Redistricting
Activity directors
Self-care
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April 22, 2022
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One-day trains to Carcross, Fraser suspended
By Gretchen Wehmhoff White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR) announced it would be suspending their one-day train/land excursions this summer in order to avoid major delays and backups at the U.S. - Canada border stations. The decision wasn’t easy according to Tyler Rose, executive director of human resources and strategic planning for WP&YR. “After quite a few months of really trying to make it go and have that service to Carcross and Fraser … for a variety of factors and challenges, we were unable to do it,” Rose said. Prior to the pandemic, WP&YR partnered with local tour companies to create a one-day trip where the train took passengers to either Fraser or Carcross to disembark and load onto buses for the trip back to Skagway or other sightseeing destinations. Customers who came up the highway on a tour bus would load onto the train for the return trip. Border crossings were simple as agents walked onto the train or bus to check passports. Now, with Canada requiring everyone to upload both their passport images and vaccination information in the app, “ArriveCan,” things take longer. The app creates a QR code that needs to be scanned. At this point there is no portable scanner to carry through the train or motor coach. “So we ended up coming to the decision [to suspend the route] that we really couldn’t risk the passengers’ experience … It was really disappointing, certainly for (see page 8- One-day)
Photo by Melinda Munson
Ian Hays and Steven Greenleaf “assist” Hampton Cunningham on April 19 during a five-day wilderness first responder class, held in Skagway by Wilderness Medical Associates. Haines resident and instructor Lucy Tate said class members consisted mostly of National Park Service employees, outdoor guides and one high school student.
White Pass completes Ore Basin dredging By Melinda Munson After a 40-year wait, Skagway’s first cleanup project started in the Ore Basin late February and ended midApril. In the final year of its 55year waterfront lease from the Municipality of Skagway, White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad (WP&YR) hired Turnagain Marine Construction to remove approximately 4,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and cap the ocean floor with a layer of sand. The pollution, resulting from shipments of lead zinc-concentrate from Faro, Yukon, has been a point of contention between WP&YR and the municipality. WP&YR describes the project as remediation. The municipality tends to use phrases such as “early action removal.” “It’s a good start to the remediation process,” Mayor
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Andrew Cremata said. “We’re happy to see them taking action,” said Borough Manager Brad Ryan. “We’re happy to see them removing some of the contaminated materials.” Tyler Rose, executive director of human resources and strategic planning for WP&YR, declined to disclose how much the company spent on the contract. “It’s a substantial project with a substantial cost,” he said. Per the work plan found HERE, the contaminated sediment is scooped up and placed onto a barge with a fiber lining, where the water is allowed to drain out. Once dewatered, the material is taken to a waterproof area of the ship where it is mixed with cement for stabilization. The mixture is then placed in super sacks, large impermeable bags, as a secondary containment.
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Finally, the material is transported to a waste management facility in Arlington, Oregon. According to Jason Davis, president of Turnagain Marine, testing was done as the sediment was removed and mixed with cement to make sure it was “properly stabilized.” Davis said there was oversight from the design engineer (hired by WP&YR) to make sure samples were collected at
correct intervals and test results were submitted to the project owner and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The dredging has some residents questioning the effects on harbor health. “We have been observing the remediation of the OrBasin, and that’s because there are contaminated heavy metals in there: lead, zinc, other things,” said Assemblymem(see page 3- Remediation)
Photo by Jeff Brady
The barge, Klamath, waits at port as the Ore Dock remediation project concludes.
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April 22, 2022
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Letters and Opinion Surviving and recovering from the pandemic with Skagway in mind Hello fellow Skagwegian, As we begin to get ready for the first real cruise ship season since the Covid pandemic began, we are all experiencing a lot of big changes in our lives. I am finding that the restaurant industry has drastically changed, some temporary and some perhaps permanent. This industry has been hit harder than most and the blows keep on coming. For us, staffing up for the summer season has always been difficult. It is estimated that anywhere from 10 to 20% of restaurant workers have switched careers during the pandemic, so now it is extremely difficult. As a result, we must pay higher wages to attempt to fill these positions. Inflation has raised our cost of goods almost 12% over the last two years, and our vendors have forecasted this trend to continue throughout the year. Additionally, price fluctuations are resulting in some essential products to sometimes quadruple in price from week to week.
