Chamber Logo-2010
Sitka harbor view
Weekly HappeningsMay 3, 2010
Quick Links
FAIRFIELD INN
Fairfield Inn
Something's fishy in Seattle.... Visit the Seattle Aquarium, watch fish fly at the Pike Place Market, or feed the seagulls on the Seattle Waterfront ... and stay at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott, in SeaTac, starting at only $79. Click here for Alaska Resident discount reservations or call 206-824-9909.
Harbor Heights ad
Have a wedding or party or stay for a week.
Visit Harbor Heights online
COAST GUARD WELCOME BAGS
If you would like to add goodies or coupons to this year's Welcome bags for Coast Guard personnel, please contact Hospitality Coordinator, Summer Sustachek, at 623-9900 or by email.
UPCOMING EVENTS

The 2010 ACS/Chamber Golf Tournament is coming up on Saturday, July 24.
LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS
To have news from your business included in this newsletter, email Sheila.
Deadline Friday afternoon.
ADVERTISING
To have an ad for your business included in this newsletter, email Sheila.
Deadline Friday afternoon.
Super  Supporters
$3,000-5,000
Alaska Cruise Association
Sponsoring the Season's End Celebration
ACS
Sponsoring the Sitka Golf Tournament

Primary Benefactors
$1,000 Memberships
Chamber Board
Cory Baggen, President, Samson Tug & Barge
Craig Shoemaker, V-P, Seafood Producers Coop
Gerry Hope,Sec/Treas. Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Caprice Pratt, Member-at-Large, First National Bank Alaska
Keith Perkins - USDA Rural Development
Lowell Frank - Spenard Builders Supply
Larry Crews - Aurora Business Supplies
Seth Bone - KingFisher Charters
Olga Borland - Russian American Co.
Allen Turner - Wells Fargo
Linda Mudry - White's
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From the Director
The ladies at The CellarThanks for reading. Please call or email with questions or commerts, or to advertise in this newsletter.

Sheila Finkenbinder,
Executive Director
747-8604 or email
chamber@ptialaska.net
WEEKLY LUNCHEONS

May 5, 2010 - Welcome to Sitka Day - No lunch at the Westmark. Please join us down at Crescent Harbor to greet the first cruise ship passengers of the season.
May 12, 2010 - Sitka Summer Music Festival - Sneak Peak
May 19, 2010 - Ralph Samuels, candidate for governor
May 26, 2010 - Ron Plantz, Green's Creek Mine
June 2, 2010 - Jay Ramras, candidate for lieutenant governor

The 5 minute Business Highlight is your chance to promote your business, or talk about any local issue of interest, and give away a door prize. Call Sheila, at 747-8604, to schedule your turn.
WELCOME TO SITKA DAY
Raptor Center eagle and New Archangel Dancers, 2009
The Celebrity Millenium will arrive this Wednesday. Passengers may come ashore as early as 11:30am and stay until 6:00pm.
The ladies at The Cellar
The ladies at The CellarPlease join us down at Crescent Harbor, to welcome the passengers and crew from the Millenium, the first large cruise ship in town for the season. The Raptor Center eagle will be there, along with the New Archangel Dancer and the Naa Kahidi Dancers.

If you have an Alaska Day costume, wear it and share some history.
If you have a band, bring them down.
If you have other ideas to make our visitors feel welcomed, bring it on.
If you only have time to greet a few visitors on the street, do that.

This year's Welcome to Sitka posters, and the Welcome cards to share with visitors, will be distributed to downtown businesses before Wednesday.
WAGE & HOUR SEMINARS
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Shee Atika Totem Square Inn
Make sure you understand Department of Labor rules regarding employment before getting in trouble. The experts will answer all your questions.
1:00pm Wage & Hour - Minimum wage, overtime, exempt or non-exempt employees, recordkeeping laws, breaks, on-call, travel time, return transportation and final pay.
2:00pm Child Labor - Work permit requirements, safety for minors, break laws, duties and permissible hours.
3:00pm Title 36 (Little Davis Bacon) - Employment preference, certified payroll, rates of pay, classifications, coverage issues, and Notice of Work / Notice of Completion.

Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Seating is limited. Please call 747-3347 to register.

This is an equal opportunity program and auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. TDD-Relay Alaska 10800-770-8973
SILVER SAVER CARD HIGHLIGHTS

The Daily Sitka Sentinel has been on the Silver Saver Card for several years. They are again offering a 2nd week FREE on your classified ad to buy or sell personal items.
ALASKA BUSINESS WEEK
Alaska Business Week

Applications are available online for the first Alaska Business Week, which is being sponsored by the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce.
Modeled after the very successful, long running, Washington Business Week. It is open to 100 students, grades 9-12. This week-long intensive summer program will take place on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, August 8-14.Students from all over Alaska are encouraged to apply.

