Headstart, an early education program for pre-school children, has been placed on the chopping block by the Trump Administration. Headstart is a federally funded pre-school program for low income families that began during the Johnson Administration’s War on Poverty. Headstart programs around the state of Alaska provide much needed social, emotional, academic, nutritional and family […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted: Music, felt, discs, gardening, and more
Sixteen Haines students traveled to the 51st annual Southeast Music Festival in Juneau held April 10-12. Matt Davis said all of the school’s music students go, including the concert band, Man-ish Choir, jazz band and several choir students. In attendance were Rylee Sloan, Syd Salmon, Kate Benda, Willa Stuart, Kaitlann Jim, Klover Cinocco, Isabelle Alamillo, […]
Posted inLocal News
Local border crossing numbers defy national trends
The number of passengers entering the country at the Dalton Cache border crossing last month was higher than normal, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics. For weeks, Haines residents and business owners have been concerned about a drop-off in Canadian tourism resulting from tariffs and annexation talk from the Trump Administration. Anecdotal evidence […]
Posted inLocal News
Hillside fire dispute results in trespass order against a firefighter, criminal investigation into assembly member
On a recent sunny, dry Sunday afternoon between downtown Haines and the airport, a column of smoke rising from a brush-filled hillside below Craig and Sheri Loomis’ home. The smoke caught the attention of a firefighter driving into town. He reported it, and within an hour, tensions boiled over into a chaotic scene involving more […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly briefs: Property tax exemptions, road improvements, taxes, and mining
Community Purpose (Property Tax) Exemptions It’s been a contentious start to budget season already, with back and forth debate on non-profit funding spread across many of the last few assembly meetings. That debate was, at least in part, renewed Tuesday night, this time on the issue of Community Purpose Tax Exemptions. That property tax exemption, […]
Posted inLocal News, Housing
Assembly and planning commission consider allowing ‘granny flats’ to address housing shortage
Faced with a housing shortage, the borough assembly and planning commission will consider whether to allow adding small apartments, sometimes called “granny flats,” to single-family-zoned lots. The secondary units are often called accessory dwelling units or ADUs. The housing shortage is an issue that has been under discussion at the borough level for several years. […]
Posted inLocal News
Planning commissioners register concerns over assembly settlement
Planning commissioners clashed with borough assembly representatives at last week’s planning commission meeting over the assembly’s recent settlement deal with Southeast Roadbuilders. The settlement deal ended a years-long appeals process with Southeast Roadbuilders (SERB) by granting a conditional use permit that had first been approved by a planning commission in 2023, then denied by a […]
Posted inEducation, Local News, Wildlife
Alaska Native Medical Center kitchen staff get a lesson in traditional knowledge: Seal processing
Wielding a sharpened piece of volcanic glass, Tim Ackerman sliced into the thawing carcass of a harbor seal. “You want to keep parallel to the hide like this, as close as you can to the skin,” Ackerman said, narrating his deft movement separating skin from fat to a dozen chefs, nutritionists and cultural practitioners on […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted: Travel, music, boats and goats
Joanie Wagner took a spontaneous trip to Ireland with her daughter, Katie Sevigny, and family. While in Belfast, they took a guided tour and had an informative history lesson of Northern Ireland. They toured the Jamesons Distillery and Guinness Brewery, of course. The group toured Trinity College and viewed the Book of Kells, visited St. […]
Posted inCommentary
What We Know: Federal funding uncertainty hits home in our communities
Introducing: What We Know. This new recurring column features Southeast Alaskans with direct experience in the systems that shape our lives – from government and science to education and infrastructure. We’re inviting people who know how things work (and sometimes don’t) to help shed light on the things that impact everyday life in the Chilkat […]