April 23, 2015 Community Happenings

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Created on Thursday, 23 April 2015 10:23

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Tours to Assess

Safety of Roads

Paul Wistrand of the Federal Highway Administration will lead two tours, one walking and one biking, to assess the safety of roads/pathways on Thursday, May 7, in Sitka.

“I’m looking forward to the bike/pedestrian safety assessment,” Wistrand said. “It would be great to get a couple of bicyclists and/or walkers to join us in the assessment, and get their feedback and input into what bicycle and pedestrian features have had the greatest impact in the community.”

The walking safety assessment meets at Sitka National Historical Park at 9 a.m., and after some introductory comments will include a hike along the Sitka Sea Walk to Harrigan Centennial Hall. Participants then will mount bicycles for a bike tour along Halibut Point Road to Sea Mart and back. After each tour segment, participants will complete a short evaluation form. Maps are part of the first attachment linked below.

“The assessment will be a great way to get end users and officials from local, state and federal levels who are involved with bicycle and pedestrian facilities together,” Wistrand said. “It’s also a chance to highlight the many improvements to these facilities in Sitka that have contributed to Sitka’s twice being recognized as a bronze-level bike/walk friendly community.”

These safety assessments are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Safer People, Safer Streets” initiative, where Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx mandated USDOT field offices to partner with state and local communities to do corridor-level safety assessments. One of the reasons for these tours is to help transportation planners, state and local officials, and others learn more about some of the challenges faced by non-motorized transportation users. The safety assessment tours are free and open to the public.

For more information and to RSVP for the free tours, contact Paul Wistrand at 1-907-586-7148 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Sitka Cycling Events Set

For National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month, and Sitka cyclists will have plenty of opportunities to celebrate.

Not only is it National Bike Month, but May 6 is National Bike to School Day, May 11-15 is National Bike to Work Week and May 15 is National Bike to Work Day.

‘‘These are great times to leave the car at home and take the bike to work,’’ Sitka Cyclists said.

Local cyclists are being encouraged to take part in the second annual National Bike Challenge, which runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. This is the fourth year of the free national event, and the goal this year is having 75,000 people riding 35 million miles during the five months from May through September. Riders can win prizes for participating as individuals and/or teams. Individuals also earn points for their communities and states. This year, some Sitka organizations forming teams, and feel free to join the Sitka Cyclists team if you live in Sitka. Several different smartphone apps can track distance and record it.

One of the local highlights of National Bike Month is the Sitka Bike Rodeo, which this year takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka hangar. This free event teaches riders ages 12 and younger bike safety, provides the kids with bike safety checks, skills drills and more. It is hosted by the Sitka Rotary Club, U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka, Sitka Community Hospital, SEARHC, and the Sitka Police Department.

This also is the third year of National Bike to School Day, on Wednesday, May 6, to encourage students to develop healthy lifestyle habits such as riding a bike or walking. 

On May 6-7, members of the Sitka Community Hospital Injury Prevention Program and Sitka School District‘s Live-Well Program will host presentations at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School and Blatchley Middle School to teach the students about bike safety.

Paul Wistrand of the Federal Highway Administration will lead two tours, one walking and one biking, to assess the safety of roads/pathways on Thursday, May 7. The walking safety assessment starts at Sitka National Historical Park at 9 a.m., and after some introductory comments will include a hike along the Sitka Sea Walk to Harrigan Centennial Hall. Participants then will mount bicycles for a tour along Halibut Point Road to Sea Mart and back. After each tour segment, participants will complete a short evaluation form.

National Bike to Work Week kicks off Monday, May 11, which is when the League of American Bicyclists will announce its next group of Bicycle Friendly Communities. Sitka received its renewal of bronze-level status in May 2012, becoming the first Alaska community to earn a repeat designation. Sitka was Alaska’s first Bicycle Friendly Community in 2008.

Each year, Sitka hosts a National Bike to Work Week contest where people who ride their bikes to work or school on May 11-15 can stop by Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop to enter a contest to win a gift certificate from the shop and possibly other prizes donated by local merchants and organizations. The more times a person rides, the greater the chances to win.

Friday, May 15, is National Bike To Work Day and the University of Alaska Southeast-Sitka Campus will host its annual free pancake breakfast 7:30-9 a.m. Ride a bike to the university and get free pancakes, eggs and sausage, fresh off the griddle. Door prizes will be offered.

