Jay Katzeek and Ron Sloper were married Saturday, surrounded by friends and family outside Harriett Hall at the fairgrounds. Jay had five adorable flower girls including, Piper Sloper and her sister NoriAva GrahamIvy Elliott, and Charlie Katzeek, all who all threw white roses down the aisle. Jay was given away by her dad, Les Katzeek, and her daughter, Aubrey Cook. As the couple said their “I Do’s,” Ron swooped Jay up and gave a dramatic smooch that will be hard to forget. After the ceremony, the community was invited to a reception at Payson’s Pavilion.

Deana Stout has returned from a trip of a lifetime with her daughter Bengta Hoffman. The two started in Sweden and spent time with Bengta’s father’s side of the family for a reunion. After a visit to Copenhagen, they flew to New York City, where they watched three Broadway plays in four nights, including “The Last Episode of the Golden Girls,” “Kinky Boots” and “Chicago.” They also visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and got stuck in a thunderstorm in the middle of Central Park on their way to a play.

The 2018 KHNS membership drive was a record-breaking success. “Supporters and listeners helped raise over $78,000, by 5 p.m., (Friday) far surpassing our $70K goal,” said KHNS development director Maddy Witek. The drive included a fun week of live remote broadcasts in Haines and Skagway. Tie-dying, grilling, root beer floats, beautiful cakes, live musical performances, and on-air surprises helped bring success.

Jennifer and Clint Talley, along with Bart Henderson, Cynthia AdamsKnikki Cinocco and John Briner, are home after an 18-day trip on the Alsek River. Marnie Hartman flew in on a helicopter and met the crew for the second half of their journey which finished at the coast for summer solstice. From there, the Talleys spent four days walking and pack-rafting to Yakutat. “It’s so hard to put into words, it was so amazing,” Jennifer said.

The Haines Chapter of the Alaska Mining Association hosted its first annual barbeque at Letnikof Cove last weekend. “We had games like corn hole, sawdust ‘placer mining’ for gold, coloring sheets, spin chairs, and more. It was a great party for kids and adults,” said Liz Cornejo of Constantine Metal Resources. Around 60 people showed up for the food and fun. The chapter plans on more events to come.

Dawn Tizya traveled to her native city of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, with her sons Alijah and Samuel Thompson last week to celebrate Canada Day. They visited Dawn’s family, shopped for toys, and went to the “Incredibles 2” movie. “We had a great time but I am beyond exhausted,” Dawn said.

Alissa and Ira Henry and children Dalton and Makayla are back in Haines after a two-week trip to Bend, Oregon. Alissa and Makayla first flew into Bend and stayed with Tina Schaefer and her son Bodie. They also visited former residents Sandy ReidChrista Pottenger and her son Kekoa. Ira and Dalton flew to Portland where they got their camper and drove to Bend to meet up with their family. Alissa, Tina, and Krista, along with former resident Michael Ahmuty went to a Michael Franti & Spearhead Concert. The adventurous trip also included lots of mountain biking and floating down the Deschutes River with Ira’s family and friends.

Ted Cheney and his wife Kat and their children WinterIsabella, and Taylor are back from a family trip to Cornwall, Connecticut. The whirlwind trip was bittersweet as it included the funeral of Ted’s mother, Lynn Cheney. The family enjoyed catching up with friends and family and even went to a Mets baseball game. The family also spent a day in New York City and enjoyed the delicious food the city has to offer.

A GoFundMe memorial fund has been set up for Mario Julian Benassi who passed away in a river accident in California. A celebration of life is planned for friends and family in California this week; a memorial in Haines is set for July 14. Visit gofundme.com and search Mario Julian Benassi to help aid the family. The crowd-funding effort aims to help defray the family’s funeral and travel costs. The CVN will publish an obituary in the coming weeks.

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