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Photo courtesy of Erin Knotek The Moose Pass Girl Scouts Junior Troop 208 recently spent the weekend in Hope. The group posed with “Gold Rush” Peck at the Hope/Sunrise Museum after learning to pan for gold. |
By Fayrene Sherritt
Turnagain Times
Hope Correspondent
Comments welcomed on Hope Post Office design
On June 6, Hope Inc. President Shawn Butler posted, at the Hope Post Office, information regarding the design of the new Hope Post Office that has been provided by the USPS architect. There is a 30-day comment period regarding the design of the facility. Anyone wishing to comment must submit his or her comments to Shawn either by mail or email at sbutler@msbai.com before the end of the comment period. Also, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly has scheduled a Public Hearing June 17 regarding Ordinance 2008-16: Authorizing the Negotiated Lease of a 1.22-Acre Parcel of Borough Land in Hope, Alaska to the United States Postal Service for a Main Post Office Site. If passed, KPB will lease Lot 12 Block 6 Nu-Hope Townsite to the US Postal Service for an initial term of 20 years, with four five-year renewal options. The annual rental schedule is posted at the Hope Post Office.
Hope receives state funds
President Butler also reported that Hope has received two new grants from the State of Alaska. One grant of $25,000 is for economic development and the second will be another MEAP grant. More information on these grants will be provided at the next scheduled Hope Inc. meeting set for Saturday, July 19 at 7 p.m. in the Hope Social Hall.
Wagon Trail Weekend around the corner
The 21st annual Wagon Trail Weekend will kick off with a Pancake Breakfast July 19 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Hope Social Hall. Raffle tickets are now available and can be bought at Alaska Dacha, Bear Creek Lodge/Dinner House, Grounds for Hope, the Hope Library gift shop, Hope Museum, Sherritt Fine Arts Gallery and at Sweet Mo’s. Thirty-one items have been donated for the raffle, which will be held on Sunday, July 20. Sunday morning the 5K run will start in front of the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Anyone wishing to run the 5K can sign up early or the morning of the run. For more information, please contact Angie Motoyama at 782-3773.
Girl Scouts spend weekend in Hope
In late May, the Girl Scout Junior Troop 208 from Moose Pass spent a weekend in Hope. The girls created their own badge centered on Hope. The first night the girls met with Ann Miller at the museum and had a “Night at the Museum with Mrs. Miller.” The girls learned about the history of mining in Sunrise and Hope. On Saturday, after learning how to pan for gold with Gold Rush Peck Hassler, the girls did a scavenger hunt and spent a couple of hours doing community service by picking up trash in Hope. They visited Mr. Twait’s miniature donkeys and ended the day with a special treat at Tito’s.
New Kent Bowman CD available
Local artist Kent Bowman’s new CD “Love Your Mother” along with his CD “Songs from Hope Alaska” is available at the Hope Library Gift Shop and the Sherritt Fine Arts Gallery. On June 20, Bowman’s Bear Creek Dinner House will have a dinner show featuring Bob Parson playing guitar on the deck. Beginning Sunday, June 22, Bowman’s Sunday Brunch will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday this summer. Their new ice cream and candy shop, Sweet Mo’s, open from noon to early evening, has already become a popular stop for residents and visitors.
Road, utility construction in the works
Marcus Mueller, KPB Land Management Officer, said, “The Borough has a couple of significant projects that will soon be underway in Hope. The Road Service Area, through a contract with Ross Services, will be constructing a new alignment for Resurrection Creek Road, moving the main roadway away from the Forest Service’s Palmer Creek gate. A modified entrance to Palmer Creek Road with a small parking area included is planned. This construction should begin happening this summer and the public should be advised that heavy equipment will be moving Resurrection Creek Road near the gravel pit.”
Mueller continued to say that, “The Borough is also working on designing and developing two new subdivisions in Hope. One is along Discovery Drive and Resurrection and the other one is on the north side of the Hope Highway across from the Hope Fire Station. The Borough is hoping to begin construction of roads and utilities for these two subdivisions as early as August or September. However, the Borough must first obtain patent title from the State of Alaska, which is not an easy process, but it is in the works. These construction projects are going to be using gravel from the Borough’s gravel pit. The material excavation will shape the future design of the gravel pit.”
Borough urges responsible use of gravel pit
Additional information was reported by Mueller stating that “KPB Land Management Divisions owns and manages the gravel pit near the airport. The Borough manages the gravel pit for the benefit of the community for a local gravel resource and to provide a central location to dispose of burnable organic material. The Borough has also adopted the gravel site as a “Firewise” slash disposal area. This is intended to provide a centralized area for the public to bring burnable yard materials, namely slash, leaves, grass clippings and clean lumber. It is absolutely not intended for solid waste, materials that do not burn or any type of hazardous waste.
“The Borough’s Land Trust expends more on this site than it receives in gravel sales. To ensure that this resource continues to stay operable, it is imperative that the community takes ownership and use the pit wisely and according to the rules. Basic Rules: Gravel extraction is by permit (cost is $3.25 per cubic yard for small quantities), excavation of gravel is from the working face only, disposal into the “Firewise” area is limited to burnable organic material that is manageable by hand and stacked neatly. No Shooting. The gravel pit is closed to shooting firearms for safety reasons. Keep it Clean.” For more information, Mr. Mueller can be contacted at 714-2204 or mmueller@borught.kenai.ak.us
Food Bank open Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The Hope Christian Church Food Bank is open Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Any folks needing to take advantage of the food pantry, outside the regular hours, please contact Burgins at 782-1002.