April 21, 2015 Community Happenings

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Category: News

Created on Tuesday, 21 April 2015 09:46

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Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Gets

Good Lab Inspection Marks

 After two days of inspection earlier this month by a professional analyst from the College of American Pathologists, the results of Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital’s CAP inspection were the best in the hospital’s history.

SEARHC said that inspectors found no deficiencies in crucial areas of testing, including microbiology, blood banking and laboratory leadership. Additionally, as part of the inspection, the CAP inspector met with representatives from the hospital administration and commented that the laboratory’s quality program is among the best she has ever seen anywhere.

The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program is based on rigorous accreditation standards and is an internationally recognized program. It is the only one of its kind that uses teams of practicing laboratory professionals as inspectors and goes well beyond regulatory compliance. These strict standards help laboratories achieve the highest standards of excellence which, in turn, positively impact patient care. Inspections occur every two years, and determine the overall accreditation status of the laboratory. It is considered the gold standard for hospital laboratories across the country.

SEARHC’s Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Laboratory is overseen by Constance Stager, SEARHC director of laboratories; and pathologist Dr. James Tiesinga. Stager attributed her department’s performance to strong collaborative relationships and a high level of respect that exists among the laboratory and the medical staff, nursing, surgical services, administration and other MEH departments and SEARHC clinics.

“It was the best inspection we have ever had, with the fewest deficiencies,” Stager said. “None of the four deficiencies found had any impact on patient care. They were all minor, with two being corrected on the spot. These inspection results demonstrate the high quality of Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Laboratory staff and services provided to our partners within the Consortium who utilize MEH as their primary reference laboratory.”

GOTR Ready for

May 2 Fun Run

Girls on the Run participants are getting ready for their 5K Fun Run – and are seeking help make the event happen.

Sitkans Against Family Violence is seeking volunteers to help participants at the 7th annual 5K set 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 2.

Volunteers can help as running buddies and with the start or finish line celebration. The finish line at the basketball courts along the seawalk. Volunteer positions vary in time and location, and quite a few will allow volunteers to run in the event. Register at: tinyurl.com/Sitka5K2015. Contact Elena at 747-3370 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions.

Nurses Day

Celebration On

Nurses throughout the community are invited to a celebratory lunch in  recognition of Nurses Day 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, at UAS-Sitka Campus.

It is hosted by the Nursing Leadership Teams from Mt. Edgecumbe Hospita/SEARHC and Sitka Community Hospital.

Attendees should RSVP by May 1 by calling Shoshauna Schmidt at 966-8575. 

Chamber to Meet

Scott Habberstad of Alaska Airlines will speak at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon noon Wednesday. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

Luncheons are open to the public. For more information, call the Sitka Chamber office at 747-8604. Visit the website at www.sitkachamber.com for a calendar of events and upcoming lunches. 

Blatchley PAC

Meets Tuesday

The Blatchley Middle School parent advisory committee will meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the school.

Pamela Stahla-Kernin and Ben White will present information to students and families about fifth-graders transitioning to sixth grade.

Call the school office at 747-8395 with questions.

‘Hunting Ground’

Film to be Shown

The highly-acclaimed documentary ‘‘The Hunting Ground,’’ that is still in theaters in the lower 48 states, will be shown 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at UAS-Sitka Campus in Room 229.

The film is being presented as a partnership between UAS, SEARHC and SAFV. It explores a dark secret of campus life across the United States: sexual assault that is not only under-reported, but is covered up and protected by the most prestigious colleges in America, sponsors said.

Admission is free and popcorn will be provided by the University. The film is rated PG-13. 

The movie “enrages, yet makes its case in an even-tempered manner,” said Bill Stamets of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly calls it “heartbreaking, infuriating, and unmissable.”

“This is an emotionally devastating piece of advocacy journalism, as it should be. It should also be mandatory viewing for both college-age teens and their parents,” Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle said.

Only about 5 percent of campus sexual assaults are reported, and between 90 and 98 percent of the claims of assault are true, the movie said. The victims include both men and women, and, about 3 percent of men and from 11 to 20 percent of women experience rape during their college years. 

