Free Senior Coffee Social Series
1/17/2025
City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with Catholic Community Services, is proud to offer a series of free senior coffee socials.
These socials will take place on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Swan Lake Senior Center, 402 Lake Street. The socials will begin on January 27 and run through February 23. An assortment of baked goods will be provided, alongside coffee, tea, and juice. Puzzles, books, playing cards, and other activities will be available for use. All seniors are welcome to come and enjoy.
For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Blatchley Art Club Registration Open Now
1/17/2025
Registration for the City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation’s Blatchley Art Club program is open now at http://recreation.cityofsitka.com.
Youth grades 6 to 8 will be exposed to a wide variety of art experiences, projects, and mediums. Art Club will meet on Thursdays after school from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Blatchley Middle School Home Ec room. This program will run from February 6 to March 6. Topics will include drawing, shading, and watercolor. Scholarships are available, please apply before registering.
For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Tree and Landscape Committee Meeting
1/17/2025
The Tree and Landscape Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at noon in Harrigan Centennial Hall. Agenda items include: Future projects. The meeting is open to the public.
February Senior Activity Meeting
1/16/2025
City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation invites all seniors and organizations offering senior recreation and leisure activities to a planning meeting Monday, February 3 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Swan Lake Senior Center, 402 Lake Street. Discussion will include sharing current and future senior programs and recruitment for a senior resources fair in March. All interested parties are invited to attend.
For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation by email at recreation@cityofsitka.org or by phone at 907.747.4031.
Salty Spoke Bike Skills Club Registration Open Now
1/16/2025
Registration for the Salty Spoke Bike Skills Club is now open at http://recreation.cityofsitka.com. The City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation and Salty Spoke Bike Co-Op are excited to offer this joint program for 5th to 8th grade students.
Learn the basics of biking safely in Sitka with Laura Tirman, program coordinator at the Salty Spoke Bike Co-Op. Students will learn and practice hand signals, rules of the road, basic mechanic skills, and techniques for biking on Sitka trails.
Bike club will meet Mondays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Blatchley Middle School, 601 Halibut Point Road. This program will run from January 27 to March 10. There are scholarships available for youth, please apply before registration. For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Pollination Journey STEM Program for Youth at Sitka Public Library
1/15/2025
Sitka Public Library, AK Way of Life 4-H and Sitka Conservation Society invite youth ages 7 to 12 to a Pollination Journey STEM program on Tuesday, January 28, at 5:30 pm. The hour program will focus on fun hand-on learning activities about wildflowers and pollinators, and the goal will be collecting data for a future exhibition on the topic. The event is free, and snacks will be offered.
Everyone is welcome. For more information call 907.747.4020 or email Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org.
Stay and Play Program at the Library Winter Calendar
1/15/2025
Babies, toddlers, and siblings up to five-years-old are invited to the Stay and Play Program at Sitka Public Library. The program will run from 3.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. at the Sitka Public Library's on Tuesday February 4, February 25, March 4, March 11, and March 18. This is a self-guided program. Families will have access to a variety of tinkering toys and activities. Materials will be available to use until 4:25 p.m. to allow for clean-up time.
For more information call 907.747.4020 or email Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org.
How Devils Club Came to Be Baby Raven Reads Storytime at the Library
1/15/2025
Sitka Public Library will offer a Baby Raven Reads cultural Storytime on Thursday, January 30 at 10:30 am. This program will be led by culture bearer Gloria Wolfe, and includes a read a-loud, followed by literacy activities related to the reading.
Everyone is welcome. For more information call 907.747.4020 or email Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org.
Adult Art Class
1/15/2025
The City of Sitka Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with the Island Artists Gallery, presents Blank to Bound, a series of fine art and bookbinding workshops. This 6-week series, taught by Lisa Teas Conaway, Christina Van Den Hoogen, and Pat Kehoe, will cover bookbinding, watercolor, graphite, and ink techniques. Classes will begin Saturday, February 1 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Blatchley Middle School, 601 Halibut Point Road. High school students and adults are welcome. To register, visit http://recreation.cityofsitka.com.
For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Holiday Closure for GPIP Scrap Yard
1/14/2025
The City and Borough of Sitka’s Gary Paxton Industrial Park (GPIP) Scrap Yard located at 4655 Sawmill Creek Road will be closed on Tuesday, January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Regular business hours will resume on Wednesday, January 22. GPIP Scrap Yard is open Tuesday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the exception of observed holidays.
Please contact the CBS Public Works Department with any questions. 907.747.1804.
