Molly Frances Dorn was born Dec. 9 at Bartlett Regional Hospital to parents Eliza and Dr. Justin Dorn. She weighed 6 lbs., 15 oz. and measured 29 inches. Grandparents include Jim Dorn and Sarah Olsen of Juneau, Marty Early of Lancaster, Pa., and Chip and Heather Lende of Haines. Aunt J.J. and uncle Bryan Hinderberger were among the first to hold her. Additional family in Juneau include aunt Betsy Dorn and fiancée Jonathan Wood. Aunt Stoli and uncle Nels Lynch and cousins Lani and Sylvia will meet the newest family member this week as they return from Hawaii. Aunt Sarah and uncle Brian Elliott and cousins Caroline and Ivy Elliott will make a Christmas visit.
Baby boy Haines Earl Barrack was born on Dec. 14 at 2:30 a.m. to parents Tyler and Katharine Barrack in Wilmington, North Carolina. Tyler Barrack spent many summers in Haines commercial fishing and working at the Valley of the Eagles Golf Links.
Juneau Arts and Humanities Center is featuring the artwork of local artist Katie Craney along with Juneau artist Margo Conolly in the show “Surface/Layer.” Katie works with a variety of materials including metal, wax, paper and gauze. The show hangs through December.
Nattaphon “Ice” Wangyot has submitted the final paperwork and is officially a United States citizen. Ice, who works at Mountain Market, appreciates all the support she’s received over the last year. She hopes to travel back to Thailand in a couple of years to visit friends and family.
Haines High School junior Ivan Hotch and Klukwan School sophomore Gilbert Slawson have returned from a Native Youth Leadership Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., that focused on developing community service projects. Singer Taboo from the band Black Eyed Peas was the guest speaker at the conference and Ivan and Gilbert bumped into U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at Seattle airport, snapping photos with both of them.
Josh Feldbusch has been here from Gilberts, Ill., visiting Madeline Witek. He enjoyed helping set up the “White Fang” exhibit at the Sheldon Museum, eagle viewing and playing trivia at the Pioneer Bar. He’s hoping to make a return trip soon.
Nadine Price-Schruefer recently was featured in a GCI Alaska Born and Raised advertising campaign. GCI is highlighting what makes living in Alaska an amazing place. Nadine’s newspaper advertisement celebrates her large family and subsistence upbringing. Gladys Meacock had been selected in the past and is featured on the GCI webpage. See the ads at gci.com, and click on “Alaska Born and Raised.”
A brass ensemble with John Hunt, Matt Davis and Mark Davis entertained the crowd with music as over 75 photos were taken with Santa at the museum. Mike Howard has been helping with Santa’s visit to Haines for over 15 years and looks forward to seeing how the children have grown each year.
Jenny Lyn and Bruce Smith spent two weeks in Keller, Texas, with daughter Azure and Matt Jensen and their children Wade, Camden and Tori-Lyn. Azure’s sister Sabrina and husband David Litster and their children Farris, Errol, Wick and Cora-Lea from Kaysville, Utah, joined the family for Thanksgiving. Azure organizes the area’s annual Turkey Trot. The entire family along with over 170 people participated in the 10K, 5K or 1K fun run and raised over $1,600 for the Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas. During their visit, Camden Jensen was baptized, which brought Azure and Sabrina’s cousin Trinity and Jeremy Huffman over from North Texas with their children Michael, Scott and Zander for the celebration.
It’s not too late to get your letters to Santa. Postal employee Greg Podsiki said Santa’s elves volunteer and read each letter to make sure Santa responds. Letters from Santa are postmarked from the North Pole and children will hear a response before Christmas if mailed in the Santa mail box located inside the post office before Dec. 16. The elves at the Haines Post Office have been handling the letters for Santa for seven years and receive about 50 letters each year.
Christmas cards and letters are being collected for members of the U.S. Coast Guard serving in Alaska waters. Bring cards and letters to Alaska Rod’s before Dec. 18 and Rhonda Hinson will send them off for you.
Bohemian waxwings and pine grosbeaks have been seen flocking together this week in the mountain ash. If you enjoy birdwatching, you might want to participate in the annual Audobon Bird Count, set for Saturday, Dec. 17, in Haines. Call Dan Egolf at 766-3664 to get involved.
Klukwan SEARHC board member Kimberley Strong was re-elected chairperson of the SEARHC board of directors, and Haines SEARHC board member Harriet Brouillette was elected vice chair at the last SEARHC board meeting.
Chilkoot Indian Association tribal council member and Central Council Tlingit and Haida delegate James Hart has been chosen to receive a First Alaskans Public Policy Fellowship. The fellowship places emerging Alaska Native leaders in the offices of Alaskan Legislators during the legislative session. James will move to Juneau for the session right after the New Year.
Winners of this year’s gingerbread house contest, through Alaska Arts Confluence, are: 1st: Lighthouse (Tulsi Zahnow and Charlie Bower). 2nd: Snowman’s Yurt (Anne Marie Fossman). 3rd: Unidentified Flying Gingerbread (Maddox and Matilda Rogers). Overall, there were 13 participants with nine entries. More than 100 votes were cast. First place took $100, second, $75, and third, $50. Prizes were donated by Alaska Arts Confluence, Haines Chamber of Commerce and Howsers IGA.

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