Haines sport fisheries biologist and Alaska Department of Fish and Game area manager Alex Tugaw is leaving town after a year and a half. Tugaw, who arrived in October of 2023, said he has loved getting to know such a unique and biodiverse place. He and partner Shaelene Moler loaded all of their belongings onto the Feb. 17 ferry and are Sitka-bound, where Tugaw will be working as a fisheries biologist for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Moler will continue her work with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership from the organization’s Sitka Office, but said she hopes to return to Haines regularly to document the work of SSP partners. Tugaw said he plans to come back this fall and chase coho salmon on the Chilkoot as well.
Lin Edgar and Matt Campo welcomed Finnley Orwyn Campo into the world on Feb. 12 at 2:32 a.m. in Anchorage. He weighed 7 lbs., 6 oz. and was 22 inches long. When reached by phone on Tuesday, Edgar said her son, whom she and Matt have nicknamed “Finn,” has just started sleeping for two hours in a row. This is Edgar’s first child and said she was able to do 98% of her labor at home before she headed to a hospital in Anchorage with her midwife and partner in tow, where they found that Finn was sunny side up — meaning he was positioned head down but facing her belly-button – and just needed a little extra help. “He just wanted to come into the world looking at it,” Edgar said. “He had an exciting birth, he was almost a car baby.”
The three are living in Anchorage, but Edgar said they visit Haines each spring and are excited to do that again this year with their newest addition in tow. “I’m excited to do all of the fun outdoor things,” she said. “When we abbreviate his name to Finn, we think of the classic Huckleberry Finn and we can’t wait to get on some rivers with him and get outside and go play.”
The Chilkat Valley Community Foundation held a drawing for a “People’s Choice” award during Saturday evening’s high school basketball games. Superintendent Roy Getchell drew Lani Lynch’s name and the foundation gave $250 to her chosen nonprofit, the Chilkoot Indian Association.