We have always kept the welfare of the town and people of Skagway at the forefront of our decision making. We’ve gone the extra mile to make sure that your favorite dishes are available to you, even though it might not make financial sense on our end. Despite the sharp increases in our cost of food, we did not increase our menu prices for three years, knowing that the people of Skagway couldn’t afford to spend more during these tough times. And, despite the aid that we are so thankful for from the municipality, the Skagway Traditional Council, the State of Alaska and the federal government, we have lost a great deal of money over the last two years keeping people employed and the doors open for our community. Unfortunately, with so many factors working against us, it means that we have had to make some very difficult decisions about how we can make the Skagway Brewing Company operate this summer. You may notice that our
menu will be slimmed down to function with less staff members and eliminate products whose price fluctuates so greatly. Our hours may be reduced and sporadic. And, there will surely be other changes that we have yet to foresee. Please know that we are doing everything that we possibly can to provide our community with the same level of quality food, drink and service that we have in the past. It just may be a little bit before we can do that to the same level as in the past. We will be rolling out a Customer Loyalty Program that will help minimize the effects of our price increases on the community, with details to come soon. I thank you so much for your support over the years, particularly during the pandemic. Sincerely, Mike Healy Owner, Skagway Brewing Company
Palin does not belong in Congress By Larry Persily Sentinel Publisher Just when we thought Alaska politics couldn’t get any sillier, we now have so many candidates running for Congress that debate organizers will need to borrow the microphones from all the karaoke bars in the state to accommodate everyone on the stage. Just imagine harmonizing 48 voices in “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Almost twice as many candidates have filed to run in the June primary for the late Don Young’s seat in the U.S. House than lost to the congressman in his unbroken streak of 25 consecutive election victories. If you believe in heaven, no doubt the departed congressman is upset that he can’t be here
to take on all 48 challengers at the same time. Young always enjoyed a good election fight. As if the ridiculously large number hasn’t attracted enough national attention — why stop at being the state with the tallest mountain and longest coastline when you can also boast the most people who think they belong in Congress — the notoriety of one name stands out like a beacon on a lighthouse. Only instead of directing Alaskans to safety, this beacon could lead the state right into the rocks. Former Gov. Sarah Palin has come out of political hibernation after apparently deciding the highest and best use of her TV and social media talents is to serve in the U.S. Congress. Quite a step
up for someone who quit as governor in 2009. Palin’s attention span and interest in policy work while governor was notoriously short, dismissing homework much like a high school student who would rather go hang out with friends. Instead of spending her 13 post-governor years learning about important issues like public finance, inflation, world affairs, global warming, the facts about the nation’s power grid, the U.S. Postal Service deficit or obsolete IRS computer system — or much of anything — Palin has focused on witty snippets of snideness that fill the smartphone screens of millions of Americans. Substance is not her middle name. Just what Alaska needs
in Congress: Another set of Twitter thumbs to hitch a ride to likes and followers and trending. Just what Congress needs, an Alaskan who draws more laughs and controversy than respect. Thankfully, there are 47 other candidates for Alaskans to choose from in the June primary. Most unknown, some a little known, and one very well known. A North Pole city council member, whose legal name really is Santa Claus, also believes he belongs in Congress. At the rate Congress is handing out gifts from the U.S. Treasury these days, maybe Santa would be a good fit. Besides, at least Santa had a purpose for changing his name from Thomas O’Con(see page 8- Santa)
Baking for Ukraine - Skagway sends a message of hope
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The families of Anna Nelson and Mary Turner held a fundraiser for Ukraine on March 27. The combination garage sale, bake sale, lemonade stand and pizza fundraiser raised just over $3,500 which the families donated to Care.org and the Central World Kitchen. “I have seen how generous people in this town can be, and I also wanted to show my kids that there is always something you can do to help people,” Nelson said. “Just because something feels far away, those people are our brothers and sisters, and we need to support them however we can.”
