By Dan Lundberg
Nancy DeCherney is one of eight recipients of Alaska State Council on the Arts and Alaska Humanities Forum’s 2016 Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities. DeCherney, executive director of the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council, won the award for arts advocacy. The awards ceremony will take place Jan. 28 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. DeCherney is a Haines High School graduate and the daughter of Nikki Hopper of Haines and sister of Randa Szymanski.
Jackie Martin said she’s been putting up Christmas lights for decades, but she admits to “going over the top” this year with the display of exploding stars, meteor lights, shimmering rainbows and spinning, disco-style bulbs at her First Avenue home. She said the display was a “mix-match of stuff,” including ones she found in a store of Chinese items at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Partner Dale Lippy discovered others on the Internet, she said. “People drive up the driveway and wave. They love it. That’s why I do it,” Jackie said.
Bill Broste donated the 12-foot Douglas fir Christmas tree from his home to keep the public library bright over the holiday. The first tree put up there dried up and was replaced Dec. 13. “The tree was raining needles all over the place. It hadn’t had a drink of water in three weeks,” Broste said. A board member for the Friends of the Library, which oversees holiday decorations, Broste said the first tree was a 16-foot Sitka spruce donated by Mike and Zita Erny, who were making room for a garden at their Muncaster Road property. The tree apparently died for lack of a spacer between its trunk and a galvanized tub it sat in, preventing it from absorbing water. Jacque Horn and Linda Palmer helped decorate the new tree.
Haines High School alumni topped a varsity boys’ squad in the annual alumni game Dec. 26 at Karl Ward Gymnasium. Alumni players included Jesse McGraw, Kyle Fossman, Tyler and Justin Swinton, James Hart, Devin Light, Kyle Klinger, Michael Ganey, Kai Sato-Franks, Chevy Fowler, Isaac Wing and Jordan Badger. Starters from this year’s high school squad included Hudson Sage, Dylan Swinton, Matthew Green, Jacob Stigen and Patrick Cunningham. Glacier Bears coach Steve Fossman said the game raised about $120 toward team expenses.
Members of the Haines High School class of 2012 who met up at the Pioneer Bar Dec. 26 were surprised to also win the weekly trivia competition held there. Classmates included Logan Simpson, Elena Horner, Cassie Galasso, Anna Jacobson, Brook Cinocco and Marnie Rasmussen.
“Cookies by the Pound,” operated this year as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army Food Bank, raised $1,000 during a rush of business Dec. 19 at the Haines Senior Center, said organizer Delayna Doleshal. “We sold 110 dozen cookies in little over an hour,” Doleshal said. About 15 volunteer bakers provided a variety of seasonal sweets.
So many Aspers and Greggs returned for the holiday season that the two families held an open house at the Chilkat Center lobby Dec. 23 to see friends. Gregg family members included Christina Baskaya with husband Evren of San Diego, Calif., and Jade Scheele and husband Eric of Los Angeles. Jade’s friends Holly Hawk and Durshun Moore from Silver City, Calif. also visited. Juge Gregg, wife Katharine and daughter Cooper came from Washington, D.C. and Rahsaan Gregg and friend Kiera Hylton visited from Portland, Ore. Audrey Smith’s son Michael Smith came up from Seattle and sister Barbara Jones visited from Orange County, Calif.K.A. Swiger and husband Steve Scheldt traveled by ferry from Ketchikan, bringing the family Christmas tree with them. Family members launched more than a dozen Chinese lanterns on the evening of Christmas Day. The Aspers were sharing a rare Christmas together in Haines. Home for the holidays were Leif Asper, wife Erica and children Leah and Eli, and Gabe Asper and son Ace. Leif and Gabe are school teachers, working in San Francisco and Ketchikan, respectively.
The Haines Senior Center’s Christmas included a ham dinner Dec. 23. About 50 people shared a meal that included mashed potatoes, veggies and pecan pies, said lunch program manager Cindy Jackson.
Kelsi Gloyer recently returned from a monthlong trip to Arizona that she made with Jeanine Ward. On the way back they attended the “Deck-the-Halls Ball” at Key Arena in Seattle, sponsored by an alternative radio station there.
Greg Folta spent the holidays with parents Richard and Julianne Folta, one of his few visits since graduation from Haines High School in 1983. Wife Veni and daughters Kristin and Julianna also made the trip. Greg spent nearly 20 years in northern Saipan. His family is adjusting to life in Seattle.
Stephanie Scott’s children came home for the holiday. Daughter Reed Scott-Schwalbach came from Portland, Ore., with husband Chris Celero, and son Heron and partner Tara McCauley traveled from Seattle.
Valery McCandless hosted an open house at the Senior Village on Dec. 23. Mark Carroll and Dan Lundberg played music and sang Christmas carols along with guests. Former administrator Anne Hanssen and mayor Jan Hill were among guests.
Chandler and Iris Kemp were home visiting parents Chris and Deb for the holiday. Chandler is currently building a house in Sitka and Iris teaches school in Calgary. The family also enjoyed snow skiing while together.
Anna and Libby Jacobson, students at Cal Polytechnic State University, enjoyed sledding and ptarmigan hunting at Chilkat Pass during their holiday visit. Libby also won a turkey at the Haines Sportsman’s Association’s annual Christmas turkey shoot.
Turner Pahl, an Anchorage helicopter pilot, was home from Anchorage with fiancé Audrey Rogers. Audrey works as a nurse.
About 50 residents, including families, turned out for alcohol-free New Year’s Eve festivities at the ANB Hall, said organizer Diane Sly. The evening included a chili dinner with cornbread and Indian fry bread, salads and dessert, and karaoke and games for youngsters. The local Alcohol Task Force sponsored the event with help from the local Alaska Native Sisterhood, which donated use of the hall. Sue Clayton also helped out, and Jayme Dozier hosted karaoke.
After skipping its Friday burger feed on Christmas Day, local members of the American Legion put on a little extra for New Year’s Day, including a dinner of barbecued ribs and chicken, baked beans and potato salad. “Quite a few more people came out than normally do. I think people were looking for someplace to go,” said John Newton, commander of Lynn Canal Post #12. Regular burger feeds continue Fridays, 5-7 p.m. at the Legion Hall.
Participants in the annual Audubon Bird Count were advised to watch for ring-necked pheasants. Bill Holton photographed one on FAA Road on Dec. 29 and James Alborough had two on his Small Tracts Road property in October. Veteran birder Pam Randles said she’d like to know if the pheasants, which are common in the Lower 48, migrated here or are domestic ones that have escaped. “If they belong to somebody, I’d like to know that information, just to know where they came from,” Randles said. The pheasants are members of the grouse family but larger than indigenous blue grouse. A full-grown one is about the size of a chicken, she said.

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