WhaleFest Nov. 3-6, 2023

“Sound” Science: Voices from the Ocean This year’s Sitka WhaleFest explores the theme of “sound” science from a variety of angles: using sound waves for communication within the ocean, how scientists use sound to study underwater ecosystems, diverse approaches of inquiry in our natural world, and connections to current research in Sitka Sound. Join us…

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Voices on Lincoln Street

“Voices on Lincoln Street: An Experiment in Reverse Tourism” There’s been a cruise boom in Sitka, Alaska, with more people coming to the island community than ever before. To feel a bit more connection to the people filling town, Sitka Tells Tales set up on the street to talk with tourists  about where they’d take…

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Youth Art Studio at BMS

CBS Parks and Recreation’s After-School Youth Art Studio begins Tuesday, September 26. 8-week program is taught by former BMS Art Teacher Sandra Fontaine. Topics will include drawing, shading and watercolor. Youth grades 6 to 8 will be exposed to a variety of art experiences, projects & media Two sections offered: Tuesdays 3:30 pm to 4:45…

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Ready to Upgrade Your Energy Use??

“Using Federal and Regional Incentives to Change Household Energy Use” Sitka Conservation Society has created a guide to help local households take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, rebates, and other energy incentives. Visit sitkawild.org/energy to learn how to save money on heat pumps, electric vehicles, home energy audits, weatherization and more, while reducing…

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Call for Performers

The first Sitka Monthly Grind of the season will take place on Saturday, October 21st at the Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Naa Kahídi. “Variety Show Grind” is the theme, and the show is being produced by Melinda McAdams, of Sitka Studio of Dance, and by Jeff Budd. Right now, they are looking for performers for this Grind.…

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Sitka Monthly Grind

Monthly Grind musician image by BJ

Here is the schedule for the New Season of the Sitka Monthly Grind: Sat. Oct. 21 – “Variety Show Grind” produced by Melinda McAdams & Jeff Budd – At Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Fri. Nov. 3 – “Whalefest Grind” produced by Jeff Budd & SS Science Center – At Centennial Bldg. Sat. Dec. 9 –…

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Sewing Machine Repair & Cleaning

Ocean Wave Quilters is sponsoring sewing machine repair and cleaning by Raintree Quilting technicians the fourth week of October. Reserve your space now by contacting Sarah Jordan at sarahleighjordan@gmail.com. Include name, phone number, make and model of the machine and any problems. Payment is by credit card. Drop-off is Monday, October 23 in the Costume…

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Indian Arts & Crafts Act (IACA)

Testimony heard in last of a nationwide series of consultations with Indigenous people, per SHI article published 8/18/23. Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and the Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA) are urging the federal government to hold off on implementing proposed amendments to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits…

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“Many Things Under a Rock”

From publisher Norton: A behavioral ecologist’s riveting account of his decades-long obsession with octopuses: his discoveries, adventures, and new scientific understanding of their behaviors. Of all the creatures of the deep blue, none is as captivating as the octopus. In Many Things Under a Rock, marine biologist David Scheel investigates four major mysteries about these…

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Ecology PhD Returns to Outer Coast

We are thrilled to announce that visiting faculty member Caroline Daws will be returning for the 2023-2024 Outer Coast Year Fall Semester. Caroline first came to Outer Coast in Spring 2022, when she taught two courses, Fungi of the Forest and Intertidal. She received her PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Stanford University, and her…

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Celebration 2008 Video

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has digitized and posted on YouTube video of Celebration 2008. Celebration is a dance-and-culture festival first held by SHI in 1982 that has grown into the world’s largest gathering of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people. The 2008 event featured 52 dance groups from Alaska, the Lower 48 and Canada. At Celebration 2008, SHI…

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Raven as Trickster & Cultural Hero

Sealaska Heritage Institute will sponsor a lecture series on “Raven as Trickster and Cultural Hero” by traditional Tlingit and Tsimshian storytellers. Free event to be offered in-person and virtually. The series will end with an academic review of Raven stories by a scholar of Northwest Coast culture and history. All lectures will be held in-person…

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Sitka Nature Posts

Sitka naturalist & photojournalist Matt Goff continues his “blog of photos, observations, and thoughts chronicling my journey as a naturalist learning my place (almost exclusively in the Sitka Area).” Here is “A Touch of Snow” – Matt’s entry from Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023: Overcast with temperatures in the 30s. Light winds. Snow last night was…

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Irish Music Continues at Beak

The group varies from week-to-week (depending on who shows up): ceoltóir (musician) fidléir (fiddler) seinnteoir fliúite (flutist) seinnteoir giotár (guitarist) imreoir banjo (banjoist) píopaí na hÉireann (Irish bagpipes) Almost forgot the accordion: cairdín OR bosca ceoil

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