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
April 22, 2022
Page 3
Activities director job split again, school back to masking By Melinda Munson Skagway School held its first budget reading for fiscal year 2022-2023 at its regular board meeting on April 12. The Finance Committee recommended giving an additional $5,000 to seven high school extracurricular activities to cover discretionary travel expenses. The extra funds would be good news for DDF Coach Kent Fielding, who in a letter for the April 6 Finance Committee meeting, requested that DDF be fully funded for 2022-2023. Two meets within the season at a cost of $56,000 were not covered. In addition, the DDF team generally qualifies for State and sometimes Nationals. Fielding was able to attend the April 6 meeting, which was held at noon, by procuring a substitute. Mindy Miller, robotics co-coach, said she was unable to leave work for the finance meeting. Her team letter can be found here: Correspondence, or in the April 12 School Board Correspondence packet. Fielding’s letter states “...fundraising is good for leadership; it is community building and it helps students take ownership on an activity, but students who are in both DDF and robotics ... are fundraising continuously, and I am not over-exaggerating. They have less free time than other students and become burned out on fundraising activities. They ac-
tually have said, ‘I’m burnt out’ to me, and I understand. I’m sometimes burnt out on fundraising.” At the same meeting, student Adalia Deach made a case to have robotics better recognized by the school. The club, associated with the non-profit First Tech Challenge (FTC), currently receives no funding from the district. In the Finance Committee’s minutes from April 6, it states the Finance Committee “agreed to talk about how to help fund or find a solution to support First Tech Challenge.” (No recordings are available for the school board or the finance committee meeting.) The school’s proposed budget designates $53,408 for girls and boys basketball and $17,134 for DDF. View the draft budget here: April 12 2022. In other business, the school board approved splitting the responsibilities and pay of the activities director three ways between Superintendent Josh Coughran, Business Manager Cindy O’Daniel and Administrative Assistant Kaylie Smith for the second time. Each activities co-director will receive $15,000. The school will save the cost of the benefits a full-time employee would have received. Coughran said the position was advertised in 2020 when the activities director
resigned, but no one applied. A search of the Skagway School Facebook page going back to January 2020 showed postings for multiple school positions, but none for an activities director. In a letter to the school board, Smith outlined how the shared model of responsibilities has been working. “Each of us has vast experience, a passion for extracurricular activities and established relationships with other coaches and administrators in the region which is important since it is necessary to work cohesively with the region as a whole,” she said. While the trio will share the position for the 20222023 year, it is likely this is the last time. The school board has discussed restructuring the job for the 20232024 academic year. “I am excited about the possibility of once again having a full-time activities director on staff. We plan to use this year to secure the funding to make this a reality and to build the supports necessary to ensure success,” Coughran said. In other school news, universal masking was reinstated April 15. According to Coughran, since returning from spring break the school has been “made aware of nearly 20 cases among students and staff, roughly half of which have completed the isolation
Remediation comes with warnings continued from front page ber Orion Hanson at the April 7 assembly meeting. “Folks, don’t harvest shell food and eat it right now. Don’t go get shrimp or crab. We’re trying to come up with a public service announcement about what’s safe, when, and how far away from the Port of Skagway. But be smart about it. Don’t put your crab pots in the vicinity of the Skagway Port right now. We all know people who have gotten cancer. Just be reasonable … go farther away,” he cautioned. Ryan recommends avoiding harvesting in the harbor altogether, because of gray water expelled from the wastewater plant. Davis emphasized that water quality monitoring was performed throughout the dredging operation “and at no point did we exceed water turbidity standards.” Turnagain’s job is complete and they have no further work orders. Davis said WP&YR
did the project voluntarily and was “instrumental in working with DEC and the designer to make sure that everything was done properly.” “We would like to see them [WP&YR] sample the basin to document the level of remaining contaminants,” Ryan said. When asked if the company had any plans for additional remediation, Rose answered, “Not at this time.” Along with WP&YR, the state also named Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and the municipality as partially responsible for the cleanup of Skagway Port. The municipality receives approximately $130,000 per year from the WP&YR lease.
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periods and are not symptomatic.” “We’ve had a number of cases over the last couple of weeks. We’ve hit the threshold the school board set for universal masking,” Coughran said. The policy requires three cases of unknown origin within five days to trigger masking, regardless of vaccination status. All visitors, students and staff must mask when inside the building and school vehicles. Students may remove masks at lunch and should maintain six feet of distance. Coughran will reassess the situation April 29. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must quarantine for five days. Those deemed close contacts by the school will be contacted and can choose to quarantine for seven days or test each morning. While the school deals
with an uptick in cases, the superintendent remains positive. “We haven’t seen any serious illness,” Coughran said.
