58.0°

The Shire of Earngyld will be going north to demonstrate their prowess on the field and attempt to conscript new fighters.

KETCHIKAN - The ocean in Southeast Alaska is cold. Very cold. Even in July, and especially when you're wearing nothing but a swimsuit.

ANGOON

KETCHIKAN - The pilot of a floatplane is dead following a crash in a field covering the former Ketchikan Pulp Co. landfill at Ward Cove. Alaska State Troopers identified the victim as 38-year-old Josh Murdock of Ketchikan.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

KETCHIKAN - Ketchikan General Hospital is looking for a few good volunteers.

A month past summer solstice, we're starting to lose daylight and the weather doesn't almost feel quite as summery as it did in May. But we're in prime season for all kinds of activities, from foraging to fishing to wildlife encounters. If that sounds to you like something worth celebrating, you'll have plenty of company. Nearly every Southeast community seems to be hosting a festival in the coming weeks. Some of the festivals are brand new, like this week's Wrangell Bear Fest; others, like the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines next weekend, have been around for decades. Here's the Capital City Weekly's roundup of what's on the regional docket for the coming weeks.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANCHORAGE - The Paris news daily Le Figaro calls him "one of the best writers of his generation." The Times of London says his prose "follows the sinews of Cormac McCarthy and Hemingway, yet has its own nimble flex." He just won the French national book prize, Le Prix des Lecteurs. Now author David Vann, with strong ties to Alaska, will interrupt a packed book tour of Europe to lead a 49 Writers Retreat September 3-5 at Tutka Bay Lodge, outside of Homer.

ANGOON

The first thing I learned about Sacramento band Blvd Park is that they describe their style as "spaghetti western." Personally, I like pasta and deserts, so the aforementioned description was enough to interest me in the group before I ever heard them play.

July

ANGOON

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

GUSTAVUS - Gustavus no longer looks to Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan and envies their cheap and plentiful hydroelectric power.

ANGOON

July

JUNEAU - The United Way of Southeast Alaska recently announced Community Impact Grant awards totaling $24,000 to six partner agencies. The projects were selected by a volunteer committee of the board of directors chaired by Katherine Eldemar, from a pool of proposals. The Community Impact Grants were divided into two groups this year. One focused on early literacy and the second set was focused on matching grant funds to help on any issue of need.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANGOON

KETCHIKAN - First City Players presents Ketchikan's original musical melodrama "First Pirate's Daughter," a great show served up with an all-you-can-eat crab feast. Cheer the hero, hiss the villain and admire the damsel. Join us and bring your guests from out of town for a comical evening of slightly exaggerated Ketchikan history, set to charming songs. The show runs July 9-10, 16-17, and 23 & 24 at Ted Ferry Civic Center. Get tickets by visiting http://firstcityplayers.org, or by calling 225-4792.

KETCHIKAN - The fourth annual SoleStice Shoe Auction on June 19 raised over $40,000 for the Ketchikan General Hospital Foundation. Over 230 people flocked to the sold-out event at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. According to Foundation Director Gretchen Klein, the proceeds will go to the "2010 Gift of Healing" Project, a Minimally Invasive Surgical Suite.

For many years Dolly Varden, a species of char, was considered by many to be a trout because they only saw it in freshwater streams. Early fishermen found it especially abundant throughout Southeast Alaska, so in 1907 several fishermen in Wrangell Narrows began catching and shipping Dolly Varden. It took no investment other than a boat and a net.

July

KETCHIKAN - Artists are invited to enter the Ketchikan Area Arts Council's annual Blueberry Juried Art Show. Artwork in any medium is welcome, and each artist can enter up to two pieces that have not been previously displayed in Ketchikan. Entry is free for all KAAHC members or $30 for all non-members. Two-dimensional pieces must be framed and ready to hang, and all three dimensional works must be ready for display. Deadline for entries is Friday, July 23. The full call to artists is available at www.ketchikanarts.org, or call 225-2211 for more information.

