Day: May 21, 2026

In 2019, sixth-graders at Haines School asked the Haines Borough Assembly to pass a law prohibiting use of a certain type of plastic shopping bags (HDPE) that are not biodegradable, can’t be composted and are prone to cracking. These bags break down in our environment, are ingested by fish and seafood and accumulate in our bodies as microplastics. As this was reasonable legislation (15 other communities in Alaska have passed similar laws) the Haines assembly approved it as well.

All but one store in Haines has complied with the law, which protects us and our food from contamination. For years, the borough didn’t enforce the law, including because of wording in the borough’s ordinance that defined the bags as “single-use.” (Residents were re-using them as trash bags, etc.) At the prompting of the same sixth-graders (now college sophomores) who initiated the bag ban, the Haines Assembly recently rewrote the law to eliminate any ambiguity. The rewritten law allows for sale and distribution of all plastic bags except the ones with handles, usually milky-white in color. The law is up for final passage at Tuesday’s assembly meeting. Please contact your assembly members and ask them to support this common-sense legislation. 

We like to say that the future belongs to our children and that we want them to return to Haines as adults. Let’s start by honoring their vision for their hometown. 

Mayor Tom Morphet

The post Pass the plastic bag ban appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

This year, 159 youth and adult volunteers removed marine debris from our beaches. These incredible folks removed 10 super sacks of trash, a refrigerator, eight tires, and several pallets from our local beaches. Not only that, but they recorded every single piece of trash that was picked up and sorted it to be shipped down south for recycling and upcycling! Amazing! 

Takshanuk Watershed Council is tremendously thankful for each and every volunteer who dedicated their time and energy to this project. It would be an impossible task without you. We are grateful! 

Thank you, Haines Arts Council, the Haines Borough School District and the Svensons for partnering on the afterschool marine debris muralmaking class; to Rusty Fingers for providing music at the sorting event; and the Small Boat Harbor for providing a space for sorting and storing marine debris. 

Thank you, Reilly Kosinski for presenting at our kickoff event and for supplying super sacks for marine debris storage. Finally, a huge thank you to our partners at the Chilkoot Indian Association for providing boat and logistics support. 

Because of all these amazing folks, our beaches look a whole lot cleaner.

Thank you,

Tracy Wirak-Cassidy, Takshanuk Watershed Council

The post Thank you for the efforts to clean up marine debris appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

Former Haines resident Ted Kelly stopped into town for a visit and brought along his brother Jesse Chamberlain. Kelly, a former Sockeye Cycle mechanic, now lives in Middleburgh, New York. His brother lives in Salem, Mass. and had never been to Haines. Kelly said he saw most of his favorite Chilkat Valley people, places and dogs, and also met new favorite people and dogs. Since moving to New York, Kelly has hung up his wrenches and has been enjoying a life in farming. 

Yet another tell-tale sign of spring: Chuck Mitman was spotted riding his Harley and sidecar on a sunny Friday afternoon with his dog Myla, both wearing leather jackets. Mitman has been training Myla to ride shotgun for about a year. She was adopted from the Yukon Humane Society and was born to ride, he said. 

Harper Rumfelt completed her first year of the Headstart program. She is looking forward to a summer of tee-ball.  While she has not yet made it through the program, Rumfelt walked at graduation in her red gown with all of the Headstart students. Lisa Shove said this is common as it gives preschoolers the chance to practice graduating well in advance of it actually happening.  This year they counted in Lingít,  and sang Puff The Magic Dragon. Rowan Lambert especially enjoyed performing the song at graduation and said the donuts and cake were both amazing. He said he’ll be focusing on growing his rat-tail haircut as long as possible this summer. All of the students left with swag bags from RurAL CAP that included crafting and journaling supplies. Before graduation, the Headstart students had a few action-packed visits from the community, including one from some baby goats. The goat handler was Jill Evans. She brought six of her 11 kids to see the kids. Evans said the baby goats remain nameless, as they will be going to new homes soon. One lucky little goat will stay with Evans; the students named her Blackberry because she is black and very sweet. 

