TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Daily Sitka Sentinel

March 20, 2019, Community Happenings

Testimony Taken

On SB63 at LIO

Public testimony on Senate Bill 63, which repeals the fish tax to municipalities, will be taken during the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee hearing 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21 (after invited testimony). 

The Sitka LIO will be open and available for testimony. Those with questions can call 747-6276.

Written testimony can be submitted to Senate.Community.And.Regional.Affairs@akleg.gov.

 

 

This Week in Girls on the Run

By Sitkans Against Family Violence

Girls on the Run is an empowerment-based program for girls in third through fifth grades, currently in its 11th season at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School! GOTR is more than an after-school activity; it is a program designed to bring girls together with strength and resilience and prepare them for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games, GOTR prepares girls for a final celebratory 5K fun run while teaching life-skills and unleashing confidence!

For the first two weeks, GOTR participants have been focusing on positive versus negative self-talk, and how to respect ourselves and others by choosing to be positive. Girls learn about their “Star Power” where they can imagine then encourage others and oneself to let the Star Power within shine brightly. Girls become aware of negative self-talk and how it influences us, and learn how to catch and challenge negative self-talk by practicing their positive self-talk. Here’s what participants have to say:

–‘‘Star Power is something in your mind that you can visualize that’s something good about you. It shares kindness and friendship to everybody.”

–‘‘It’s like a positive feeling that shines bright inside our body to make you happy and comfortable.”

–‘‘Star Power shines bright like when we popped our negative self-talk balloon.”

Throughout this season, GOTR will keep providing the Sitka community with updates from the program. We also hope to give mentors and parents’ an opportunity to pass on skills from GOTR to the youths in your life! Here are some conversations starters for talking with kids about positive self-talk (adapted from the GOTR Grown-up Guide®). 

–We all have positive thoughts sometimes and negative thoughts sometimes. How do you feel when there are negative thoughts in your head? Positive thoughts?

–When you are around someone who has negative thoughts, how does that make you feel? When you’re around someone with positive thoughts?

–Is it our choice to change negative or positive thoughts? (Yes!)

–Is there a sound/signal we can use if we hear our family saying something negative about ourselves? We can use it to remind ourselves to choose to be positive in that moment!

 

Girls on the Run is brought to you by Sitkans Against Family Violence.  Call 747-3493 for more information.

 

Local Business Supports Sitka’s Students

Allen Marine Inc. has purchased a garden shed built by students in the Sitka High School career and technical education advanced construction class.

The shed was part of a partnership between the Sitka School District and Sitka Conservation Society to enhance students’ educational experience with projects that utilize materials from small mills across Southeast Alaska, the flagship example being the Tongass Tiny Home. The shed incorporates red cedar shingles and young-growth Sitka spruce siding, a more sustainable timber alternative. 

The partnership has brought new resources into the Sitka School District and exposed students to local industries, including construction, milling, electrical, plumbing and now, thanks to Allen Marine, tourism and the many high-value trades that support it. One of the goals of the construction class is to teach students the basics of professionalism and raise their awareness of opportunities in the local economy.

The shed will find a home on one of Allen Marine’s business properties and revenue from the sale will be reinvested in the vocational education program, benefitting local workforce development and the emerging second growth industry in Southeast Alaska.

Sitka Conservation Society expressed its appreciation to Allen Marine for their support and to the Sitka School District and Mike Vieira for their work on behalf of Sitka’s students. To inquire about the Tiny Home or future garden sheds, contact SCS at 747-7509.

 

 

Local Businesses Win Sitka Green Business Awards

Twelve Sitka businesses, organizations and agencies were awarded a 2019 “Sitka Green Business Award” by the Sitka Global Warming Group.

Nine businesses received the highest recognition, the Platinum level award, and three received a Gold level award.

This is the 10th year that SGWG has recognized, encouraged, and thanked local businesses, organizations and others that are doing positive things for the community, environment and economy. Many businesses are engaged in practices such as carpooling, recycling, composting, installing bike racks, re-using items, and energy conservation. These and other positive “green” actions benefit the environment, save money, and increase the community’s sustainability and resilience. The awards recognize leadership in sustainability in the business community. With this year’s winners, 244 awards have been presented to more than 80 Sitka businesses since the first awards in 2010.

The award winners by category are:

Platinum (15-plus green practices), Alaskan Dream Cruises, Allen Marine Tours, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Pet’s Choice Veterinary Hospital, Sitka Food Co-op, Sitka Soup, St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, U.S. Forest Service - Sitka Office, Winter Song Soap Company; Gold (10-14 green practices), Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce, Stereo North and Youth Advocates of Sitka.

“We recognize and appreciate these award-winning businesses and their contribution to the sustainability of our community. The way they do their work supports Sitka in an environmental, financial, and social sense,” said Michelle Putz, coordinator for the awards and SGWG leader. “We also recognize and thank the employees at these businesses since they are the people who often implement these green actions.”

