So sorry to read about the death of another Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures guide, the second death of a guide while working for SEABA in two years. How is this acceptable? Haines Borough and the federal and state powers that be, do your job and require that all guides and their guests wear airbags, Ava-lungs and helmets while out […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Frustrating to wait for heli-ski changes
Tom Morphet’s editorial reflects the same frustration we experienced dealing with this industry. Its leaders, owners, land and government agencies, and the Haines Borough (permit system) should be ashamed of themselves. They have turned a blind eye to obvious, common-sense changes that should have already been in place. After last season’s tragedies, I thought the companies would […]
Posted inNews
Breakwater, dredging costs raise questions
Concerns about meeting the cost – including future maintenance – of a harbor expansion surfaced at the March 12 Haines Borough Assembly meeting, where members George Campbell and Debra Schnabel opposed $1.7 million for engineering services related to construction of a 700-foot, metal wave barrier. The expenditure to PND Engineers, Inc. went ahead on a 4-2 vote. Also at […]
Posted inNews
Assembly supports reciprocal licenses
The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously Tuesday to send a letter to state House Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, D-Sitka, asking him to remove a bill from the legislature that would eliminate Alaska’s reciprocal fishing license arrangement with the Yukon Territory. Kreiss-Tomkins introduced House Bill 368 in February as a placeholder to ensure it could be acted upon during […]
Posted inNews
SEABA: No more heli-skiing for ’14
Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures co-owner Scott Sundberg said the company has shut down its heli-ski operations for the remainder of the season. Sundberg said the company decided to shut down for a variety of reasons, including consideration for personnel who were “devastated” by the March 15 avalanche that killed SEABA guide Aaron Karitis. Poor snowpack and difficult […]
Posted inNews
Assembly upholds heli-ski decision
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday upheld its original decision to keep the 2,200-acre zone near Four Winds Mountain closed to heli-skiing after assembly member Dave Berry called for reconsideration of the issue. Two heli-skiing operators had asked the Four Winds Mountain zone and four other areas be opened for a month-long special event, but the assembly rejected […]
Posted inNews
District down to a single finalist
Following the Wrangell school district’s hire of Jay Thomas, the Haines Borough school board is down to a single finalist for its superintendent job – Ted VanBronkhorst, director of human resources for the Bering Strait School District. The public will get a chance to ask questions of VanBronkhorst at a community reception starting 7 p.m. Friday at the […]
Posted inNews
Survey: Landfill important to residents
Preliminary results of a survey intended to gauge community behaviors and attitudes toward garbage, recycling and composting seem to indicate many Haines residents don’t believe there is a solid waste problem in need of solving. Haines Borough Assembly member Debra Schnabel, who is conducting the survey, discussed preliminary results at a commerce committee meeting Monday. Schnabel, who […]
Posted inNews
Only 2 apply for tourism director
The Haines Borough recently filled three vacant or soon-to-be vacant positions. It is still looking for a tourism director to replace outgoing director Tanya Carlson. Interim manager Julie Cozzi said the borough received only two applications for the tourism director position by the March 17 review date. “We are continuing to accept applications to get a larger […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Avalanche buries, kills SEABA guide
Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures heli-skiing guide Aaron Karitis of Bend, Ore., died Monday night at Anchorage’s Providence Medical Center following a Saturday avalanche west of Haines. The state medical examiner’s office said it received a report of Karitis’ death from the hospital at about 11:30 p.m. According to trooper spokesperson Beth Ipsen, Karitis was not […]