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Editor’s column
By Melinda Munson Editor’s Note: Please be advised this content is not appropriate for young children. It’s Sexaul Assault Awareness Month, but I don’t need a campaign to remind me. I live with the topic daily. It eats at my soul and steals my sleep. It determines the choices I make for my children minute by minute. I am hypervigilant because I have to be – and I’m not even a survivor. I am one of the lucky ones. I have never experienced sexual violence. But the same can’t be said for many of my immediate family members, my extended family, my friends, and come to find out, my child. I thought nothing could feel worse than the Mother’s Day I got a phone call from an adult family member pleading for help. She hadn’t made enough money that day and her pimp was threatening to put her in a cage. I tried to get her to enter a shelter for battered women. She lingered outside the building, reluctant to enter. I called the facility and begged the guard to invite her in. He did, but after a few days she left the bed bugs – and relative safety. Fast forward to a few months ago. After conversations with a newly discovered birth relative, we belatedly realized neglect was not the only trauma our ad-
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Sexual Assault Month hits close to home opted child suffered before they came into our care. I don’t know who to be angry with. Obviously the abuser, but then there’s the social worker who didn’t see the signs and the judge who kept trying to force a toddler back into an unsafe birth home for two years. I wonder when I’ll stop being angry. Probably never because every day my child has to pay the consequences for someone’s selfish, brutal choices. We try to mitigate the effects of the abuse with healthy behaviors. Side hugs, please. You don’t have to kiss us if you don’t want to. It’s your body. You get to decide what happens to it. There’s also therapy. These feel like small bandaids on a very large wound, particularly when you add in intellectual impairment. The issues in my own home have led me to focus on the broader topic of sexual assault in the community. The newspaper hasn’t had a report of sexual violence in the two years I’ve resided here. It would be nice to believe that in a town where people leave the key in the car and an occasional passport in the dashboard that sexual assault doesn’t happen. But that would be a foolish conclusion. Alaska, tragically, has four times the rate of sexual violence than the rest of the nation and 1/3 of its women have experenced some form of sexual assault in their lifetime, according to ProPublica. It’s safe to say that sexual violence happens in Skagway, and statistically, at a rate higher than the lower 48. It’s just not often reported by survivors, who perhaps feel powerless or unworthy. As seasonal workers and
tourists start to trickle in and the population rises, along with alcohol consumption, please bear a few things in mind. • Sexual assault can happen to all genders. • There’s a new police chief in town, JJ Reddick. I can vouch that his team will handle any reports of sexual violence with compassion and professionalism. • Dahl Memorial Clinic is equipped with rape kits and a female technician. According to Reddick and Medical Director Brent Kunzler, the
clinic’s kits are admissible in court should the survivor choose to press charges. • The clinic can also run blood work if a person is concerned their beverage was drugged. • Currently, Skagway has no official survivor advocacy program. Contact Assemblymember Deb Potter if you are interested in training to become an advocate. • The number one and only cause of rape is rapists. Sexual violence is difficult to talk about. Sometimes I get emotional and the words
get lodged in my throat, which is why I write them on this page. I hope I can become more skilled in speaking about a topic that affects nearly half the population. I hope we can place the shame and stigma where it belongs – on the abuser, and allow survivors to move forward unfettered by judgment or criticism. For more information, visit rainn.org or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Self-care as a full-time job
By Nicholle Chandler Years ago, my therapist once pointed out that I sacrificed a lot for my career, including my health. He wasn’t wrong. I was functioning in a tunnel vision of productivity and achievement, overworking myself to burnout. After stressful auto-pilot living for so long, I had forgotten how unstressed living felt. Being a great business owner was the goal, but I was going at it all wrong, and my health was sounding the alarm. To help shift my perspective, my talky-doc asked, “Cole, if YOU were the business, what would be mandatory to do to keep you profitable?” Whoa. Just like how I keep my businesses running like welloiled machines, what things do I need to keep running myself effectively with positive returns? Exercise, quality sleep, eating mindfully instead of downing lunch in five minutes, meditating and more play were just a few of my thoughts. This session was at the heart of my healing journey and led to significant insights into how I was spending my time. I was all business and no fun. My life was
unbalanced, and my Libra self doesn’t do well when the scales are tipped that steep. Before I go on, let me state that we live in an unbalanced world. Being perfectly balanced doesn’t exist. It’s not about balance; it’s about balancing. This means you’ll often be doing more of one thing and less of, maybe even zero of, another. Balancing is the goal, not balance. Three of my top five strengths are execution strengths: achieving, discipline and focus – great strengths for getting sh*t done, but not exactly fun. However, I didn’t want my store (me) to go bankrupt. I decided to experiment using my super strengths for selfcare instead of my job. I pulled out my planner and I got to work. I scheduled my self-care, such as exercise and meditations. I made a point of connecting with friends for weekly hikes or dinner together. I made morning and night routines to help me sleep and rules to ensure I followed through. I reached out to my “board of directors,” think friends, family and colleagues, and let them know my plan. That might all sound a bit too disciplined, but seeing as that’s my top strength, it worked for me! Once I started to view my self-care as my job and doing things that made me “profit,” the path of returning to my healthy (and yes, fun!) self opened up. And I was a better boss, too! #winwin As we go into our busy tourist season, one with lim-
ited staff and further uncertainty, you might find yourself working more. “Work hard. Play hard!” is a common summer theme in Skagway. But don’t forget the play part. Don’t forget what brings you healthy gains. Deciding on just one selfcare act can make a significant difference in your life. Ask yourself: • What would go on the top of my to-do list if my boss ordered more me-time? •What strengths of mine can help prioritize this daily or weekly? •How might tipping the scale for my self-care benefit other areas in my life such as family, work or relationships? If you are unsure of your strengths, you can take a free strengths profile at https:// strengthsprofile.com/. It’s been a joy writing this newsletter this winter. As I start prepping my stores for my busy season and training for two new certifications, I won’t be writing as much, but I’ll be slipping in an article here and there. Thank you for reading, and if you need anything, you can find me at my stores (2nd Avenue) or hiking up to Lower Lake. XO, Cole 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.
