he Haines Borough is asking residents to report the cost of property damage from bears. The request comes not in an effort to compensate residents for damages, but to seek assistance from the assembly, assistance that interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton said is not coming from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “We are trying to […]
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Posted inNews
Testing recommendation remains in 4-2 vote
A proposed revision to the resolution recommending travelers either test or quarantine when they enter the Haines Borough highlighted differing views between assembly members, with some stating that recommending travelers test and social distance when they enter the borough goes too far. On Tuesday, the assembly approved 4-2 an amendment that essentially maintains the recommendation the borough […]
Posted inNews
Assembly ends heliski map committee work
The assembly voted down the heliski map committee’s request to continue work for another year. At a meeting earlier this month, the map committee voted 3-2 to ask for an extension through Sept. 30, 2021 to give members time to come up with map recommendations that balanced heliski industry needs with environmentalists’ concerns about dwindling mountain goat populations. The […]
Posted inNews
Bear break-ins reveal limits of insurance plans
Earlier this month, a bear broke into Anna Hubbard’s car which was parked in her carport and had recently been cleaned. The bear destroyed the interior of the vehicle, breaking windows and ripping paneling off doors. Hubbard estimates a replacement for her totaled car will cost roughly $20,000, a cost her insurance won’t cover. Haines […]
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Unemployment numbers suggest shrinking workforce
While the number of Haines Borough unemployment insurance claims fell from 213 to 149 between August and September, the unemployment rate for the borough increased from 9.6% to 10.6% during the same time period. The divergent trends could be an indication that people are leaving the workforce, according to state economist Lennon Weller, although he said it’s […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Alternative voting options available this November
With the Nov. 3 election less than a week away, as of Wednesday afternoon, 286 people in the Chilkat Valley had already voted at the borough administration building. Nationwide, media outlets are reporting a surge in early and absentee voting this year linked to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. In Alaska, more than 75,000 people have already […]
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Census counting ends Oct. 15
The saga of the 2020 U.S. Census appears to have finally come to an end. This year, responding to the census was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing response deadline. While the census deadline is normally July, anticipating coronavirus-related complications, the U.S. Census Bureau initially extended the 2020 response deadline to the end […]
Posted inNews
290 people receive flu shots at free clinic
This year, for the first time, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is offering free flu shots to Chilkat Valley residents. “I get one every year, and I think this year it’s especially important to have one given the risk of COVID-19,” Haines Senior Village resident Susan Tandy said. Unlike the majority of residents waiting […]
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Voters decide to draw $450,000 from permanent fund, assembly surprised
On Oct. 6, Haines Borough voters surprised many assembly members by approving a one-time, $450,000 draw from the borough’s permanent fund principal to reimburse savings accounts for unanticipated costs associated with school bond debt payments. The proposition passed 634-561. Assembly members must now decide what to do with the money. “I was surprised. I was disappointed,” newly […]
Posted inNews
Pool to open soon with pandemic protocols
The Haines Borough swimming pool has a new manager and should open soon and borough staff and the Haines Dolphins Swim Team organizers are still developing COVID-19 virus protocols. An opening date is forthcoming, borough clerk Alekka Fullerton said. The pandemic, budget cuts and extended repairs led to spring and summer closures, with the pool closed since […]