February 12, 2016 Community Happenings

Details

Category: News

Created on Friday, 12 February 2016 12:27

Hits: 11429

Crash Course

In Clay at UAS

The ceramics program at UAS is offering a new workshop-style approach to art instruction titled “Crash Course in Clay.”

Instead of a three-credit class that spans a semester, this approach offers students an eight-session evening class that meets Feb. 23-April 12. Each Tuesday night, 6-9 p.m., UAS art professor Liz Zacher will guide students in their exploration of working in clay. The course will focus on hand-building techniques of creating both functional pieces and sculptural works of art.

The ceramics facility at UAS, including three types of kilns, offers students an opportunity to discover the use of pressed slab, molded, coiling, and pinch-pot techniques, which provide both a solid foundation and a variety of methods that even beginners can use to complete ceramic projects.

“I call it a ‘crash course’ because a lot of information will be taught in a short period of time,’’ Zacher said. ‘‘The ceramic medium is one that is approached from a variety of different processes and techniques. I think providing people with the opportunity to have a sampling of some of these methods will reveal the many possibilities that clay has to offer.”

Students may sign up for the course in person at the UAS front desk or online at uas.alaska.edu/sitka. They may also call the Sitka Campus at 747-7700 for assistance.

Videoconferenced

Seminars at UAS

Through the month of February, UAS Sitka will be broadcasting seminars from UAF on topics in environmental and human health.

The next will be 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, in room 106 at the UAS campus. Dr. Brian Himelbloom, associate professor of seafood microbiology, will speak on seafood safety, specifically paralytic shellfish poisoning.

The public is invited to attend.

Office Closure

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska Social Services office will be closed Feb. 24-26 for staff training.

Those needing services should make arrangements prior to Feb. 24. Staff will return on Feb. 29.

Questions can be forwarded to STA’s main office number, 747-7293, or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Visiting Pastor

At Eaglequest

Pastor Mikael Reale of France will share the gospel of Jesus Christ at Eaglequest Ministries,  601  Alice Loop Road, 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

The public is invited to attend.

Public Library

Commemorated

Sitka Public Library will commemorate its 93rd anniversary on Sunday, March 20 with a grand opening celebration of the newly expanded site at 320 Harbor Drive.

A committee is being formed to plan the event, which is expected to include music, storytelling, refreshments, a historical retrospective of the library and official recognition of those who helped to make the new building a reality.

Those interested in joining the committee, or for further information, can contact Robb Farmer at 747-4021 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

SEARHC Clinics

Close on Feb. 16,

Peratrovich Day

All SEARHC outpatient clinics and administrative offices will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 16, to observe the achievements of Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich.

‘‘Elizabeth Peratrovich Day is a special day for SEARHC’s Alaska Native patients and staff,’’ SEARHC said. ‘‘It is important that SEARHC honors her accomplishments and legacy.’’

‘‘It was Peratrovich’s impassioned testimony before the Alaska Territorial Legislature in 1945 that led to the passage of an Anti-Discrimination Bill eliminating the blatant discrimination policies faced by Alaska Natives. On Feb. 16, 1945, Territorial Governor Ernest Gruening signed the Act into law, marking the first anti-discrimination bill introduced and passed in Alaska and was enacted nearly 20 years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Before the bill was passed, Alaska Natives were treated as second-class citizens, finding it difficult to obtain housing, regularly seeing signs banning Native entry to public facilities, and were subjected to many Alaska businesses unwilling to serve them,’’ a press release from SEARHC said.

‘‘On Feb. 6, 1988, the Alaska Legislature established Feb. 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, using the anniversary date of the bill’s signing in 1945, to honor her; ‘for her courageous, unceasing efforts to eliminate discrimination and bring about equal rights in Alaska.’ It is a day set aside so Alaskans can pause to remember the former Grand Camp President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and honor her efforts to preserve equality and justice for all Alaskans regardless of race, creed and ethnic background,’’ the press release said.

Patients may call the Consortium’s After Hours Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-613-0560 to speak with a medical service representative or registered nurse if a health issue should arise when the clinics are closed. Patients may also access SEARHC’s eHealth app for web-based assistance by visiting searhc.org/nurse-line.

Heath Barger Appointed

To Shee Atika Inc. Board

The Shee Atiká Incorporated board of directors has appointed Heath Barger to the board to succeed Gene Bartolaba, effective Feb. 6.

Shee Atiká is the corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act for the Alaska Natives historically residing in and around Sitka.  

