Author: Robert Woolsey

A week before the Sitka Jazz Festival opened this month (2-6-09), a heavy crate arrived at the new Sitka Performing Arts Center. As festival co-director Terry Lovett told audiences, his reaction at the time was “Now what?” KCAW’s Robert Woolsey recently spent some time talking with the man who transformed the crate of parts into a Steinway concert grand piano:

The town of Sitka has a starring role in a television commercial now airing nationwide. Cargill Incorporated, of Minneapolis, sells a myriad of products and services, including salt for seafood processing. But most television viewers around the US don’t process seafood. KCAW’s Robert Woolsey recently spoke with Cargill management to find out what message a sixty-second slice of life in Sitka sends to the national marketplace. To view the commercial online, click on

Drummer Jeff Hamilton has moved percussion into the realm of melody with his expressive technique. He wowed audiences at the Sitka JazzFest Friday night (2-7-09) with a solo performance of "Caravan." Interview with KCAW's Robert Woolsey.

It took a couple of years for San Francisco-based singer Jackie Ryan to warm to the idea of a winter jazz festival in Alaska. But her adventurous spirit and warm contralto have found a home onstage at the Sitka JazzFest. Interview with KCAW's Robert Woolsey.

A feasibility study for major new hydroelectric project in Sitka has been put on hold. The Alaska Energy Authority has denied the city’s request for $2-million dollars to study the prospects for hydro power at Takatz Lake, on the east side of Baranof Island.

Alaska Natives represent less than 5% of educators in the state, yet 25% of the population is Alaska Native. Across the state school districts are struggling to increase the number of Native teachers, but qualified candidates can be difficult to find, especially when budgets are decreasing for hiring ANY teachers at all. As KCAW’s Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock reports, Sitka faces the same challenges regarding Native hire that other districts face, but the school board would like to see that change.

The Sitka School Board approved a request at Tuesday night's (1/3/09) meeting to sanction soccer as a sport at Sitka High. But the approval stopped short of providing funding and comes with a sunset clause, after two years the board will take another look at the program to decide whether or not to keep soccer, based on its success in the short term.

The Sitka High Drama, Debate and Forensics club finaled in all 12 of its events at the Dimond High School DDF Invitational tournament in Anchorage last weekend. (January 30-31) It was the first time the DDF students from Sitka have competed outside of Southeast, where they’ve dominated most of the season. Now they look forward to the State meet which will be held in Sitka February 26-28.

Mt. Edgecumbe girls narrowly defeated the Sitka High girls basketball team Wednesday night, (1/28/09) in probably the best attended game of the season so far, thanks to an effort by the Sitka Cancer Survivor’s Society calling for a “pack the gym pink” night. The fundraiser was also an effort to draw awareness to breast cancer. The event was also sponsored by Sitka Community Hospital, Alps Federal Credit Union, Sitka Medical Center and SEARHC.