There was no asparagus in Alaska’s capital city. Not in any of the three main grocery stores on the day that four students from Thunder Mountain High School needed it to practice for an upcoming culinary competition in Anchorage.

The students -- Darin Donohue, Brandon Johanson, Summer Wille and Mark Uddipa -- had gathered at the school on Presidents’ Day, a school holiday, to prepare for a statewide cooking competition, the ProStart Invitational, only five days away. The asparagus, part of their entree, was an essential ingredient.

With nearly 50 Juneau residents displaced from their homes, it’s time to roll up your sleeves. You can help, not just via a contribution but also by encouraging people to attend the “No Umbrella’s 2: Real Fashion 4 Real Alaskans” fundraiser, the timing of which is almost eerily fortuitous. The fashion show-style event is sponsored by the Alaskan Brewing Company, which gives all of their proceeds from charitable events each year to one specific nonprofit.

Alaska Wildlife Alliance’s Wildlife Wednesdays is back for its third season of weekly presentations until April, and coming up Oct. 17 are presentations on the Marine Mammal Protection Act and enforcement.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. To commemorate the ground-breaking federal legislation, the Oct. 17 Wildlife Wednesday event will feature two speakers intimately familiar with the MMPA.