Austin and Lindsey Finnan had Atlin Tate Finnan on June 14 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He weighed 7lbs 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. After two long flights and a seaplane ride, the three are back at home in Haines. Lindsey’s parents were also in town, including tattoo artist Chris Reese who took the opportunity to tattoo while he was in town visiting his new grandson.
Juneau and Tenakee Springs resident Linda Buckley will be launching her new book and doing readings of “The Eagle in the Eulachon” at The Bookstore on July 26 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. She’ll also have copies of “The Bear in the Blueberry” and “The Humpback and the Herring” with her.
Haines Police are looking for volunteers for an active threat response course running July 20-22. The event is supposed to help officers make critical decisions under stress and help them intervene during an active-shooter situation. Role players will be used to create a realistic crisis environment. Anyone interested can contact police chief Josh Dryden at 766-2121 or [email protected].
Lindsey Moore and Sam Edwards are back in town for the summer. Their son Orion Edwards is also here. Sam Edwards is working for Haines Rafting. Moore just finished her first year working at International School Bangkok and said she and Sam Edwards have enjoyed getting to explore a new part of the world. On their way back to Haines, the couple stopped in Seattle to see Moore’s parents and then headed to Missoula for a 100th birthday celebration for her grandfather. This summer, Moore said they are looking forward to spending time at their property on Glacier Point, visiting with family, friends and their dog Kazi who stays year round in Haines.
The Chilkat Valley Community Foundation had a busy week. More than 70 people were treated to tacos and desserts, along with music by Tom Heywood, at its annual donor appreciation event on June 28th at the American Bald Eagle Foundation. Then on July 4th, as part of the Tlingit Park festivities, CVCF hosted a drawing for a people’s choice award, which includes a $250 grant. This year, 114 people nominated 32 different nonprofit organizations, and Klukwan School won. The community foundation is now getting ready for its 2024 nonprofit grant cycle which runs from July 17 to September 11.
The deadline for seniors and disabled veteran homeowners to apply for a hardship exemption from property taxes has been extended through July 31. Additionally, it’s no longer a requirement to have a net worth of less than $250,000 to apply. To apply, residents must have physically occupied their primary and permanent home for a minimum of 186 days per year. According to borough instructions, people who apply should get an emailed confirmation. If not, contact the borough at 766-6400.
A memorial service and celebration of life for 58-year Haines resident George Ann Smith will be held on Saturday, July 13, at 5 p.m. at the Port Chilkoot Bible Church. A dessert service will follow the ceremony. A full obituary for Smith ran in the March 14, 2024 issue of the Chilkat Valley News.
The borough is looking for help identifying broken links on its website after its contractor Civic Plus shifted to a new software. Borough manager Annette Kreitzer said staff are still discovering which things do not work anymore.
“People are thinking it’s the borough and it’s like ‘no, it’s our provider’,” Kreitzer said.
Kreitzer asked people to flag when something is missing or cannot be accessed anymore. “We won’t be able to fix it right away, we’re real short-staffed but we want to at least start compiling this list so we can get them fixed,” she said.
Tlingit Master carver, car connoisseur and educator Clifford Thomas died of natural causes in Haines on July 1. Born in Skagway on May 19, 1945 Thomas was part of a core group of artists who worked on a number of totem poles around town including the one at the Chilkat Center and both sets of welcome poles. Brother Bill Thomas said a memorial will be held on Aug. 3 at the ANB/ANS hall at 11 a.m. with food to follow at the American Legion. A full obituary will follow.
Twenty-seven runners competed in the annual Ripinsky Run which goes up G̱eisán on the 4th of July. Luke Davis, 19, won first overall male finisher and King of Climb with a finish time of 28:43. Yoa George, 13, was the youngest finisher with a time of 35:00. Ariana Marquardt won Queen of Climb and first overall female finisher with a time of 39:44. Joe Parnell, 62, was the oldest finisher with a time of 1:08:43, and Brittany Dunbar, 41, had the best hug with an overall time of 1:10:00.