Assembly Candidates
Dear Editor: I have had a surprising number of people ask me, “who should I vote for?” in Tuesday’s Sitka Assembly election. It’s a good question. It is a hard job that just seems to continue to get harder. I appreciate every one of the candidates who are running for Sitka Assembly seats this year.
I appreciate ALL the candidates for saying “I want to make Sitka better.” I believe each of them would try to make this community better. Still, I do have an opinion based on my knowledge and experience with some of the candidates. I encourage Sitkans to strongly consider Ben Miyasato. He is thoughtful, kind and intelligent, he listens to people, he does his homework, and he cares about his fellow Sitkans. I also appreciate that he brings an Alaska Native perspective and voice to the Assembly table.
I encourage people to consider writing-in Kitty Sopow. I have known Kitty since she came here and she has always been kind, helpful, creative, and able to listen to many viewpoints. She’s smart, she brings a young and new-ish perspective, and I think she is learning some really good stuff in school that would be an asset to the Assembly’s deliberations. I also appreciate her efforts to reach out to members of the Sitka Tribe.
The third choice is extremely challenging. ... I’m torn between Sheila Finkenbinder and Richard Wein. They are very different and yet both have what appear to be some great assets. For what it is worth, you have my thoughts.
No matter who you are, I encourage you to get out, learn more about each candidate, and vote. Here’s to ALL OF US making Sitka better by participating in our election!
Michelle Putz, Sitka
P.S. I apologize to all the candidates. … none of them knows that I am writing this letter, so it may be a shock (good or bad!) to them, and I thank them and wish them all well.
Running of Boots
Dear Editor: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska and the Sitka Local Foods Network thank the community for its support of the 23rd Annual Running of the Boots. Nearly 100 Sitkans ran down Lincoln Street in their boots last Saturday. This year’s costumes were more difficult to judge than ever. Costumes ranged from all recycled materials to formal wear to an elaborate Sitka theme complete with lighthouse, kayak, Sitka spruce, and bald eagle.
The race had an exciting finish as Lily Mayo and Anan Weiland crossed the line in an all-out sprint within milliseconds of one another. They each took home a pair of new XtraTuf boots. Eight other participants took home boots thanks to the generosity of Russell’s and XtraTuf.
We can’t thank our prize sponsors enough for their support of the race and costume contest. Thank you Russell’s and XtraTuf (10 pairs of XtraTuf boots), Sitka True Value (kids toys and games), LulaRoe with Estalita Primacio: (outfit and gift card), LulaRoe with Kirsten Karsunky (two pairs of LulaRoe leggings). The Sitka Local Foods Network and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska also provided prizes.
A community event of this magnitude wouldn’t come together without a lot of planning and collaboration. Thank you to the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce for hosting the Season’s End Celebration and the Sitka Chamber/Visit Sitka staff for their support, as well as their crew of volunteers. A huge thanks to John and Sharyn Ferrick for logistics support. Volunteers from the USCG Air Station and Maple were extremely helpful with set-up and take-down. We would also like to thank Hannah Green, Francis Wegman-Lawless, Sue Ginn, Ian Rabl, Stephen Harmon, Wesley Urias, Shane Webb, and Michael Harmon. A big thanks also goes to the Sitka Blues Band (Ritch Phillips, Fred Knowles, and Gary Gouker) for entertaining the crowd during registration and the costume contest. Sitka Police Department helped with safety and the street closure. Finally, thank you to our local media, KCAW-Raven Radio, KIFW, Daily Sitka Sentinel, and Dan Etulain for helping us get the word out.
In recent years, the Sitka Local Foods Network has been the main sponsor of this event. But this year the SLFN needed some help to host the event or it wouldn’t happen, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska stepped up to keep the event from ending. We felt privileged to co-host this long-standing community event and appreciate the community for supporting it each year. As the collaboration between our two organizations comes to a close for this event, we’d like to challenge our other Sitka non-profits to think outside of the box about future collaborations. We are stronger together.
To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, contact Kealoha Harmon at 747-3500 or by email at kealoha.harmon@bbbsak.org. To learn more about the Sitka Local Foods Network, contact Charles Bingham at 623-7660 or by email at charleswbingham3@gmail.com.
Kealoha Harmon,
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska
Charles Bingham,
Sitka Local Foods Network
Fortress Gratitude
Dear Editor: For those of you who visit us or follow us on social media, you are aware that Balloo, one of the 7-year-old siblings, has been struggling with the use of his hind legs.
After contacting and consulting with bear specialists throughout the country and starting an initial medication regimen, we decided to bring on an experienced large animal vet, Michelle Oakley, who had visited us before through her TV show.
Getting her eight bags of equipment and flying her here was handled skillfully with Alaska Airlines not only footing the bill but laying the ground work for all the trip entailed. Aspen Hotel Suites stepped up and offered a stay in their beautiful hotel. Bev Caldwell hosted Dr. Oakley in her lovely home.
We tranquilized Balloo, with an A team of professionals, all of whom offered their expertise.
Dr. Burgess Bauder, Dr. Richard Wein, ADF&G biologist Steve Bethune and Drs. Elizabeth Decker and Jeffrey Reinhardt. Our bear manager, Claire Turner, coordinated all of this and lead our team of Ariana Berdote, Cassie Mendoza and Chris Turner all of whom put in long hours in preparation and were there to offer any assistance necessary.
While Balloo is still struggling and we still are not sure what is causing this behavior, we were able to rule some possibilities out. We have changed his medications and we are hoping that this will have the best possible outcome. He is by far one of our most intelligent bears and loved deeply by all of us. We will try to keep the community apprised of further development and appreciate the outpouring of love and support from our fellow Sitkans.
Fortress of the Bear, Sitka
