Articles written by Melinda Munson


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 4 of 4

  • Skagway approves $3.2 million plan to protect cruise ship dock from rockslides

    Melinda Munson, Skagway News|Oct 26, 2022

    The Skagway borough assembly has unanimously approved spending almost $3.2 million for a temporary solution to protect cruise ships, their passengers and the dock itself from frequent rockslides. Several slides have come down this year, hitting the railroad dock and forcing the closure of the forward berth, costing the community lost tourism business. Even while using the forward berth, ships had to tender their passengers to shore using small boats from the other side of the vessel to avoid putting people the dock. This year’s slides r...

  • Skagway may contract with SEARHC to take over health clinic

    Melinda Munson, Skagway News|Aug 17, 2022

    The Skagway Borough Assembly has directed the borough manager to pursue negotiations for the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium to take over management of the community health clinic and lease the municipally owned building. In the meantime, the Dahl Memorial Clinic, which costs the municipality about $1 million per year to operate, will get a temporary executive director at the price of about $150,000 for three months through a company that also sells training and restructuring services to health centers. The company has prepared a...

  • Skagway assembly votes $200,000 in child care subsidies

    Melinda Munson, Skagway News|Jun 29, 2022

    The Skagway borough assembly has earmarked $200,000 in subsidies for two licensed child care start-ups. The funding comes amid a child care crisis in Skagway that Assemblymember Reba Hylton, sponsor of the funding, said has been a chronic issue. “When I first found out I was pregnant 10 years ago, before I told my own mother, I went to Grandma Linda and secured my spot to get child care, because I knew that I could not make it in this community without her help,” Hylton said. With the closing of Mighty Munchkins Daycare earlier this year, Ska...

  • Skagway dogs ride a bus to their daily walk

    Melinda Munson, Skagway News|Mar 9, 2022

    It's raining cold, large drops that pool on the treacherous ice in Skagway, making it the kind of day that discourages dog walking. Regardless, Mo Mountain Mutts pulls up to Seven Pastures in their shiny white minibus and nine dogs of varying sizes disembark. They shed their leashes and head to Skagway River under the direction of Mo and Lee Thompson, forging their own path through the foliage. Once the pets reach the sand, they sprint, sniff, wrestle and socialize. Mo Thompson offers advice...