should eat better,” ask yourself, “What is one small thing I know I can accomplish and WANT to try out to start eating better?” Then get specific. Maybe the action step is to try a new recipe once a week. Or, if you don’t know how to cook, the action could be to take a cooking class online. Whatever it is, get specific on what sounds exciting so
Stop ‘shoulding’ yourself
Police & Fire Blotter that you can say things like “I can try that!” or even better, “Hell yes! I WANT to do that!” Words matter and a simple reframe can shift your energy from obligatory to excitement. And that leads to my last point. Take action, even if it’s a two-minute task. Motivation usually comes after effort, not before. When you have something weighing on you that is both a “should” and a “want,” but your motivation is low, take action, even if it’s a baby step. The more you act, the more you’ll find what works for you and the more motivated you’ll become. For example, when I was struggling with my mental health, I knew exercise helped, but mentally I was not motivated. So instead of saying “I should exercise,” I made a two-minute action of putting on my workout clothes and putting my earbuds in with running music on. It took just a few minutes AND upped my motivation enough to get me running out the door. Find your two-minute action that amps your mojo and giddy up! Nicholle Chandler, NBCHWC, is a National Board Certified Functional Health & Wellness Coach, meditation teacher, fitness instructor and local business owner. Go to colebeecoaching.com for more information.
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Submitted by Skagway Police Department
Jan. 14 Police assisted a Juneau pre-trial with a breath test.
Police responded to a pay phone that was autonomously calling 911. Police provided a courtesy ride home. Jan. 15 The fire and police department responded to the tsunami emergency warning system.
Jan. 26 Police assisted with a civil matter. Jan. 27 Police assisted with an unlocked door. Jan. 29 Police assisted with a civil matter. Feb. 1 Avalanche closure on the Klondike Highway.
Police responded to a vehicle that slid off the Dyea Road.
Police assisted Idaho Fish and Game with a history check.
Chief Reddick spoke with Sargeant Cavendish, the voice of McGruff the Crime Dog.
Police assisted with a civil matter.
Jan. 18 Police assisted with a vehicle lock out. Jan. 20 Police assisted with getting a van unstuck on the Dyea Road. Fire personnel assisted with a medevac. Jan. 21 Police provided a courtesy ride home.
Feb. 2 Police assisted with a civil matter. Feb. 3 Police responded to a call of what sounded like gunshots which were determined to be fireworks. Feb. 4 The fire department responded to multiple fire alarms caused by a power outage.
closed
Klondike Highway closed. Police assisted with an open door in a downtown business.
Police assisted a vehicle with lights left on.
Feb. 7 Police assisted with a vehicle lockout.
Jan. 22 Klondike Highway due to weather.
Jan. 23 Dispatch assisted with contacting the Department of Transportation regarding Dyea Rd. Jan 25 Report of horses at large in Dyea.
Fire department personnel assisted with a medical emergency followed by subsequent medevac. Rockslide on the Klondike Highway.
Photo by Melinda Munson
Cargo Crocs robotic team members Arthur Aribam, Kelsey Cox, Atlin Ryan, Julius Thole, Zane Coughran, Ryder Calver and their coaches Mark Walker and Mary Thole watch the First Lego League awards ceremony via Zoom. Skagway earned Third Place Champion at state competition.
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Family Fun Page - print and share Across 1 “--- in ‘Sierra’” 4 Turn in a horizontal plane 7 European peaks 9 Duelist’s assistant 12 Suffer from the heat 13Wonder Woman’s General, Steven - __ 14 This crowd controller’s a real weepie 16 First of her kind 17 Iroquoian word for “beauti ful water” 18 Scientific truth 19 “I --- be sedated” (Ramones) 21 Jayhawk state 24 Got agitated 28 Lawyers’ league
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Feb. 11, 2022
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variety of positions. Please visit the borough’s employment opportunities section at www.skagway.org for job announcements or to download an application or contact m.gihl@skagway.org for further information.
JOBS-OPPORTUNITIES The Municipality of Skagway is accepting application for a
HOUSING AND PROPERTY Longtime summer worker desperately searching for housing for upcoming season. Text or call 907-312-6413.
COMMERCIAL-PROPERTY MARKETPLACE
BROADWAY BULLETIN BOARD COMMUNITY CALENDAR Library Hours: M-F 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Sunday (COVID-19 mitigation practices are in place) Call 983-2665 or email library@skagway.org Dahl Clinic Winter Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Sat. and Sun. For after-hours emergencies, please dial 911. Incinerator Hours T, Th, Sa. 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 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
See www.skagway.org for borough meeting updates.
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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 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. Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)
RECREATION CTR SCHED Skagway Recreation Center • 12th & Main • 983-2679 Cardio • Weight Room • Locker Rooms • Showers • Rock Wall OPEN regular hours Please sign up for classes, wt. room use and cardio floor use at https://signupschedule.com/src
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PERSONALS-MISC. 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 907-6120313.
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Weather Watch NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVATIONS FOR PREVIOUS 24-HOUR PERIOD BEFORE 7 A.M. DATE
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MIN
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State contracts with search firm to help fill ferry system jobs By Larry Persily Wranglell Sentinel The state has contracted with an Anchorage-based search firm to help recruit and fill almost 50 job openings with the Alaska Marine Highway System, ranging from several onshore management positions to onboard crew. Alaska Executive Search was the only bidder for the contract, said Sam Dapcevich, Transportation Department spokesman. The contract is not to exceed $250,000. The state will pay the company an hourly rate for its work on the year-long
recruitment and hiring effort — ranging from $65 to $105 an hour, depending on the contractor personnel assigned to the campaign — along with a $5,000 “placement fee” for each person hired, Dapcevich said. The bid notice said the state wants help recruiting 10 junior engineers, 15 able-bodied seamen and 18 oilers aboard the ships, along with three vessel construction managers, a passenger services inspector, port engineer and safety management coordinator for onshore jobs. The department issued its notice of contract award last week, after a three-week bid-
ding period that closed Jan. 14. Alaska Executive Service said in its proposal that it will use advertising and social media, in addition to working with trade schools, maritime associations and other organizations to promote the Alaska jobs, screen candidates and assist the ferry system in hiring. “In addition to other recruitment methods and resources utilized,” the state’s bid notice for a search firm said, the contractor “should also consider taking advantage of, and marketing the unique benefits and advantages of a rewarding maritime career with the AMHS when developing recruitment plans for these critical positions.” The expanded recruitment effort addresses a long-term problem of ferry system staffing stretched thin by layoffs due to service cutbacks, retirements and employees taking jobs elsewhere. “The Alaska Marine Highway System continues to struggle with crew shortages. Both Washington State Ferries and BC Ferries are experiencing the same challenges amid a nationwide problem for licensed and documented mariners,” according to the Alaska ferry system website. The state last fall embarked on a hiring campaign, advertising in and out of state and working with the Alaska Department of Labor to recruit job candidates. As of Feb. 1, the ferry system had added 36 new entry-level passenger service positions, according to a marine highway website posting, with an additional 106 recruits working to obtain their required documentation, such as Coast Guard licensing. Last summer, the ferry system was short about 125 workers from full staffing, down about 25% from the 600 employees it needs to keep its fleet operational and accommodate sick leave and other vacancies. “We’ve had a slow progression of loss of crew over the years,” John Falvey, the system’s general manager, said last summer. “COVID has not helped us.”
Feb. 11, 2022
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
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