Joe Parnell competed in a pickleball tournament at the Alaska Senior Olympics in Fairbanks recently and won a gold medal in the singles aged 60-65 bracket. He and Jim Greene, also of Haines, took home the gold in the doubles aged 60-65 bracket as well.
Parnell said it took three days of driving to get to and from Fairbanks and he enjoyed getting to play pickleball in a park in Fairbanks in the mornings in addition to the competition. “I’m grateful I’m able to do that stuff, you know?” he said.
Parnell and Greene practice together occasionally at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds in Haines and at the skate park which Parnell refers to as the Pickledome.
Piper Grall, who grew up in Haines, and Richard Grall, of Port Angeles, welcomed a son – their first child – to the world on June 26 after almost 3 days of labor at the Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, WA. “It was easier said than done,” said Piper Grall who went by Piper Lemcke when she last lived in Haines.
Lincoln Reid Grall was 6lbs, 10 ounces and 19.5 inches long. Piper Grall, said he has long legs and arms and looks just like his father. “They have the same scowl, same eyes, same hairline.” Both parents have blue eyes, so Lincoln does too, she said. The trio have been soaking up the summer and time off by camping and heading to area lakes. They plan to visit Haines next summer. Lincoln’s grandparents are Brian Lemcke who used to own the Fogcutter, and Pat Corcoran. The two now live in Sequim, Wash.
Roger Gentry died on August 1 in Tucson, Arizona after a long illness from cancer. Gentry, who was a former director of the Haines Arts Confluence, was well-known and active in the local theater and arts scene. A full obituary will be printed in the Chilkat Valley News soon.
Mori Hays and Julia Murph got married at the Chilkat Inlet Retreat on Saturday, August 3. Hays, who grew up in Haines, and Murph, who grew up in Petersburg, tied the knot with about 140 people including about 10 people from the Hays family and dozens from the Murph family. Hays said he grew up attending a lot of weddings in Letnikof Cove and really wanted to do the same. The weather cleared up for the few days they were in town. The Fishpickers played at their reception.
“It was just really sweet and had a lot of local support,” said Hays.
Mori Hays’ parents are Ed and Yuko Hays who spend their summers in Haines. Murph’s parents are Susan Harai and Alan Murph of Petersburg. Mori and Julia, who are both engineers, recently moved to Duluth, Minnesota.