Molly Wilson arrived in Los Angeles last weekend, where she’s working as the first assistant camera person onboard the research vessel “Sea Watch,” also known as the “Shark Boat.” The vessel is scheduled to appear on a reality show that will follow Captain Chris Wade, a marine biologist and shark expert, and his team as they work to stop pirate fishing in the eastern Pacific. He partners with the Shark Research Institute. Wilson is a 2004 Haines High graduate with a film degree from University of Alaska Fairbanks. She has worked on TV series including “Gold Rush” and “Life Below Zero.” Wade said that she’s a great shooter and an asset to the team. The show, tentatively named “Ocean Ark Angels,” will air this winter. The team is prepping the vessel, which is scheduled to leave the harbor in mid-July.
Spencer Douthit celebrated his 26th birthday with more than a dozen friends at an overnight camping trip at Taiyasanka Harbor last weekend. The group travelled aboard the skiff belonging to Jeffrey Moskowitz, Jeremy Reed, and Douthit. The group, which also included a few dogs, went swimming. They had goat meat sloppy joes for dinner and venison sausage for breakfast.
Debra Schnabel earned a Master of Public Administration degree from University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. Sue Waterhouse attended the May 4 ceremony. Commencement speaker David Hunsaker, a Juneau-based screenwriter and adopted member of the Sockeye Clan, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Schnabel celebrated by riding a “whirly twirly” ride at the carnival held in Juneau’s Nugget Mall parking lot.
A dozen Haines elementary and middle school students participated in a five-day magic workshop led by magician Neil Einsbruch. Librarian Leigh Horner organized the event, using earnings from the library book fair last fall. They got to learn a few tricks to keep up their sleeves, including rope, coin, card, and balloon tricks. She hopes to hold the workshop again next year.
Haines Girls on the Run members completed a 5K fun run on Sandy Beach in Juneau Saturday. The after-school, nationwide running program for girls aims to promote self-esteem and a healthy lifestyle. The group included Hannah and Haley Boron, Avery Williamson, Sally Chapell, Aubrey Cook, Taylor Ganey, Kieley Thomas, Alyssa Alcock, Mandalyn Gala, Natalie Crager, Yzella Miramontes, Claire Waldo, and Amber Nash. The girls trained twice a week. Coaches are Lexie DeWitt, Sara Chapell, and Lindsey Moore. The run also included girls from Yakutat and Juneau schools. Founder Molly Barker attended the Juneau event.
Ron and Jacque Horn are grandparents of Breesa Joy Paar, born May 7 to parents Heather and Joe Paar of Seattle. Big sisters are Pearle, 5 and Livia, 2. Jacque has been with the family in Seattle, where she also celebrated her birthday April 29. Breesa weighed 8 pounds and measured 21 inches. Pearle and Livia witnessed the home birth, and together they cut the umbilical cord. Heather and the girls are coming to Haines with Jacque at the end of May and staying through July 4. Livia wants to see a moose and sea lions.
Tracy Mikowski joined the local post office staff May 5. The new clerk is impressed with her co-workers. “Those guys make it look like a piece of cake…I was standing there like a deer in the headlights,” she said of her first day of work. Mikowski will continue work as the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel’s animal control officer until the shelter finds a replacement. But if your dog needs a shampoo or claw clipping, be aware that Mikowski won’t be able to groom while behind the counter at the post office. Instead, you can take your pets to her at HARK, where she performs those services on Saturdays.
Adriane Franks is Skagway’s new postmaster. She left from her job at the Haines post office about a month ago, a position she held since 1999. She’s the only full-time postal employee in Skagway. “I’ll miss Haines,” she said on her last day of work here. “Haines was a really great community to raise my son (Kai Sato-Franks) in.”
Wearing a green and gold fourragere, Catherine L.M. Price graduated from the University of Alaska-Anchorage on May 4 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She graduated magna cum laude with a grade point average of 3.85. Grandmother Mary Price and dad Lt. Col. Russell Price were on hand for the celebration. Russell returned home from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he works in the office of the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Mary recently spent five weeks visiting children Russell, Nadine, Joanne, Cindy, April and Bill in Anchorage and Juneau. Her grandchildren include Nick, Cathy, William, Daniel, Ronn, Bobby, Lacy, Conner, Haley Jo and Evan.
Someone walked off with Jim Wilson’s black, reclining lawn chair he left across the street from his house at 9 Mile Lutak Road. Jim says the chair may have looked abandoned, but he’d like it back. His phone number is 766-3698.
It was a supercalifragilistic-expialidocious evening for Iris Kemp and Doug Curley, who became engaged May 9 before attending the opening night showing of “Mary Poppins.” Curley popped the question at the house as they were about to head out. The couple called their parents during intermission. Curley, a hydrologist, and Kemp, a preschool teacher, met at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in 2011. They live in Calgary, Alberta. They’re tentatively planning a Haines wedding next summer.
The Klukwan School had a small “in-house” Culture Days last week, inviting Mosquito Lake School students. Village school students are working on complicated projects like full button blankets and headbands, said teacher Cynthia McFeeters.
The Hershey Track Meet is scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 22 at Sharnbroich Field. Physical education teacher Lexie DeWitt needs volunteers to help out. Email her at [email protected].
Margaret Friedenauer is hosting the Haines chapter of Letter Nerds. The informal group promotes letter-writing. It’s inaugural meeting 7 p.m. Monday, May 19 at the public library will feature free notecards and stamps.