Putz encourages the community to support these businesses, organizations, and others that support Sitka.

Businesses and others earn awards based on implementing simple and complex green practices. The more actions a business implements the higher their award level.

SGWG’s current nomination form has more than 35 “best management” practices that are used to determine the green business awards. The list is based on the activities many Sitka businesses are already doing to support community and reduce their impact on the environment.

Businesses that are recognized receive a “2019 Sitka Green Business Award” certificate that can be displayed to identify it as a green business.

Sitka Conservation Society lists the businesses on its webpage, http://www.sitkawild.org/sitka_global_warming_group, under green businesses.

“Take a walk around town and you will notice the certificates displayed proudly,” Putz said. “We hope that our green business website also brings some much-deserved recognition and business to our award winners.” 

Nominations to recognize other Sitka businesses are still being accepted for a second round of 2019 awards coming up later in the spring; SGWG accepts nominations through email awards, either from businesses themselves or from customers. The nomination form and instructions to nominate a business, agency, organization or other group can be found online at https://tinyurl.com/y75ltut8. 

After 10 years, this is the final year that SGWG will be presenting the award program, Putz said.

“We hope to find an organization that would like to continue to recognize and encourage green business practices,’’ she said. ‘‘This program has been a wonderful way to work with and get to know Sitka businesses and other entities. We know that our winners’ commitment to this community will go on whether we recognize them or not, and that should be heartening to us all.” 

 

Herring Harvester

Meeting Thursday

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska will host a subsistence herring egg harvester meeting 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi.

Tribal staff will cover the subsistence herring egg harvest and the harvester surveys. Subsistence harvesters are being encouraged to attend.

 

Swans and Waterfowl in the Sitka Area

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released information on feeding wildlife, especially at Swan Lake and Starrigavan Estuary.

‘‘In some cases, it is even illegal,’’ Fish and Game said.

The department often receives reports of swans and other waterfowl being fed in these areas.

‘‘While feeding swans and other waterfowl is not illegal, it is not a good idea,’’ ADF&G said. ‘‘Often the food fed to them is unsuitable for their nutritional needs, undigestible and causes health issues.’’

In addition, feeding leads to unnatural concentrations of birds which increases disease and parasite risks, increases their risk of being struck by vehicles, and waterfowl expecting a handout can become aggressive.

‘‘If you do choose to feed waterfowl, it is best to stick as close to their natural vegetarian diet as possible,’’ ADF&G said in a press release.

The department said some examples of acceptable supplemental foods include dark lettuces, spinach, shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, grain, wheat, whole oats, brown rice, lentils, split peas and cracked corn. Food should be shredded/cut into manageable sizes for swallowing.

If possible, food should be tossed into shallow water to assist with swallowing. Otherwise, drop the food and move out of the immediate area to give swans and other waterfowl ample room to approach and eat without stress.

Foods that are sugary, starchy or high in fat should not be fed to waterfowl. Avoid processed food, candy, fast food, bread, donuts, chips, cookies and cereal. These foods provide little nutritional value for swans and can lead to nutritional imbalances and life-threatening complications, the press release said. For example, a condition called ‘‘angel wing’’ has been attributed to artificial diets, which results in birds being unable to fly.

Pets should be kept out of the immediate area of the birds. It is illegal to harass swans and other waterfowl, or allow pets or children to do so.

Photo opportunities are best accomplished with a telephoto lens which allows one’s presence to not negatively affect the birds’ behavior, ADF&G said.

 

Job Application

Workshop Listed

UAS-Sitka Campus will host a free workshop on job applications 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, at the Student Success Center in Room 226.

Experts from UAS and the state Department of Labor will be on hand to craft a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile, or help practice interview skills. 

Snacks and beverages will be provided. The event is open to the public.

For information or accommodations, contact Angela Hilsman at aehilsman@alaska.edu, or call 747-7797. Participants are being encouraged to send their drafts beforehand.

The workshop is part of UAS Sitka’s Career Development Series.

 

Health Networking

Lunch on Friday 

The Sitka Health Summit Coalition’s monthly networking and learning lunch will be noon-1:30 p.m. Friday, March 22, at the Sitka Community Hospital classroom.

The purpose of the open public meeting is to spark partnerships and promote cross sector collaboration, learning and networking to improve well-being in Sitka. For information contact Doug Osborne at 747-0373 or Holly Marban at hmarban@searhc.org.

 

 

 Bicycle Club Ride

Slated Saturday

The Sitka Cycling Club will host a group ride noon Saturday, March 23. The ride will start and end at the BEAK Restaurant.

Live music and 20 percent off food at BEAK, as part of the new Bicycle Benefits program, will follow the ride.

The ride on the Cross Trail will last about 45 minutes. For information and to sign up for the Sitka Cycling Club, go to https://sitkacycling.wordpress.com or call Doug Osborne at 747-0373 or Emma Klein at 966-8785.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.

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