Kirby Dick, the writer/director of ‘‘The Hunting Ground,’’ and Amy Ziering, its producer, collaborated on the 2014 Oscar-nominated documentary ‘‘The Invisible War,’’ which documents sexual abuse in the U.S. military. They stated that as they screened ‘‘The Invisible War’’ on college campuses across the country, they were approached by college abuse victims who said, “Please do a film about sexual assault on college campuses. We are experiencing the same thing here that you report in the Armed Services.”

Dick and Ziering reported in a recent interview that when they arrived at Sundance this January, they weren’t sure how the film would be received. They were gratified by “multiple standing ovations” at screenings in Park City, Utah ... and the film has reported healthy box office receipts in its limited national release since February 27.

Martina Kurzer of Sitkans Against Family Violence has stepped forward to co-sponsor the film showing with UAS. 

“We think it is very important for all young people who plan to go to college – and their parents – to see this film and be aware of what is going on at colleges across the country,’’ Kurzer said. ‘‘We think this is very important information for both male and female students.”

The film’s trailer can be viewed at http://j.mp/huntingground

‘Birds of Sitka’

Art Show in May

The City of Sitka and the Greater Sitka Arts Council invite the public to the Birds of Sitka art show May 1-May 31. The opening reception is 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 1, at the second floor lobby of City Hall.

  For more information, call or email Norm Campbell, 747-5941 or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or  Laura Kaltenstein, 752-7684 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Tlingit & Haida Council

Holds Tribal Assembly

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s 80th Annual Tribal Assembly was brought to a close on April 17 at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau.

Tribal host Herman Davis Sr. of Sitka and Tribal hostess Shirley Kendall of Anchorage joined 115 delegates from Southeast Alaska, Anchorage, San Francisco and Seattle.

Central Council is a regional federally-recognized tribe governed by 137 Delegates representing nearly 30,000 enrolled tribal citizens. Delegates are elected to a two-year term and are the governing body during Tribal Assembly that possess the sovereign and plenary power to legislate for and govern, conduct and manage the affairs and property of Central Council.

Delegates adopted 26 resolutions submitted by Tlingit & Haida Community Councils and Delegates. Key resolutions gave support for the expansion of Medicaid; reduction of halibut bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea trawl fisheries; passage of a new tribal statute authorizing the development of language emersion charter schools, amendments to the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Act, establishing an Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October of every year; and the withdrawal of the state’s request for a rehearing in the Tununak II v. State of Alaska case.

The delegation also heard reports on business development activities under the Tlingit Haida Tribal Business Corporation; 2014 financial audit; and activities of the Tribal Court which included a recent announcement of the Central Council’s new Title IV-E maintenance agreement with the State of Alaska that increases the role of the Tribe and Tribal Court in child welfare services including foster care placement.

On the final day of the assembly, Delegates addressed the very heavy topic of modifying the Tribe’s governing structure in order to reduce general government costs following recent changes in federal regulations for the administration of federal funding. After much deliberation, the governing body agreed to amend the Delegate ratio in the Rules of Election eliminating 32 Delegate seats and reducing the total number of Delegates from 137 to 105.

Nutrition Talk

Sessions on Tap

A four-week Nutrition Talk series is slated 7 p.m. Tuesdays, April 28-May 19, at the Hames Center.

All are invited to join Jessica Holland, nutritionist from SEARHC, and learn about what to eat, why and how much. She will discuss whole grains, the meaning behind labels and portion sizes.

Presentations are free, with a $5  suggested donation for the Hames Wellness Fund towards seniors with limited income. More information is at   www.hamescenter.org or 747-5080.

Women’s Night

At Hames Center

Hames Center will offer a women’s night 5-7 p.m. Saturday, April 25.

Fitness and Facials Saturday is free for all women who can sign up in advance at Hames Center or through the website at www.hamescenter.org.

