Aiden Arthur Scheele was born March 16 in Charlottesville, Va. to Jade and Eric Scheele. He weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 inches long. “He’s a big strapping boy,” grandmother Annette Smith said. Annette and grandpa Sam Wright are traveling to Virginia to spend a few weeks with their new grandson.
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day will be one Al and Crystal Badgely will never forget. Their first grandchild, Cedar Ellison Badgely, was born to Hunter and Emily Badgely on March 17 in Spokane, Wash. She weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 ¾ inches long. The new grandparents will head for a visit the first week in April. “I can’t wait to hold and kiss that baby,” Crystal said.
Michael Liam Donald Hoy was born on March 20 to parents Paige and Michael Hoy. Michael Liam weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces and was 22 inches long. The family is doing well and is excited to return home from Juneau.
Carrie Valentine Durr has been apprenticing with weaver Lani Hotch in creating a Tlingit dance robe. The Native Arts and Culture Foundation is funding the apprenticeship. The finished piece will go in the Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center to be used by local dancers. Reuben Roqueñi from the Native Arts and Culture Foundation will visit in April to see the progress firsthand. Carrie is using the same weaving beam that her grandmother Edith Jacquot used when she helped create the Klukwan Healing Robe.
Hold on to those fruit stickers! Genny Rietze is collecting fruit stickers for her entry in the 2019 wearable arts show in Juneau. She has collected over 1,000 stickers so far. If you plan on collecting them, please attach them to a piece of wax parchment paper and mail them to P.O. Box 28.
Barbara Pardee celebrated her 70th birthday last week. Her husband, Terry Pardee, hosted a birthday dinner with a few of her friends at their house. The couple also has a trip planned to Seattle to celebrate with their daughters and granddaughter.
Stuart and Lexie Dewitt are back from a trip to Phoenix with their children Charlie, Loralai and Lucas. The family spent their days doing many kid-friendly adventures including going to Legoland and the Phoenix Aquarium and Zoo. They also traveled up to Sedona, Ariz. and visited Slide Rock State Park. “My favorite part was golfing with my dad at night on the putting greens,” said Charlie, aged 6.
Sean Asquith has just returned from Los Osos, Calif. where he attended his dad’s 90th birthday party and family reunion. His children, Zayla and Quinn Asquith-Heinz, also attended and enjoyed hiking and rock climbing in the warm weather.
Haines local Parker Schnabel stars in his second Gold Rush spin-off show called “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail.” The show airs March 30 on Discovery Channel. This season, Parker and his crew mine and explore in the jungles of Guyana, South America.
Just in time for the American Legion’s 99th anniversary, a spring leak flooded the bar and kitchen leaving weekly Taco Tuesday customers high and dry. “A big celebration next year to celebrate the centennial is in the works,” Gary Jacobson said.
Josh Stearns and Savannah Tiennes became engaged last week. Josh romantically surprised Savannah on Port Chilkoot Dock where he proposed. “He wrote what he wanted to say down so it came out how he wanted, it was incredibly sweet,” Savannah said.
Haines Borough Police Officer Chris Brown read “Snatchabook” and “Uni the Unicorn” to the Haines Head Start class earlier this month. Bringing community members to read to preschoolers is a goal for the Haines Children’s Reading Foundation. “The kids were in awe of Officer Brown. They were very still and listened really well,” Head Start teacher Tiffany DeWitt said.
The new Northern Southeast Gillnetter’s Association had their second official meeting last week. The association elected Ryan Cook as president, Marty Smith vice president, Chris Olsen secretary, and Haynes Tormey treasurer. “Membership dues are $150 and we are going to have a membership drive this spring,” Ryan said. Meetings will be held once a month and are open to the public.
Krista Lampkins is celebrating 25 years of working at First National Bank Alaska – Haines Branch. The staff showered her with balloons and the bank offered snacks to celebrate.