Lots of activity around Angstman Law Office in November. A major trial involving the deaths of three young people in Hooper Bay was the main focus for the month, but the case settled about 10 days before trial was to begin in Bethel. ALO represented the Lower Yukon School District in that case. The school was blamed for providing a canoe which was built in the school shop to the community for anyone to use. Three teenagers took the canoe out at the mouth of a river flowing into the ocean and overturned in the waves. None had life vests. No one really wins in such a case.
A couple of our cases settled. A Dillingham client agreed to a $30,000 settlement for the loss of a finger tip in an accident involving a band saw. A woman from White Mountain accepted $9,500 to resolve a portion of her family’s claim against a hunting guide in her village who she blamed for her loss of employment. This case grew out of another case involving the same two families, which is still pending. In that case, a teenager driving a four wheeler ran over our client, a small child, during a Fourth of July celebration.
Matt resolved a difficult driving while intoxicated and refusal case by securing a reduced charge of reckless driving for a Bethel client.
Outside of the office, early snow made for good dog training, but that all changed with the major thaw at the end of November. Andy and Myron have been training 23 dogs in preparation for all of the local races, which start at the end of December.
A new airplane has been purchased, and arrangements to transport it to Bethel are now being made. It’s a Cessna 172XP float plane, the same as the prior aircraft. Aircraft guru LJ Davis, who shares an aircraft hangar with ALO, was instrumental in finding this new airplane.
Sarah and Ben have purchased a home in Bethel, a funky dwelling on the high bank of the Kuskokwim. Their housewarming is in early December, so watch for photos on this site. Speaking of photos, we have a few for this month. First, a shot of the raised by our neighbor Gary Baldwin. His garden was fairly large, but featured a healthy stand of chickweed. After considerable abuse from other gardeners in the neighborhood, Gary graciously consented to having this photo distributed.
The Baldwin’s daughter Katie, now living in Prague, Czech Republic, has her own website, katrinabaldwin.com which contains her photos from around the world. Check it out –she’s an excellent photographer
Finally, there was the Kenzie Sumpter wedding. It was held in Palmer, with a reception at Settler’s Bay in Wasilla. Bethel weddings and receptions are often colorful, but normally when they move to other areas they are more refined. Not so for Kenzie. Kenzie has been a free spirit for a long time. For instance, when she was about 10 years old, she was a catcher on a co-ed softball team. She took a hard foul ball to a sensitive area and announced rather loudly “It’s a lucky thing I’m not a boy”.
So the gathering of the Hoffman clan for this wedding promised to be entertaining, and it was. Kenzie is known for her singing, and as these , she got into it at the reception. The microphone didn’t have a stand, so she had to improvise. Her singing led to the grand finale, which was the traditional bridal table dance. Congratulations to Kenzie and Jeremiah.