Sitka’s health and fitness professionals will be on hand, including Sitka Physical Therapy’s Jessica Pyatt, personal trainer Dawn Johnson and Botanika Organic Spa, Eco-Boutique and Tonic Bar’s Koali Pontual Thorne.

A drawing will be held at 7 p.m for a free facial at Botanika.

Sitkans to be On the Go

For National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month and several activities have been planned to mark the event in Sitka.

The National Bike Challenge is  May 1-Sept. 30. Go to http://nationalbikechallenge.org/ to register. Riders can earn points as individuals and for teams, communities and states. Log in  miles and win monthly prizes, and at the end of the summer. Cyclists can join the Sitka Cyclists team on the website.

Sitka Bike Rodeo is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka hangar. The event is free and open to the public, especially kids younger than 12. Participants will learn bike safety and get their bikes and helmets checked. It is hosted by Rotary Club of Sitka, U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka, Sitka Community Hospital, SEARHC, and Sitka Police Department.

Wednesday, May 6, is National Bike To School Day. Students around the nation are being encouraged to ride their bikes to school, and many schools are hosting special events and lessons about bike safety. Parents can ride their bikes to school with their kids. To learn more and register for local school events, go to http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/.

The FHWA Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Assessment is Thursday, May 7. Paul Wistrand of the Federal Highway Administration will lead two tours, one walking and one biking, to assess the safety of roads/pathways in Sitka. This is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Safer People, Safer Streets” campaign. The tours are open to the public, and evaluation forms will be completed. Call 586-7148 with questions.

May 11-15 is National Bike To Work Week. People from around the country are being encouraged to ride their bikes to work this week. In Sitka, Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop is sponsoring a contest where local riders can enter each day they bike for a chance to win a gift certificate at Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop. There is a possibility of prizes from other merchants/groups. Stop by the shop to enter, and the winner will be announced on Saturday, May 16, at the Julie Hughes Triathlon. For information about National Bike Month, National Bike to Work Week and National Bike to Work Day, go to http://www.bikeleague.org/bikemonth/.

National Bike To Work Day is Friday, May 15. Sitka cyclists who ride their bikes to work or school can stop by from 7:30-9 a.m. at the UAS-Sitka Campus for a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs, hot off the grill. Enter to win a door prize.

On Saturday, May 16, the 31st Annual Julie Hughes Triathlon is scheduled. The 5-mile run, 14-mile bike, 1,000-yard swim multisport event takes place at 9 a.m. at Blatchley Middle School. There is a special short course of 1.5-mile run, 6-mile bike, 500-yard swim for kids younger than 12 years old. Enter as an individual or team at http://www.juliehughestri.com/. Divisions are available for adults and kids. The entry fee is $25 per person, $15 for age 12 and younger (teams are $50 for two people and $75 for three, price includes a T-shirt). The event is hosted by the Baranof Barracudas Swim Club and part of the money raised is for the Sitka Cancer Survivors Society. Day of race registration closes at 8 a.m.

On Saturday, May 23, will be the Sitka Community Bike Ride and Cookout. Participants should meet at 3 p.m. at Crescent Harbor shelter. All ages are invited. At 3:45, cyclists ride to Halibut Point Recreation Area for food, bike maintenance demos and bike decoration contests starting at 4:30 p.m. Contact 747-7509 for more information.

The SAIL-ORCA Biking Day Event will be 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, at the Southeast Alaska Independent Living office, 514 Lake Street, and the group will pick a route to ride based on weather. ORCA participants will use bikes and trikes, and SAIL has a couple of trikes for loan. Call 747-6859.

For information about the monthlong events, contact Charles Bingham at 738-8875 or go to http://sitkacycling.wordpress.com/

Food Network’s

Mentors Ready

To Plant Veggies

Sitkans are invited to plant their vegetable garden along with the Sitka Local Foods Network’s two second-year garden mentor families.

The two families – Anna Bradley and Tami O’Neill – participated in the first year of the program last summer, and now they’re back for more. The two returning families will be planting carrots, chard, green onions and peas this year.