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
April 22, 2022
Page 5
Police & Fire Blotter April 3 Fire personnel assisted the National Park Service with an alarm at a downtown location. Police personnel investigated a suspicious vehicle. Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout. April 4 Rock slide on the Dyea Road. Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.
Submitted by Skagway Police Department
April 7 Police personnel responded to complaints of shooting on Dyea Flats. Police personnel responded to complaints of rowdy drinkers at Yakutania Point. April 8 Police investigated activity on Dyea Flats. April 9 Police personnel responded to reports of a dog at large.
Police officers performed a welfare check.
Police personnel investigated activity on the Dyea Flats.
April 5 Rock slide on the train tracks near town.
Dispatch assisted a citizen with contacting Dahl Memorial Clinic.
April 6 Dispatch assisted Haines Police Department.
April 11 Received a call regarding leaking water at a down-
David Paul Herbig Born Nov. 11,1952
town business. It was determined to be routine maintenance. Fire personnel responded to a structure fire on 18th Avenue. April 12 Dispatch assisted a citizen with contacting Dahl Memorial Clinic. April 13 Police personnel investigated activity on the Dyea Flats. Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout. April 14 Police, Fire and EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
SKAGUAY NEWS DEPOT & BOOKS In Celebration of National Poetry Month and Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 30th presenting
KEN WALDMAN at the
Skagway Public Library
4 PM
Obituaries
He left this world inspiring those around him to always seek a life filled with love and adventure. David was born on Nov. 11, 1952 to Mary Lou and James Herbig in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. Always a wild soul, it took David some time to find his passion following high school, but the day he discovered flying would David Paul Herbig was change his life forever. David pursued a career a caring husband, father, as a pilot flying helicopters brother, friend and boss.
Birth announcements and obituaries for those related to Skagway are published free in the Skagway News.
from Hawaii to Alaska. His career path brought him to Skagway, Alaska where David would plant his roots and spend the next 30 years building a family, a home and a growing business doing what he loved. David is survived by his wife Maria, daughter Emily, son Nathaniel, his brother James Herbig and a long list of friends who will miss him dearly.
(preceded by special kids show at 3:15 pm) Ken will share a little poetry and music and read a selection from his new novel, Now Entering Alaska Time Spring Hours: 12:30-4:30 Daily (9-6 cruise ship days) 907-983-3354 • www.skagwaybooks.com
Haley Michele Rostron
Sept. 13, 1989 - March 26, 2022
Haley Michele Rostron was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, Sept. 13, 1989. From her first moments on earth until her unexpected death in Bellingham, Washington on March 26, 2022, she was a force to be reckoned with – strong, passionate and eternally empathetic. Her early years were spent
in Skagway and Haines, throughout her life, attendAlaska. In 2002, she moved ing countless concerts, startwith her family to Belling- ing with her first, Brian Wilham. After high school she son – perhaps her favorite. began her medical career She leaves behind, far working with animals in a too soon, husband Brendan highly respected Bellingham Gardner, parents Lisa and veterinary clinic, then fol- Michael Rostron, sister Leslowed herLumberyard passion fortohealley available Rostron and niece Sailor Ask at the see what’s ing by attaining her CNA and Morris, as well as many relworking in nursing homes. atives and friends from all In 2021, she enrolled in the over. As the lyrics from one RN program at Bellingham of her favorite songs go; she Technical College, where will always be “…a melody she made the dean’s list. softly soaring through our In 2014, Haley married atmosphere.” Brendan Gardner, with A celebration of Haley’s whom she shared her incred- life is planned for June 12 in ible love for music, travel Bellingham. In lieu of flowand adventure. Her taste in ers, consider a donation to music spanned generations your favorite animal charity. and genres. She shared this love with friends and family
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April 22, 2022
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
