Daily Sitka Sentinel

June 11, 2021, Community Happenings

Kids Fishing Day Slated

On Swan Lake Saturday

Sitka Rotary Club, along with the U.S. Forest Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, will host the Annual Kids Fishing Day 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, June 12, on Swan Lake.

The free event is for ages 4-12 years. Several prizes will be offered.

Participants not fishing from land are to wear a PFD. To be COVID conscious, the coordinators are asking that everyone wear a mask and keep socially distant from anyone not in their group.

To avoid a large group of people gathered together, the organizers will distribute prizes a bit differently this year.

Prizes will be handed out for the first fish turned in for each age group as well as hidden weight prizes throughout the fishing time. Some prizes will be handed out after the fishing is finished so those who fish to the last minute don’t lose out on a chance for a prize, organizers said. No one will be awarded more than one prize. Anglers who catch a fish and win a prize can continue fishing or leave the event with the prize at that time.

No food will be served; however, bottled water will be available. Participants will need to provide their own fishing gear as there will be no lender rods available.

Anglers do not need to register this year; simply pick up an information sheet before beginning to fish.

Philippines Day

Event Canceled

Saturday's Philippines Day events have been canceled.

Sitka Cemeteries

Documented At

Community Event

A documentation event is being held for Sitka cemeteries, and the public is invited to help preserve and share the histories.

The BillionGraves event will be 10 a.m. Saturday, June 12, with the public meeting at the skatepark gazebo. Maps, instructions and tips will be offered. Needed are  cloth or small brooms to gently clean off graves. People should dress for the weather.

The group will gather at noon at the gazebo for sharing stories. People can take their own picnic lunches.

To participate, download the free BillionGraves application before arriving. It can be found at www.billiongraves.com.

The event is sponsored by the Sitka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints using the Just Serve and BillionGrave apps.

Once participants have finished taking photos they can upload them to the app where photos will be available immediately around the globe.

Golf Tournament

Slated for June 13

The public is invited to the 13th Annual Sitka Golf Tournament Sunday, June 13, at Sea Mountain Golf Course.

The $75 entry fee includes a Tournament Pass with 18 holes of golf and a ticket to the Awards Lunch. To register for the event, or become a sponsor, go to sitkachamber.com.

The tournament sponsor is SEARHC. Others include: awards lunch, Royal Caribbean Group; scorecard, First National Bank Alaska; scorecard,  Shee Atika, Inc.; and hole sponsor, AC Lakeside.

Available sponsorship levels are: $1,000, score card; $750, cart; $500, hole; and prize or cash donation, par sponsor.

Little Free Library

Grand Opening On

The grand opening celebration of the Little Free Library is slated 9 a.m. Saturday, June 12, at 827 Pherson Street.

All are invited to take a book to donate. Attendees will receive a cupcake and a new book.

Contact zaunera@sitkaschools.org with questions. 

Volunteer Work

Party Saturday

The Sitka Maritime Heritage Society is holding a volunteer work party to rebuild a wall on the Japonski Island Boatshop, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 12.

Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome and should take gloves and tools if they have them. Individuals can come for part or all of the time. Project leaders will provide training in historic preservation, coffee and snacks. Call 738-7448 or email sitkamaritime@gmail.com for information. The website is sitkamaritime.org. 

Indian River Hike

Listed June 12

Sitka Trail Works will lead a free hike up the Indian River Trail 9 a.m. Saturday, July 12. Participants should meet at the trailhead parking area.

The nine-mile, five-hour round-trip hike will go to the waterfall and back.  The trail gains elevation gradually and runs alongside Kaasda Héen (Indian River) and then through stands of old-growth spruce. Hike leaders will carry first aid supplies, and VHF radios.  Hikers should take water, snacks and extra layers of clothing. For information visit SitkaTrailWorks.org or on Facebook.

Sitka Tells Tales

Event on June 15 

Sitka Tells Tales, the local live storytelling series, will presents “Sleepless in Sitka: Stories of Night Owls, Night Shifts and all Nighters” 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, airing and streaming live on KCAW Raven Radio.

For information or to sign up to tell a story at a future event, call 738-2174.

Women of Moose

To Meet June 14

Women of the Moose will meet for the Academy of Friendship ring ceremony 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 14.

Members are being encouraged to attend. The group meets once a month on the second Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Also to be discussed will be future fundraisers, fall conference and the annual picnic. 

‘Signs of Love’

Project on Tap

Community members can paint “signs of love” 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 12, as part of a community service project.The free event will be at the Sitka Unitarian Universalist fellowship hall at 408 Marine Street.

Adults and teens, and children ages  8 and older with an adult guardian, can participate.

Paint and brushes will be provided. Participants must take their own smooth rocks or smooth, small (less than 8” x 12”) pieces of wood to paint on.

Creations can be taken home or donated to the Sitka UU service project.  The entrance to the hall and parking is behind the UU hall on Spruce Street. Those with questions may call Michelle Putz at 747-2708.

Submissions Sought

For Pride Art Show

All ages of the LGBTQ2+ community can submit to the Pride: History, Now and Tomorrow Art Show.