“We were challenged as a board to find a suitable successor to Gene Bartolaba, who served our corporation for almost 30 years as a director,’’ Dr. Ken Cameron said. ‘‘The board deeply appreciates and thanks Gene for his service. We are confident that in Heath Barger, we have found a suitable successor to Gene.”

Barger was born in Sitka and is Tsimshian Wolf. He works as a construction project manager/estimator for Sealaska Constructors LLC and currently resides in Bellevue, Wash. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business management and a master of science in construction management.

“As a shareholder, former intern, past scholarship recipient, and grandson of one of Shee Atiká Incorporated’s founders, I have a vested interested in the current and future direction of our corporation,’’ Barger said. ‘‘I look forward to utilizing my professional knowledge and life’s experiences to bring new ideas to the boardroom and to see that Shee Atiká remains sustainably profitable for the current generation of shareholders and for future shareholders to come.”

Unitarians Gather

Sunday’s Unitarian Fellowship program will focus on “Escalating Inequality,” an exploration of the complex realities of economic inequality, which exists at every level, from local to global, and is composed of interrelated systems of education, income, housing, taxation, democracy, banking, public health, and workplace policies.

Fellowship begins at 10:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 10:45 a.m. Soup and bread follow at noon.  The Fellowship Hall is located at 408 Marine Street, with parking behind off Spruce Street.

Story Time Set

‘‘Polar Bear’s Underwear,’’ by Tupera Tupera, will be one of the readings during the next preschool story time program at Sitka Public Library 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18.

For more information, call the library at 747-8708.

Rhymes, songs and a craft project  will be part of the program.

Babies and Books

Event Set Feb. 27

Sitka Babies and Books will hold its annual event with a party about the alphabet at Sitka Public Library 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27.

“We Love The Alphabet” will include readings, games and activities. Every child registered will get a free board book. The event is free but registration is required to get the book. For more information, call the library at 747 8708

SCH Board Sets

Budget Training

Sitka Community Hospital will  hold a board budget training 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, in the hospital training room.

Training is open to the public. Those with questions can contact Wendy Fowler at 747-1725.

Little League

Sets Tryouts

Sitka Little League tryouts and skills evaluation has been set for Feb. 14 and 21 at Blatchley Middle School.

The schedule based upon the player’s Little League age for baseball and softball includes the following. Players should arrive 15 minutes before their schedule times.

Softball, 13-16 years, noon-1 p.m.; softball, 9-12 years, 1-2 p.m.; baseball 9-10, 2-3 p.m.; baseball 11-12, 3-4 p.m.; baseball 13-16, 4-5 p.m.; play-up/make ups, 7-8 years, 5-6 p.m.

Players must be registered to try out. Go to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register.

Rainy Day Bazaar

Slated March 26

The Coast Guard Spouses’ and Women’s Association will hold its annual Rainy Day Bazaar 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the UAS-Sitka  Campus.

Tables are still available at $40 each. Those who want to be a vendor can contact Maia Nendza at 269-757-3066 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

All proceeds will go to help various non-profit groups in Sitka.

Sitka Artist Exhibit

In Anchorage

Nicholas Galanin challenges the appropriation of Native culture in his latest exhibition ‘‘Kill the Indian, Save the Man’’ on view through April 10 at the Anchorage Museum.

“The legacy of human rights violations experienced by First Nations people still reverberate today,” Galanin said.

“Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” explores this topic. 

Galanin said his exhibition at the Anchorage Museum “unites respect, relationship and a homage to our communities, a harmony with land and environment, and a history of survival through sculptural installation, sound, moving image, performance, collaboration and adornment.”

“Kill the Indian, Save the Man” includes collaborations with other artists, including Jerrod Galanin under the pseudonym Leonard Getinthecar, and No Pigs In Paradise with Nep Sidhu.

The Patricia B. Wolf Solo Exhibition Series is presented with support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Anchorage Museum Foundation’s Alaska Airlines Silver Anniversary Fund.

Tribal Council

Meeting Change

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tribal Council has moved its regular monthly meeting to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Sheet’ka Kwáan Naa Kahídi.  The meeting is open to the public, and features a “tribal citizens to be heard” item for public comment.

For information, contact Kathy Hope Erickson at 747-7352.

Father, Son Teach NW

Coast Art Classes at UAS

Sitka Native artists Dave Galanin and his son, Nicholas, will teach two separate Northwest Coast art workshops, beginning Feb. 23 and March 7.

