A gifted mystery quilter has donated a cactus flower quilt to be auctioned off at Gomi’s Garden. The quilt can be seen at the Park Stage at the fairgrounds. The silent auction will be accepting bids until May 18. Sabine Churchill says that the current bid is $325. The winning bid will be matched by the mystery quilter and proceeds will be donated to Becky’s Place.
The Haines Drama, Debate, and Forensics Team qualified for varsity status, according to coach Hannah Bochart, who recently announced the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) scores. The NSDA is the national organization for speech and debate. Bochart logged every point they earned throughout their high-school speech careers into a national database for a final point tally. The results were: Colin Aldassy, four years, 621 points (distinction), Maddox Rogers, three years, 452 points (distinction), Kaylah Cone, two years, 203 points (excellence), Aimee Lahr, two years, 138 points (honor), Talia Hauser, one year, 109 points (honor). It is worth noting that most DDFers only earn between 30-50 points a year. This team is well above average.
This year, 104 volunteers took part in the annual marine debris cleanup put on by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, Chilkoot Indian Association and the Ocean Conservancy. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation for local businesses that manage waste streams too. Haines Friends of Recycling took the plastics, CWS took the non-recyclables and the Haines Borough supplied the dump truck. Haines Brewing Co. and Port Chilkoot Distillery donated grain bags to use for the pickup too. This year’s volunteers started off with a lecture series from Harry Reiske, Reilly Kosinski, Veronica Paula, and Kristina Tirana, then the clean-up covered Battery Point, Kelgaya Point, Twin Cove, Moose Meadows, Chilkat State Park picnic area, Chilkoot estuary and Taiyasanka. The numbers aren’t in for this year, but in 2024 they removed 3,070 pounds of debris and 2023 netted 3,340 pounds.
The 33 Mile cat, Eagle Bait, is alive! On Jan. 26 Sue King’s cabin burnt to the ground. She had come to the conclusion that her seven-year-old cat was lost in the fire. Not. The. Case. Michelle Stigen reports that footprints were the first clue. The cat started coming back to her former cabin and left prints. They followed up with some well-placed cameras and got visual proof of Eagle Bait dropping in to visit. She has gained weight and developed some new thicker hair at the neck, and seems to be thriving as a feral cat.
Kayla Yeoman at the Southeast Alaska State Fair wants to remind everyone that now is the time to prepare your exhibits. Woodworking, flower arrangements, wearable art, maybe get that perfect jar of pickles ready for the canning competition. Quilted crafts to crusty bread, the fair needs you.
Liz Landes and Chrissie White have been learning the finer points of using the BCS walking tractor on the Henderson Farm. The two-wheel tractor has multiple attachments for soil work, mowing, property maintenance, and landscaping. This tool is on loan from the “tool library” at the Four Winds Resource Center. Liz and Chrissy were focusing on the berry bushes in place at the Henderson Farm this week.
Haines Packing is selling fresh hydroponic basil. The Klukwan School has been growing a lettuce tower, herb table and bucket tomatoes with a little help from Vija Pelekis. She was part of the effort to teach kids about food sustainability and hydroponic gardening.
The Haines Dolphins swim team wrapped up championships in Anchorage recently. Coach Jacob Bazar said that while none of the swimmers placed in the top three in their races, most shaved time off of their previous fastest times. Hazel Wray dropped nearly three seconds in her 100-yard butterfly swim. Jonah Wray shaved about a half a second of time off of his 100-yard freestyle race. Sita Price’s best was the 100 fly as well, in which she dropped 2 seconds. McConnell Robinson’s best event was the 100 fly as he dropped 2.6 seconds. He said Lylah Wray’s best race was the 100 free.
Naomi Green graduated magna cum laude May 3 from UAF with a bachelor’s degree in film. Parents Jim and Shannon Green, sisters Lydia Green and Rebekah Reams, brother-in-law Nate Reams, and five-month-old nephew Arden Reams made the drive to Fairbanks for the ceremony.