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I've recently acquired nicknames such as "Tortuga" (Spanish for tortoise) and "Abuelo" (Spanish for grandfather). My younger cycling companions have given me these names, either because of my patient and careful demeanor, or due to my whacked-out perception of time and duration. I generally prefer the former.

Navy Seaman Apprentice Amanda D. Johnson, a 2010 graduate of Ketchikan High School, Ketchikan, Alaska, was recently promoted to her current rank upon graduation from recruit training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

SITKA - The University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus honored the Class of 2013 during its commencement ceremony on May 3, at the UAS Sitka Campus.

Join the Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station as it formally dedicates its new laboratory in Juneau. The celebration begins with an open house and tours from noon-3 p.m., and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and program from 3-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 in Auke Bay (11175 Auke Lake Way). The 11,000-square-foot laboratory, heated with ground-source geothermal energy and outfitted with other energy-efficient features, will serve as a hub of collaborative Forest Service research in southeast Alaska. The ceremony will culminate with the unveiling and raising of two house posts, carved by Tlingit master carver Wayne Price of Haines. Honored guests will include Tlingit elders who have partnered with the lab on the design of the house posts and other activities. Guided tours of the building will be available.

The Juneau-Douglas High School Interact Club would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone in the community who participated in this year's sock drive for orphan souls. Over the month of March we obtained 839 pairs of socks, half of which will be distributed within the United States while the other half will be sent out internationally to children in other parts of the world. We appreciate everyone's help, especially our sponsors, Nugget Alaska Outfitters, Foggy Mountain shop, Taku 105, Juneau Empire, Capital City Weekly, World Wide Movers, Walmart, and Gastineau Rotary Club, for making the drive possible.

The Juneau community is invited to attend a Statter Harbor Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at noon on May 15. This event will commemorate the successful completion of Phase I of the Statter Harbor master plan. The Mayor and Juneau legislative delegation will be on hand to appropriately celebrate this $8.5 million project which replaces Dehart's Marina and provides needed repairs to the existing floats. This will also coincide with the annual Docks & Harbors Customer Appreciation Day - which will provide hot dogs and drinks to our harbor patrons. All are welcome to the event which is funded with volunteer donations. It is anticipated that the reserved moorage slips will be available after 4:30 p.m. on May 15.