Three weeks ago, the Haines Borough Assembly, in a vote momentous enough to draw applause from the audience in the room, chose a new design for the Lutak Dock project. But now, one borough advisor is contradicting key information that informed the design selection — information that came from another borough contractor — leading some […]
Posted inLocal News
New bald eagle stamp unveiled in Haines
A crowd gathered Friday for the ceremonial unveiling of a new U.S. Postal Service stamp designed to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday. The stamps, illustrated by David Sibley, show the eagle from hatchling to adulthood. And, as American Bald Eagle Foundation Director Aaron Cleveland told the crowd, they are a conservation success story. The bird […]
Posted inNews
Dunleavy calls special session Thursday on Alaska gasline tax break
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday he is ordering state lawmakers into a special session to force a new decision on his top priority: property tax breaks for the company proposing to build a massive pipeline system to ship natural gas from the North Slope to tidewater. Dunleavy outlined his plan during a news conference […]
Posted inLocal News, Transportation
Freight haulers, air carriers, even post office adds fuel surcharges
The rising cost of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel is forcing companies that move people and goods to recoup some of the additional expense, including adding fuel surcharges to ticket prices and freight rates, with the surcharge changing as often as every week. The U.S. Postal Service is doing the same thing. Its temporary price […]
Posted inLocal News, Transportation, Economy
Global Ports visits Haines, no official offer made on cruise ship dock
There’s still no concrete offer, but the outlines of a possible deal for Global Ports Holding to lease the Port Chilkoot cruise ship dock have started to take shape. Borough officials announced late last month that Global Ports, the self-described largest cruise ship terminal management company in the world, was interested in adding Haines to its […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Assembly briefs: A new direction on the budget, a Lutak Inlet tour and a cop on call
Next year’s budget Assembly members held a public hearing on next year’s budget and, while they did vote to add $1,000 to support volunteer recruitment and retention by the Haines Volunteer Fire Department, the majority of the discussion was centered on a proposal to potentially cut staff. Assembly member Eben Sargent kicked off the discussion […]
Posted inSoutheast News, Environment
Southeast Alaskans largely critical of new direction on Tongass management plan, process
A new direction in the Tongass management plan gathered more than 300 comments from Southeast Alaskans, who asked the U.S. Forest Service to manage timber and mining, along with recreation, in the forest they call home. The Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine said the revised plan should recognize the Tongass National Forest as a mining district, not solely […]
Posted inLocal News
Haines grad designs pioneering hybrid fishing vessel
Growing up in the Chilkat Valley, there was always talk about energy challenges, Chandler Kemp said. Talk of fuel prices going up, debate about Haines and Skagway’s joint hydropower system, disagreement over a proposed hydropower plant at Connelly Lake. For a kid who had “always been interested in science and engineering,” those were natural topics […]
Posted inLocal News
Man convicted in Haines child sexual abuse case
A 53-year old former Haines resident, Brian Kurtzman, was convicted late last month on 11 counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault of a minor. Kurtzman sexually abused a child he met while he was a raptor handler at Haines’ American Bald Eagle Foundation Raptor Center in 2013 and 2014. His conviction carries a minimum […]
Posted inLocal News
Borough receives a million dollars for childcare, hasn’t decided how to spend it.
The Haines Borough has been awarded a million dollars in federal money for childcare, but some say spending restrictions may prevent it from addressing the most pressing childcare needs. The funding has been specifically granted for an “early childhood education building,” according to an April 28 letter to the borough from the United States Department […]