32 Suffer remorse 34 Entirely 35 Bran source 36 “--- Believer” (Neil Diamond song) 37 Rail support 38 Mineral spring 39 Cookie holder 40 Loan charge Down 1 California peak 2 Beanery customers 3 Cavorting 4 Unsalted Italian cheese 5 1836 siege site 6 Layer 7 He planned and developed Philly
8 N R A spokesperson -- Loesch 9 Prehistoric predator 15 Getting less 17 Compression-ignition engine 20 Kigali resident 23 Geological layers 24 Composer Glass 25 Staff Sergeant author of “The Ballad of the Green Berets” 27 Home of the Heat 28 Sky oddities 29 Harvest 30 Japanese clogs 33 Horse controller
Family Fun Page - print and share Across 1 Red or Dead? 4 Quick-fire talk music 7 L A clock setting 10 It may be tipped 11 Stuck in bed 12 Corn spike 13 Nadal’s org. 14 Hot red pepper 16 Once in a blue moon 18 What Lizzie Borden took 19 Double-crossers 21 So far 22 Thready streaks 26 TV witch 28 Compulsion 31 Norwegian princess
Last issue’s answers
Color Me
codeword
To play codeword, refer to the grid above with 26 spaces. Three boxes have letters. For instance, box 17 has an R. Find all of the boxes in the puzzle numbered 17 and place an R in them. Do the same for the other two clues. All number 12 boxes should be filled with a C. All number 26 boxes should be filled with an I. Once you fill the spaces, you should start to put together words. As you find new number codes, enter them in the grid above and fill them in on the puzzle. Good luck.
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April 22, 2022
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JOBS-OPPORTUNITIES
HOUSING AND PROPERTY
The Municipality of Skagway is accepting application for a 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
Longtime summer worker desperately searching for housing for upcoming season. Text or call 907-312-6413.
PERSONALS-MISC. SERVICES FOOD
BANK
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.
LEGAL ADS The Municipality of Skagway is accepting bids to provide janitorial services for Skagway Public Restrooms located at Shoreline Park, Small Boat Harbor, Sea Walk, Pullen Pond, and Mollie Walsh Park. The area being cleaned is approximately 5,450 sq. ft.
DONATIONS
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 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
See www.skagway.org for borough meeting updates.
Email Updates & New Events: editor@skagwaynews.com
SKAGWAY WORSHIP DIRECTORY 8th & State • 907-983-2350 Sun. Worship....................11 a.m. Wed. Bible Devotions & Prayer 7 p.m. Email skagwayag@outlook.com 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. Customer Service Representative – Skagway
St. Therese Catholic Church
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
Weather Watch
DATE
First Presbyterian Church
RECREATION CTR SCHED
Bid/RFP Due Date: Monday, May 9, 2022 - 2:00pm A full copy of the Request for Bids can be obtained by e-mailing a.lawson@skagway.org, or on the municipal website at https://www. skagway.org/rfps.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVATIONS FOR PREVIOUS 24-HOUR PERIOD BEFORE 7 A.M.
Assembly of God Church
9th & State • 983-2271 Sun. Mass.......................5 p.m. Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)
Page 7
$1000.00 Sign-On Bonus*
Alaska Power & Telephone has a full time opening for a Customer Service Representative (CSR) in Skagway. This position will sell and promote services of the company while dealing with new and existing customers. Responsibilities also include taking power and telecom service orders and payments, answering phones, assisting customers, balancing daily cash, handling customer billing (charges, credits, etc.), assisting with inventory and various other administrative support duties as assigned. We are looking for a dependable, unflappable person who excels at juggling multiple tasks and providing exceptional customer service. Our ideal candidate is a person who is driven to serve our customers with a positive “can-do” attitude, who is great with people, eager to learn and can communicate effectively in a fast-paced work environment.
Candidates must be available to work 7:00am-4:00pm Monday through Friday. Candidate Qualifications Required
• • • • • • •
High School Diploma or GED
1-2 years of experience in an office or face-to-face customer service Proficient with MS Office Suite/10-key skills
Valid driver’s license and ability to be insured by AP&T
Ability to pass a pre-employment background and drug test
Ability to periodically travel to other properties and meetings as required Proven ability to cope with Alaska’s harsh weather & challenging environment This position will be open until filled. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.
