The Trump administration wants access to state driver’s license data on millions of U.S. residents as it builds a powerful citizenship verification program amid its clampdown on voter fraud and illegal immigration. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeks access to an obscure computer network used by law enforcement agencies, according to a federal notice, […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted: Hot Shots, pot lucks, orcas and more
Five tourists in Haines for bald eagle viewing stopped at 33 Mile Roadhouse for lunch on a snowy Wednesday. They shared eagle stories and were thrilled to share their bear pictures also, but Alison Walters’ visit to Haines was highlighted by a fire department call at the Aspen motel at 5:45 am. She was woken […]
Posted inLocal News
Mayor proposes transferring Tlingit Park to Chilkoot Indian Association
Mayor Tom Morphet is proposing transferring the borough’s Tlingit Park property to the Chilkoot Indian Association. Morphet, who has discussed the idea with CIA tribal administrator Harriet Brouillette, is pitching the transfer as both a return of the land to its rightful owners and also a move to save the borough money. Critics have raised […]
Posted inNews
Controversial political website Alaska Landmine faces defamation suit from Alaska state official
The chair of Alaska’s human rights commission has sued a political writer for defamation over his description of her work on a failed attempt to preserve a historic building in Seward. Dorene Lorenz of Juneau filed the suit on Friday in Juneau Superior Court, seeking damages from Jeff Landfield and the other owners of the Alaska Landmine, a […]
Posted inAlaska Legislature
Even with no election, the Alaska Legislature is in flux ahead of the regular session
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is now considering who may fill two legislative seats vacated by state senators seeking higher office. Sen. Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, resigned Nov. 3 to run for lieutenant governor, and Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, resigned Nov. 14 to run for governor. On Sunday, Republicans in Hughes’ district proposed three local residents to fill her seat: Rep. […]
Posted inLocal News, Transportation
Kennicott delayed coming back to service, disruptions possible
State ferry officials on Monday were trying to work out a new early-December schedule after learning that the Kennicott will be delayed coming out of a yearlong layup at a Puget Sound shipyard for new generators and maintenance work. The Columbia had been scheduled to leave service to go into its winter maintenance layup starting […]
Posted inLocal News
Borough to put Lutak Dock advisor role out for bid, outlook challenging
Old contractors and old designs are out on the Lutak Dock; a new adviser bearing a new plan may soon be coming in. Roughly a month ago, the borough terminated its contracts with Turnagain Marine and owner-adviser R&M Consultants. As the two firms went out the door, so too did Turnagain’s design for the dock […]
Posted inLocal News
KHNS gets grant funding from statewide public media support effort
KHNS got a financial boost this fall from a statewide effort to fund Alaska’s public media stations after Congress clawed back billions in financial support for public media. The Voices Across Alaska Fund announced a grant of just under $60,000 to the Haines-based station in mid-November. The funds are part of about $2.9 million in […]
Posted inLocal News
Work on contaminated soil project at Mile 34 underway
Local contractor Tim Thom’s Solutions has largely completed work constructing a land farm that is designed to speed up cleanup of contaminated soil on borough property near Mile 34 of the Haines highway. The work is the latest in a long process of cleanup that started at the site after about 1,300 cubic yards of […]
Posted inHaines Herring
Area Uncles Draft This Year’s Thanksgiving Arguments
The brothers of area parents have been hard at work recently drafting the topics and honing skills for this year’s battles around the Thanksgiving table. We recently caught up with several uncles who shared their techniques for ruining family dinners in record speed: “What you’ve gotta do is home in on really uncomfortable personal topics,” […]