20 Years Ago
Crystal Cathedrals Water and Sewer Systems is asking the state to approve a 15 percent rate increase for its residential and commercial customers.
The price increase, the first in four years, is needed to keep up with increased costs of operation, said company president John Floreske, “the cost of doing business has gone up, as it always does,” he said, citing fuel costs as one example of rising expenses.
But the hike, filed May 30 with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, has some customers balking.
Kevin Reeves, one of the utility’s 56 customers in the service area just out of town, said the increase was unacceptable. “I don’t see how it would be possible for this thing to go through and for it to be called fair.”
The commission is charged with “ensuring that a tariff contains fair and reasonable rates and practices that protect customers while providing utilities the opportunity to make fair returns on their investments,” said Grace Salazar, chief of consumer protection for the RCA.
30 Years Ago
Haines city clerk Susan Johnston is encouraging the council to declare 13 abandoned boats along Beach Road a public nuisance and to take steps to destroy them.
Johnston has obtained written permission to destroy the boats from six owners and oral permission from two. In the other cases, ownership has not been determined or the owners are dead.
The city also needs permission from the state Department of Transportation to take action within the state’s right-of-way.
Johnston wants a legal opinion on whether the boats can be auctioned off. Inquiries about buying a boat or boat parts came in after the city obtained permission from owners to destroy the boats.
The date of destruction will be published in advance.
The council became concerned about the city’s liability last summer, following an incident of arson on one of the boats.
40 Years Ago
Puns aside, it definitely was a “dog day afternoon” at the bank last Thursday.
With 10 pooches, ranging from a five-pound Cairn terrier to a 90-pound golden retriever, as special guests, the Haines bank had its first Dog Fest in the back room last week. As bank employees sipped wine and mixed drinks, the guests chowed down on several boxes of treats and didn’t seem to mind sharing a communal water bowl.
“It’s amazing that there’s this many different types of dogs and not one fight,” said Harold Hopper, husband of assistant vice president Nicki Hopper, “they get along better than people.”
Banker Dick Flegel wasn’t too sure the Dog Fest would be peaceful when he spent Thursday afternoon shopping for dog treats and toys in preparation for the party. He was worried. He made no bones about that.
Asked if this would be the first annual Dog Fest, Flegel quickly responded, “we’ll have to see how it goes. It could be more than we bargained for,” conjuring up images of good old-fashioned dog fights. But that wasn’t to be. The canine guests were bathed, brushed and on their best behavior. Some dressed up for the occasion, in necktie, a lei and bandana. Others apparently thought it was a “come as you are” party.
There were the customary comments about dogs and owners looking like each other as well as drawings, from a dog dish, of course, for prizes. And there was one dog who decided to leave a deposit at the bank.