In 2024, passenger and vehicle traffic aboard the Alaska Marine Highway System slightly increased from 2023, but still is less than half its peak from the early 1990s. The state ferries carried just over 185,000 passengers and about 65,000 vehicles last year on its routes stretching from Southeast to Prince William Sound and into several […]
Posted inSoutheast News, Transportation
State cancels work on Columbia, hopes it will last until new vessel built
The Alaska Marine Highway System canceled plans to replace controllable-pitch propellers aboard the state ferry Columbia next year, opting to keep the 52-year-old ship in service until a replacement vessel is built. The propulsion system project was estimated in 2022 to cost as much as $20 million. The largest vessel in the fleet, Columbia serves […]
Posted inCommentary
Years of neglect and rust may swamp state ferry system
As if years of political interference and, for many elected officials, disinterest weren’t enough to sink the Alaska Marine Highway System, rust and age could finish the job. Maybe the answer is some duct tape to keep the ships running just a little longer until they turn 65 years old and could qualify for Medicare. […]
Posted inSoutheast News
Damage to undersea cable causes widespread Southeast Alaska outages, including state websites
A telephone and internet service outage affecting much of Southeast Alaska is continuing for a third day Saturday, with a spokesperson stating at about 10 a.m. efforts are being made to implement an emergency fix — but indicating it might not be in place until at least the end of the day. “Our engineering and […]
Posted inLocal News, Government & Elections
Assembly briefs: Executive sessions, school funding, tourism survey results, a Lutak Dock update, police chief management
Executive Session A much-awaited decision on new executive session rules has been passed. A proposal by assembly member Cheryl Stickler restricts participation in executive sessions to members who call in via telephone – rather than Zoom – and only if they affirm they alone are listening to the call. Prior to that final vote, the assembly […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted: Lunar New Year, a new restaurant, a viewing party, and Valentine’s tea
Sacred Heart Catholic Church celebrated a belated Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day with a potluck of Asian dishes and delectable desserts recently. The celebration gave parishioners the opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their priest Father Michael Ko, a missionary priest from South Korea, who came to Alaska via Papua, New Guinea. […]
Posted inLocal News, Business & Commerce
Federal funding pauses impact local projects
Haines Friends of Recycling says construction on a new recycling facility foundation is paused indefinitely due to federal funding uncertainty. The new site, purchased last year at the intersection of the highway and Main Street, has been prepared in anticipation of a foundation being poured as soon as the ground thaws this spring. Friends of […]
Posted inLocal News
Alcohol board grants Haines two more beer and wine licenses
After nearly a year of discussions and public hearings, Alaska’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board approved two additional restaurant and eating place licenses for Haines. The board met Feb. 4 and heard more than an hour of public testimony on Haines’ application before spending another hour discussing the borough’s ask for six more licenses, in addition […]
Posted inLocal News, Tourism
“I don’t think we could really replace it” Haines worries about loss of relationship with Canadians
With rising tension between the United States and Canada, some are worried that Haines could pay the price of Canadian resentment. It’s hard to put a precise number on Haines’ economic reliance on Canadian tourism, but tourism director Rebecca Hylton says it’s significant. “The Yukon is our closest neighbour,” said Hylton, “and [Yukoners] are basically […]
Posted inSports
Glacier Bears have a strong showing during Southeast Middle School wrestling Championship in Juneau
In a whirlwind trip to Juneau that started with a rough ride on a Valentine’s Day Goldbelt catamaran, 17 middle schoolers headed to a wrestling tournament in Juneau earlier this month. The outgoing sailing was on the same day that a group of Petersburg basketball players made their way into town on rough chop waves […]