The show will be Sunday, June 20, in rooms 2 and 3 at Centennial Hall. The gallery display is open 3-6 p.m., and live performances start at 6 p.m. A long-term display will be up around town until July 20. Submissions for the long-term display are accepted on a rolling basis.

For submission guidelines and to express interest, contact Claire at 630- 818-5960 or email sitkaprideartshow@gmail.com. 

10 Tree Challenge

For Outdoor Fun

Sitka families can take part in the Ten Tree Challenge as part of the Active Family Outdoor Challenge.

Details of the project can be found at www.sitkakids.com and the Sitka Kids Facebook page.

Families locate any or all of 10 specific trees, take a family pic with the trees and post their photos to the Sitka Kids Facebook page. One family will be chosen in a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to the Fisheye Cafe. The more posts, the better the chances, organizers pointed out. The contest ends June 15.

Parade Showcases

Sitka’s Older Cars

The second annual Older Car Parade is planned for the 4th of July.

Those with vehicles from the 1970s and older, or other unique cars, are to meet at 9:45 a.m. at Whale Park for a 10 a.m. start.

The route will be down Sawmill Creek Road, around the round-a-bout onto Halibut Point Road to Kashevaroff Street, then left on Edgecumbe Drive, down Cascade Creek Road to Halibut Point Road and out to Starrigavin. Vehicles will turn around to drive back to town on Halibut Point Road, taking a right on Katlian Street, a right at St. Michael’s Cathedral, and disperse at   Centennial Hall.

Those with questions can call Jeff  at 747-4821.

Reading Buddies

Slated June 12

Sitka Public Library is seeking children ages 4 to 6 who wish to adopt a stuffed animal Reading Buddy.

Participants will commit to ‘‘cuddling and reading with their new pet at least 20 minutes per day,’’ the library said. ‘‘After reading, their new pet will also enjoy talking about what they have read.’’

Those interested in adopting a stuffed animal pet can visit the library to fill out the application form. If approved, they will receive a certificate of adoption. The program starts on Saturday, June 12. For information, e-mail Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org or call 747-4020. 

Life Celebration

For Kevin Peterson

A celebration of life for Kevin Andrew Peterson, 36, followed by a potluck dinner, is planned 3-8 p.m. today  at Halibut Point Recreation Area main shelter.

Kevin was born February 4, 1985, at Sitka Community Hospital, the son of Verna Fern (Smith) and Loren Frederick Peterson.  He was found unresponsive on April 8, 2021, at his home in Los Angeles, California.

Contact Verna Peterson (907) 747-6917 or Margaret Peterson (520) 442-9082 regarding celebration of life arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at 3208 Halibut Point Road, Space 3, Sitka, Alaska 99835.

Climate Connection:

How would Sitkans fare under Carbon Fee and Dividend?

Now is an important time to get the message that we need to take action across to our legislators. CCL volunteers will be meeting with the staff or the legislators next week to push for them to join 58 legislators who are already signed on for HR 2307.

What is HR 2307, I hear you ask? It is a bill in the house of representatives that would create a fee on a list of greenhouse gas producing fuels. The fee would start at $15 per ton of carbon dioxide and that money would be distributed to all households on a monthly basis. The fee would go up each year by $10, and if we don’t make start making progress it would add another $5. It also includes action to support innovation, and you can see all the details by searching for HR2307 at congress.gov

So how would it work in Alaska? We pay a lot for fuel in Alaska, and it makes some people nervous. Fortunately, we have an example that uses three Alaskan communities to show the ins and outs.

In 2015, Steve Colt studied the likely costs for communities in the Bethel, Kusilvak, North Slope Borough census areas. At the time the study was being put together, these communities were paying between $6.51 and $6.58 per gallon for fuel (January 2015). Twice what we’re paying now, for some perspective!

At $15 per ton of carbon dioxide, the dividend for these Alaskan households came out to $300 for an adult and $150 for a person under 18. To simplify things, the study capped the people per household to 4 - two adults and two children for a total of $900. Many Alaskan households are bigger than that, but even so, all the study areas came out ahead in the first year. Of course, as we see with the Permanent Fund Dividend, the more people there are in the household, the larger the total dividend. This study also used a much broader sample to test this outcome against the state as a whole. It found that 99% of sample households received more than they paid in fees. 86% of sample households received twice the amount. You can see the details by searching for “Carbon Fee” at https://iseralaska.org/publications/

A more recent study of the impact on U.S .households, found that 61 percent would receive more in dividends that they paid in fees. For households in the lowest 20% of median income, this figure is 97%. Households with higher carbon footprints would be more likely to have a “minor loss” (less than half a percent of their income). You can see more about this study at https://citizensclimatelobby.org/household-impact-study/

But how would this affect you? A Sitkan? Well, you can calculate your likely carbon dividend based on the modeling used in the study! Check it out at https://energyinnovationact.org/carbon-dividend-calculator/

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Leah Mason is a member of the Sitka Citizens’ Climate Lobby.