Registration for Afterschool Explorers at Xóots Elementary Open Now
1/14/2025
Registration for the City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation’s Afterschool Explorers program is open now at recreation.cityofsitka.com. This class is being offered to first grade students Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Wet Lab at Xóots Elementary School, starting January 28th and running through March 11th. Afterschool Explorers will have an hour of enrichment and fun focused on exploring art, nature, and science. There are scholarships available, please apply prior to registering.
For more information, please contact Parks and Recreation by emailing recreation@cityofsitka.org or by calling 907.747.4031
Teen Nights at Blatchley Middle School
1/14/2025
The City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation invites all youth ages middle school and up to our free Teen Nights at Blatchley Middle School from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on select Saturday nights during the spring semester. Dates include January 18th, February 8th and 22nd, March 8th and 29th, and April 26th. Enjoy free open recreation, including basketball, ping-pong, board games, skating, and Mario Kart. Teen Nights are sponsored by CBS Parks and Recreation, Sitka Counseling, and the H.O.P.E. Coalition. No registration required.
For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation by emailing recreation@cityofsitka.org or by calling 907.747.4031.
Spring Tongass Tumblers Gymnastics
1/13/2025
The City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation announces registration for Tongass Tumblers gymnastics classes, taught by Trisha Bessert. Classes are available for students 18 months old to 11 years old, beginning February 1 and ending May 17. Registration will open at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, January 20 at http://www.recreation.cityofsitka.com.
Youth scholarships are available, apply before registration. For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Blatchley Pool Private Swim Lessons
1/9/2025
The City and Borough of Sitka Parks and Recreation announces enrollment for Private Swim Lessons at the Blatchley Pool. Registration for lessons will begin Monday, January 20 at 12:00 p.m. and can be found at https://recreation.cityofsitka.com/.Sessions are one hour per week during the month of February, beginning Sunday, February 2. Students 3 and up will receive one on one, individualized instruction from Blatchley Pool staff. For more information, contact Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
Sitka Community Orchestra
1/9/2025
City of Sitka Parks and Recreation welcomes string, wind, brass, and percussion players to the Sitka Community Orchestra, conducted by Drew Larson! Players of all ages must be able to read music and bring their own instrument. All rehearsals are Tuesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday, January 21. Concert will be Friday, April 25 at the Sitka Performing Arts Center. The fee for this program is $20, youth scholarships are available. Register now at http://recreation.cityofsitka.com.
For more information, contact City of Sitka Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofsitka.org or 907.747.4031.
City League Volleyball Registration Open Now
1/2/2025
Registration for the 2025 City League Volleyball season is now open! Games begin Monday, February 3 in the Blatchley Middle School Gym. There are two co-ed divisions, Competitive and Recreational.
Interested players can complete registration and pay the $60 player fee online at www.recreation.cityofsitka.com. Sponsor forms can also be found online, the cost is $450 per team. All teams must be registered by Wednesday, January 29. Team captain’s meeting will be Sunday, January 26 at 4:00 p.m. in the Blatchley Middle School Commons.
For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at recreation@cityofstika.org or 907.747.4031.
How to Participate in Assembly Meetings
1/8/2025
Regular Assembly Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in Harrigan Centennial Hall. The agenda and supporting documentation are available at https://sitka.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx, the Sitka Public Library, or by contacting the Municipal Clerk's Office at City Hall. Public comment on agenda items and “Persons to be heard” is encouraged and welcomed. Citizens may provide comments by email, in person, or by phone. Regular and special Assembly meetings are live-streamed through the City's website and YouTube channel. In addition, regular meetings are aired live on KCAW FM 104.7. To receive Assembly agenda notifications, sign up with GovDelivery on the City’s website.
For more information, visit https://www.cityofsitka.com/CityAssembly or contact the Municipal Clerk's Office at 747-1826 or 747-1811.
Business Personal Property Declarations
12/19/2024
The City and Borough of Sitka Assessing Department has sent out Business Personal Property Declaration Reminders Mid-December. All Business Personal Property subject to taxation is to be itemized and declared (SGC 4.35.050). An Excel or Adobe declaration form can be downloaded at https://www.cityofsitka.com/directory/Assessing. Declarations can be mailed or returned to Assessor's Office, 100 Lincoln St., Sitka, AK 99835. Declarations can also be returned via emailed to assessing@cityofsitka.org. When emailing please request a delivery confirmation email to confirm the form was received. To avoid a $100 late fee (SGC 4.35.055) and receive a $25,000 assessed value exemption (Alaska State Statute 29.45.050), declarations must be post marked or received by February 18, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. Any questions contact the Assessing Department at 907.747.1822 or email assessing@cityofsitka.org.
