Twenty-four bull moose, including two illegal animals, were harvested by the end of the fall moose hunting season that started on Sept. 15. The hunt was open for the full season, through Oct. 7, and so far it looks as though the season met the guideline harvest limit of 20-25 animals. By Tuesday afternoon, 24 […]
Posted inObituaries
Former Haines resident Laura Ann Ritter dies at 69
Laura Ann Ritter March 1, 1956 – May 29, 2025 Laura Ann Ritter was born on March 1, 1956. A lifelong Alaskan and a member of the Juneau and Haines communities, she passed away on May 29, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family, love, and the comforting memories of […]
Posted inLocal News, Wildlife
State asks for Kroschel’s help in retrieving remaining animals from his property
Kroschel Films Wildlife Center owner Steve Kroschel appeared by phone in Haines for his first court hearing Wednesday. Kroschel faces multiple felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges from what the state says were preventable deaths of animals in 2023 and 2024, and another charge centering on the condition of a brown bear seized by Alaska […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: A thank you to the citizens of Haines
As one of the passengers on the Nieuw Amsterdam who was “stranded,” I would like to thank the citizens who helped us all. Knowing there was a warm shelter available made all the difference. I was impressed at how quickly the community acted, working to get us all to the community center. My experience in […]
Posted inEducation, Local News
DEED asks education board to delay imposing strict limits on local government funding for schools
Postponing a proposal to sharply limit funds municipalities can give school districts is being recommended by the Dunleavy administration to the state’s education board, which is scheduled to meet Wednesday and Thursday. The proposal changes the “local contribution” rules for non-instructional funding such as recreational activities and student transportation. State officials said the proposal sought […]
Posted inElections, Local News
Unofficial voting results show Thomas, Sargent in the lead for assembly
Updated at 10:26 p.m. Preliminary results from Tuesday’s borough elections have Gabe Thomas and Eben Sargent as the top vote getters for borough assembly, and Rachel Saitzyk and Dan Schultz in the lead for planning commission. A seasonal sales-tax rate passed, with 562 yes votes to 515 no votes. Up to 36 votes had yet […]
Posted inNews, Science, Wildlife
In a changing Arctic, how much noise is too much?
Aline of pink lingers above the horizon, the April sun offering a welcome dose of brightness after the months-long polar night. A dozen miles off Point Barrow, Alaska’s northernmost tip, the sea is still frozen except where inky tendrils of open water spiderweb across the pack ice. On the surface, the scene feels hushed by […]
Posted inCommentary
Out-of-state ownership bad for community newspapers
Homer is a fishing and tourism town of about 6,000 people at the southern end of theKenai Peninsula. It’s more politically diverse than most cities in Alaska, with a strongliberal side, an equally strong conservative side, and some who just want to tend theirgardens, smoke their fish, hope the Safeway is stocked and that they […]
Posted inHealth, News
Tribal traditional healing gets Medicaid reimbursement in 4 states
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Art Martinez has seen the power of ceremony. Martinez, a clinical psychologist and member of the Chumash Tribe, helped run an American Indian youth ceremonial camp. Held at a sacred tribal site in Northern California, it was designed to help kids’ mental health. He remembers a 14-year-old girl who had been struggling with substance use and was on […]
Posted inLocal News
SEARHC submits hospital complex plans
Southeast Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) has submitted building plans to the borough for a proposed hospital and medical facility near Jones Point. Although the plan is still in preliminary stages, it lays out a number of possible changes to healthcare services in Haines, including the addition of a 24-hour emergency department and a long-term care […]