Ferry cuts would impact many Petersburg residents

Dave Kensinger of Chelan Produce has a 38-year-long business history with the ferry system.

“I’ve probably ridden the ferry more than anybody else,” he said.

He uses the barge to ship produce (and has for a long while), but utilizes the ferry to travel back and forth between Sitka, where he also sells produce.

With a Senate Finance Subcommittee proposing a $12.3 million cut to the ferry system, reducing service to Petersburg and other Southeast communities, Kensinger said he and his wife are looking to fly back and forth to Sitka now, a more expensive avenue.

“The ferry system is unreliable,”...