The 31st annual Julie Hughes Triathlon is 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, at Blatchley. The event is hosted by the Baranof Barracudas Swim Club. The triathlon features a five-mile run from Blatchley to the U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka entrance gate and back, a 14-mile bike ride from Blatchley to Starrigavan Recreation Area at the end of Halibut Point Road and back, and a 1,000-yard swim at the Blatchley swimming pool. A shorter course is available for ages 12 or younger. There is a $25 per participant entry fee for individuals and teams ($15 for ages 12 and younger), and proceeds from the triathlon benefit the Sitka Cancer Survivors Society. Event registration is online this year at http://www.juliehughestri.com/. Day-of-race registration closes at 8 a.m., and the race starts at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Kevin Knox at 738-4664 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

New this year is the Sitka Community Bike Ride and Cookout on Saturday, May 23. It will feature a short kid-friendly bike parade through downtown starting at 3 p.m. at Crescent Harbor shelter (or in front of Harrigan Centennial Hall, depending on the construction project). After a loop through downtown, at 3:45 p.m., cyclists will start a longer ride to Halibut Point Recreation Area, where a cookout is planned at 4:30 p.m. A bike mechanics area will be set up before the downtown parade and at Halibut Point Rec to oil chains and tweak gears. There will be contests for bike decorations, most visible bike, and more. For details, contact Sophie Nethercut or Sarah Komisar at 747-7509.

Finally, the Sitka office of the Southeast Alaska Independent Living  program will host an ORCA program bike day on Tuesday, May 26, with a ride 3-4:30 p.m. leaving from the SAIL office at 514 Lake Street. For details, contact Bridget Kratz at 747-6859.

For more information about the events, contact Charles Bingham at 738-8875 or Doug Osborne at 747-0373, or watch this site for updates.

Earth Week

Garden Party

To be Saturday

An Earth Week garden party is planned 2-4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm for those interested in meeting other gardeners and learning about how to grow food in Sitka’s rainy climate.

St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm is located behind St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church on Katlian Street. It is a communal garden that grows food to be sold at the Sitka Farmers Markets, at a table when Chelan Produce is in town, and used for various school lunch and hunger programs around town.

This year’s Sitka Farmers Markets are 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, July 4, July 18, Aug. 1, Aug. 15, Aug. 29 and Sept. 12, at the ANB Founders Hall, 235 Katlian Street.

“We will be putting starts in the ground, weeding and prepping beds for planting,” St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm lead gardener Laura Schmidt said.

The garden work parties are kid-friendly, so feel free to bring the munchkins to help, she said.

To learn more, call Schmidt at 738-7009 or 623-7003, or contact Sitka Local Foods Network board president Lisa Sadleir-Hart at 747-5985 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Core Class Set

Sitka Community Schools will host a core class 5:15-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays May 5-June 30 at Baranof Elementary School gym.

Core class is designed to improve  functional strength and balance using free weights that are provided.

No class will be held June 9, 11 and 16. The cost of 13 sessions is $65. Register at Sitka Community Schools office at Blatchley Middle School.

Technical Center

To be Dedicated

The Sitka School District invites the community to the Sitka High School Technical Center dedication 4-5 p.m. May 8 at the new center at 1000 Lake Street. An open house will follow from 5 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Library Commission

To Meet on May 6

The city Library Commission will meet 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, on the second floor of the Stratton location of Kettleson Memorial Library.

The public is invited to attend. Agenda items are expected to include discussions of: library programming; a recent proposal to consider a name change for the library; a budget update for the upcoming fiscal year; proposed changes to the library operating schedule; and progress on the library expansion project.

For further information, call Robb Farmer at 747-8708 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

STA Schedules

Annual Meet

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska annual meeting will meet 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Blatchley Middle School.

Tribal families are invited to attend. Current Tribal Elder of the Year Herman Davis and Tribal Citizen of the Year Nancy Douglas are invited guests.

In addition to the meeting will be information tables and displays beginning at 10 a.m. Tribal children are invited to use a play area with riding toys from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the pool, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Both are free of charge.

The day’s main events will be the annual report and announcement of the Tribal Citizen of the Year and Tribal Elder of the Year. 

Attendees also will be able to enter for door prize drawings by updating their STA enrollment information. Lunch, featuring a venison chili will be provided.

For information, contact Sitka Tribe of Alaska offices at 747-3207.

Harp Sing Sunday

The Fourth Sunday Sitka Sacred Harp Sing is set 3:30-5 p.m. April 26 at the Pioneers Home Chapel.  Beginners and listeners are welcome. Call 738-2089 for more information.

Author Wizenberg

To Offer Reading

Kettleson Memorial Library will present an evening reading with author Molly Wizenberg 7 p.m. Monday, April 27.

Wizenberg is the voice behind the website Orangette, named best food blog by the London Times and a nominee for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards.

Her books, ‘‘A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table’’ (Simon and Schuster, 2009), and ‘‘Delancey: A Man, A Woman, A Restaurant, A Marriage’’ (Simon and Schuster, 2014), were both New York Times bestsellers.

She also co-hosts the hit food-and-comedy podcast Spilled Milk. Molly and her husband Brandon Pettit live in Seattle with their daughter June, and together, they own and run the restaurants Delancey and Essex.

For more information contact Tiffany Brynner at 747-8708.

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