Owners of junk cars may soon have a new place to dump their vehicles. The planning commission on July 14 approved the second stage of a plan for a scrapyard that would open on four acres of state-owned land across from the Lutak Dock. “It’s great for town,” planning commissioner Justin Mitman said. “What’s not to like?” […]
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Posted inNews
Towns look for answers to public toilet shortage at tourism’s peak
Most every town in Southeast faces a similar summer problem: boatloads of visitors and not enough public toilets. Some communities have built additional public restrooms, and Sitka this summer is paying downtown businesses willing to open their facilities to the public. Under a new grant program, Sitka has succeeded in opening six business restrooms to […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted
Alekka and Michael Fullerton traveled to Stevenson, Washington, for the wedding of sons Graham Fullerton and Clare Dawson. The couple married at the Skamania Lodge on the Columbia River Gorge on July 9. Alekka and Michael’s daughters Annelise Fullerton and Elsie Piper also attended the wedding, along with Annelise’s fiancé Sean Silk, an EMT/firefighter in Haines, Elsie’s husband Nathan Piper, and the couple’s newborn son, Nolan Piper. After the wedding, Alekka and […]
Posted inNews
New borough union contract increases wages, spending
A new collective bargaining agreement between the borough and its workers’ union hiked wages, increasing borough spending by up to $1.1 million over the next three years. The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday unanimously voted to adopt the collective bargaining agreement between the borough and Public Employees Local 71. The union ratified the contract at its own […]
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Little League in full swing with soaring participation
With 87 players this summer, Haines Little League has blown past last year’s count of 50 participants. “It’s definitely the most we’ve ever had,” said Brian Elliott, vice president of the board and coach for the Red Sox. “I would say per capita we’re definitely right up there with any town in Southeast, if not […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Borough can do more to limit dumping
The patient and hard-working president of Haines Friends of Recycling recently summarized that illegal trash dumping in the Chilkat Valley cannot be curtailed due to the “lack of enforcement.” While technically true, Melissa Aronson’s remark in the CVN skirted a key point of public interest. The routine method by which a community can retrieve 99.999% […]
Posted inNews
Tourism board proposes bike path along Lutak Road
An idea to build a bike path along Lutak Road will advance to the Haines Borough Assembly after the borough’s Tourism Advisory Board unanimously backed the suggestion last week. “There are a lot of users on that road, and I would like us to begin the discussion of how we can ask the state to widen (the road), put […]
Posted inNews
Assembly clarifies property tax exemption for local nonprofits
The Haines Borough Assembly at its June 28 meeting unanimously voted to extend eligibility for community-purpose property tax exemptions to organizations classified as 501(c)4s in addition to those incorporated as 501(c)3s. Both 501(c)3s and 501(c)4s are nonprofits, but while 501(c)3s are called “charitable” organizations – and donations to them are tax deductible – 501(c)4s are called “social […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted
Suzie Scollon was in town for a week to spread husband Ron’s ashes. She and Kathleen Menke chose a spot overlooking the Klehini River near a blueberry patch on Sunshine Mountain. Suzie gave the rest of the ashes to Adrian Nash to take to Jones Gap. The families used to hike together, and Suzie remembers Ron carrying little Adrian on his […]
Posted inNews
Borough assembly will review pause on new Chilkoot permits
The Haines Borough Assembly soon will review a four-year-old moratorium on new commercial tour permits in the Chilkoot corridor, a short and narrow section of the Chilkoot River that’s popular for bear-viewing and fishing but infamous for overcrowding. The borough’s Tourism Advisory Board recommended lifting the ban with a 5-2 vote on June 30. Several board members […]