Business and organization leaders are being asked to participate in this worthwhile endeavor in a number of ways, including working as 'company advisors'. There are also opportunities to participate by taking part in the judges' panel on Friday morning of the program.


For more information, or to pick up an application for your student, contact the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce at 907-586-2010 or go online at www.alaskachamber.com.

SITKA SEAFOOD FESTIVAL RAFFLE
Fish in float
Raffle tickets are now on sale to support the first annual Sitka Seafood Festival to be held on August 6 & 7, 2010.
Prizes include a $500 bicycle, $125 worth of seafood and 10 gift certificates to local restaurants. Tickets, at $5 each, are available at Old Harbor Books.
The drawing will take place on May 9, so get your tickets now.
'PROFIT MASTERY' WORKSHOP 
May 24 & 25 at UAS

This internationally-recognized 2-day workshop will help you increase the profitability of your business. It has been presented hundreds of times for $395, and is being made available for FREE in Sitka, thanks to the Rural Outreach Program for Entrepreneurs and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
To learn more, and to sign up, click Profit Mastery
or call April at 907-463-3227.
The ladies at The Cellar
GREEN BUSINESS AWARDS

In mid-April, 35 Sitka businesses were awarded the 2010 "Sitka Green Business Award" for their green business practices by the Sitka Global Warming Group and Sustainable Sitka (SGWG/SS). For the complete list of businesses and how to nominate other Sitka businesses, please see Sitka Global Warming site.

"We recognize and appreciate how these award-winning businesses are contributing to the sustainability of our community, both in an environmental sense and in a financial and social sense," says Michelle Putz, a representative of SGWG/SS.  "This program came about because members of SGWG/SS recognized that many Sitka businesses are engaged in green practices such as recycling, composting, installing bike racks, encouraging use of reusable cups/bags/plates, and energy conservation.  Realizing that these "green" practices benefit the environment, save money, and increase our sustainability, SGWG/SS wanted to recognize and thank those businesses, encourage others to start "greening" their business, and help local businesses take advantage of a green marketing strategy.  We hope these awards are the start of added business and sustainability in Sitka."
YOU COUNT IN SITKA ~ 2010 CENSUS
Census-hands

Census takers are now going door-to-door  to collect data from households that didn't mail in their surveys. Sitka's mail in participation rate only reached 62%, relative to the national rate of 72%.
TOURISTS STEERED IN NEGATIVE DIRECTION BY RV BUSINESS


B&B RV Rental in Anchorage Gets BBB's Lowest Rating

 

Anchorage, Alaska - April 29, 2010 - Anchorage-based B&B RV Rental has caused problems for some Alaska tourists, Better Business Bureau warns.

 

Since July 2008, BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington has received 305 inquiries and 12 complaints regarding B&B RV Rental. The company has failed to resolve or respond to nine of the complaints leaving the business with an "F" rating from BBB. The company's business license expired Dec. 31, 2009; however, their website, bnbrv.com, is currently advertising a "sale" for summer 2010.

 

Tourism related businesses were among BBB's Top 2009 Inquiries and Complaints for Alaska. When booking an Alaskan adventure or other vacation, BBB suggests:

 Researching businesses. Before making a purchase, look up the company online and make sure it is properly licensed. Always check www.bbb.org for free BBB Reliability Reports and tips.

 Getting details in writing and reading fine print. Always ask for confirmation of travel arrangements in writing and get copies of cancellation and refund policies. Read contracts before signing and never sign if information is not filled in the blanks.

Verifying online security. Before making a purchase or entering personal information online, make sure the Web address has an "s" in "https" and look for a lock box next to the Web address bar or in the bottom right of the window to ensure the site is secure. Be careful when signing up for free offers and make sure not to click links or check boxes for costly, unwanted offers. Carefully read fine print and disclaimers before pressing 'submit.'

Paying by credit card, ideally within 60 days of a trip. Credit card companies may allow consumers to dispute charges within 60 days of purchase.

Inspecting rentals. Before leaving, visually inspect the interior and exterior of the vehicle for dings, dents and scratches. Have damage recorded in writing with the rental company before leaving the lot. Get all verbal agreements for base rental cost, daily fees, insurance, the vehicle inspection summary or other rental particulars on paper.

 

BBB offers dispute resolution services and consumers can file a complaint at www.bbb.org.