Concerning the recent termination of the potentially dangerous bear by Haines Police chief, it’s a tempest in a teapot if ever there was one. The chief did as well as could be expected for someone not specifically trained in such matters. Perhaps Alaska Department of Fish and Game or the Troopers would rather be bothered by every […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Chief of Police should comply with state law
Alaska Administrative Code 5AAC 92.410 and 92.420 permits the taking of wildlife in defense of life or property. In Haines we have Chief Scott, Chief of the Haines Police Department, who has twice shot and wounded bears. Once in defense of his garbage and again now in defense of an apple tree. His failure to deal with bears properly […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Black bear kill resulted from improper hazing, state trooper says
The local wildlife trooper and an Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist will train Haines Police later this month on proper hazing methods after police chief Heath Scott shot the bear with a cracker round, a less-than-lethal round meant to be fired near an animal, not at it, outside of the museum two weeks ago. “It […]
Posted inNews
Chilkat Lake man charged with sexual abuse for local crimes
Former Chilkat Lake resident Christopher Panagioutou-Scigliano, 39, was arrested in Idaho last month for allegedly sexually exploiting children and creating child pornography while in Haines. He made an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Idaho in July, where he was detained without bail pending his return to Alaska. If convicted, he faces a […]
Posted inNews
Chilkat Lake man extradited to Idaho last year charged with sexual abuse for local crimes
Former Chilkat Lake resident Christopher Panagioutou-Scigliano, 39, was arrested in Idaho last month for allegedly sexually exploiting children and creating child pornography while in Haines. He made an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Idaho in July, where he was detained without bail pending his return to Alaska. If convicted, he faces a […]
Posted inNews
Borough resumes Beach Road fire and ambulance service
Emergency services have been restored to Beach Road, bringing residents one step closer to returning to homes. Haines Borough interim manager Alekka Fullerton announced the change at a May 25 assembly meeting. She said recent improvements had brought the temporary access road installed in January to a point where ambulances and fire trucks could cross. “Gravel […]
Posted inNews
Task force continues to discuss wildlife tech
The Haines Borough Bear Task Force is working on a detailed recommendation for funding a new “wildlife tech” position to help address the community’s bear problem. At a Feb. 18 meeting, task force members said they hope to finalize the recommendation in time for consideration during this year’s budget process. Borough departments have started working with interim […]
Posted inNews
Governor’s budget shifts additional costs to borough, closes local DMV office
The Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget proposal Gov. Mike Dunleavy released on Dec. 11 contains several significant cuts for the Haines Borough including 50% funding for school bond debt reimbursement, additional cuts to the ferry system, cost shifting associated with prosecuting misdemeanors from the state to the borough and closure of the local Division of Motor Vehicles […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Floods, slides pummel Haines, rebuilding begins
The skies cleared Wednesday after a week of rain that kept instabilities in the landscape active and a ground search for missing residents on standby. After days marked by uncertainty, loss and grief, some of the roughly 50 displaced families moved back home. The disaster, caused by record-setting rainfall that began last Tuesday, was precipitated […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Jusi joins police force after 4 months at academy
As of Nov. 21, the Haines Police Department is back to full staffing. Officer Max Jusi became the fifth officer on the force after graduating from the Public Safety Training Academy in Sitka on Nov. 13. Jusi described his four months at the academy as challenging and surprisingly fun. “It was a lot more fun than I […]