LETTERS TO SANTA:
Dear Santa: I want a present from your elves please. A robot doll, and a lot of Blue toys and play toy food. Wish you Merry Christmas. Doris Emanoff, 6
Dear Santa: I whanted to ask you if Misses Claus is doing and I whood like a baby carij and new pants! Ella, 8
Dear Santa: Hello, how are you? I would really like the little pink purse pet item. I will be a good girl and kind to my parents. Star, 4
Dear Santa: this year I would like anything that has to do with skincare and makeup! Thanks for all the work you do! I’ve been nice by the way, and my favorite Christmas song is Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande. Bye! Melissa Elder, 13
Dear Santa: This year I will have anything that has to do with art and pupits. By the way, I have been nice this year. Tyce, 14
Dear Santa: J.D.’s list, not put in order. 1. Phone. 2. a new bike. 3. a vr headset. 4. a new really nice and highliner weight test fishing rod. 5. a gutting knife set. 6. Apple iPad. 7. Xbox Series X. 8. a new long net to catch fish when I reel it in. 9. a new bait set. 10. some money. 11. a new kittie fishing rod for Jamison. 12. a Green Bay Packers coat/sweetshirt. 13. a $500 gift card to Orions. 14. a hatchet. 15. Fortnite B-Bucks or B-Buck redeem cards; 16. Atimo LED watch. 17. basketball hoop. 18. Air Pod Pro. 19. E01 gaming headset. 20. a drone. 21. a hamster. 22. a lizard or mouse. 23. a pug. 24. a little kitten. 25. electric scooter. JD Keith, 12
Dear Santa: My name is Jerick. I’m 9 years old, and I have 4 brothers. What I want for Cristmas is a small keyboard for my Nintendo Switch, an electric scotter, my own Nintendo account with V bucks, an art set, a new iPad, a new RC car/construction truck, a new drone frontloader or semi with flatbed. Jerick Keith
Dear Santa: My name is Jere. I’m 11 years old. I have 4 brothers and 1 sister, and what I want for Christmas is: Blaze Pajamas, Baby Yoda shirt and pants, 5 million dollars, combination ATM safe, Vmotal video camera, baby shark blanket. The three things I want the most is the Vmotal video camera, the ATM safe, and the Blaze Pajamas. (B the thing that I want the most is the Vmotal video camera.) The end!! Sincerely: Jere Keith
Dear Santa: My name is Jaxon. I am 5 years old. I have 4 brothers and what I want for Christmas is a new fishing pole to go fishing with my brothers, a dump truck, a bouncy ball for my brother, new socks, a Blaze car that can drive, a toy house, a coloring book. Jaxon Keith
Dear Santa: My name is Jamison. I’m 2. I have 4 older brothers. What I want for Christmas is: a dump truck with a remote control, a Blaze shirt, Lightning and Towmater, a Blaze blanket, anything Blaze, a bouncy ball. Jamison Keith
Sitkans Receive
Cold Weather Tips
The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement of extreme cold temperatures beginning this weekend.
Visit the National Weather Service Juneau website at weather.gov/ajk/ for more information.
With the cold weather predicted, the City and Borough of Sitka reminds residents to take safety measures when outdoors and with pets.
The city said homeowners should take measures to prevent their pipes from freezing and is offering the following tips:
–Allow a small trickle of water from the cold water faucet in your kitchen to run;
–Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage; open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warmer air circulation around the plumbing;
–Use an insulated cover over outside faucets and disconnect any outdoor hoses;
–If you will be going away during the cold weather, leave the heat on in your home.
Harbor users should regularly check on their vessels to ensure they are safely moored. Vessels should be pumped out prior to the cold weather and bilge lines checked. Owners are encouraged to use preventative measures to keep them from freezing.
Scholarships for
Teens Impacted
By Alzheimer’s
High school seniors impacted by Alzheimer’s disease can win up to $5,000 for college through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship.
Students can enter the contest by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. ET on March 1.
“Teens across the country are active in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease, whether it’s caring for family members, volunteering, working in a care facility, or raising awareness and educating those around them,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO. “These college scholarships will help tomorrow’s leaders with their college education. We invite all high school seniors who have been affected by Alzheimer’s to enter.”
College-bound high school seniors are invited to apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay (1,500 words maximum) or submitting a video, no more than four minutes long, describing how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their lives and what they have learned about themselves, their family and/or their community through their experience with Alzheimer’s. Essays can be submitted by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship. Students already attending college are not eligible to participate.
The winner receives a $5,000 scholarship with additional prizes awarded for runnersup and honorable mentions. Last year, AFA awarded $90,000 in scholarships to 117 high school students.
Those wishing to support this and other programs and services for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can visit www.alzfdn.org/donate or calling AFA at 866-232-8484.
City Offers
Finance Tool
At Website
The City and Borough of Sitka has launched the Open Finance tool on its website at www.cityofsitka.com.
Open finance is to help enhance the use of technology to engage citizens and increase financial transparency, the city said in a press release.
The direct link is: https://cityofsitka.finance.socrata.com/#!/dashboard.
“Open Finance is our commitment to improving transparency, participation, and collaboration,’’ City Administrator John Leach said. ‘‘It provides information to help citizens understand how their tax dollars are being used and to engage the public in the budget process. Our finance systems are complicated, and we hope that this system helps answer questions.”
Open Finance allows Sitkans to track how their money is being spent.
It provides datasets about the city’s budget, checkbook and payroll; and simple data visualizations to help the public explore the city’s financial activities.
‘‘Sitkans can benefit from data that help measure policy efforts, increase government operational and processes efficiency, provide deeper analytical insights, and increase citizen participation,’’ a press release said.
The full adopted budget can be found on the city’s website Finance Department page by visiting https://www.cityofsitka.com/departments/Finance.
Also available on the city’s website is the budget simulation tool Balancing Act for spending and revenue that allows for public input to be considered in the next fiscal year budget.
Open Recreation
Schedule Given
For Winter Break
Sitka Parks and Recreation has announced its open recreation schedule for winter break at Blatchley Middle School.
Open skate for youths middle school age and older will be held in the BMS multipurpose room 2-4 p.m. Dec. 22. Parent-tot time will be 10 a.m.-noon Dec. 23 in the MPR. Family open recreation will be offered 2-4 p.m. Dec. 27 and 29 for all ages.
Open gym punch cards for youths, adults, and families will be available for purchase at the Parks and Recreation office located at BMS.
Email recreation@cityofsitka.org or by call 907-747-4031 for information.
