Well, that’s moose hunting– we’ve been at it four days a week for four weeks, and the moose have safely avoided our freezer. More on that in the next post. While we were hunting, the beautiful old tender (1937, wooden, classic, 70 feet) Neptune sank in the harbor, no one was hurt, and no wildlife have been harmed from the fuel spill. The harbor master is being praised for his quick response and a job well done. Margaret at KHNS has the best summary, so listen here. Also, there’s a very cool modern dance troupe performing tonight at the Chilkat Center at 7 (and they’ll be in the school today) don’t miss the Michael Mao Dance Company. I’m sorry I wasn’t back at my desk in time to tell you about Erin McKittrick’s talk at the library last night– I do know she inspired a larger Morning Muscles crowd at six am today– I mean, if she and her husband and two very little children (Katmai and Lituya, after two beautiful places they’ve walked) can trek and camp thousands of miles through really tough wilderness– even for Alaskans– well, we can do a few sit-ups before dawn, you know? Her new book is Small Feet, Big Land : Adventure,Home and Family on the edge of Alaska I can’t wait to read it. Also this morning, we learned that the recent local election has apparently been challenged due to the trouble with the voting machine. It rejected ballots that were not fully marked, and then voters were told they had incomplete ballots, and given an opportunity to fix them, or wait while the machine was over ridden so the ballot they hadn’t filled out fully could be counted. Which did put some voters in a funny spot– I mean, everyone in the room knew that you weren’t happy with the choices or uniformed about them. I don’t know if that would change the results, which seem just fine to me– but it was uncomfortable, and a bit alarming, that’s for sure. Here’s another newsworthy note: a Haines counselor has tossed his paperwork into the pile to maybe run for governor in 2014 on the Alaska Constitution Party ticket, announcing his intent to enter the race. The Chilkat Valley news reported that he has until June 1 to gather 3, 017 signatures to get his party on the ballot. There are 131 registered members of the Alaska Constitution Party. J.R. Myers was formerly chair of the Montana Libertarian Party. He told the Chilkat Valley News the state needs to wean itself from an “addiction” to oil, and that he does not the support the Juneau road project, same sex-marriage, or abortion. Myers, a behavioral health clinician at Lynn Canal Counseling, has just been elected president of the Alaska Counseling Association and the Alaska Chapter of the American Counseling Association. The Chilkat Valley News reported that a goal of his leadership of the mental health organization is to be involved more on the legislative end of counseling services. Finally– a few things for your calendar this week: I’m reading at the library as part of Alaska Book Week 5-6 Thursday, and Hospice invites you to the annual Light the Night Remembrance Walk at the school gym Friday night 6:30-8:00. Come any time and stay a minute or an hour. It used to be outside, but rainy wind was a problem, so it’s been moved indoors, and is moving, meditative and private– and a nice way to remember loved ones lost by placing luminary bags with a name you write on them around the edges of the gym, in dim light to classical music.(You may make a donation to Hospice for your bag (s) or not.) I like walking among all those familiar friends and family and remembering.