The American Bald Eagle Foundation has a new director. Aaron Cleveland became the director in January. Cleveland is not new to the ABEF. He previously served as a consultant. He has a degree in middle school education from University of Louisville. His background includes zoo and theme park operation and designing and installing exhibits. Cleveland  admitted he’s an alligator guy, and has operated an alligator safari. He also operated a spider exhibit that housed over 3,000 spiders of 200 different species. Cleveland became a raptor enthusiast along the way, when a vulture won him over. The vulture was named Mozart, because he was, as Cleveland told a crowd at the foundation on Friday,  a “decomposer.” Cleveland has been a zoo director. He and his wife,  Dr. Meg Gammage-Tucker, are both active in conservation. She is president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia. While the king and queen of England were in the area for a state visit recently she had the opportunity to introduce Buddy, the bald eagle, to the royals. Buddy the bald eagle has a deformed beak, which is why he has been in captivity. 

The Haines community support was on full display at the Haines High School Awards Assembly Tuesday. The Haines graduates and alumni received over $90,000 in scholarships. 

American Legion: ($1,000) JC Davis, Emily McPhetres, Isabelle Alamillo, Ashlyn Ganey, Bailey Stuart, Phoenix Swaner, Camelia Bell

HARK: Emily McPhetres ($500)

Lynne Canal Conservation: Camelia Bell ($1,000)

Delta Western: JC Davis ($10,000 over four years)

American Legion Auxiliary: ($1,000) Isabelle Alamillo, Audrey Bader, JC Davis, Madelyn Hart, Sarah Jones, Emily McPhetres

Haines Education Association: Isabelle Alamillo ($750), Maddox Rogers ($750), Ashlyn Ganey ($500), Marin Hart ($500), Emma Dohrn ($500)

National Education Association – Alaska: Ashlyn Ganey ($1,800)

Tongass Credit Union: JC Davis ($1,500)

Uglys: Emily McPhetres ($1,000), Phoenix Swaner ($1,000), Ashlyn Ganey ($1,000), Audrey Bader ($5,000), Bailey Stuart ($1,000), Ruby Martin ($1,000)

Alaska Native Sisterhood: ($1,000) MJ Hotch, Bailey Stuart, Taylor Ganey

Haines Volunteer Fire Department: Audrey Bader ($500), Madelyn Hart ($500), Isabelle Alamillo ($1,000), Sarah Jones ($1,000), JC Davis ($1,000), Luke Davis ($750), Camelia Bell ($750), Ashlyn Ganey ($750), Jacob Weerasinghe ($750)

Haines Women’s Club: ($2,000) Emily McPhetres, Maddox Rogers, Bailey Stuart

Haines Sportsman: ($1,000) JC Davis, Alex Weerasinghe, Selby Long, Taylor Ganey

New Hope Church: Emily McPhetres ($2,875)

KHNS: Maddox Rogers ($500)

Constantine: ($500 per year for four years) Isabelle Alamillo, JC Davis

Holland America/ Princess Cruises: ($3,000) Emma Dohrn, JC Davis

Mario Benassi Jr. Scholarship: MJ Hotch ($500)

Margret Frans Brady Scholarship for the Arts: Maddox Rogers ($1,000)

Juneau Lions Club: JC Davis ($1,000)

UA Scholars: ($15,000 over four years) Emily McPhetres, JC Davis, Maddox Rogers

Outercoast College Scholarship: Ruby Martin ($44,000)

William Sieg: ($1,500) Audrey Bader, Ruby Martin, Madelyn Hart, Maddox Rogers, Isabelle Alamillo, Emily McPhetres, MJ Hotch, Nolan Wald, JC Davis

University of Southern California Scholarship: Isabelle Alamillo ($90,000)

The Haines High School yearbook features a page dedicated to The Originals. These are students who completed K-12 here in Haines. They include Isabelle Alamillo, Audrey Bader, Colton Combs, JC Davis, Ava Graham, Ruby Martin, James Stickler, Melissa Verhamme and Nolan Wald. The name you will not see on the list is graduating senior and co-valedictorian Maddox Rogers. Rogers resigned from kindergarten following an incident with a board game. The next day he called the class and teacher into a group and explained that he would homeschool for a period of time. He returned in fifth grade and graduated with his class this week. 

