Gretchen Wehmhoff

Ryen joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy in kindergarten. Now, in the 4th grade and entering Girl Scout cookie season, she is an experienced cookie saleswoman with a goal and a plan.

Photos by Danny Brady

By Jeff Brady For the News They accomplished something that had not happened in their lifetimes, literally. No one on the 2024-25 Skagway team was born the last time their school sent a boys’ basketball squad to State. A happy Skagway team celebrated on the court at Juneau’s Thunder Mountain Middle School last Saturday after

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Publisher This issue is missing something. I’m well aware, and it pains me to send it to press without all that should be included. What is missing is a good recap of the past month of legislation, discussion and decisions made by the Skagway Assembly. They have certainly been busy, but the

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Skagway will see a second financial institution open in downtown this April. Credit Union 1 (CU1) plans to add a branch in town in response to a letter they received from Skagway officials last January inviting financial companies to explore Skagway as a new branch destination. Two years ago, CU1 announced it

By Gretchen Wehmhoff The Borough Assembly special meeting on Jan.3 addressed a proposed rate increase by Goat Lake Hydro and AP&T included in a notice from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) Citizens at the meeting expressed frustration over a 70% increase, citing “mismanagement and corporate greed.” During his testimony, resident Tim Bourcy spoke to

By Gretchen Wehmhoff A few weeks before the Skagway July 4 celebration, Skagway Visitors Department (SVD) Director, Jaime Bricker received an unexpected phone call that landed a large scenic display of Dyea Flats and iris blooms in the Toronto airport for a year. Randy, Austin and Spencer VanDerStarren, father and sons of the art phenomenon

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Did you hear the one about the newspaper publisher who announced that she was seeking a new owner, then went silent? Yes, that one is familiar. Actually, the comment is real, but the silence had everything to do with health reasons, so let’s get back to some optimism here. Yes, it

15th annual conference to feature more workshops The 15th annual North Words Writers Symposium will welcome Alaskan novelist Eowyn Ivey as its 2025 keynote author. Ivey’s debut novel, The Snow Child, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, followed by the historical novel To The Bright Edge of the World, and the forthcoming Black Woods,

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Publisher, The Skagway News This summer Joe and I spent five months at Garden City RV Park. Part of the deal meant that I spent about 20 hours a week greeting guests and answering questions. That was enjoyable. I love sharing Alaska and Skagway with visitors. They love talking to Alaskans. In

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Borough Manager Brad Ryan submitted his resignation to the Skagway Assembly on Sept. 27. His last day will be in the beginning of January 2025. Ryan accepted the Skagway borough manager position in 2019, starting his tenure on Sept. 1 for a three-year contract. Ryan took over for then interim manager, Stan

Scores in English language arts, math and science are unmatched By Gretchen Wehmhoff Eleven years ago, Skagway Superintendent Josh Coughran hung a banner in the main entrance of the school. “Welcome to Skagway School, home of the highest achieving…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff A tour bus out of Skagway left the road Sept. 6 just past the Yukon Suspension Bridge near km 52/mile 34 on the South Klondike Highway around 3:30 p.m.Yukon time. Twenty-five passengers, including the driver, were on board when…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff The Skagway Assembly, at their Sept. 5 meeting, approved increasing the fee for creating bear attractants from $100 to $300 per citation. The Skagway Police Department has responded to numerous calls regarding bear activity since…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff A load of towels left in a dryer at the Garden City laundrmat started a smokyfire that filled the building with acrid smoke. Skagway Volunteer Fire Deptartment respsponded to toxic air, smoke and eventually flames in the dryer.…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff The assembly adopted another resolution regulating the placement of recreational vehicles as housing on properties. The resolution, 24-22R, replaces previous versions of the RV habitation resolution. The resolution goes into…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff A family of brown bears has returned to Skagway. The bears, as per their annual pattern over the past three years, frequent Dyea until the late part of July when they cross through to Liarsville and the businesses along the…

Aug. 10 – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Fraternal Order of Eagles #25 is celebrating Skagway’s first “Children’s Day” Saturday, Aug.10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Shoreline Park. The event is free to the public, and all ages are welcome. There will be burgers…

By Claire Stremple AlaskaBeacon.com A new national report includes a series of recommendations from the U.S.’s top Indian Affairs official to promote healing from the forced assimilation of American Indian and Alaska Native children. Twenty-two of…

By Gretchen Wehmhoff Around 200 cruise ship passengers became stranded in Yukon when a massive landslide between KM 106 and 24, (just past the Conrad Campground to Fraser, BC) blocked the Klondike Highway on the morning of June 24. The slide,…