There was no waiting for Jackie St. Clair, who gave birth at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 26 to a son at the Haines SEARHC medical clinic. The baby boy, unnamed at press time, measured 19-plus inches and weighed 6 pounds, 13 oz. Dad Woody Pahl was on hand for the birth, the first at the local clinic in several years. “It worked out great for me because I got to see him right away,” said grandmother Gina St. Clair, who arrived at the clinic with the couple’s 10-year-old daughter Mijah. Jackie and her baby flew to Juneau for check-ups following the emergency delivery. Jackie had been scheduled to give birth in Juneau.
Hali Brownell returned to Haines for the state fair. Ever since she’s been catching up with friends and having adventures with her infant daughter, Mahina Naya-Lilikoi Brownell. Hali gave birth to Mahina on Jan. 12 at 12:12 p.m. at Seattle’s University of Washington Medical Center. Mahina weighed 6 lbs., 4 oz., and measured 18 inches. Her recent adventures include swimming at the Haines pool and helping her mom pick blueberries. “I have a picture of her covered in blueberries head to toe,” Hali said. She said her visit has been “a good life check.” Hali and her mom Vicki Wood are relocating to Bellingham, Wash. after seven years in Maui, Hawaii.
Elena Horner surprised parents Leigh and Greg Horner for Leigh’s birthday, arriving in Haines Saturday from her home in Costa Rica. Brother Marley Horner helped spring the surprise. A 2012 Haines High School graduate, Elena is also catching up with friends and saw Esther and Celia Bower in Juneau. Elena and her husband Victor Sinclair own and operate Pura Vida Surfers, a hotel in Santa Teresa, on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. Elena will be in town through Sept. 15.
Former CVN reporter Jenna Kunze was in town this week for a visit. Jenna lives in New York City where she reports for Native News Online, a subsidiary of Indian Country Media. Besides visiting the distillery and brewery she went mushroom hunting and caught up with old friends including Travis Kukull. Jenna made the trip with friend Evan T. Mills, a singer-songwriter who also lives in the Big Apple.
Last week’s annual membership meeting of the Southeast Alaska State Fair included an election of new board members. The nonprofit operates the fair and fairgrounds. Board members include Wendell Harren, Peter Dwyer, Tom Faverty, Jeremy Reed, Shannon Stevens, Lizi Wirak, Chiara Lussier, and Spencer Douthit. Douthit serves as board chair but will be stepping down. The fair will host a volunteer appreciation dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 in Harriett Hall.
Jeanne Kitayama’s cousin Peter Shimizu and wife Annie came to town last week, part of a statewide bear-viewing tour that also took him to Admiralty Island’s Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, Kodiak Island, and Katmai National Park. Jeanne said he spotted more bears along the Chilkoot River than on Admiralty Island. Peter is a retired dentist who lives in Los Angeles.
Haines Pool manager Jae McDermaid administered re-certification training and testing of lifeguards Sunday at the pool. Participating lifeguards included Lisa Cavallier, Brandt Alten-Huber, Jennifer Marschke, Lucia Chapell, Tom Morphet, John Wray, and Kamakana Kanahele. Sydney Wray and Kaitlyn Tolin assisted in the all-day training, which included in-pool rescue techniques and a written exam.
Al and Crystal Badgley made a whirlwind trip to Spokane, Wash. to visit son Hunter Badgley and grandson Cedar, 4. They made a road trip to Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho, where they enjoyed water park rides in 80-degree heat. In Post Falls, they visited the studios of Ravelry, a social networking service and website described as “the online center of the knitting world.”
Former KHNS reporter and Haines High School wrestling coach Ed May died May 30 at age 65. He had been living in Inverness, Fla. May was credited with helping revive the Glacier Bear wrestling program after it had been discontinued several years. He also published a book featuring Chilkat Valley residents and the audiobook “Alaskan People.” After Haines, he moved to Petersburg, where he was involved in launching a Christian radio station. A veteran, May was buried at Florida National Cemetery with full military honors. A celebration of life was held on June 9 in Bushnell, Fla. He is survived by his wife Melinda May.