Turn back the pages — July 14, 1977
Compiled by Julie Rosier
Education Board, Commissioner, visitor Center — The State Board of Education was in Seward June 27-19, and dedicated the new Alaska Skill Center culinary facility and Phase I of the dormitory complex. The board members, Commissioner of Education Marshall Lind and other dignitaries had a chance to taste the excellent food prepared by the center’s food service students and staff. “The new building will serve as an excellent training facility for those who whish to go into the food service area of employment,” commented Lind. Lind and state board members also inspected the newly constructed dormitory. A plaque was presented to the Building Trades Department with the names and hometowns of each trainee that put in more than 200 hours on the project. Two cakes, representing the two facilities, were prepared by June Zimmerman. Instructors for the project were Bob Richardson, Marvin Jensen and George Zimmerman. Lind said that the new dorm marked the first phase of a badly needed facility which will provide a good living environment needed by resident students. “State taxpayers need to be aware that the dedication and talent of the staff and students of the Skill Center saved all of us a considerable amount of money,” Lind said.
TV, road, dock to take Johnson to capital city — Improved television for Seward will be one of the topics City Manager Johnny Johnson will be lobbying for in Juneau when he visits the capital city two weeks from now. Johnson says the community deserves more cooperation from the state than the proposed seven hours a day of public television. “Bush communities, other Kenai Peninsula communities are getting much better than that,” Johnson said in a visit Wednesday to the LOG office. Johnson also plans to meet with state officials on access to the 4th of July area and the condition of the road at Mile 18 where the slide took the bridge out. “The Mile 18 problem will definitely take some pressure and working with Sen. Kerttula and Rep. Lovseth,” Johnson said. “The slide area is in terrible condition right now but will be impossible in winter if the state doesn’t get to work soon on it,” he added. Johnson said the city council had given him the go-ahead to hire a consultant to do a feasibility study on a city dock. “If we get a city facility that improves the docking situation for the Tustumena we should be able to forestall any more threats from the state to move the ferry,” Johnson said.
Halibut migrates from Russian to Alaskan waters — A halibut that had traveled about 1,000 miles in two years — making the trip from Russian waters to Alaskan waters, was caught May 19 by the Seattle halibut schooner M/V Polaris. The catch was made near the Shumangin Islands and was 58 inches and 71 pounds, with a tag attached to its cheek. International Halibut Commision record indicated the halibut was tagged and relased on July 5, 1975, about 40 miles off the coast of Kamchatka in the U.S.S.R. during a cooperative tagging experiment conducted by Soviet and commission scientists. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of intermingling between halibut of the eastern and western Bering Sea. The halibut was 14 years old when it was tagged. During the two years between release and recovery, the fish grew five inches and gained 16 pounds. Assuming the fish migrated along the 100 fathom line, it travelled about 1,000 miles. A few other tagged halibut have migrated between Soviet and Alaska waters, but none from as far west in the Bering Sea. In 1967, a fish tagged 50 miles southwest of Cape Navarin, U.S.S.R ., was recovered two years later off Cape St. Elias in the Gulf of Alaska.
Grocery reopens on 4th Avenue — “Ready or not,” Bob’s Market will be reopened, says Bob Wilson, owner. The store, formerly located at Mile 5 1/2, burned to the ground on June 7th. The new store will be located in the Brown & Hawkins building on 4th Avenue, downtown Seward. Eddie Wilson, Bob’s wife and co-owner, says the store will carry the same lines as before the doors will open tomorrow, Friday, July 15. Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. The Wilsons and their two sons, Robin and Randy, moved to Seward from Kenai in December of 1972. They lived at the old store location and all of their personal belongings were destroyed along with the store. The family is now living in a trailer at Mile 7. The new store site at one time housed Werner’s Market and later Mattson’s Market which went out of business when its owners lost their belongings in the quake and tidal waves of 1964. The Wilsons say their former employees — Rose Lemas, Dick Jordan, Starkey Saindon, Mary Brewer, Mary Lee Haddeland and Lee McKean will be back at work as before. Welcome back in business to the Wilsons, and better luck this time!
10 rural cooks graduate ASC food services — Ten cooks graduated from the Alaska Skill Center Rural Cooks Program on June 29. The students, who came from such diverse communities as Kivalina, Noorvik and Circle City, were enrolled in a 4-week workshop which highlighted nutrition, menu planning, quantity baking, and a review of all food service activities. The course included classroom work and on-the-job training. It was judged by instructor Hazel Campbell to be a success. The ASC Food Service Department has hosted the Rural Cooks Program for the past four years and feels it is a good way to upgrade and improve school lunch programs within the state. Participants in the program this year were: Cecelia Sipary from St. Mary’s, Hilda Alstrom, also from St. Mary’s Janet Barr from Kivalina, Helen Wells from Moorvik, Jessie Ridley from Metlakatla. Norma Blandov from Metlakatla, Darlene Bessette from Circle City, Joyce Ward from Fort Yukon, Hazel Snyder from Noorvik, and Nellie Melton from Noorvik. “The students were eager and cheerful and especially enjoyed their opportunity to work in the new, modern food service facility, as well as their field trips to the cannery, local restaurants, Kenai and Homer,” said Sue Sanders.