FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson) 

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
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    A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]

House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]

Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Alaskan Grilled in D.C. Over Climate Science
26 Mar 2024 14:51

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]

Faster Internet Speeds In Rural Schools OK'd
26 Mar 2024 13:53

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]

Native Words Gathered In Environment Studies
26 Mar 2024 13:52

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska,  [ ... ]

March 26, 2024, Police Blotter
26 Mar 2024 13:49

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]

March 26, 2024, Community Happenings
26 Mar 2024 13:48

Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m.  [ ... ]

Sac Roe Herring Fishery Opens in Hayward
25 Mar 2024 15:30

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]

Projects on the Table For Cruise Tax Funds
25 Mar 2024 15:28

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]

Braves Take Second at State after Close Loss
25 Mar 2024 15:23

By Sentinel Staff
    Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]

City League Games Continue
25 Mar 2024 15:11

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Gov Says Alaska Open for Business

By BECKY BOHRER and
 
MARK THIESSEN
 
The Associated Press

JUNEAU (AP) — Starting Friday, businesses in Alaska that were shut down or restricted due to coronavirus concerns can fully reopen, a significant step that Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy says the state can handle as it moves into a “management stage” of the virus.

There were mixed responses Wednesday. Some who saw reaction to the virus as overblown are eager to move on. Some plan to move cautiously. And some hope to get as close to normal as possible while continuing use of safeguards, such as employee masks and sanitizing practices. 

Terry Pennington, manager and waitress at Rose’s Cafe in Healy, near Denali National Park and Preserve, said Dunleavy’s announcement was the talk of the small diner Wednesday. “Everybody we’ve talked to are ready, they’re past ready,” she said.

The state has reported just over 400 cases of COVID-19 with 10 deaths. Dunleavy on Tuesday cited consistently low numbers and said restrictions bought time to build up health care capacity. 

“The people of Alaska have given us that time. It’s come with great sacrifice,” Dunleavy said. “And so we believe we can manage this virus. We have to manage this virus.” 

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

State officials began easing business restrictions April 24, allowing retail shops and salons to reopen and dine-in restaurant service to resume, all with limited capacity. Limits were loosened two weeks later, and additional businesses, such as gyms and theaters, were allowed to open at 25% capacity. 

Starting Friday, Dunleavy’s office said businesses will be allowed to open at 100% capacity. The state continues urging people to take steps such as staying at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) from non-family members, frequently washing their hands and wearing masks in public areas where maintaining distance is difficult.

“What we’re hoping is if we do this the right way, change some of our habits a little bit in response to this virus, I think we’re going to continue to see our numbers do really well,” Dunleavy said. 

A presentation from the administration said the success of remaining open “now lies fully in the hands of Alaskans.”

Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, an Anchorage Democrat, said Alaska has fared well compared to some other states with small populations, crediting actions taken early by the Dunleavy administration.

“And yet we have now had a full reopening declared by the governor without fully understanding what the implications of that reopening will be,” Begich said. This is a time to “exercise thoughtful, prudent, safe practices that do not lead to an exponential growth in this disease,” he said.

Steve Lewis, owner and general manager of The Gym in Juneau, expects to continue limiting the number of people inside his facility, maintaining 12-foot (3.6 meter) distancing and adhering to enhanced cleaning protocols. 

Lewis said it makes sense to maintain those standards “because people aren’t going to come into the gym if they don’t feel they’re going to be safe.” Masks also are required, he said. 

Venietia Santana, who owns V’s Cellar Door, said her restaurant in Juneau has adjusted, including creating a curbside system when dine-in service was shut down. 

She expects to resume operating as close to normal as possible “but we’re doing things a little differently,” including additional cleaning, having staff wear masks and gloves and asking customers their comfort level in where they are seated and if they want people at a table next to them.

“I think that when people are comfortable is when they’ll come out, no matter what the governor says,” Santana said. “We just want them to feel the most comfort that they can.”

People coming into Alaska have been asked to observe a 14-day quarantine, which will be re-evaluated by June 2, state officials said. 

Nome City Manager Glenn Steckman said residents in his community are concerned about people coming in from outside the region. The city has 14-day quarantine or testing protocols for people traveling into Nome, he said. The area was hit hard by the flu pandemic of 1918 and 1919.

“There are long memories of a pandemic, and obviously some people are very cautious on how they’re reopening,” he said.

___

Thiessen contributed from Anchorage, Alaska.

 

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....

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