The American Bald Eagle Foundation hosted the unveiling of a new eagle stamp last week. The U.S. Postal Service honored the national bird with the new stamp that displays the bird’s different life stages on the 2026  Hatchling to Adult stamp. The United States did not officially have a national bird until 2024. We have a national mammal, the bison. We have a national flower, the rose. Lets not forget the national tree, the oak tree. Genevieve Bell, Haines postmaster, opened the ceremony, followed by presentation of colors by Terry Pardee and Jones Hotch Jr.  The national anthem was sung by postal clerk Melanie Olynyk. Charlotte Olerud received the first bald eagle stamp presented by postmaster Bell, and a thank you for ABEF founder, Dave Olerud. Following the ceremony Lillianna Benassi introduced Taku, ambassador bird, to attendees. Taku enjoyed a half-mouse snack with the attendees. 

The post Duly Noted: Scholarship winners, dogs in motorcycles and more appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

10 years ago

Assembly chooses Coast Guardsman as manager

The Haines Borough Assembly bucked the staff’s choice for manager on Saturday, voting 4-2 to offer the job to Coast Guard veteran William Seward over Mark Karet, a planner and development director with more than two decades of municipal experience.

Three groups – one comprised of assembly members, one of department heads and one of citizens – took turns Saturday interviewing the four manager finalists before converging to hash out the pros and cons of each one.

After an hour of discussion, it was clear Seward and Karet had risen to the top over finalists Paul Dauphinais, executive director of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, and Kevin Opple, director of operations at a naval station in Everett, Wash.

While the assembly appeared to put more emphasis on hiring a candidate with a winning personality, staff lobbied for experience.

24 years ago

Local projects get nearly $1 million

Haines fared well for capital project funding in the waning days of the legislative session, with local projects set to receive nearly $1 million through direct capital appropriations and agency budgets.

Rep. Albert Kookesh (D-Angoon) said Wednesday although the list of projects is firm, the Legislature still hasn’t decided how to divide spending between general fund appropriations and state-issued bonds. “Nothing’s been funded yet, because the funding sources are still up in the air.”

The school district’s two biggest wish list items, paving most of the high school parking lot and rebuilding the tennis court, are set for funding through the state Department of Education.

The $269,440 paving project will correct drainage problems that have plagued the gymnasium side of the high school for years. The education department budget also includes $153,000 to replace leaky siding at the high school.

Klukwan School will receive $138,000 to fix mechanical systems and $110,000 for other building repairs. The village of Klukwan will receive $25,000 for repairs to the old BIA school where the municipal office is located.

The City of Haines received funding for a number of tourism-related projects, and money to continue work on harbor and utility expansion.

Grants include: $100,000 to help fund the last phase of the feasibility study for the Small Boat Harbor expansion project; $54,800 to study extending city water and sewer lines to the annexed area; $44,444 to continue rehabilitation of the Lutak Dock; and $35,000 to improve lighting at the Port Chilkoot Dock to comply with new federal security requirements.

Other visitor-related grants include: $20,000 to design a covered waterfront viewing pavilion; $11,000 to purchase a motorized cart to assist cruise ship passengers who have trouble walking on the dock; $10,000 to help pay for a new city vehicle; and $5,000 for visitor-related signs.

City councilor Norm Smith said the funding seems like a windfall during what was thought to be a lean period of state spending. “Considering the deficit as a whole for the state, we came out smelling like a rose… Everything we got was way more than we expected.”

