Spring continues to make its appearance, despite bouts of blustery winds and snow. Melina Shields joined Kelly and Les Hostetler for a hike to Seduction Point Sunday. The trio walked through flurries, enjoyed sunshine, followed by more snow and another appearance of the sun through their 14-mile trip. Bear tracks along the way confirmed the bruins have emerged from their winter homes.
Revelers capped off their weekend at the annual Aloha party of Norman Hughes Sunday. Scott Rossman was rumored to have left the party with a bobble-head doll of President Obama, and birthday girl Alison Jacobson was toasted by friends. The Fireweed Restaurant donated a portion of drink sales to the Takshanuk Watershed Council, and executive director Brad Ryan encouraged the group to sign up for the spring trash pickup.
Mike Case is home from his winter RV travels. Mike and his dog Fox left Haines in late October. They stayed in Spanaway, Wash. with Mike’s son Dan Case and his wife Alicia, the daughter of Cris and Larry Sweet of Klukwan, and their two children James and Jilliyn. After Thanksgiving, Mike braved L.A. traffic to arrive in Mesa, Ariz. where he spent time with his daughter Judy Erickson and his siblings Mary and Doc Case. While he was in the area he caught up with many Haines friends including Dick and Carol Flegel, Nora Krake, Tom and Ann Quinlan, Ron and Jean Smith and Stan and Kathy Jones. Mike’s grandson Brian Huntsman flew down in March to help with the drive north. They spent a few days in Casper, Wyo. to see Mike’s grandchildren Pavlo and Lucas Vlastos, the sons of Mike’s late daughter Jean Case. In Idaho Falls, Brian met his paternal grandparents, Jim and Susie Huntsman, for the first time. They enjoyed good driving conditions on the way back but were stopped by two bull buffalo head-wrestling in the road. They arrived in Whitehorse April 7, Mike’s birthday, and celebrated with friends Ruth Whitney and John Higgins.
The KHNS wine tasting Friday drew a crowd of more than 70 guests to the Chilkat Center lobby Saturday. Skip Clary of Mountain Spirits was joined by Keith Crocker from Juneau’s Specialty Imports. The pair chose ten wines, which were served “blind” and later uncovered for guests to discover their favorites. Restaurants from Haines provided appetizers. The event was organized by Skip and KHNS development director Leslie Ross, with KHNS manager Kay Clements working the crowd.
Manhattan photographer Joshua Scott, son of Stephanie Scott, created the cover photograph for Discover Magazine’s Spring 2011 issue on “The Brain.” His shot is a model of the cerebral lobes uncovered in a human head. His photographs also accompany the article. Clothing company Soft and Marc Jacobs have both used Joshua’s commercial photography.
Volunteer Mary Price is taking blood pressure readings at the Senior Center on Mondays, beginning at 11:45 a.m. for anyone needing a check. Mary was a nurse at the clinic for 22 years and has been taking blood pressure readings at the center since 1997.
Outgoing Emblem Club State President Michelle Stigen and Haines Emblem Club Marshal Jamie Knudsen were in Homer for the club’s state convention. On their way, they stopped in Valdez to visit the Valdez Emblem Club chapter. They were joined in Homer by Haines Emblem Club President Gary Stigen and state officer June Haas. Michelle showed off her sense of style during an 80’s-themed dinner, dressed as Cindy Lauper. Gary got into disco night dressed in his white suit. New state officers were installed during the meeting. Michelle is now Junior Past President. Gary was voted in as Second Trustee and June retained her position as First Guard. As part of her President’s duties over the past year, Michelle has visited each of Alaska’s 11 Emblem clubs and attended national meetings. She logged a total of 9,263 air miles, 577 miles on the ferry system and 5,098 miles driving.
Ron and Jacque Horn took a week to see daughter Heather Paar in Washington with Heather’s family, husband Joe, and two-year-old daughter Pearle. They spent the last days of their visit at the Great Wolf Lodge south of Seattle, a waterpark-themed hotel that delighted Pearle and kept her grandparents on their toes. Pearle enjoyed the wave pool and even swirled down a water slide on her own.
The division winners from the Cub Scout Pack 70 Pinewood Derby are Finley Shull (Tiger), Wesley Verhamme (Wolf), Gable Sage (Bear) and Keegan Palmieri (Webelo). A total of 12 boys competed in the annual event, in which each boy crafts a small car from a kit containing a block of wood, and four wheels and axles.
School Superintendent Michael Byer was happy to have his daughter Claire Byer in town for a few days before she left for a position with the Skagway Library. Claire was living in Seattle and plans to stay in Skagway through the summer.
The Buxton-White family spent five weeks in New Zealand this winter. Russ White, Cindy Buxton, and their children Eli and Sheeshao White were in Christchurch less than two days before the magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the city Feb. 22. While they did not feel the quake, they were aware of aftershocks. They spent their time camping, backpacking and canoeing, and tried “black water rafting” in which they floated in inner tubes down a subterranean river. Dressed in wetsuits, with headlamps, they investigated the cave walls and, at one point, linked arms and shut off their lights to see the iridescent glow worms hanging from the ceiling like a sky full of stars. The kids kept up with their schoolwork through homeschooling and Eli wrote a research paper on New Zealand history on the trip.