About 15 residents turned out for Flag Day services organized Friday by the American Legion Lynn Canal Post #12. The ceremony included retiring 180 flags by burning, including aged ones from the Jones Point Cemetery, said Legion service officer Jim Moran. “A lot of local businesses, when their flags start getting tattered, we either replace them or sell them one cheaply. Then we’ll take the old ones and store them until they’re retired.” The Legion also provides flags for some Independence Day activities. Moran can be reached at 314-0826.
Chris Nowicki is back in town for the summer with son Melvin, 14. Nowicki is one of the premiere mezzotint artists in Poland and works as an art professor and print-maker at the Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts. Each summer for the past 20 years, Nowicki has visited Haines, where he prints limited-edition serigraphs in Northwest Coast designs for artists including Charlie Jimmie, John Hagen Sr. and Greg Horner. Nowicki’s family includes wife Iwona. More about his art can be seen at www.chrisnowicki.com.
Four Haines students took in sights of Washington, D.C., during the National History Day competition June 9-13. Jordan Stigen, Bozhi Sebens, Olivia Wing and Jonathan Shaw made the trip. Chaperones included Michelle Stigen, Margaret Sebens, and Fred and Elizabeth Shaw. Michelle Stigen said three event judges interviewed local students and some exhibits were very elaborate. Nationally, 3,000 students qualified for the competition, including 58 from Alaska, Stigen said. Haines students toured the National Air and Space Museum, the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Students toured the Capitol building and met with U.S. Rep. Don Young, and Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich. They also spotted Jennifer Lopez, who was testifying before Congress on education in Latino communities.
Lt. David Kyle said recent renovation of the Salvation Army thrift shop has greatly expanded its size, about tripling the space for clothes. The store’s new hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, with a noon to 1 p.m. lunch closure. The church will offer a free barbecue in appreciation of donors and the community on the afternoon of July 4, Kyle said.
Public radio station KHNS launches its 33rd annual marathon fundraiser starting 8 a.m. Friday in Skagway. It continues through 5 p.m. June 28. The station is hoping to raise $70,000 in memberships and donations. This year’s art print, “The Night Club,” is by Katie Sevigny, a part-time Skagway resident and daughter of station volunteer deejay Joanie Wagner. Staff and volunteers will be pitching from special locations in Haines and Skagway during the week. Call 766-2020 to pledge. Station manager Kay Clements said the station already is seeing support. “We’re appreciative of all the businesses and members.”
Youths participating in the public library’s summer reading program have been more philanthropic than expected. Reading five books or five chapters earns young readers a prize or an opportunity to donate $5 to children’s hunger relief programs administered by Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization. Local readers have been so generous, they’ve depleted all but $10 of $660 donated for hunger relief, said children’s librarian Holly Davis. Residents wishing to help replenish the fund can stop by the library’s front desk.

Author