Duly Noted

Sage William Bieberich was born at Juneau’s Birth Center at 11:15 p.m. June 4. Mom is Sylvia Heinz Bieberich and dad is Chad Bieberich. Sage weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 21 inches. Grandparents are Ginny Sampson and Kevin Bieberich, and William and Sharon Heinz.
Merrick Bochart and Joe Jacobson were married Sunday at their property on Chilkat State Park Road, surrounded by wildflowers picked by friends and family. The ceremony took place on the deck of a shop Joe is building. Merrick’s brother Micah Bochart of Queens, N.Y. officiated. Merrick’s parents are Jeff and Adrian Bochart. Joe’s parents are Terry Jacobson and Jen Reid. Jeff gave Merrick away. Jen and Adrian, as well as the couple’ daughter, Yarona Jacobson, were flower girls. Bridesmaids included Merrick’s sister Hannah Bochart, Sam Darling, Sarah Cohen, and Clara Weishahn. Kelly Healy and Lee Bryant were groomsmen. Joe’s sister Coral Jacobson, Micah’s wife Jerin Arifa, and Merrick’s grandmother Mary Bochart of Ridgefield, Wash., also were in attendance. Friend Norah McLaughlin of Bellingham, Wash. sang. Friends camped out for two weeks preparing the property. The reception included Bochart Beef from a family ranch in Ridgefield. There were eight cakes, each made by a separate friend. Terry carved a cake-topper of two ducks kissing. Hannah and Amelia Nash entertained guests with a playlist of the couple’s favorite songs. Musicians in attendance got together for an impromptu session as well. Merrick is an artist, and Joe is a woodworker. The newlyweds’ post-wedding plans include enjoying their beautiful home, Merrick said.     
Last week’s Duly Noted about the wedding of Katrina Hotch and Leon Cain neglected to mention the parents of the groom. Leon’s parents are Herbert and Benita Cain. 
Anna Szymanski and Jason Hubbard were married May 29 in Letnikof Cove aboard the fishing boat Three Pearls. J.R. Churchill officiated. Members of the bride’s family included parents Jim and Randa Szymanski, sister Genny and husband Harry Rietze, grandmother Nicki Hopper, aunt and uncle Nancy and John DeCherney, cousin Henry DeCherney of Juneau, and aunt and uncle Thad Hopper and Lynn Meyers of Spokane, Wash. Family of the groom included father Randy Hubbard of Fort Worth, Texas, mother Kay Branch and stepfather Frans Cox of Jacksboro, Texas, brothers Brady Darnell of Weatherford, Texas and Eli Hubbard of Corpus Christi, Texas, and uncle Greg Hubbard of Ringling, Okla. Other guests came from Juneau, Boston, and the Netherlands. At the reception at Letnikof Cove, guests enjoyed cheesecakes made by Nancy. Jason is studying aviation maintenance at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Anna recently graduated there with her master’s degree in marine biology. The couple lives in Fairbanks.
Robert Butker and Courtney Hunt were married May 23 in the couple’s hometown of Atlanta. The ceremony was held at Emory Presbyterian Church, which Robert grew up attending. About 150 friends and family attended a reception held at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. A friend of Courtney’s who works for the Food Network made the wedding cake and cupcakes. The groom’s cake was a frothy beer mug and the bride’s was decorated with flowers. The couple left the reception in a horse-drawn carriage for a night ride around the city. They honeymooned in the Dominican Republic. The newlyweds plan to move to Bend, Ore. after finishing summer jobs in Skagway. They are looking forward to coming back and celebrating with friends in Alaska.
Graham Kraft and Lindsay Johnson spent 18 days skiing and packrafting in the Chugach Mountains between the Richardson Highway north of Valdez and the Old Glenn Highway outside of Palmer. Andy Fischer, Eben Sargent, Jeremy Wood and Luc Mehl also completed the 160-mile traverse. Kate Fitzgerald broke her leg on the third day and was taken by helicopter back to Valdez. After having their start delayed by a storm, the group enjoyed clear skies and good snow conditions. Highlights included powder skiing stops and views of Prince William Sound and surrounding peaks from atop Mount Marcus Baker. Kraft stopped in the Yukon Territory on his return for a two week fly-in trip with college roommate Jeff Crompton and his glaciology colleagues. They climbed Mount Walsh and Mount Steele, descending Donjek Glacier and river to reach the road.
Beth and Craig Jones are enjoying a ten-day visit with daughter Courtney Jones and friend Andrea Kuliasha of Fredericksburg, Va. This is Andrea’s first time in Haines. So far, they’ve enjoyed hiking. They plan to go boating, go to Chilkat Lake, and visit Canada.
Rich and Ruth Moore of Seattle enjoyed a three-week visit with daughter Lindsey Moore. The group attended Beerfest, traveled to Whitehorse, Y.T., and took the fast ferry to Skagway. A highlight was spending time at Glacier Point, where Lindsey is training to be a guide this summer. At the point, they went canoeing, witnessed a calving at Davidson Glacier, and helped gather spruce tips. The trip included helping Lindsey close out her house.
As part of National Trails Day Saturday, a group of Haines residents took to Battery Point Trail, where they smoothed about 80 feet of the trail using gravel. Evelyna Vignola organized the event, which was led by state park technician Dallas Anderson. The group included Paul Swift, Annie Boyce, Russ White, Dennis Geasan, and Jerry Ballanco and Jean Meaux. Mountain Market donated a pizza for volunteers.
Jodi and Stan Wood returned to Haines for a recent visit. The former residents moved to Yuma, Ariz. last summer. During their visit, they stayed with former neighbor and friend Beverly Wilson. The couple traveled to Alaska with the ashes of Stan’s parents Lois and Ray Wood. Ray died in February on his 100th birthday. The couple spread the ashes at Sunny Cove in Seward. They also attended the memorial services for residents Marge Matthews and Polly Budke.
Look out for bears if you plan on hiking to Battery Point. Sue Libenson and other hikers last weekend noticed that the Battery Point Trail past Kelgaya Point shows signs of bear presence. Areas surrounding the trail have been “trampled by bears,” Sue said.
Eighth grader Gabrielle St. Clair was chosen by classmates as winner of the annual Waid Morgan Award. The award goes to a student for achievement in academics, citizenship and sportmanship. Haines School’s May 20 promotion ceremony included an address by student council president Haley Sweet-Cushing and Lilianna Benassi’s rendition of “Count on Me.”
Devin O’Connor Soukkala, son of Brigid O’Connor, died in his home in Bozeman, Mont. on May 28. For reasons unclear to all, he took his own life, and has left a gaping hole in the hearts of all who knew him, Brigid said. Brigid said she thanks her Haines family for all the heartfelt support and counts on it continuing for the hard months ahead.