Lucas Dean Olsen was born to Renae and Ryan Olsen at 1:54 a.m. on Oct. 6 at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna. Lucas weighed 8 lbs., 7 ounces, and measured 20 inches. Grandmom Tina Olsen of Haines was there, babysitting the couple’s daughter Madison, 2. Ryan, who works as a physical therapist at the hospital, showed his son around to co-workers there. Renae reports that Madison is smitten with her new brother.
Maddy Witek is in town this week, packing up for her move back to the Chicago area. She and her dad Kyle Witek enjoyed visiting friends around town.
Teresa Hura is back from a trip to Italy. She stayed near Naples as a guest of Cecelia Belleli Barratta, who operates a Paestum agriturismo that raises 1,000 head of water buffalo used to make a strain of mozzarella cheese. From there she traveled to Einsiedeln, Switzerland, the home of her maternal grandparents, for a family reunion that attracted relatives from California, Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. Other stops in Italy included Conegliano, where Teresa previously taught English-language classes, and the resort town of Lago di Garda. In Conegliano, she visited a teacher she knew and taught a lesson on Alaska. She returned to Phoenix, Ariz., reunited with her husband Larry, and traveled to Torrey, Utah for a reunion with Colorado River trip friends near Capital Reef National Park. In Phoenix, the Huras visited Ron and Jean Smith.
The Haines High School art club plans on hosting a winter bazaar on Dec. 3 at the school and is seeking vendors to participate. Tables are $30, with proceeds benefiting the club. For more information, reach Matilda Rogers at [email protected].
Patty Brown, Tracy Wirak-Cassidy, and Clay Good attended the 2022 Alaska STEAM Conference at Juneau-Douglas High School on Oct. 13-15. The gathering for educators focuses on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Clay gave a presentation on clean energy and Patty spoke on new science standards and integrating stronger reading skills in science. Tracy attended a session on school kits organized by the state Department of Fish and Game. She leads animal-tracking outings for students K-12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting 3 p.m. at Haines School.
Suzi McCollum Linden has written and illustrated a 36-page children’s book, “Princess Bigfoot in Alaska,” now for sale online. She describes the book as a “bedtime story and love letter to Haines” based on her life here from 1999-2009. “I wrote it while painting it during the pandemic. It took me to my happy place,” Suzi said this week. She now lives in Denmark, Maine. Her son Rowan, 27, also lives in Maine and works as a heating technician. “Heat pumps are all the rage,” Suzi said.
Teri Bastable-Podsiki, daughter Melissa Ganey, and granddaughter Ashlyn Ganey visited Melissa’s daughter Taylor Ganey at the University of Oregon campus last weekend. Highlights included sampling restaurant fare and watching the Ducks beat UCLA in a football game at Autzen Stadium. They connected with Greg Podsiki and his sister Mona Gagner, who were finishing their long road trip around the western United States.
Shannon McPhetres and daughter Emily, 13, spent five days in northern Holland, visiting Ukrainian friends Olga and Shane Cunnane and daughters Sophia, 17, and Katya, 11. Shannon got to know Olga during a cultural exchange program in 1994. The Cunnanes are refugees now living in the coastal Callantsoog. Shane is an Irish national who worked in Ukraine for the United Nations. Besides seeing and supporting their friends, Shannon said highlights included visiting the wide, North Atlantic beaches and taking in the bicycle culture of Amsterdam. The trip was Emily’s first to Europe and Shannon’s first in 28 years.
The Haines Chamber of Commerce recently started its hiring process for an executive director and there’s still time to apply. Contact the chamber office at 907-766-2202 or stop by office, #14 in Main Street’s Gateway Building. Andrew Letchworth is serving as the business group’s interim manager. Wendell Harren is chair of the chamber’s board of directors.