Chilkat Valley News alumni Francisco Martínezcuello and Lex Treinen had a chance encounter in Weaverville, California, on March 29. Treinen was on a road trip through northern California. He stopped at the Lava Beds National Monument, Lassen National Park (which was closed due to snow) and looked for morel mushrooms, unsuccessfully, near Red Bluffs California. While he was in Weaverville, Treinen was rollerblading down a street when he encountered Martínezcuello, who is working as a Local News Fellow at the Trinity Journal, walking to a bakery in town. “He just rollerbladed right by me and asked, ‘Are you Francisco?’” Martínezcuello said. “I said, WTF are you doing here?”
The Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP) is a private statewide, non-profit organization that offers some great opportunities to the community. Kim King took Intro to Herbalism with Molly Cerridwen and reports back that she used this class to learn the finer points of infusing cooking oil and cooking bone broth.
Gauge Christiansen stood in line at the post office and got birthday wishes from a few in the room. He said that he had friends over a few days before and enjoyed Alpenglow pizza. When asked what his best birthday present was, he said cash. He is hanging onto that cash to save up for a car. His dream car is a red Porsche 911 GT305. He will settle for a Honda Civic. Happy Birthday, Gauge.
Have you seen Heidi Robichaud’s puzzles? Let me help you plan it all out. Drop by the library and just as you enter the doorway, boom! An outstanding display of uniquely crafted puzzles that will knock your socks off. Now, if you just happen to be in the library during “afternoon art” or “the unfinished projects support group,” this is also an opportunity. The Southeast Alaska State Fair would like to remind you to start planning your wearable art, and the library can give you the place to do it.
If you did not get the opportunity to stop in to the soft opening of Deer Heart to try out the new dining experience in Haines, fear not, Codi Sambrano and friends did. They reported back that the staff were ready for the busy evening and they had the group seated quickly and food was appearing at the family-style tables in a timely manner. Everyone ordered different items in an effort to try it all and get a taste for the entire menu. Nobody in the group was let down and they agreed that this was going to be a strain on their budget this summer, but it is going to be worth it.
Erika Merklin took a trip to Shawnigan Lake, B.C., to study permaculture design and received training to teach the subject under the guidance of Jude Hobbs. She attended interactive lectures and structured discussions to gain the tools needed to teach and design sustainable, ecologically based homes, farms, businesses and communities.
Serendipity strikes! When seasonal Haines resident Dan Henry heard his name called as he peddled the Springfield, Oregon bike path on April 2, he stopped to find Carl and Emma (McDonald) Nash playing in the park with their two boys, Oli and Leo. The Nashes were on the last day of a family tour before they flew back to their home in Springville, Utah. Carl and Emma were among Henry’s “star students” at Haines High School over four years of English classes, Drama, Debate and Forensics, and many school plays.
It was 37 degrees and raining at 40 Mile Haines Highway on Saturday morning. Brynn Murphy and Rashah McChesney packed two sandwiches, drinking water and a first aid kit and went for a bike ride. They planned to make it to town and did just that. Others that have done the ride mentioned the wind “could really pick up at 10 Mile,” McChesney said. “Nobody mentioned that it would be 10 miles of wind.”
Happy retirement to Phyllis Sage! For the last 26 years she has been serving the Haines community as a customer service agent or, as she calls it “the face of AP&T” in Haines. Sage says that work was an opportunity to increase her circle of friends and she simply plans to shift that energy into time spent with family and friends as well as volunteering locally. She does look forward to dog walks a bit later in the morning, with her new found free time. Sage’s last day of work is April 18. If you can stop by the company’s Main Street office she will have a bucket list for you to add ideas to, just in case she finishes everything on hers.
The second “You Have the Floor” community soapbox event was held 6-7 p.m. April 4 at the Alpenglow. About 10 people attended. Topics included affordable housing ideas, local government revenue sources (including a tax on homes not occupied year-round), the need for a taxi company, the importance of the senior lunch program to older residents, possible cash discounts at local businesses and appreciation for Haines cultural facilities. Speakers included Todd Wagner, Debra Schabel, Tom Morphet and Joe Parnell. Former Mayor Doug Olerud moderated the discussion. The next session is set for 6 p.m. First Friday, May 2.