Recovery and rebuilding were the watchwords of 2021 as residents navigated life in Haines among the wreckage left by the December storms and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Also in this year’s news, the borough secured a $20 million grant to repair the Lutak Dock, a new borough manager was hired, incidents of bear and human interactions, including […]
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Ripinsky’s notary stamper found
The Haines Sheldon Museum recently acquired the notary public stamp of pioneer Mayor and postmaster Solomon Ripinsky. The cast-iron and steel embossing device used for notarizing official documents is engraved with the words, “Sol Ripinsky – Notary Public – District of Alaska.” It’s the first personal possession of Ripinsky the museum has acquired, said Niall Hackett, operations and education manager. The embosser […]
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Hot-mic remark causes concern
Assuming he was muted on Zoom at a Nov. 29 heliski Committee of the Whole meeting, Eric Holle said, “I’d like to kill Liz Cornejo.” Cornejo had just given a public comment in which she critiqued Holle’s use of the word “critical” to describe mountain goat habitat that the state hasn’t designated as “critical.” Earlier in the […]
Posted inNews, Local News
Speakers address trauma, recovery at December storm anniversary memorial
The anniversary memorial of the Dec. 2 storm drew more than 150 residents to the small boat harbor and Picture Point on a cold and sunny Saturday where they heard remarks from pastor Matt Jones, Mayor Douglas Olerud and heard songs from Holly Davis and the Haines Threshold choir. Speakers focused on attempting to find meaning amidst […]
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Memorial event scheduled for Saturday
An anniversary memorializing the Dec. 2 flooding and landslides that killed two and displaced dozens last year will be held Saturday, Dec. 4 at 1.30 p.m. at the small boat harbor, the same location that last year’s candlelight vigil was held. “It’s a time to remember and a time to also realize and celebrate how […]
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Hospital’s plan for mental health care office delayed indefinitely
Juneau’s Bartlett Regional Hospital announced plans over the summer to open an outpatient mental health care office in Haines, but due to turnover at the hospital’s highest level of management, the plan has been delayed indefinitely. In mid-August, Haines Borough Mayor Douglas Olerud sent a letter to Bartlett’s CEO Rose Lawhorne requesting assistance with mental healthcare to meet […]
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Dozens of open seats on borough advisory boards
The Haines Borough Board and Committees Fair, an event scheduled to raise awareness of the various ways to be involved in local government, drew few interested residents Tuesday night, but borough clerk Alekka Fullerton says she’s not worried about filling empty seats. More than 45 seats are open on 15 borough committees and boards including the Parks […]
Posted inThank You Letters
Thanks for advancing dock discussion
The Haines Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the Haines Borough staff and assembly, grant administrator Carolann Wooton, Haines Borough Ports and Harbors Committee, harbormaster Sean Bell, Mayor Doug Olerud, Kells Boland and the Yukon Transportation Committee, the Yukon Chamber, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Legislative Aide Dana Herndon, Senator Jessie Kiehl, Alan Weitzner, Morgan Neff, and AIDEA […]
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Borough secures $20 million to renovate Lutak Dock
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski called Haines Borough Mayor Douglas Olerud on Tuesday with some long and eagerly awaited news: The borough has been awarded a $20 million federal grant to revitalize Lutak Dock. “I’m ecstatic. This is huge for Haines,” Olerud said. “We’ve been working on this for a long time.” The grant, which is from the U.S. Department of […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Final redistricting map could mean change in House rep
After several weeks of public hearings across Alaska, the state’s redistricting board settled on a state house map that would link Haines to northern Juneau, placing current representative Sara Hannan in a different district and Juneau representative Andi Story in Haines’ new one. Haines would be partnered with Auke Bay and the Mendenhall Valley instead […]