$1000.00 SIGN-ON BONUS
(sign-on bonus to be paid after successful 6-months of employment) Interested? Apply today at:
https://aptalaska.workbrightats.com/jobs/740052-176045.html
AP&T is a EEO Employer /Vets /Disabled ~ AP&T is a Drug and Alcohol-free workplace
MAX
MIN
PREC
Weather Watch 3/16 - 4/12 3/16 40 29 trace 3/17 41 32 .11 3/18 41 31 .03 3/19 45 30 .10 3/20 44 33 3/21 45 31 .04 3/22 39 31 .75 3/23 42 32 .20 3/24 44 34 trace 3/25 48 34 3/26 44 32 3/27 46 29 3/28 46 31 3/29 44 31 3/30: 42 33 3/31 42 35 4/1 46 33 4/2 44 33 4/3 47 31 4/4 38 32 4/5 48 32 4/6 44 33 4/7 52 36 4/8 42 32 4/9 46 32 4/10 47 31 4/11 42 27 4/12 35 25 4/13 40 25 4/14 45 20 4/15 50 20
April 22, 2022
Page 8
One-day trips suspended, hope to return next year
continued from front page everyone. But that was the decision that we came to, and put that announcement out to everybody and have been talking to partners and different people, the community and just to let everyone know, because we know that that will have an effect on a lot of different businesses and people,” Rose said. “We had 20 tours booked and had to go back and talk to our customers,” Beyond Skagway Tours (BST) operations manager, Tim Sislo said. Sislo said the cancellation of the one-day excursions changed the way they are going to do business this summer. After BST contacted their customers, several of the passengers modified their tour to skip the train, some canceled altogether. The company had to redo their tour packages to accommodate the change. BST will continue their bus trips to Canada. “Our buses only hold 11 passengers so the border crossings won’t be a big problem,” he said. Sislo said the ArriveCan app has become more friendly for tourists on long trips.
Last year the app had to be completed within 72 hours of travel. Travelers can now complete it within two weeks, even before their trip. Crossing the border with passengers is available this year due to negotiation and planning with various Canada officials over COVID-19 testing. “The Canadian government has really done quite a bit of work to try to lessen those restrictions,” Rose said. Rose credits several entities, “particularly Minister Pillai and MP Hanley. They’ve really done quite a bit to make it possible to transit this season,” he said. Jacqui Taylor-Rose, manager of marketing and product development for WP&YR is looking to next year. “I do think Skagway’s in a unique position with the Yukon, it’s such a highlight for people visiting Skagway. The chance to come in to town for the day and step foot in the Yukon Territory (via the one-day excursion) is pretty incredible. And I think we want to get back to that as soon as we can for next season,” she said.
The Holland America website has several tours in late May headed up WP&YR to Carcross where passengers board a motorcoach to Whitehorse and Dawson City. According to the site, the tour would then fly from Dawson City to Fairbanks and head down to Denali National Park via bus to catch the train to Anchorage. Taylor-Rose, confirmed that some trains will go to Canada as part of the Holland America land tour program. “Guests will be disembarking the cruise ships in Skagway, they typically have an overnight or two in town, then they will use our summit excursion – that round trip first 20 miles to ride the train – and then they will be using the large motor coaches to take them through the border crossing north and on to destinations in the Yukon including Dawson City.” she said. Taylor-Rose shared that this year, in response to feedback from the business community, WP&YR will share a schedule of departures and arrivals at the train depot.
At least Santa had a purpose
continued from page 2 nor in 2005 — to bring attention to children’s issues. Palin’s only purpose has been to bring attention to herself. All Palin has offered so far in her campaign postings is to blame the far left and radical left — as if one left wasn’t enough to fill her campaign speech — and talk about freedom (good), heroes (even better), and the importance of public service (quitting, notwithstanding). Details? Nah, too much for a tweet. Admittedly, she certainly knows how to punch the hot-button issues. Not fix anything, just hit the button, stand back, enjoy the cheers and count the supporters on a website. But does that deserve a seat in Congress? Claus is not likely to win, though he will do well based on his namesake’s name recognition. Palin could win, and that would be about as welcome as a lump of coal on Christmas morning.
