The Sheldon Jackson Museum is now accepting applications for the 2022 Native Artist Residency program. 

Residencies are 22 days long and take place June 4-26, July 8–30, August 19-September 10, and September 16-October 8.

While in residence, artists create art in an open studio format in the museum gallery and engage with the community through cultural consultations, artist talks, and teaching one or more art forms.

Artists may focus on traditional or contemporary Native art forms. Outstanding beginners as well as experienced artists are welcome.

Artists benefit from utilizing the museum’s collections for research and meeting visitors from around Alaska and the world and local Sitka community members while working in the museum gallery.

All four residency positions include a $2,000 artist stipend, a $770 food stipend, and travel to and from Sitka.

The Sitka Seed Library, located at Sitka Public Library, is now open to the public....

“The original idea came after speaking to a friend who thought we needed a seed library in Sitka,” Sitka Public Library Adult Services Librarian Margot O’Connell wrote in an email. “After doing some research, I found it would be an easy project to start and would accomplish a lot of our programming goals.”

Several public libraries have started seed libraries in recent months, following the model of the Growing Ester’s Biodiversity program at the John Trigg Ester Library in Ester, located just outside Fairbanks and one of the oldest public-library-based seed libraries in Alaska. Other seed libraries are in Dillingham, Homer, Soldotna, and other communities. In 2018, the Alaska Legislature passed a bill that removed several barriers to sharing seeds in the state.

"Sitka Public Library launches new Sitka Seed Library," by Charles Bingham, February 9, 2022. Sitka Local Foods Network.

In his recent book “Black History in the Last Frontier,” University of Alaska Anchorage history professor Ian Hartman sheds light on the contributions Black people have made in Alaska before and after statehood.

“They hunted for whales, patrolled the seas, built roads, served in the military, opened businesses, fought injustice, won political office and forged communities,” Hartman wrote in his introduction. “This book presents their stories and documents a seemingly improbable topic: the history of black settlement and life in Alaska.”

The book began as a project for the centennial celebration of Anchorage in 2015, Hartman said in an interview with the Empire, and is a collaboration between UAA and the National Park Service. But given the wealth of information available, what was meant to be a single chapter grew into a full-length book.

"Book traces over 150 years of Black history in Alaska" by Peter Segall, February 16, 2022. Juneau Empire.

Listen to the forward, written and performed by Ed Wesley

Mae Ciechanski was one of the original founders of the Soldotna Historical Society and Museum.

Twenty years ago, she donated her husband’s old homestead cabin to the society. But for a long time, the cabin was closed off to the public, due to concerns about a chemical fire that burned the place while her husband, Ed, was making pottery there.

Now, it’s open inside to the public, joining several other houses, an old school and post office at the Soldotna Homestead Museum off Centennial Park Road.

"Ciechanski cabin is a piece of Soldotna homestead history" by Sabine Poux, February 17, 2022. KDLL.org.

Patrons of the Joyce K. Carver Memorial Soldotna Public Library can now check out computers and Wi-Fi hot spots alongside books and other library materials courtesy of federal grant funds.

Soldotna City Librarian Rachel Nash confirmed Monday that the technology is now available for checkout on a first-come, first-served basis for three weeks at a time. The hot spots have unlimited data and can be used with mobile devices in addition to computers, Nash said.

The pilot project was funded by federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was passed in March 2021, through Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums, a division under the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

"Computers, Wi-Fi available for checkout at Soldotna library" by Ashlyn O'Hara, February 15, 2022. Peninsula Clarion.

Unalaska is making progress on a long-awaited library renovation and expansion - plans are confirmed to close the library's current building and move to a temporary location in the Burma Road Chapel.

The city originally approved the library expansion in January 2020, but hit the brakes at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restoration efforts were on hold until December 2021, when city council approved moving forward with the $6.5 million renovation.

"Unalaska library staff prepare for long-awaited renovation" by Theo Greenly, February 10, 2022. Bristol Bay Times.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I would like to thank Peggy Arness for access to her history files and the Resurrection Bay Historical Society for access to its archive of old Seward newspapers. It would been impossible to tell this story this fully without their support.

In late July 1958, near the end of the commercial sockeye season on Cook Inlet, Jimmy Johnson took time out to do a little offshore partying.

According to a news report three days later, Johnson’s drift boat, the Tony, was tied up to the fishing vessels Gulf Stream and Ceylon and was anchored in front of the Kenai Packers cannery on the lower Kenai River.

At the party with Johnson on the Gulf Stream were its operators, Walt and Bed Soule, plus Walt and Kathy Johnson from the Ceylon. At some point, Jimmy Johnson, almost certainly intoxicated, attempted to return to the Tony but failed to properly navigate the transition.

From the Anchorage Daily Times on Aug. 2: “The four (other partiers) stated that as Johnson was leaving the Gulf Stream he missed his skiff and stepped into the water. … He disappeared and was not seen again.”

"The heroic rise and tragic fall of ‘The Screaming Swede’ — Part 1" by Clark Fair, February 13, 2022. Peninsula Clarion.

A First Alaskans Institute Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Event

A forum to hear Alaska Native truth-telling, work on inter-generational healing, and co-create solutions to transform Alaska.

If you or someone you know may be interested in participating or would like to know more about it, please email us at anpc@firstalaskans.org.

Warming of the Hands Opening Gathering
Monday, February 21, 6 pm-8 pm

Tribunal, Truth Telling Space
Tuesday-Wednesday, February 22-23, 9 am-closing

Summit
Thursday, February 24, 9 am-12