Trevor and Larissa Barrett and their son Samuel, along with Trevor’s bladesmithing business, “Barrett Knives,” were recently featured in a CNBC series entitled “Millenial Money.” CNBC initially found Trevor Barrett on social media before reaching out to the couple, inviting them to share details of their business and finances in an interview and eventual video production. The interviews were conducted on Zoom and the company sent over local cameraman Alex Stock to film for the production. “I was shocked at how well it came together,” said Larissa Barrett. The video, entitled “Living on 52K a Year as a Bladesmith in Haines, Alaska” features picturesque shots and views of the community, a glimpse into the family’s life and livelihood, and insight into the ancient art of bladesmithing. CNBC’s “Millenial Money” has over 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently mentioned Haines in an interview with Stephen Colbert on national television. During the interview, Buttigieg mentioned his visit as well as his subsequent travel on the Alaska Marine Highway and Alaska Seaplanes. “It was a great way to get perspective on the challenges Americans face getting around in Alaska and why they need support from infrastructure funding,” he said. Buttigieg visited Haines and Juneau during the Southeast portion of his Alaska visit in August.
Wildhaven Wools celebrated its first anniversary during November First Friday festivities in downtown Haines. Owner Julia Billings started the business last November just in time for the holidays. The Main Street shop serves both as a sewing studio and a retail storefront from which to sell her hand-sewn clothing. Due to her love of fiber arts, Billings also stocks various yarns and fiber craft supplies. Locals should look forward to more classes and community involvement following the holiday season, she said.
Hospice of Haines held their ninth annual “Light the Night” event on Friday, Nov. 3. Each year, usually in November, the nonprofit group hosts a luminary walk of remembrance for lost loved ones. This year the walk was held at the Tlingit Park longhouse. Participants are encouraged to write the names of those they are honoring and remembering on a luminary candle. The lit luminary is then placed along the path, forming a twinkling, lighted walkway. This year there were around 26 people…and probably eight dogs,” said Hospice coordinator Shannon McPhetres. “It is a great opportunity to take the time to remember people (or pets) we’ve lost and loved and remembered…it was a really special evening.”
The position of Haines Borough Manager was mistakenly posted on a Google Jobs listing site last week. Annette Kreitzer said in an email that the advertisement is an old one from a previous year. It is unclear why it recently resurfaced. Several borough officials were queried by concerned locals regarding the job opening following its mysterious appearance. Kreitzer, who has served in the role since 2021, says she “is not going anywhere at the moment.”
Leah Wagner and Nick Schlosstein, local farmers and owners of Foundroot, recently received a grant from the American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund. The fund was created in 2020 in the interest of helping local, minority or veteran farmers grow and sustain their farms. The grant awarded to Foundroot was one of 85 distributed to qualified farms. Foundroot plans on using the funding to build a propagation house with space for processing, as well as refrigeration units and dry storage.
A “Beer For Sale” sign was raised on Halloween by Haines Brewing owner Paul Wheeler to imitate red plywood signs that went up around a half-dozen downtown buildings owned by Chris Thorgesen last month. “After they put those up there was a lot of sadness in the community,” said Wheeler. “I had so many people say it put a smile on their face to see the sign that we’re open.”
