Wearable Arts Show
Dear Editor: The 2017 Sitka Wearable Art Show. What an experience! Just phenomenal.
To the participants this year (designers, models, support teams) – you rock. So many shining stars in Sitka. We are honored to know and celebrate each one of you. Congratulations.
To the production team, volunteers and beloved crew; the Centennial Hall staff dream team – thank you. There is nothing quite like watching strangers become friends; neighbors become colleagues; old and young alike build connection through shared hard work, commitment and creative collaboration. From tireless days and weeks of dedication, to small acts of kindness and subtle support – we see each one of you. And we thank you. Again and again.
Thank you to our presenting partner, Alaska Airlines. A team pairing peak professionalism with captivating fun and supportive spirit. You believe in Sitka; our arts community; its magic. And for that, we believe in you.
To SEARHC and Guardian Flight, our premier sponsors, thanks so much. You continue to place action behind goodwill, using personal successes to uplift those of others. The difference you make is widely felt. We feel it. And we thank you.
Thanks to our other sponsors and supporters, including City and Borough of Sitka; the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce; Alaska State Council on the Arts; Art Works; Sitka White Elephant Shop; White’s Inc.; Tongass Threads; First National Bank Alaska; Ben Franklin Store; Alps Federal Credit Union; Baranof Realty; First Bank; Old Harbor Books; Silver Basin; Eagle Bay Inn; Davis Realty; Sugar Chic; Sitka Fine Arts Camp; Daily Sitka Sentinel; Sitka Soup; KCAW Raven Radio; and KIFW the Rock. We treasure the opportunity to partner with you; to celebrate your goods and services; to promote local quality and commitment. You work so hard for so many. And we stand most grateful.
To Alaska Marine Lines and Mt. Edgecumbe High School staff, whose precious partnership continues to make this production possible each year, thank you. We couldn’t ask for more.
And to our audience. Our membership. Our donors and grant believers. All of our supporters, listed and unlisted. Our community. To those who believe and participate in our events. Our initiatives. Our mission of uplifting artists and artistic and cultural expression of all types, to place power behind purpose. To drive collaboration, learning, creative exchange, healing. Using the arts to foster meaningful moments of peace and reflection; connection and education; powerful practice, performance, personal and professional growth. Thank you. You are the fuel. The light. The wonderful, deep breath of possibility. Through you, art shines bright again this year. Striking and Sitka-strong. Wearable and wonderful.
Cheers to the 2017 Sitka Wearable Art Show! It’s been a privilege.
Kammie Daniels
Executive Director
Greater Sitka Arts Council
Brush Fires
Dear Editor: Ever notice how President Grump likes to start brush fires when he wants to divert attention from something bigger or just wants to dominate the 24-hour news cycle? The first one I remember was the ‘‘thousands and thousands’’ of Muslims celebrating the fall of the Twin Towers across the river in Jersey. And nobody else saw them. The news media always gets this wrong because they quote him as saying ‘‘thousands’’ when he really said ‘‘thousands and thousands.’’ I heard this on TV before there was fake news.
Here are some of the other brush piles he has set afire: claiming that Ted Cruz’ father was in with Oswald in the Kennedy assassination, claiming he knows more about ISIS than the generals, saying the people of Iowa are stupid when he lost his first primary there, claiming busloads of voters from Massachusetts voted in New Hampshire, claiming that three to five million ‘‘illegals’’ voted for Hillary costing him the popular vote, and opining that Meryl Streep is an ‘‘overrated’’ actress.
But this time he has set the house on fire. The White House. I hope so. He actually accused Obama of wire-tapping Trump Towers. His crickets were quick to cover for him chirping that he had secret information somewhere in his head and they are calling for a congressional investigation and refuse to say anything more about this until Congress investigates whatever he has thought up. His press secretary says, ‘‘his tweets speak for themselves.’’ That’s what we’re worried about.
When Obama heard of this accusation he simply ‘‘rolled his eyes.’’ And that’s all we’ve heard from him. What class, huh?
I miss Obama.
I even miss W.
Believe me.
Ron Rau, Sitka
Broken
Dear Editor: Abraham Lincoln once said the best government will be of the people, by the people, and for the people. It appears Sitka has lost this model of government. Assembly members are elected to represent the people that vote them into office. Their main function is to protect the public from government abuses and overreach.
I believe our Assembly switched its allegiance from the people to several city staff during the Blue Lake expansion project. When told electrical capacity could be increased by raising the dam and installing a new turbine in the powerhouse for $40 million the Assembly said ask the voters. The public accepted those figures and voted to support the project.
When wish lists were added to the job and the actual cost exceeded $158 million some staff were able to convince the assembly that voters shouldn’t be allowed to vote on all the extra costs and the decision to incur over $100 million of new debt was never approved by voters. These staff members assured the Assembly the state and federal governments would give them all the extra money that was needed to pay off the project, electric rates would actually go down, no more diesel would ever be burned for power, and they would be immortalized by voters for their wisdom.
The Assembly has never been the same since and the recent decision to raise the sales tax cap without a vote of the people confirms this change and shows the Assembly is set on giving some staff anything they ask for and ignoring the will of the people. Several members even seemed to imply we deserved the punishment of paying more in sales tax because we wouldn’t grant them the power to raise property taxes whenever they felt like it.
