On behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, I want to thank the Chilkat Valley Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Alaska Community Foundation, for their continued generosity and support. CVCF provided BBBS with a grant that made it possible for me to purchase activities for matches. I was able to stock (and re-stock) […]
Posted inNews, Southeast News, Local News, Wildlife, Environment
The bears are up, here’s what to plan for
Haines police say they haven’t yet gotten any calls about bears yet this season. But several residents have posted photos of paw prints or other bear sign on social media – so it’s clear they’re waking up. Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife management biologist Carl Koch said this is the time of year […]
Posted inLocal News, Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, News, Arts & Culture, Southeast News
Haines artists get belated recognition for iconic Tlingit & Haida logo
Two artists who worked in Haines in the 1960s and 70s were finally officially recognized for designing the ubiquitous logo for the Tlingit & Haida Central Council. The two artists — Nathan Jackson and John Hagen — were honored at the President’s Awards Banquet in Juneau in front of hundreds of attendees. “All my kids […]
Posted inNews, Local News, Environment, Visitor's Guide
Hooligan oil cooked at culture camp ‘it’s pure magic’
A thick, pungent smell wafts up from a five-foot, wood-plank pit as workers slosh thousands of sausage-sized hooligan that have been sitting for about a week. For the dozen or more people gathered on the banks of the Chilkoot River, it’s a good smell. “They’re ripe,” said Marsha Hotch, a Tlingít elder from Klukwan who […]
Posted inGarden Edition
Spring is in the air
Spring has truly sprung and it’s an early one this year. With all this sunny weather it’s tempting to dive right in and start planting all those beautiful flowers and yummy veggies in the garden. Many native plants and trees are even starting to leaf out and might be green by the time you read […]
Posted inCommentary
Boron deficiency, local soils and fruitfulness
The element boron (B) is a plant micro-nutrient and deficient in many Alaskan-area soils, including in the Chilkat Valley. Boron is easily leached away where soils are seasonally saturated with water. In 2021-2022, the Chilkat Valley Orchard Project collected and analyzed about 30 local soil samples, ranging from tidewater to near the Canadian border. Only […]
Posted inCommentary
Mulching with deciduous chipped wood
Soil enrichment always involves banking carbon and nutrients: well-aged, non-pathogenic “humanure” from a composting outhouse is A-OK for an orchard, raspberries, or perennials; seaweed and grassy beach wrack are super for mulch, but can include unwanted weed-seed; spoiled hay from poultry or livestock is great, as is the aged manure. Another local resource for soil […]
Posted inGarden Edition
How to grow tomatoes in Southeast Alaska
I like growing tomatoes in a greenhouse though many varieties do well outside here in Southeast Alaska. Tomatoes prefer their roots and air temperature to be relatively the same, between 65-75 degrees. Good ventilation not only keeps mold and disease down but also helps pollinate. Use a fan, windows and/or doors. It’s a good idea […]
Posted inThis Week in History
This Week in History: Arson at the Presbyterian Church, a jump in garbage rates, and the Assembly buys a trailer
May 14 1973 Fire marshall calls church blaze arson after investigation The fire which destroyed the Haines United Presbyterian Church last month was caused by arson it has been determined. The fire was found to have been set in at least seven places. Regional Fire Marshal Gordon Brunton recently made public his findings. He estimated […]
Posted inNews, Local News, Public Safety
In Blaines City, Haines gets to laugh at itself but few escape unscathed
The sketch-comedy show Blaines City is set in a fictional town meant to parody life in Haines. And it is on point. The curtain opens on a family arriving in Haines after a long drive. They stop at a restaurant to eat but are stymied by a waitress, played by Susie McCartney, who cannot seem […]