The Haines Borough Assembly is exploring the possibility of hiring a new attorney. Haines Borough Manager Debra Schnabel asked the assembly Tuesday if they wanted current attorney Brooks Chandler to reapply for the position. “I have notified our existing attorney that you are interested in seeing who else is interested in serving as your legal counsel,” Schnabel said. Assembly member […]

The Alaska Alcohol Beverage Control Board’s January direction to distilleries to serve spirits and mixers in separate containers was quashed last week after the agency failed to provide adequate public notice. Alaska statute requires such proposed actions to be published in a newspaper of general circulation. The ABC Board published its notice in the Anchorage […]

In light of the discovery that a former Mayor dedicated the school gym to Karl Ward, the borough assembly has directed manager Debra Schnabel to create a policy for naming public facilities. Last week four men came forward alleging Ward sexually abused them or approached them inappropriately when they were students. Ward, who died 21 years ago, was a […]

Avid users of the Chilkat River expressed concerns Monday about access to the water when construction on Haines Highway begins. Haines Borough Tourism Director Carolann Wooton said she wanted to bring user groups together to discuss opinions on the state Department of Transportation’s Haines Highway project before designs for the second phase are complete. “It was evident we […]

Alaska Marine Lines may pay for the construction of a new ramp at Lutak Dock and lease its working space from the Haines Borough. Borough manager Debra Schnabel said after a meeting in late February between the assembly, port and harbor advisory committee and the planning commission, dock safety was the biggest concern and the borough needed to act fast. […]

Four Haines High School alumni came forward this week detailing sexual abuse by former Boy Scout leader, school principal and superintendent Karl Ward, who died 21 years ago. Craig Loomis, Robert Brouillette, Nick Kokotovich and Roger Schnabel allege that Ward fondled them or acted inappropriately toward them while they were visiting at his home. The […]

Haines isn’t the only town where a trusted leader sexually abused children. In Charleston, South Carolina during the late 1980s, a victim came forward alleging sexual abuse against a teacher at the private school Porter-Gaud, but was rebuffed by school administrators. The sexual abuse began in 1970 and lasted decades. The teacher, Eddie Fischer, also […]