Mayor Tom Morphet will meet with Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska president Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson this week about a dispute that has the borough and tribe headed to a hearing in Alaska Small Claims Court. The stakes, at least in court, are relatively small: roughly $7,500 in sales tax […]
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Posted inHaines Herring
Haines Herring: State To Assess Feasibility of Building Space Port On Eldred Rock
The Alaska Department of Transportation is conducting environmental reviews and soliciting comments for a controversial project that would build a space port on the small island of Eldred Rock in the Lynn Canal, 55 miles north of Juneau. “This exciting project will facilitate economic projections with monetary facilities and lots of rocket fuel manufacturing,” said […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Community should heed CIV on dock
We have failed to listen. Will the current borough manager and the entire assembly finally take Chilkat Indian Village’s opinion seriously and immediately collaborate to agree on a dock design (as requested two years ago)? We can’t continue to ignore chilkatforever.org. Assemblymembers can shout from the rooftops that this isn’t about a mine, however it’s […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly Briefs: a new fire chief, federal lobbyists, Freeride World Tour, and a dock response
A new fire chief The assembly Tuesday approved the hire of Zac Overmyer as the Haines Borough’s first full-time professional Fire Chief. The volunteer department has previously been headed by a volunteer chief. Overmyer comes to the borough with firefighting experience around the state, including 11 years at the Chugiak Fire Department, borough manager Alekka […]
Posted inLocal News, Klukwan, Haines
Klukwan residents focus on resource extraction, open government during talk with state lawmakers
Government transparency, oversight of permits, and the impact of logging and mining in the Chilkat Valley were a few of the topics state lawmakers Andi Story and Jesse Kiehl heard during an open house in Klukwan on Saturday. The community meeting was one of a handful the local legislative delegation held during a long weekend […]
Posted inLocal News
Borough considers 3 prospective federal lobbyists
The borough assembly is considering three candidates to serve as federal lobbyists for the borough in Washington D.C. A federal lobbyist would primarily be charged with speaking to federal agencies and lawmakers, particularly Alaska’s congressional delegation, in the hopes of securing more funding for borough projects. The current priorities, according to assembly members and borough […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Vote Clement, Thomas for best decisions moving forward
Richard Clement and Gabe Thomas have worked hard for the community this past year amid many critical decisions including a budget shortfall and failing infrastructure. There have been accusations that they have done nothing about the Lutak Dock. This is far from the truth. They have worked diligently to clean up the mess and the […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Thomas, Clement, Reams and Rosado deserve election
I have lived in Haines my entire life and I know what a special place this is. We need leaders who will protect it. That’s why I support Gabe Thomas and Richard Clement. They have stood up for our community – defending the cemetery’s proper use as outlined in the 1943 deed – and they […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Thomas making last-minute promises that may not stick
Don’t be mislead by language on an ore-ship ban at the Lutak Dock. The Sept. 25 Chilkat Valley News states that Gabe Thomas intends to introduce a motion to adopt an ordinance that would ban ore ships at the Lutak Dock. In 2024 he proposed the same idea which received little traction from the assembly. […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Vote Norton, Sargent for a needed change
As election day approaches, progress on the Lutak Dock has stagnated: we still don’t have an affordable dock design, and no decisions have been made to move forward. We are still involved in an active lawsuit with Turnagain Marine Construction. Perhaps it’s time for a change. To elect people willing to look at alternative designs […]