Aspen Hotel
Dear Editor: Walked by the new Aspen Hotel recently. Great design. What an amazing addition to Sitka!
Clyde Bright, Sitka
Sitka Visit
Dear Editor: In July, I was fortunate enough to visit your fair city when I was on an Alaska cruise line, the Holland America. What a joy to see this attractive area, so abundant with historical sites and abundant wildlife. My cousin, who traveled with me, loved the historic church, St. Michael’s Cathedral, in the downtown area.
Through your newsletter, I learned of the Tlingit Native tribe and the connection to Russia and its relationship to Alaska. Altogether, it makes me want to spend a week investigating the historic sites, rather than just a few hours.
How fortunate we are, as citizens of the U.S., to have such a fine city with such pleasing features right here in Alaska.
Anne Counselman,
Thomaston, Ala.
Class of 1967
Dear Editor: The Sitka High class of 1967 would like to say thank you to Sitka for its hospitality and at least two days of nice weather for our three-day reunion.
First, to the Sitka Sentinel for helping us get the word out, that was a big help. The Centennial building staff was most accommodating. Thanks Don and gang. The Allen Marine cruise with Capt. Mitch and Roger gave us a smooth ride with lots of whales. A special thanks to Mike Bartolaba for the Sitka High School tour. Wow, what a difference 50 years makes. Sunday evening the ladies and cooks at the Elks provided an outstanding dinner where Duke and Mae Dunsing joined us. Mr. Dunsing was our class sponsor oh so many years ago. So fun to have him there. Monday was the day of the pouring rain, but Pioneer Park provided a perfect shelter. A big thank you to Sea Mart for their generous gift toward our picnic and for being so close, for the things we forgot. Thank you, Lindsey at SCH and Robert and Barbara Baines, for making sure their sister Betty was able to attend and be a part of her class. Thanks, Terry Bartolaba, for all your prep work and to Robert Wiegand for your expertise and hard work at the barbecue. So glad so many could attend. Hopefully we will have more in five years, and that we will all remember each other.
Sitka High School
Class of 1967
Irma
Dear Editor: Twelve years ago last weekend, I was just outside of New Orleans on the Mississippi border on the eve of Katrina, who was hovering like “a beast lurking outside the gate, its patience growing thin.”
Thus I know exactly what all those folks down in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and north are going through at this moment. And I have a very good idea as to exactly what at least some of those folks will be going through – if they survive – in the near future.
At this point, living in Southeast Alaska – about as close as one can be to being as far away from hurricanes as possible and still be in the United States – all I can offer are my thoughts, hopes, wishes and prayers that as many of them as possible have an at least relatively safe passage of this particular beast. I urge any who read this to do the same. Thank you.
Jeff Moebus, Sitka