Sitka Babies and Book Stuffed Animal Sleepover Program at Sitka Public Library
12/18/2024
Sitka Babies and Books and Sitka Public Library invite babies, toddlers and preschoolers to a Stuffed Animal Sleepover Program at the library. On Friday, January 17 kids are invited to drop off their second favorite stuffed animal by 3:00 p.m. for an overnight stay at the library. On Saturday, January 18 at 10:30 am, they will be reunited with their stuffed animal and enjoy a teddy bear Storytime with Jackie DiGennaro. A slideshow of the stuffies sleepover adventures will be shared. Pre-registered babies and toddlers will also receive a free book.
For more information call 907.747.4020 or e-mail Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org.
Adult Game Nights at Sitka Public Library
12/17/2024
Sitka Public Library and City of Sitka Parks and Recreation host free adult game nights in the Sitka Public Library Multipurpose Room from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on January 7th, January 21st, and February 4th. Games from the Sitka Public Library collection are available, but games from home are also welcome! Individuals and groups of all skill levels are welcome. For more information, please call Margot at 747-4020 or email margot.oconnell@cityofsitka.org.
BeTween Art Club at Sitka Public Library
12/14/2024
Sitka Public Library invites youth ages 11 to 13 to join the BeTween Art Club, a hands-on program about art history. The club will run from 10:30 am to 11:45 am the following Saturdays: January 25, February 1, February 15, March 1 and March 22. Participants will learn about different artists through readings, activities and hands-on art projects led by artist Stephen Lawrie. Each program will be focused on two different artists. This program is free, supplies and snacks will be provided, and registration for each program is required.
Boards, Committees, and Commission Opportunities
12/12/2024
For more information, please call the Deputy Municipal Clerk at 907-747-1826. Apply now at www.cityofsitka.com/boards-commissions
Airport Hold Room Exit Modification
9/16/2024
Beginning October 1, 2024, and continuing through late Spring of 2025, construction at the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport will alter the exit from the passenger hold room to accommodate the installation of a jetway foundation. Passengers will no longer exit the breezeway. Instead, they will pass through a secure corridor adjacent to baggage claim to access the airfield. Please follow instructions provided by airline staff when boarding and moving onto the airfield.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this construction period. For questions, please contact the City and Borough of Sitka Airport Terminal Manager at 907.747.1803 or by emailing airport.project@cityofsitka.org.
Ground Loading and Unloading for Passengers at the Airport
6/19/2024
Starting July 15, the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport will undergo improvements affecting how passengers board and exit planes. For approximately 10 months, until late Spring 2025, passengers will embark and disembark the aircraft from the tarmac using portable stairs or ramps, as the current jet bridge will be out of service.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this timeframe. Please contact the City and Borough of Sitka Airport Terminal Manager with any questions at 907.747.1803 or by emailing airport.project@cityofsitka.org.
Leads/Requested/Suspended Operations for Missing Person
12/24/2023
Sitka, Alaska – Jedidah Kowchee, 28 years old, 5’ 4”, 155 pounds was last seen leaving AC shopping center on December 13, 2023, at approximately 4:07 p.m. He was wearing a black hat and black jacket, light colored hoodie under his jacket. Tan khaki pants, black running shoes with black and white soles and clear framed glasses.
Sitka Police Department (SPD), Sitka Fire Department (SFD) Search and Rescue and Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) volunteer teams were dispatched and searched during daylight hours on Saturday, December 23 and again on Sunday, December 24 until early afternoon.
Despite their concerted efforts, Jedidah’s whereabouts remain unknown. A joint effort to locate Jedidah Kowchee, the SPD, SFD Search and Rescue, and STA volunteer teams emphasize the critical need for additional leads from the community.
Anyone having contact or information regarding Jedidah, is asked to contact the Sitka Police Department 907.747.3245 or the anonymous tip line 907.747.8980, or Sitka Fire Department Search and Rescue 907.966.5770, or STA by phone 907.738.7622 or text the keyword AKTIPS followed by your crime tip to 847411.
Anyone interested in volunteering, please report to Sitka Tribe of Alaska headquarters at 204 Siginaka Way or contact Mary Ferguson at 907.738.9229.
The City and Borough of Sitka’s mission is to provide public services for Sitka that support a livable community for all. Stay connected to the City and Borough of Sitka! Visit us online at www.cityofsitka.com; like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cityandboroughofsitka/; follow us on Instagram @cbsitka; and Twitter @cbsitka; or call Administration, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at 907.747.1812.
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Katlian Street Closed to Pedestrian Traffic in the 400 Block
09/29/2022
The City and Borough of Sitka opened Katlian Street to two-way vehicle traffic in the 400 block. Pedestrian traffic remains closed. Please use caution and follow all signage. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this timeframe. Please contact the CBS Public Works Department with any questions. 907.747.1804.