The long-awaited experimental ferry M/V Susitna, which will eventually provide a transportation link between Anchorage and Port MacKenzie, was christened June 11.

July

KETCHIKAN - The diabetes educator for Ketchikan General Hospital will be leading a series of diabetes education classes from 4-6 p.m. on four consecutive Tuesdays, starting July 13. The classes will cover a range of information and offer learning, sharing and support for people living with diabetes. Erica Luther, RD, will also be a class instructor. The dates and topics for the classes in the series are as follows:

KETCHIKAN - Ketchikan General Hospital announced its list of scholarship awards for 2010 at the end of May. The awards and awardees included the following:

JUNEAU - There were no caps and gowns at one graduation ceremony last Friday, and only two attendees wore ties. Instead of mortarboards, graduates were encouraged to toss their baseball caps in the air.

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" says Puck in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Nights Dream." His words would fit well in Southeast Alaska on the midsummer night of June 26, when fools of all ages will don elaborate costumes for a midnight run through the streets of the region's three largest cities.

ANGOON

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

North Pacific fishing groups are leading an ambitious effort to save a South Pacific fishing town named Robinson Crusoe.

Canned halibut has never been accepted by consumers. Attempts were made to preserve halibut in a can several times over the past 132 years.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1 p.m., Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11 a.m.-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

CRAIG - Hundreds of people attended the May 24 dedication of the Prince of Wales Health Care Center in Craig. The new 11,000 square-foot building replaced the Craig Clinic when it opened April 19. It houses the PeaceHealth Medical Group - Prince of Wales clinic, Ketchikan based Community Connections and a state Public Health Clinic.

More than 110 people attended the final family night of the season May 20 at the Ketchikan Children's Library. The theme for the evening was fishing. The monthly family night program will resume in the fall.

ANGOON

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

Take one chocolate lab named Brandy who likes playing hide and seek, some mint-scented bubbles in the shape of an ice cream cone, a warm family, one gregarious Little Sister named Melody and a warm Big Sister in the form of Theresa Elliot and you've got the ingredients for nothing but fun and belonging. Melody is an 11-year-old at Ketchikan Charter School; Theresa is an accountant at Sealaska Timber Corp. and is expecting her first baby this September.

ANGOON

KETCHIKAN - First Bank awarded four organizations a total of $13,000 at the Prince of Wales Community Spotlight Event on May 15.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

Listed below are the names of the 2010 high school graduates from Southeast Alaska that were available at presstime.

ANGOON

JUNEAU - Author Sheila Kelly will release her new book "Treadwell Gold: An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin" with a reading and book signing during the Juneau-Douglas City Museum's Coffee & Collections program on Saturday, May 29 at 10:30 a.m.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANGOON

KETCHIKAN - Ketchikan General Hospital has been named the top traveler-friendly hospital in the country. Over 4,500 travel nurses were surveyed by travelnursing.com and ranked KGH at the top of the list in staff friendliness, nurse managers, orientation and RN staffing levels.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANGOON

JUNEAU - Corvus Design announces the opening of a new office in Juneau by landscape architect Christopher Mertl, ASLA. Mertl has 18 years of experience in Alaska and expands the firm's strengths for coastal design and knowledge specific to Southeast Alaska.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANGOON

KETCHIKAN - Ketchikan galleries and businesses will host art exhibit openings and special events to welcome the new season during the 10th annual Sea Art Walk on Friday, May 7. The celebration will feature a whole night of family fun in honor of the sea.

Now that the spring herring-egg harvest in Sitka is over, let's think about how those fish, hidden in the sea, are located. Today there are those electronic devices and test fisheries. Not only did the early fisherman not have these, they did not have a herring egg fishery. That is a more recent development.

KETCHIKAN - The Totem To Totem run/walk will be held this Saturday, May 8. The event is open to walkers and runners who want to complete a portion, relay or solo.

KETCHIKAN - Applications for booths in the 2010 Blueberry Arts Festival will be available the first week of May.