On Feb. 23, Dave Galanin will begin a seven-night engraving workshop  for 1 credit. Held 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, the class will focus on metal engraving of jewelry or small sculptures using copper or silver. Dave Galanin will teach students how to use the tools and techniques that have been developed by Native Alaskan artists over thousands of years. The final session will be March 15.

Dave Galanin is a master of Northwest Coast engraving, and will show students how to turn copper and silver into jewelry, practical items, or collectible art.

Starting March 7, Nicholas Galanin will conduct a 12-session workshop  for 2 credits in Northwest Coast Chasing and Repoussé. Classes will meet at UAS 6-9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays through April 12. Nicholas Galanin’s class will emphasize technique and the plasticity of metal. It is both exercise and project-based through individualized instruction, tailored to the student’s ability and goals. The process of making chasing tools will be covered. Chasing and repoussé is an old technique that has been used by Tlingit culture before contact with European cultures. The class goal is to introduce the student to the process and technique, giving them enough knowledge to practice this process on their own.

Both classes are numbered Art S280, Northcoast Art, selected topics.

For information or registration help, contact the UAS front desk at 747-7700.

Shee Atiká shareholders may apply before the class for a cultural and heritage short-term study scholarship by calling Lillian at 747-3534, extension 101.

Miss Indian World

Pageant Registers

The 33rd Annual Gathering of Nations, the world’s largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people, has begun accepting applications for the 2016 Miss Indian World competition.

Every year, Native American women representing their different tribes and traditions compete for the title of Miss Indian World in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, public speaking, essay, and personality assessment.  The 2016 Miss Indian World will serve as a cultural goodwill ambassador for all Native and indigenous people on behalf of the Gathering of Nations for one year. 

The pageant is open to any single woman ages 18-25 who has never been married, has no children, and has knowledge of tribal traditions. The application includes a personal essay, two letters of recommendation, a current photograph, and proof of tribal affiliation. Applications must be received by March 20, 2016, at 3301 Coors Road NW, R300 Albuquerque, NM 87120, or sent by fax to (505) 839-0475.

Miss Indian World will be crowned on Saturday, April 30, at 8:30 p.m. at the powwow. For more information about the Miss Indian World Program and for the online application, please visit http://www.gatheringofnations.com/miss-indian-world-information/. 

GCI Repairing Cable

Serving Sitka, Angoon 

General Communication Inc. says Sitka and Angoon customers should expect service interruptions due to recent damage to the undersea fiber optic cable that serves the areas. 

Permanent repairs are expected to begin on Sunday. Services may be affected for 72-hours or more.

GCI said it will move customers to alternate systems while the fiber cable is being repaired. However, data services and GCI TV will be significantly impacted.

A service affecting outage was first reported on Sunday Feb. 7 around 6 p.m. Investigation revealed damage to the fiber optic cable approximately seven miles WSW of Angoon in Chatham Straits at a depth of 1,400 feet. Unusually strong currents and rugged terrain appear to have caused the damage and, while GCI performed temporary repairs, the cable is operating in a compromised condition and a permanent fix is required.

“GCI has back-up plans in place for these kinds of incidents,” said GCI VP of regional operations Warren Russell. “A specialized fiber repair ship from British Columbia is already on its way, and we have implemented our backup plans to ensure that essential services, public safety organizations like 911, and local hospitals remain fully operational.

In Sitka and Angoon, local, long distance, and 911 calls, and wireless voice and simple texting will not be affected. However, GCI customers will experience changes to their Internet, TV, and wireless data services: multi-media wireless texting (embedded photos or video in a text) will have diminished performance; wireless web browsing will be diminished but basic email access will be available; cable modem browsing will be diminished; customers will only be able to access a limited number of GCI TV channels; and streaming video services and online software updates will be significantly impaired or unavailable.

Local hospital operations and public safety agencies will be served through a dedicated bypass system; services will not be affected. Local schools will experience diminished Internet services. GCI has been working with these customers to manage the outage as best as possible.

The fiber optic cable that serves Sitka was installed in 2008. It is part of a 754-mile system serving southeast Alaska. This system connects to a much more extensive system connecting the North Slope, southcentral, western, and coastal Alaska to the lower 49 states.

Sitka and Angoon customers can check for the latest updates on the GCI Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GCIAK/. In addition, Sitka customers may call 747-3535 for local updates.

• < Prev
• Next >