Randy and Rochelle Simmons escaped 110-degree heat in Chico, Calif. to spend a long weekend in Haines. They enjoyed halibut fishing with Casey Bradford, including catching a king crab, a River Adventures jet-boat trip on the upper Chilkat River skippered by Libby Jacobson, and time visiting friends at the brewery. The trip was capped by a fresh salmon and halibut feast Monday with Libby and family and friends. Randy said he also spent time at the site of the landslide that claimed his son David Simmons in 2020 and was grateful to see flowers planted and some cottonwood trees taking hold there.
Shannon Franey and son Walther Jim recently spent 10 days in San Diego, Calif. They went to see their favorite band, Blink-182, during its world tour. They also visited the San Diego Zoo, Mission Beach and Belmont Park, watched fireworks every night, enjoyed live music at the beach and saw the movie, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” Shannon reports that Olive Garden’s “Zuppa Toscana” is no match for her kale potato soup. She said teaching her son to ride waves on a boogie board was a highlight. She said she’s “beyond grateful” to the crew at Haines Friends of Recycling for covering her duties while she was away.
Softball players are bringing back the Six-Pack Sam Coed tournament, Aug. 11-13 in Haines. Contact Nicole Holm to register a team. The Haines women’s team Hakala Electric Hotties competed at Whitehorse’s Dustball Tournament last weekend, the first showing by a local women’s squad in 12 years. Besides Dustball veterans Alissa Henry, Sarah Elliott and Lisa Shove, the team included Summer Lynch, Jenn Walsh, Lynzee Swinton, Teslyn Hakala, Abby Jones, Shelly Sloper, Brittany Dunbar, Gen Bell, Bailee Boltz and Lexie DeWitt. The first Haines coed team at Dustball in five years included women’s players plus Daniel Klanott, Jeffrey Klanott, Tyrell Horton, Dawson Holm, Kaleb Holm, Michael Ganey, Jesse McGraw and Tyler Swinton.
Sisters-in-law Nelle Jurgeleit-Greene and Anna Jurgeleit traveled to Anchorage last week to attend a taping of The Antiques Roadshow. “I’m not so afraid about breaking that special vase anymore,” said Nelle, referring to a Japanese jar from around 1910 that she’ll now use as a tea caddy. It was valued at maybe $100. Anna took a charm bracelet and a Chinese mirror. The show was recorded at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where Nelle was impressed by a 12-foot-long walrus tusk.
Memorial tributes to the late adventurer and writer Margaret Piggott are scheduled for this weekend. A slide show and tea party featuring Margaret’s treasured tea cups will be held 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the public library. At 7 p.m. Saturday, friends will gather to share stories and refreshments at Ned’s Pavilion on Beach Road. At 9:30 a.m. Sunday, a ceremony of remembrance will be held at Chuck Creek, B.C., a wayside and Samuel Glacier trailhead about 90 minutes west of Haines toward Haines Junction, Y.T.
Bryan White, his wife Jen and her parents Mark and Brenda Cleven of Pullman, Wash. were in town this week. After whale-watching in Juneau, the family was looking forward to taking other tours including a boat trip on Christian Racich’s Ocean Raft Alaska in Skagway. Bryan said they also were looking forward to tucking into local food and drink offerings. He is a nurse in Bend, Ore. and Jen works in computer technology.
Melissa Aronson of Haines Friends of Recycling reminds people to wash recyclable containers before leaving them at the HFR collection yard on Small Tracts Road. A recent load that contained food scraps and rotting fish forced workers there to dig through a pile of containers to find it before it attracted bears.
Matthew Davidson brought an uplifting message to his recent talk at the Haines Presbyterian Church. A Haines High School grad who was homeless and eating out of dumpsters in Fresno, Calif. 10 years ago, Davidson said he learned that “life can be beautiful” after he surrounded himself with “solid people” and “started willfully choosing his thoughts.” Davidson said his spiral started by “doing what was easy and sweeping my failures under the rug.” He now eats healthy, runs every day, and competes in jiu-jitsu. He was in Haines with wife Autumn Davidson. They live in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
A Juneau man who attended school in Haines was presumed drowned while kayaking near Mendenhall Glacier this week, based on footage from a camera atop a helmet he apparently was wearing at the time. Paul Jose Rodgriguez Jr., 43, was reported missing July 11. According to a Juneau Empire story, camera footage indicated Rodriguez drowned. The camera was retrieved by searchers this week. A body recovery effort is underway.
An Upper Valley art exhibition is set for 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 at Mosquito Lake Community Center. It will include wine, appetizers and a silent auction. A tax-deductible $10 donation is requested. For more information, contact Julie Korsmeyer at 767-5456.