JUNEAU - Wells Fargo has named Chris Beck private banker for Southeast Alaska. He will provide Wells Fargo Bank private banking clients with customized financial solutions guided by each client's short- and long-term goals. Beck is based in Juneau at the Wells Fargo Investments office at 8800 Glacier Highway.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

ANGOON

ANGOON

CRAIG - With more than 11,000 square feet, the new Prince of Wales Health Care Center in Craig will provide modern clinic and office space for PeaceHealth Medical Group, Community Connections, and Alaska Public Health Nursing.

Meet Jesse and his Big Brother and Big Sister, Joshua Henrick and Sonia Christensen, Ketchikan's first couple's match for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Jesse is a robust little boy with a big smile, a student at Houtaling Elementary School. Josh works for the local utility company and Sonia is a legislative aide. Since being matched in July of last year, this couple have kept their Little Brother active, engaged, and happy. Before being matched, Jesse ran up to me on the playground one day, tugging at my sleeve and asking, "Hey do you remember me? Have you found me a Big Brother yet?" It was a plea that tugged at my heart and now I always look forward to hearing about the threesomes' adventures and exploits. They've gone target shooting, sledding, fishing, tromping through the woods for Christmas trees to cut down; Jesse has gotten to examine Josh's bagged bear, up close and personal. Josh and Sonia are an exemplary pair and they've given of themselves to Jesse. Jesse's mother and grandmother are thrilled with the match and say they have every confidence the friendship will persevere when the family moves from the area. Jesse couldn't be happier. He said of his couple, "I like them very, very much because they're so nice and sweet." If this has tugged at your heart, call Big Brothers Big Sisters (907-247-3350 in Ketchikan) and volunteer some time, become a Big, and have the adventure of your life with a great Little, like Jesse.

Southeast Alaska is a land of strong communities that manage to stay connected despite their extreme isolation. This weekend, over 650 high school music students from Craig, Haines, Hoonah, Juneau, Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla, Petersburg, Sitka and Wrangell will close the distance between their hometowns by attending the annual Southeast Alaska Music Festival.

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

SITKA -Properly chilled fish is the first step toward delivering superior Alaska seafood to world markets. Consumers demand quality and fishermen can be rewarded with higher prices for the extra care.

Musicians and audiences flocked from around the state and beyond to participate in and observe last week's Alaska Folk Festival. The event included main stage performances Monday through Sunday at Centennial Hall, surrounded by a host of dances, workshops, jam sessions and concerts around town.

ANGOON

ANCHORAGE - In 1992, the Atlantic magazine published "Ichthyology," a short story by Alaska-born David Vann, then a graduate student at Cornell University. An tale based on Vann's father, a depressed dentist turned halibut fisherman, it revealed an exceptional talent. But Vann was a long way from being famous.

This time of year, birds are very active and more noticeable as they prepare for the domestic scene, anticipating the pitter-patter of little talons around the house. Steller's Jay couples are among the busy Southeast Alaskan avian residents that have been observed recently, moving around in shrubs and trees, vocalizing in their raspy, scolding calls for us to pay attention. Their beautiful black and blue coloration stands out in high contrast to the greens and browns of the forest.

The cover of David Reynolds' new album, "Go Along Blind," depicts a hoodied, XTRATUF-clad figure standing by a campfire. A small sack of belongings is tied to the end of a stick slung over his shoulder. His only companion amidst the vast surrounding wilderness is a guitar, propped up against a log and waiting to be played.

ANGOON

ACOA/CODA Meeting, Wed. & Fri., Noon-1pm, Northern Lights United Church, 400 11th St; Sun. 11am-Noon, Assembly Chambers.

"This was the best Site Managers' Workshop ever," stated a couple of Southeast Senior Services managers. From March 15 through 19, 11 senior center managers living in Southeast Alaska travelled to Juneau where they participated in five days of intensive training. Senior center managers from Angoon, Haines, Hoonah, Juneau, Kake, Ketchikan, Klawock, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell and Yakutat attended.