Photo courtesy of Michael Durrant
Hikers stop to enjoy a late fall rainbow on Resurrection Trail.
By Bianca Durrant
Turnagain Times Hope Correspondent
Veterinarian visits Hope Oct. 17
Seward veterinarian, Matt Hall, will make a special trip to the Hope Social Hall to give our dogs and cats their yearly shots. If your pet has special needs please call Dr. Hall ahead of time to make arrangements. His number is (907) 224-5500. Thank you for coming to see our animals Doc.
Street Name Resolution Finalized
The Kenai Peninsula Borough decided that renaming certain streets will enable a faster response time from 911 Emergency Services. One of the street names to get the boot during the Sept. 14 public hearings on the matter was Palmer Creek Road, where it branches off of the Hope Highway. The new name for the old right-of-way is Resurrection Creek Road. So now, Hope folks, rest assured that 911 Emergency Services will be able to find your house much easier.
Land Appraisals Higher Than Expected
The Oct. 1 Hope/Sunrise Advisory Planning Commission meeting shed light on KPB appraisal values for land included in the upcoming auction. Most of the land was appraised at approximately $40,000 or more an acre. The news surprised many as the appraisal values were based on recent Cooper Landing land sales. Cooper Landing real estate is generally much more expensive than Hope real estate because, as almost everyone knows (except the KPB), with the summer fishing season, there is a more stable economic base in Cooper Landing than Hope. Other topics brought up by locals at the meeting included the impact that inflated land values will have on property taxes. The next HSAPC meeting will be in November where ideas and next steps will be discussed.
School Events
The October school dinner fundraiser will be on Oct. 21 at the Discovery Café starting at 5:30 p.m. This should be a good one as Maria will be cooking her lasagna. It will be served with salad followed by tiramisu. It's all for a good cause; you just have to support the school by going to eat this meal. The September school dinner fundraiser raised $540 for the school PTA. In addition, funds raised at the first post office bake sale were $120.
In related good news, students will be receiving swim lessons at Alyeska Resort beginning Oct. 29 and continuing every Tuesday and Thursday for four weeks.
If you are a talented juggler then Oct. 28 is your day to shine. It is official Juggling Day at the school. There will also be a Family/Community Fun Night on the same day. Dress in your best costume and get points for spirit.
October 29 and 30 are the dates for Parent/Teacher conferences. Please call April Skaaren school secretary to set up a time to touch base with Mrs. T about your child's progress.
Hope Inc. Fall Meeting
The fall meeting of Hope Inc. will take place on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Head down to the Social Hall to fulfill your civic duty. Agenda topics include officer elections and next year's projects. All local non-profits are requested to submit project finance requests prior to the meeting.
Hope Museum Recognized
Diane Olthius, local historian, had the following to report:
Hope historical society members attended the Kenai Peninsula Historical Association meeting in the city of Kenai on Oct. 3. During the society reports, Hope's Diane Olthuis relayed that the Hope museum was visited by nearly 2,400 people in 2009 and was awarded the Alaska Historical Society's 2009 Local Historical Society Newsletter Award.
All in attendance enjoyed the program on Kenai's Russian Orthodox Church by Dorothy Gray. The Hope and Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum is open only on request during the winter. Next summer, when it is open every afternoon, do plan to visit the museum and see the Alaska Historical Society newsletter award plaque.
Longtime Local Honorary Stipan “Sam” Banic Passes Away
Stipan “Sam” Banic, 55, passed away in Seattle Sept. 28. The Banic family has had a cabin in Hope for many years. A service and celebration of life were held in Seward on Oct. 10. Most Hope locals will remember Sam tinkering away on his cabin right next to the Seaview Café, watching the peculiarities of humanity from his front porch. Hope Happenings bids him farewell in peace.
Sam was born in Otok, Croatia and the family emigrated to the U.S. He lived in Seward since 1968 where the family owned and operated Tony's Bar.
Hope Happenings Needs You!
In order to make Hope Happenings a dynamic and relevant contribution to its readers, an email account has been established where readers can submit topics of interest, tidbits, comments, concerns, etc. Please email Hope Happenings at hopehappenings@live.com.
Community Breakfast Wednesday
Hope Christian Church offers free breakfast to all residents on Wednesday mornings. You can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. to start sipping on coffee. Breakfast is served beginning at 8:00 a.m. and runs until 10:00 a.m. The food pantry will be open during breakfast for residents in need.