The property tax increase had to go before the voters and it was voted down because people wanted to see our local government tighten its belt and cut spending. We realized the glory days of the state pouring millions of dollars into our local governments was over, we realized the state and federal government was not going to step in and pay off the Blue Lake Dam remaining debt that’s over $128 million, we realize we are in a fix and need to bite the bullet, and we listened when Mark Gorman said Sitka has the employees, staff, and infrastructure that was equivalent to a city of 100,000 people down south and reductions and cutbacks had to be made.
It’s no surprise Mr. Gorman has decided to quit his job. He’s told the Assembly over and over in his budgets they should treat each enterprise fund as a separately operated business and they shouldn’t be stealing from one to subsidize others but that’s exactly what they keep doing.
We need an Assembly that’s willing to get back to representing the voters rather than being the followers of a few staff that feel they know what’s best for all of us and end up moving out of state when they retire leaving us holding the bag.
Clyde Bright, Sitka
Dr. Wein
Dear Editor: I first heard about Dr. Wein losing his job as a surgeon at Sitka Community Hospital from a very concerned caller on Problem Corner. I immediately called in to voice my experience with Dr. Wein: I attended my extended family member’s release from hernia surgery at Sitka Community Hospital.
I was very impressed with the tremendous care and compassion Dr. Wein gave to my extended family member. The doctor informed him that his hernia was ulcerated, which I presume would be worse than a regular hernia. The doctor encouraged him to take his time until he felt ready to leave the hospital, and the nurse provided him with juice until he was ready to go home. When we arrived at my extended family member’s house, I was amazed at how easily he walked up the stairs quite quickly right after surgery as if he never had a hernia. I was so impressed that I encouraged my significant other to see Dr. Wein about his hernia. He also had a very positive experience with this very capable and caring doctor. I also have heard that this doctor has saved various people’s lives, including the life of a close relative of someone I had spoken with via telephone. I had told my friend that I preferred to see Dr. Wein, that he was the most caring and compassionate doctor I had ever met, and I also told him about the fantastic job he did with my extended family member’s ulcerated hernia, and how easy he had summited the flight of stairs right after surgery.
I knew my special friend would be in good hands, and as I said, he had a very positive experience with the doctor.
I believe compassion is both this doctor’s great strength as well as his weakness.
From what I understand from what I heard, this kind and capable doctor was fired because he had compassion on the poor and didn’t charge for follow-up care where he most likely looked at them to see if they were okay and sent them on their way. I don’t understand why this mistake cannot be forgiven for a doctor who is so good at what he does that he saves people’s lives. I don’t see why he wouldn’t be allowed to mend this mistake which obviously seriously offended someone. I would recommend Dr. Wein to anyone mostly because he is so good at surgery, as I was so impressed by how my extended family member did so well afterward that you’d never know he’d had the surgery. His kindness is but a bonus, and it is such a shame that such an amazing doctor would be fired for being too kind. I really admire that man, and wish there were something I could do for him to be able to do what he does best, which is to heal people and save lives. We need people like that.
Arika D. Zellhuber, Sitka
Print Magazines
Dear Editor: Sitka Public Library needs your help. The periodical market has changed a lot in recent years. Many readers have moved on to web-based or digital content for their information. Cover and subscription prices have fluctuated. Some titles have even been canceled. Our print magazine subscriptions cost thousands of dollars each year. To best serve our patrons and to most effectively use our resources, we want to gather your feedback about use/demand for magazines, which titles are being read, what subjects are most popular, and whether any changes should be made to our list of subscriptions and/or available formats.
To participate, simply complete our online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DXTTLPX by April 3. The survey may also be found on our website and Facebook page. If you would prefer to take the survey in print, hard copies will be available at the library. If you have any additional feedback or require further information, please contact Robb Farmer at 747-8708 or robb.farmer@cityofsitka.org.
Robb Farmer, Library Director,
Sitka Public Library
Adak
Dear Editor: A hearty thank you to Jenya Anichenko, her husband Jason Rogers, the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society, and all those who showed up to tell stories of the World War II tugboat Adak at the Larkspur yesterday evening.
The tugboat was built in 1944 by Clyde W. Wood, an asphalt and concrete slab man in Stockton, California, contracted by the Army to put together 10 helfestout as-built tugboats. (This tidbit and others uncovered by the investigative work of Dr. Rogers, involved in nominating boats for the National Register of Historic Vessels.) Just as the boat was built in a small boatyard by a number of dedicated individuals, so its legacy is kept alive here in Sitka by folks who showed up last night. Like Mark Hargitt, owner of the Alice, a 120-year-old wooden tug, docked now in Washington (he wants to bring her to Sitka), whose father captained the Adak. Or Caven Pfeiffer, who worked on the Adak in Petersburg, and walked me through planking when I hauled the boat out in Wrangell last year. Or Stephen Warren, generous with his deep maritime knowledge and know-how.
In the end, though, it’s Sitka, and its love of historic wooden boats, that keeps the Adak, and other boats like it, running and viable. Thank you to the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society for taking the initiative, for organizing Wednesday eve, and beginning the important work of documenting these vessels of living history that we are all so lucky to have here in Sitka.
Brendan and Rachel Jones, Sitka
