The Doddridge family’s pet bearded dragon lizard Sheika has been getting adventurous. Jessie Badger said the 15-inch lizard has twice shown up at her family’s house, 200 yards away from the Doddridges. In July, as she pulled into her Cathedral View driveway, Jessie thought she was the victim of a practical joke involving a plastic toy someone placed there. Son Jordan picked up the lizard, which spent a few hours at their house as Jessie called neighbors, “asking if they had lost their dragon.” Jessie found Sheika again about two weeks ago, on her lawn. Scott Doddridge said that Sheika is potty-trained, and scratches at the door to be let out. He’s unsure why she’s been wandering.                   
Kate Saunders and daughter Elena, who grew a 160-pound pumpkin during the damp nights and sunny days of the summer of 2013, didn’t have the same success during the past growing season. Kate reports her biggest pumpkin got to about six pounds before developing a soft spot and starting to rot. “It was too cold and too wet. I think that says it all about the kind of summer we had,” Kate said.
Jon Gellings from the Division of State Parks said five people turned out in the heavy rain Sept. 29 to volunteer on the Battery Point trail as part of National Public Lands Day. The crew was able to move about a yard of gravel that was in the trail, he said. “We got what we needed to get done.”
Tom Kain, wife Jen and 5-month-old son Elias have settled in following their recent move here from Seward. Tom is the new Division of State Parks ranger, responsible for Chilkoot Lake, Portage Cove and Chilkat campgrounds, as well as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Interested in what things looked like around here 85 years ago? Forester Roy Josephson said Porcupine mining claim holder Ray Craig has located aerial photographs of the City of Haines and environs taken in 1929. The photos, likely the first aerial photos of the valley, were taken by a U.S. Navy plane and lack the clarity of ones taken later. Contact Roy at the Division of Forestry office in the Gateway Building to learn more. The office also has aerial photos from 1961, 1978 and 1998.
Attorney and Haines High School graduate Josh Fannon has won a $53.1 million compensatory award for two Alaska men who were working to develop a hand-held GPS device that provides local hunting regulations. Fannon said he and co-counsel Gregory Parvin successfully argued that California-based Trimble Navigation violated a non-disclosure agreement and committed fraud by taking financial projections based on research gathered by the Alaska men and siphoning the information to a subsidiary company. Josh’s brother Link Fannon, also a Haines High grad, served as investigator for the plaintiffs and his work was invaluable, his brother said. With attorney fees, the judgment totaled $80.1 million. A 12-person jury delivered the Alaska Superior Court verdict Sept. 25. Josh and Link live in Big Lake. Trimble has said it will appeal.
The Haines Salvation Army was recently featured in the Salvation Army publication “New Frontier Chronicle.” An article Oct. 2 titled “Community Members Help Fill Haines Corps’ Food Shelves,” featured a yard sale held by Randa Szymanski. Randa and daughter Genny Rietze raised money and donations for the church’s food bank. Lt. Dave Kyle says the pair “took it upon themselves to help out the community by ensuring The Salvation Army is able to continue helping those in need.” Randa and Genny donated $350 and about 150 pounds of food. A photo of the local Salvation Army building as well as a photo of Randa, handing over the donation to Lt. Mary Kyle, corps officer, is included.
Belle Laing is now living in Tucson, Ariz., near granddaughter Stephannie Quinn and grandson Kenneth Viche. Daughter Phyllis Sage reports that Belle is doing well. She’s enjoying the winter warmth and getting her strength back. Belle’s new address is: Belle Laing, c/o Copper Canyon, 5901 N La Cholla Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85741.
Thom Ely spent two weeks in Tirol, Austria, visiting father Ted Ely and Ted’s wife Gerti Ely. Thom stayed in Gerti’s brother Klaus Brandmaier’s village. Thom hiked to mountain huts, where hut owners served hearty soup, bread, and cold beer, he said. He also went mountain biking and paragliding with friend Wolf Schall of the Yukon Territory.
Sierra Jimenez completed the Portland Marathon Sunday, with an official time of 3:55:40. It’s her fastest finish in three marathons. Sierra also visited friends Drew and Cheryl Grabham and children Wren and Otis of Portland. Sierra followed a “family” training plan which included a few short runs each week, along with a longer run on weekends.
Leigh and Greg Horner traveled to Spearfish, S.D., where they visited Greg’s mother Doris Horner, brother Charlie Horner of Lincoln, Neb. and sister DeeDee Wallum of Iroquois, S.D. The 10-day visit included a family trip to the Badlands in 95-degree heat. At the Minneapolis airport, the couple ran into former residents Kathy Eggen and son Tyler of Sitka, who had been in North Dakota.
C.J. Jones, Blythe Carter, Nancy Nash, and Helen Alten attended the Museums Alaska 2014 joint annual conference Oct. 1–4 in Seward. They stayed with former residents Kris and Kevin Reeves. Dave and Carol Pahl also attended the conference. Session topics included using social media to promote a museum, conducting surveys, and finding potential funding sources, and creating a road map for museum upgrades. Jan Seidler Ramirez, chief curator for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, was keynote speaker.
Organizers of the 2014 Haines Harvest Party are holding 7 p.m. planning meetings each Friday this month at the Salvation Army. Anyone interested in helping is welcome to join. Krystal Lloyd, Celeste Grimes, and Mary Kyle are organizing the Oct. 31 event, scheduled to take place at the school. She said they also hope to get local businesses to run or sponsor games. The group is also accepting donations for harvest-themed decorations.