Nate Webb and Michelle Webb were married Friday at the Haines courthouse. Jedediah Blum-Evitts, Janine Allen, Kelly Mitchell, Robert Chadwell, and Lindsey Moore attended the Valentine’s Day ceremony. Afterwards, the couple drove to Whitehorse, Y.T., for a “lovely” honeymoon, Michelle said. There, they stayed at a bed and breakfast, went to the hot springs, shopped, ate a lot of food, and saw a movie. The public is invited to a dessert potluck at the library starting 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Cake and coffee will be provided. “No gifts, just hugs,” Michelle said. In the fall, the couple will celebrate with family in Maine with a more formal ceremony. Michelle is interim clerk at the Haines Borough. Nate works at the U.S. Customs Station at 42 Mile.
Alaska Rod’s served as a Yukon Quest sponsor for this year’s race. For the past several years, owners Rhonda and Rodney Hinson volunteered at the starting line for the 1,000-mile international sled dog race. This is the first year they’ve sponsored the event. The couple also donated four Alaska Rod’s knives, made by Rodney, which were awarded to champion Allen Moore, second place winner Hugh Neff, and third place winner and Rookie of the Year Matt Hall. Shane Anderson made the sheath for Moore’s knife. Rhonda said she and Rod plan on sponsoring the event in future years. “We love participating. We like to support the cities.” Next year, she wants to get a group of locals to volunteer for the race.
Former resident Christy Hays has been performing with country singer Hayes Carll as part of his “Club Crawl Tour” throughout Texas and Tennessee. Hays, a singer/songwriter in the Americana vein, opens for Carll before singing a couple duets with him during his set. Hays moved from Haines to Nashville, Tenn. in 2007. She now lives in Austin, Texas, and said she hopes to visit Haines this summer.
Beth Bolander worked the runway wearing 800 coffee filters during Juneau’s annual Wearable Art show Feb. 8. Her creation, titled “French Roasted inFILTERation,” included a dress and hat made of colorful, hand-dyed coffee filters. Bolander, a rookie participant, dried and glued the filters to scrap fabric. The dress lit up from the bottom, where small lights were placed. The Marie Antoinette-inspired piece also included a fan, as well as a wig, which held boats, birds, and nests. About 50 models participated in this year’s event, held at Centennial Hall.
Jane Pascoe kept her eyes peeled as she watched the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics, looking out for friend Bill Zammit president of the Australian Timor-Leste Olympic Association. Zammit, manager of Timor-Leste slalom skier Yohan Goncalves Goutt, walked with the flag-waving athlete during the ceremony. Pascoe and Zammit attended college together in Perth in the early 1980s, and Pascoe worked for Zammit’s tour company in Australia’s Kakadu National Park. Goncalves Goutt will compete in the men’s slalom Saturday. Timor-Leste achieved independence from Indonesia in 2002. It is located between Indonesia and Australia.
Haines High class of 2002 graduate Samantha Darling is running for the 2014 Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Queen. Darling and other queen candidates are featured in the 50th anniversary issue of Rendezvous magazine. Darling teaches Geographic Information Systems at Yukon College. She’s running for Queen “to prove to (her) friends that (she’s) not afraid of strangers.” During the weeklong festival, Darling and other candidates participate in a fashion show, a tea, an interview session with judges, visits with senior citizens and schools, a civic dinner, speeches at a luncheon, and a variety show. For her variety show act, Darling will play a saw. She credits the Haines Drama, Debate, and Forensics club, particularly former coach Daniel Henry, for teaching skills she’s using in the queen competition. A queen will be crowned Saturday.
The Haines Chamber of Commerce has a new board of directors: president Barbara Mulford, Takshanuk Mountain Trail; vice-president Rodney Hinson, Alaska Rod’s; secretary Patty Campbell, Haines Cable/TV; director Scott Sundberg, Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures; director Kyle Gray, First National Bank Alaska; director Stan Mazeikas, The Butler Did It; director Kathi Lapp, Chilkat Snowburners; director Thom Ely, Sockeye Cycle; director Bill Kurz, Haines Port Development Council.
Southeast Alaska Independent Living’s “Have a Heart” fundraiser attracted about 90 people to Harriett Hall Friday. Attendees enjoyed jazz music performed by singer Julie Cozzi, drummer Clay Good, and pianist Tom Locher, while feasting on hors d’oeuvres and wine. More than 30 artists donated hand-crafted hearts for the silent auction. More than $3,000 was raised.