The four crops are slightly more difficult crops to grow that our first-year plantings of kale, lettuce, potatoes and rhubarb.

SLFN said that although this year’s crops are more difficult to grow, many gardeners in Sitka still have good results with these vegetables. The classes at each location will be similar, and they are free and open to the public.

The schedule is: Anna Bradley, 4764 Halibut Point Road, 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, and Tami O’Neill, 2309 Merganser Drive, 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 23.

The schedule of first classes for the  four first-year gardening families also has been posted and those classes are open to the public.

Michelle Putz has been contracted to coordinate the program and design lesson plans. The Sitka Local Foods Network received a community development grant from First Bank. About a half-dozen experienced Sitka gardeners serve as mentors for the program. For more information, contact Putz at 747-2708.

Fileting, Deheading

Of  Fish  Prohibited

Marine boat anglers returning to ports where and when on-site Alaska Department of Fish and Game creel surveys are conducted will be prohibited from filleting, mutilating, and de-heading sport caught lingcod, nonpelagic rockfish, and king and coho salmon.

Anglers returning to any port on the road system of Sitka from 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 27, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, may not fillet, mutilate, or de-head the fish until the fish have been brought to shore and offloaded, unless the fish have been consumed or preserved on board.

The restriction is intended to maximize information obtained through Fish and Game angler interview and dockside sampling programs. Southeast Alaska management plans adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries require length and sex information for lingcod, length information for nonpelagic rockfish, and identification of tagged king and coho salmon, which can be obtained only when fish are intact.

The action does not prohibit gutting and gilling fish before returning to port. Anglers may fillet and head king and coho salmon, lingcod, and nonpelagic rockfish on board a vessel once it is tied up at a docking facility where the fish will be offloaded. For further information, contact the nearest ADF&G office or visit: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.eonr.

Communication 

Toolkit Class Set

Sitka Community Hospital and the UAS-Sitka Campus are teaming up to teach a free communication toolkit workshop 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29.

The interactive class will be in room 229 at UAS and will cover a wide variety of workplace communication topics, including: speaking with clarity, effective meetings, presentation skills, active listening, and communicating through difficult conversations.

The program was developed by California-based company CRM Learning and the overall goal is for participants to leave with at least two practical tools that they can start using and benefiting from right away.

For more information or to reserve a spot call workshop instructor Doug Osborne at 747-0373.

Fun Run May 2

Sitkans Against Family Violence  invites the community to its One in a Million Fun Run 10 a.m. May 2 at the basketball courts along the sea walk.

Participants of the 7th Girls on the Run season are working toward their 5K goal. All are welcome to join in the 5K and start- and finish-line celebrations, or spread out along the course through Sitka National Historical Park as cheerleaders, SAFV said.

Volunteers are also needed. Sign up at tinyurl.com/Sitka5K2015. For more information contact Elena at 747-3370 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Film Society, BBSC

To Show Movie

The Baranof Barracuda Swim Club and the Sitka Film Society will screen the documentary “Touch the Wall” 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Downtown Coliseum Theater.

The film tracks the journey of two swimmers: superstar Missy Franklin, who was destined for greatness at an early age, and veteran swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce, who helped push Franklin on to realize those sky-high expectations.

Tickets are $8 for general admission, and $5 for kids, at Old Harbor Books. Those with questions may call 738-0602.

Sitka Rotary Sets

Kids Bike Rodeo

The Rotary Club of Sitka will hold the annual Kids Bike Rodeo 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Coast Guard Air Station Sitka hangar on Japonski Island.

The free event offers kids a chance to get a free helmet; get helmets, tires and brakes checked; get bikes registered to protect from theft; and pick up some reflective gear for clothing and bicycles.

Kids learn the rules of the road and challenge their skills on the Road Challenge obstacle course.

The event is part of National Bike Month. Co-sponsors of the rodeo with the Sitka Rotary Club are SEARHC, Sitka Community Hospital, the Sitka Police Department, Girl Scouts, Coast Guard and the Sitka Bike Friendly Coalition. Call 738-0602 with questions.

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