The Four Winds Resource Center in Mosquito Lake has been hosting an open arts studio every Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. since the beginning of January. Chrissy White and Ryan Eckert brought what friends described as a “delightful” mac and cheese during the last meeting. Eckert said the secret is to make a roux, which they did for the first time. It’s stovetop mac and cheese with a powdered cheese White and Eckert brought with them from an Amish store in Colorado. “We have a lot of it,” Eckert said. Joe Parnell, aka The Feltist, has also been attending and enticing others away from their crafts to make felt art. He said it was a good place to “be yourself, do art, and get encouragement and ideas from other artists.”
Lila Tarleton won this year’s school spelling bee with the word “writhes.” She’ll represent Haines at the statewide spelling bee in March. The spelling bee took place on Jan. 30 and went 18 rounds plus three championship rounds. David Hotch came in second place while Chisel Triezenberg and Olen Stickler tied for third place.
The top three winners of the chili cook-off during Saturday’s winter games were
First – Moose chili made by Grankie and Rowan Lambert
Second – Meat-lovers chili by Kari Johnson
Third – Turkey chili by Kiara Hylton.
Mayor Tom Morphet reports that about 100 people turned out to watch or participate in youth/adult competitions including jockey-horse sled, snowshoe races, survival suit races and a tea-making competition. He said Luck Dunbar’s squad won the tea-making competition, topping about eight teams in a race to boil water and make tea after building a fire.
Ten racers competed in the Alcan 200 on Feb. 8. The international snowmachine race heads from the Canadian border to Dezadeash Lake and back along the Haines Highway. Sam Schirmer, Zack Ferrin, Garrett Hill and George Campbell did not finish, but of those who did, in the 651- 800cc machine class race:
First was Chris Brooks who came in with a time of 1:25:57
Second was Ryan Kirtley with a time of 2:03:08.
In the 501-650 class:
First was Colby Hill with a time of 1:22:34
Second was Ohlin Brooks second with a time of 1:28:35
In the 0-440 Fan class:
First was Mario Poulin with a time of 1:47:56
Second was Nick Fargnoli with a time of 2:31:13.
Haines’ Drama, Debate, and Forensics team took on regionals in Sitka. The school board’s student representative, Selby Long, reports that Colin Aldassy won first with his dramatic interpretation. Long and Maddox Rogers took second in duet acting. Maddox also took second in humorous interpretation and fourth in original oration. Kayla Cone and Talia Hauser placed third in mime, Klover Cinocco and Kaylah Cone placed sixth in improvisational acting.
The Tournament of Readers wrapped up at Haines School this week. First place was the team Dog Eared Pages, comprising Lila Tarleton, Kayci Ferrin and Yarona Bochart-Jacobson. This year, nine teams of 35 students participated. They read eight books and answered 272 questions.