Joe Hotch, who served Klukwan for decades as a political, cultural and spiritual leader, died Tuesday morning at Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka. He had been transported there following an apparent heart attack last week. Hotch was 92 and was among the last fluent Tlingit speakers in the Chilkat Valley. His tenure as village president included the return of the Whale House artifacts and increased village autonomy under the U.S. Indian Self-Determination Act. A full obituary will be published in next week’s CVN.
Cindy “C.J.” Jones said she’s recovered enough from a hip operation last October to continue her quest to summit the highest peaks in all 50 of the United States. She only needs to hike up four more peaks to bag the entire set: Wyoming’s Gannett Peak, Montana’s Granite Peak, Nevada’s Boundary Peak and Mauna Kea in Hawaii. C.J. bagged her first tallest state peak at age 9, climbing New Hampshire’s 6,288-foot Mount Washington.
Returning to the skies in a small plane for the first time in 45 years, 91-year-old Bob Lix took the stick of a two-seat Fairchild PT-26 during a 45-minute flight around Phoenix on March 4. The opportunity was provided by Grounded No More, a group that puts retired military fliers back in the air. “The Superstition Mountains are amazing from the air. It was a thrill,” Bob said. Bob served in the Air Force 22 years, retiring as a decorated colonel with 3,500 flying hours including 950 hours in Vietnam.
Deep, fresh snow slowed racers during the Chilkat Lake 100 snowmachine race March 4 sponsored by the Haines Snowburners. In the 0-500 liquid class, Levi McClurg took first, followed by Ohlin Brooks. Chris Brooks won the 651-open class, followed by Lowell Narum, second, and Steven McLaughlin, third. Heather Wacker won the top hand during the Snowburners Poker Run. She took first in the $20 hand. Rick Campbell was second and Jack Smith, third. The $10 hand was won by Zack Ferrin, with Kevin Stodder and Ryan Cook in second and third, respectively. Ferrin also won the $5 hand, with Cook and Sully Wacker second and third.
Leigh and Greg Horner have returned from a three-week visit to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica to visit daughter Elena Horner, Elena’s husband Victor St. Clair, and their newborn daughter Eva St. Clair. They enjoyed a weekend visit there from Melina Shields and Tim Hockin, who have a house in a nearby town. They were surprised by a visit from Greg Behnke, a friend of Leigh’s from Portland. Besides helping out Elena, local cuisine and monkey-viewing were highlights.
Former Haines School teacher Kerry McIver visited Haines this week to spend time with friends including Karen Garcia and Lori and Mike Carter and family. Highlights included skiing along Chilkat River and receiving a care package of St. Patrick’s Day cookies from parents Beth and Tom McIver in Cleveland, Ohio. Kerry lives in Healy, where she teaches high school math and coaches track. She also plays on the Coal Queens women’s hockey team. Kerry’s sister, former Duly Noted columnist Eileen McIver, is living in Cleveland.
Pepper, a long-haired, brown and black tabby cat, has gone missing from her River Road home. If you see Pepper, phone Kendra at 766-3251.
Bookstore owner Amy Kane spent four days at Seattle’s downtown convention center during the American Booksellers Association winter institute, meeting and talking with bookstore owners, publishers and authors. Networking with other bookstore owners was the highlight, Amy said. She shipped home a box of books and put 46 pounds of them in with her luggage.
The Haines Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring “Buy Alaska,” a luncheon meeting on free marketing opportunities. It’s set for noon Friday, March 24 at the Haines Public Library and over Zoom. Phone the chamber for more details.

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