newsminer.com

Denali Borough Mayor Dave Talerico will officially cut the ribbon and open the doors today for Healy’s first bank, the First National Bank of Alaska.

Located on the first floor of the Tri-Valley Community Center, the bank will open at 10 a.m.

On Tuesday, tellers worked side-by-side with carpenters who busily finished remodeling the room, which has new windows and a new paint job. Bank manager Teri Simmons didn’t even look frazzled, just ready for the big day.

The Healy branch is a full-service bank, offering everything that banks in Fairbanks or Anchorage offer, including a night drop box for business deposits. Simmons moved here from Fairbanks with her family and spent many months getting to know the community.

The clever grand opening giveaway: 110 gallons of gas, because Healy is 110 miles from Fairbanks. You can enter to win between March 12 and April 15. The winner’s name will be drawn at the grand opening celebration April 16.

Stop in today and meet Senior Vice-President William Renfrew and bank board member George Gordon, president and CEO of Doyon Utilities.

Simmons is already teaching junior achievement classes to Tri-Valley middle school students. In the past couple of weeks, students filled out job applications, examined different careers, made simple business cards and learned how to present themselves in a business-like fashion. Operations assistant Serena Henson is on tap to teach similar junior achievement classes in the high school.

Local folks will recognize the two tellers: Sheri Lausen and Julie Shorey.

Winter hours (Sept. 16-April 14) for the bank will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and summer hours (April 15-Sept. 15) will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

State champions

Even 10-year-old hockey players can be state champions. A Healy team proved that last weekend, winning the Tier 4 Squirts state title.

This is the fourth state championship trophy taken by local hockey players since Healy Hockey began about 20 years ago, coach Martin Brewer said.

“They played the best hockey I’ve ever seen them play,” Brewer said. “It was just amazing to watch.”

Some of the highlights: First-year player Jordan Wallis made five goals. Richie Stickle made 15 goals and three assists. Dante Keith, who usually skates in a younger bracket, made nine goals and had four assists.

Everyone skated and everyone played as a team, said Brewer.

“What really made our team good down there is they pass the puck,” the coach said.

Their fear of last year’s undefeated Juneau team evaporated after beating Juneau 7-1 in the first game of the tournament.

“What was really nice is, they didn’t brag, there was no attitude before, during or after the game,” said Brewer. “There were only five penalties the whole tournament, and in three games, there were no penalties at all. That says a lot about this team.”

Other state championships were won by another Squirts team (under age 10), a PeeWee team (under age 12) and a Bantam team (under age 14).

Check out the impressive trophy on display at the Tri-Valley Community Library.

Child care

Child care is not on the agenda tonight, but the Denali Borough Assembly is going to get an earful about the closing of the Denali Preschool and Learning Center in Healy.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Anderson School.

Owner Shelly Merrell announced she is closing the longtime child care facility March 31 and hopes to sell the building as a private residence. But the Denali Borough attorney filed a court document notifying potential buyers that the borough has an interest in the property. According to the contract, the building reverts to the borough if Merrell does not run the center as a day care for at least three years. She has operated the facility for almost two years.

“Our main hope is to get something resolved so the kids don’t have to move,” Mayor Dave Talerico said.

As a contingency plan, parents are hoping space can be found elsewhere in town so children can at least finish preschool this school year. Morning Star Baptist Church has volunteered space for the preschool and day care at least through the summer.

Meanwhile, a group of local residents is forming a nonprofit group to operate the new day care/preschool. Just like the old days.

“We need that group in place if the current operator is done by March 31,” the mayor said. “Part of the contingency plan is to pick up that operation.”

Formerly called Kid Stop, the building was built with a state grant in 1986 and run by a nonprofit board. When the board ran into financial challenges, they dissolved the nonprofit corporation over public protest, and sold the building to Merrell for the cost of the debt — $8,000.

She said she tried to sell the child care business, but there were no takers. She and her family plan to move Outside, so she considered instead selling the building as a private residence.

The question now is whether the borough will decide to get involved in this situation. There will be a contingent of parents at the meeting tonight, suggesting the borough do exactly that.