After 25 years, and 1,550 batches of beer, a large copper kettle at Haines Brewing cracked and sent water running all over while staff were brewing a batch of Doppelbock in early November. Owner Paul Wheeler said they were fortunately able to use a newer kettle to finish that batch but it took a long time to find someone local to repair the breach. When they finally did, Brian Staurseth and Darren Schweinefus helped lift the kettle from its burner and into a position where it could be worked on – it took a couple of passes to get the job done, but the kettle has been sealed.
Craig Loomis and wife Sheri Loomis took off for the weekend and headed up to the Takhini Hot Springs in Whitehorse. Loomis said a lot has changed since he first went to the natural hot springs in 1958. The couple spent three days there and also visited friends in Haines Junction. Craig Loomis said they went rabbit hunting but didn’t find any. They instead found one moose, one roadkill grouse and lots of wind and snow.
The winners of the Haines Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Holiday Lights Contest are Dale and Jackie Lippy with the best house, Seandog Brownell with the best boat at the Haines harbor and Tongass Federal Credit Union in the best business category.