Haines Borough Assembly members discussed hiring a consultant and appointing a task force Tuesday after two local trash companies and the president of the Haines Chamber of Commerce pleaded for increased borough participation in solid waste management. No action was taken during the committee-of-the-whole meeting, but the assembly is expected to revisit the topic at its […]

Gillnet fishermen in Lynn Canal harvested salmon worth $9.38 million in 2011, with nearly 80 percent of the catch value coming from hatchery-raised chum. Fishermen netted 1.11 million chum, a new record, topping bumper returns in 2008 (1.07 million) and in 2006 (1.09 million). A strong price – 85 cents per pound – helped make the season […]

The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday voted 4-2 to request the federal government require developers of a potential hydro-electric project above Chilkoot Lake to conduct additional studies, including examination of insuring against potential losses to fisheries and other values there. About 35 residents turned out for the special meeting and all but eight of the 25 who testified were cricital […]

The Haines Borough Assembly will hold a special meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday to formulate comment on a preliminary permit sought by Alaska Power & Telephone. It would give the utility exclusive rights to develop a hydroelectric power plant and rock-fill dam about four miles upstream of Chilkoot Lake. The privately-owned utility that provides phone and electric service […]

Mayor Stephanie Scott has appointed Danny Gonce to the Haines Borough Planning Commission seat previously filled by Pete Lapham. The seat was vacant since Lapham’s death last summer. The Haines Borough Assembly approved Gonce’s appointment Tuesday, and re-appointed Andy Hedden and Donnie Turner to the commission, all to three-year terms. Other planning commissioners include Rob Goldberg, Lee Heinmiller, Roger Maynard and […]

The Haines Borough Police Department went for experience when adding two officers to the team this summer. Recently hired officers John Havard and Jason Rettinger both had worked as police officers in Alaska. Rettinger, 36, is a 1993 graduate of Haines High School who returned to the local department in August. He was employed as a Haines Police officer […]

The Haines Borough is planning for about $750,000 in improvements to upper highway roads, public facilities director Brian Lemcke said this week. “We’re just in the process now of working up some kind of a limited design that we can come out to bid with, to get as far as we can with that money as far […]

The Haines Borough Assembly on Oct. 25 approved the first appointments to the new Haines Port Development Steering Committee. Departing Mayor Jan Hill appointed Michael Ganey, Alaska Marine Trucking; Fred Gray, Delta Western; Darwin Green, Constantine Metal Resources; Scott Hansen, Chilkoot Indian Association; and resident Roger Maynard to the committee. The assembly approved all five appointments. The group is slated […]

The Haines Borough Assembly last week voted 4-1 to authorize manager Mark Earnest to hire from a pool of four consultants for the municipality’s “special projects.” Approved consultants include Agnew Beck Consulting of Anchorage and residents Darsie Culbeck, James Kallenberg and Burl Sheldon. “The idea is that we would have assistance on focused attention on some of the priority […]