A ridge atop Flower Mountain set a dramatic backdrop for Saturday’s wedding of Teslin Podsiki and Josh Whitby. Teslin’s mom Teri Bastable-Podsiki served as officiant. Out-of-town guests included Josh’s mom Dana Whitby of Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pa., Teslin’s aunt Penny Reed of North Carolina and cousins Alice and Taylor Reed. Visitors in the wedding party included Martin and Tori Justus of Fairbanks and Sierra Cheyenne of Pennsylvania. COVID caused a cancellation of the wedding celebration here last year and the recent outbreak limited guests to a small group of family and friends, including Kim Larson. Teslin wore a strapless, princess-style gown with tulle. Guests at a Chilkat Inlet Retreat reception feasted on sockeye and tri-tips cooked by Tim Ward and a layered, chocolate wedding cake made by Corrie Suh Stickler. As Teslin also requested smores, dad Greg Podsiki built a custom, wooden box to carry graham crackers, chocolate and other fixings. A band led by Fred Shields kept guests dancing into the night. Josh is a military veteran employed by Shawnee Ski Resort. Teslin is a call specialist for COVID assistance. The newlyweds live in Pennsylvania but plan to relocate to Alaska soon.
Regina Johanos is in Homer, working at the public library. When not surrounded by books, she’s been hiking beaches and wilderness with Lindsey Edgar, who’s spending the summer there. Reggie is hoping to visit Haines this fall.
New Haines resident Larry Johansen is hunting down baseball stories from Lynn Canal. He has already published one book, “The Golden Days of Baseball: The Story of Baseball Played in Frontier Alaska and the Klondike,” about the northern game prior to 1920. Johansen is a writer, photographer and tour guide and former director of Southeast operations for Cruise West. A native of Ketchikan, he’s written six books, including four he self-published. Contact him at [email protected].
Molly Gloyer has returned from a five-week trip to see friends. She left Haines July 11 and visited childhood friend Monica Vomenici in Easton, Wash. In Wenatchee, she caught up with former classmates Crystal Dierick and Jay Stevens. Stevens is a jet pilot for American Airlines. A visit to Santa Monica, Calif. included five days of dog-sitting for friends and former Yakutat residents Suzanne and Gary Islet, whose house near the beach has a lemon tree out back. In Anchorage, Molly visited Misty Watanabe, a former Haines bartender who lives in Big Lake and works at a distillery there. She also saw Terriann Bogren, sister of former Haines counselor Regina Rioux. Molly’s final stop in Yakutat, where she lived 27 years, included a day at Cannon Beach with rare, clear views of Mount St. Elias and Mount Fairweather.
Melanie Witek visited daughter Maddy Witek in Haines July 20-Aug. 3. Besides volunteering at the fair, Melanie saw her first brown bear, on Mount Riley Road, and also her first porcupine, on Beach Road. Melanie works as a middle school speech pathologist in Algonquin, Ill.
Former Haines bank manager Kyle Gray has earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Alaska-Anchorage. After spending a year in the Lower 48, Kyle has returned to First National Bank of Alaska, working as lending branch manager at Golden Valley branch in Fairbanks. He’s also a certified yoga instructor.
Randy and Mira Ericksen left Aug. 21 after spending five weeks at their cabin across Mud Bay. Besides replacing the woodstove and hearth, they visited friends and hiked local trails, including Mount Riley, Mount Ripinsky and Seduction Point. The Ericksens live in Corbett, Ore., close to the Columbia River gorge.
Coral Jacobson and Kyle Greenhalgh were married Aug. 7 at Yokayo Ranch in the hilly wine country of Ukiah, Calif. Held in 100-degree heat, the three-day, outdoor celebration was a giant pool party with a cannabis theme, including a cannabis bar and bouquets. Jason Raimondi, a mutual friend of the bride and groom, served as officiant. Coral wore a cream-colored gown with lace and a train. Guests enjoyed barbecue salmon and tiered, lemon-vanilla cake. Haines guests included Coral’s dad Terry Jacobson and Judy Hall Jacobson, mom Jenn Reid, brother Joe Jacobson, Merrick Bochart and their daughter Yarona and friend Sarah Bishop and her son North. Other guests included Dennis and Susan Greenhalgh of Utah, Kyle’s parents. Coral and Kyle own a cannabis dispensary in Ukiah. They have a three-year-old son, Dean.
The Southeast Alaska State Fair held its annual membership meeting over Zoom on Aug.21. Tom Faverty was elected to the fair board; Spencer Douthit, Peter Dwyer and Wendell Harren were re-elected to board seats. The fair’s annual report included development of a new fair logo and receipt of $140,000 in grants to keep the fair going during the pandemic.