SAMPLE BALLOT U.S. Congress • Special Election
THE SKAGWAY NEWS
Skagway has new house district
By Gretchen Wehmhoff Skagway and Haines are in a new state house district that will not include downtown Juneau. When the Alaska Redistricting Board presented its 2021 proclamation in November, a new line had been drawn right down the middle of the Mendenhall Valley, with the northern portion connected to Skagway. Prior to the proclamation, Skagway residents testified at a local hearing as well as statewide redistricting listening sessions. While a few people supported connecting Skagway to the Mendenhall Valley, the majority of those testifying on record urged the board to keep the Upper Lynn Canal communities connected to the tourism hub of downtown Juneau, arguing that there was a significant socioeconomic connection between the areas. Skagway sued the board in Superior Court in February. The judge sided with Skagway’s argument that the testimony of citizens was ignored in the final plans, but said the arguments of tourism and economic commonalities did not show a significant reason to keep the areas together. Other areas of the state also received the court’s attention. The senate pairings of two Eagle River house districts with other areas of Anchorage, rather than each other, brought the court’s admonishment for what appeared to be a gerrymandered decision. A similar issue with the northern area of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Borough and the area around Cantwell was also required to be redrawn. The redistricting board chose to reject the superior court judge’s decision and appealed the cases to the Alaska Supreme Court. Skagway, represented by Brena, Bell and Walker attorney Robin Brena, appealed to the Supreme Court to recognize the socioeconomic bond with Juneau. The Supreme Court disagreed. “It was tough. We gave it our best shot and almost got it,” Brena said. Brena suggested that the lesson learned during this round of redistricting was to become involved in the process long before the formal process begins. Skagway, now in the new HD 3, will still share a Senate seat (B) with Juneau HD 4. The Skagway News requested information on the cost of the appeal from the Municipality of Skagway but a response was not available by deadline.
SAMPLE BALLOT State of Alaska Official Ballot June 11, 2022 Special Primary Election
Instructions: To vote, completely fill in the oval to the left of your choice, like this:
VOTE FOR ONE
Use a blue or black ink pen to mark your ballot. NO RED INK. If you make a mistake, ask for a new ballot.
48
PLEASE NOTE: A candidate's designated affiliation does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the political party or group or that the party or group approves of or associates with that candidate, but only that the candidate is registered as affiliated with the political party or political group.
United States Representative (Vote for one)
Aguayo, Dennis W. "Denny" - Nonpartisan
Knight, Don - Nonpartisan
Armstrong, Jay R. - Registered Republican
Lowenfels, Jeff B. - Nonpartisan
Beal, Brian T. - Undeclared
Lyons, Robert "Bob" - Registered Republican
Beck, Tim - Undeclared
McCabe, Anne M. - Nonpartisan
Begich, Nick - Registered Republican
Melander, Mikel E. - Registered Republican
Brelsford, Gregg B. - Undeclared
Mettler, Sherry M. - Undeclared
Brown, Robert - Nonpartisan
Milligan, Mike - Registered Democrat
Bye, Chris - Registered Libertarian
Myers, J.R. - Registered Libertarian
Callahan, John T. - Registered Republican
Notti, Emil - Registered Democrat
Carle, Arlene - Nonpartisan
Ornelas, Robert - Registered Am. Indep. Party
Claus, Santa - Undeclared
Palin, Sarah - Registered Republican
Coghill, John B. Jr. - Registered Republican
Pellegrini, Silvio E. - Undeclared
Constant, Christopher S. - Registered Democrat
Peltola, Mary S. - Registered Democrat
Dutchess, Lady Donna - Nonpartisan
Revak, Joshua C. - Registered Republican
Florschutz, Otto H. III - Registered Republican
Sumner, Maxwell - Registered Republican
Foster, Laurel A. - Nonpartisan
Sweeney, Tara M. - Registered Republican
Gibbons, Thomas R. "Tom" - Registered Republican
Thistle, David - Undeclared
Griffin, Karyn - Undeclared
Thomas, Ernest F. - Registered Democrat
Gross, Al - Nonpartisan
Trotter, Richard "Clayton" - Registered Republican
Halcro, Andrew J. - Nonpartisan
Welter, Bradley D. - Registered Republican
Heintz, Ted S. - Nonpartisan
Williams, Jason G. - Undeclared
Hibler, William D. III "Bill" - Nonpartisan
Woodward, Jo - Registered Republican
Howe, John Wayne - Registered AK Indep.
Wool, Adam L. - Registered Democrat
Hughes, David - Undeclared
Wright, Stephen - Registered Republican
SAM LE P
Sample ballot from the State of Alaska Division of Elections
Each house district receives its own ballot. For the special primary election, candidates for the vacant U.S. House seat are listed alphabetically in House District 1. Then the candidate at the top of the list drops to the bottom of the list in House District 2. This process repeats through House District 40. https://elections.alaska.gov/Core/sampleballots_2022specialelections.php
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