Information Sought
Dear Editor: I am a genealogist from Hemet, Calif., and have been researching James Carle “Jimmie” Rinehart, an Alaska bush pilot who flew for Alaska Coastal Airlines. Jimmy was killed when the Grumman G-44 Widgeon N67794 he was piloting crashed on Nov. 4, 1954.
During World War II, Jimmie left Sitka and was a flight instructor at the Ryan School of Aeronautics and trained U.S. Army cadets at Ryan Field in Hemet, now named Hemet Ryan, and an air tanker base for CAL FIRE. Recently I read an article in the Press Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) regarding a new exhibit opening at the Western Science Center in Hemet: “100 Years of Aviation in the Valley.” I spoke with Curator Darla Abigit and she is very interested in adding Jimmie Rinehart to the exhibit. Unfortunately I cannot locate a quality photo to accompany the biography.
I am also interested in finding out more about his wife, Elsie Burke Rinehart, who was an Alaska bush pilot who resided in Juneau before coming to live in Sitka. I have spoken to Mrs. Rinehart’s niece who is now 88 years old. She told me Elsie Burke Rinehart had received her flight training in San Francisco and was considered one of the first women aviators.
Any help your readers could offer with a photo or a “memory” would be greatly appreciated. Please e-mail to me, cindy.boeing@yahoo.com.
Cindy Rinehart Boeing,
Hemet, Calif.
BHV Contributions
Dear Editor: Brave Heart Volunteers is so grateful to have the support of Alaskans. We just received the 2013 figures from Pick.Click.Give., the Permanent Fund Dividend Charitable Contributions Program, and with generous contributors, Brave Heart Volunteers will receive just over $4,600!
We extend gratitude to our 2013 Pick.Click.Give. contributors: Catherine Allgood-Mellema, Aleeta Bauder, Valerie Edwards, Ellen Frankenstein, Auriella Hughes, Sheryl Mayo, Lori Whitmill, Sherry Tuttle, J. Bowman, Donna Miller, Paul Columb, Merle Stewart, Ruth Culp, Debra Pohlman, Kim Kirkness, Jeannette Chavez, Chester Crenna, Mary Miller, Martina Kurzer, Linda Wilson, Jon Martin, Frances Alderson, John Straley, Judith Puckett, Nancy Leclerc-Davidson, Jody Marcello, Christie Jones, Tracy Turner, Matthew Turner, Cindy Litman, Rachel Myron, Leanne Griffin, Trista Patterson, Christina Kowalczewski, Deborah Lyons, Jane Demmert, and the 27 anonymous contributors.
Your donations let Brave Heart Volunteers continue the mission of providing seamless support and quality educational services for individuals and caregivers in our community facing illness, isolation, end of life, or grief services that can be provided free of charge because of supporters like you. Any contribution, big or small, is greatly appreciated and makes an impact with our small volunteer-run, non-profit organization.
Thank you for your donation through Pick.Click.Give. and sharing in the goal of helping our neighbors, it will strengthen and benefit the community as a whole.
Dennis Longstreth, Sitka,
Board President
SAIL Dinner
Dear Editor: Southeast Alaska Independent Living thanks all of Sitka for your support. For more than 20 years SAIL has been a part of the community. SAIL is driven by those who use our services and recreation programs, and each year we are amazed at the enthusiasm you provide. We experienced this again last Thursday at our community dinner.
SAIL is thankful for all those who helped support our dinner, including: dinner, dessert and a great location by Amy Kane, Larkspur Café and staff; salads from Laura Schmidt with St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm, and gardeners at Blatchley Community Garden; Dan Etulain for broadcasting the event; and, of course, we also thank all of our supporters.
Dave Nuetzel, Program Director,
Alli Gabbert, Independent Living and Outdoor Recreation
and Community Access Program Coordinator,
Southeast Alaska
Independent Living
Spying
Dear Editor: So, one is left to wonder: is the problem that the government of the United States is bugging the entire planet, including its own citizens? Or is the problem that somebody has exposed this fact?
Contained within the answer to that question is the future of this nation.
There are those who are comfortable with and indeed comforted by the revelations, yet outraged at their coming to light. And there are those who are revolted by them and thankful that there are people of integrity and courage.
The future of this nation depends entirely upon how many feel which way, and are prepared to act upon their feelings. It is really no more complex, or simpler, than that.
And upon that simple, complex fact depends whether this nation is entering deeper into the beginning of a long, dark winter’s night, or the beginning of the birth of a spring’s new dawn.
Jeff Moebus, Sitka
