FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
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By NATHANIEL HERZ
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Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
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Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
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By NATHANIEL HERZ
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Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
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Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Wedding Ring Found After Dog Gives it Up
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Balovich family’s mastiff Halli has a habit of scooping up small items in her droopy lips.
So when Nikki Balovich’s platinum wedding band went missing in January her thoughts went right to the 90-pound puppy.
The dog regards household items that end up on the floor as her toys, Nikki said. “She picks them up, and carries things around – hair clips, rocks, hair ties. She’s always spitting them out.”
Nikki Balovich shows her recovered ring. (Sentinel Photo)
Nikki was pregnant at the time, and would take her rings off at the end of a long day when her fingers would be swollen.
“My husband was always saying, put them away, put them upstairs – you’re going to lose them,” she said.
Nikki looked everywhere for the missing wedding band, including in Halli’s poop when they took the dog outside, but she knew that it was a long shot.
“I gave up, I thought it was long gone,” she said. “We take the dog everywhere with us, on hikes, on the boat – what were the chances we were going to find it?”
But on Tuesday this week she saw a Facebook post on Sitka For Sale: “FOUND! Beautiful wedding type band. If u have lost a ring, no matter where, call and describe! Found in an unusual place.”
“It’s been so long, but I had a gut feeling,” she said. “I thought I’ll call, why not?” On Wednesday she made the call, and described her ring – a platinum band with 10 round diamonds – and sent a photo to the person who posted the message, Bob Potrzuski. (He and his wife had already tried without success to find the owner by calling the police department, putting an ad in the Sentinel and going on Problem Corner.)
It turned out that Bob’s wife, Carol, and her friend Julie Schmitts, a few weeks ago decided to do a good deed, and were picking up dog poop on the ballfield behind Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary, in preparation to the start of the baseball and softball seasons. As they made their rounds, Carol spotted something glittery in the waste, and it turned out to be a ring with diamonds.
As for how it got there, Nikki Balovich explained that she was also volunteering at the ball field recently, organizing the equipment shed in preparation for the season, while the dog ran around.
“I feel very lucky,” Nikki said.
It was also the same day as her husband’s birthday, making the find a nice birthday surprise for him as well, since the couple had been considering buying a replacement.
Nikki collected the ring from Carol on Thursday, put it on, and said it will take some convincing to get her to take it off again.
“It’s been on my hands ever since – my hand was feeling naked without it,” she said.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....