Haines Borough capital projects receiving funding included $13,000 for repairs to the Chilkat Center and $12,000 for new fire department equipment.

47 years ago

Safe bicycling gets a boost

Bikers, K-8, went through bicycle safety instruction at the elementary school last Thursday and Friday under the direction of Alaska State Troopers Rod Guinn and Ted Backman, who were assisted by the school staff, community volunteers and Haines police.

Trooper Guinn, who was a city policeman here before he joined the troopers about 18 months ago, said that as far as he knows it is the first such riding course to be given in Southeast Alaska, perhaps in the state. He ran a similar program during the 10 years he was with the California Highway Patrol and has been trying to initiate actual riding instruction for Alaska youngsters.

He said most of the safety instruction is limited to the classrooms, like that given here on Thursday, and riders are not confronted with traffic patterns and signals like those laid out on the Haines school ground on Friday.

Riders lined up for a safety check by the troopers before they drove through a course that simulated stops, turns, and obstacles. A working signal light, the only one in the city, was operated by Ray Lewis, off duty after his regular shift as a city police officer.

The signal was salvaged from three broken ones by the Division of Highways in Juneau and was wired by the City of Haines.

Alan Heinrich, elementary principal, said he and John Fain, Haines police chief, have been working to bring together the program for two years.

“It was one of those busy, busy days, with several substitutes in, but the staff made it work,” Heinrich said.

The post This Week in History: local projects and a traffic light for cyclists appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

Saturday, May 2

An officer on Main Street performed a traffic stop.

Sunday, May 10

A caller in Haines reported a lost wallet. Item description and contact information was obtained.

A caller in the 900 block of Main Street reported a speeding vehicle.

Monday, May 11

A caller at Small Tracts Road and Tower Road reported a speeding vehicle swerving on and off the road.

An officer in the 1000 block of Haines Highway performed a welfare check on a citizen.

A caller in the 600 block of Haines Highway reported a smell of smoke. Haines police and fire personnel responded.

Tuesday, May 12

Police received an eviction notice to be served in the 1000 block of Haines Highway. An officer performed the service.

An officer in Haines performed a follow-up report.

A caller in the 1000 block of Haines Highway requested to speak with an officer about harassment and stalking behavior they experienced.

Wednesday, May 13

Haines firefighters performed a service call. Police in the 1000 block of Haines Highway performed civil paper service.

An officer in the 10 block of Front Street performed a follow-up report.

An officer at 2 Mile Mud Bay Road issued a verbal warning for headlight requirements.

Haines police and firefighters responded to a burn pile burning after hours at Major Road and Chilkat Street. The fire was extinguished.

Thursday, May 14

Haines firefighters performed a service call.

An officer on Sawmill Road performed a follow-up report.

A caller on Piedad Road reported a person sleeping in a vehicle on the side of the road. Police conducted a welfare check.

Friday, May 15

An officer in the 300 block of Haines Highway performed a follow-up report.

A caller in the 10 block of Main Street reported their property was broken into.

An officer in the 300 block of First Avenue attempted civil paper service.

A caller on Fair Drive reported a verbal custody dispute.

Saturday, May 16

An officer in the 1000 block of Lutak Road attempted civil paper service.

A caller on Soap Suds Alley reported their vehicle being charged by a bear. A Nixle alert was sent out.

A caller at 1000 Mud Bay Road reported multiple buckets missing. Item descriptions and contact information was obtained.

A caller on Second Avenue found a phone on the side of the road, contacted the phone owner, and told them the phone was turned in to local police. The owner picked up the phone.

An officer in the 100 block of Main Street performed a follow-up report.

An officer at Small Tracts and Mud Bay roads issued a verbal warning for tail-light requirements.

Officers on Beach Road assisted a driver with a disabled ATV.

Officers in the 300 block of First Avenue performed a follow-up report.

There were 46 burn permits issued, one 911 hang-up call and 16 EMS calls during this reporting period.

The post Blotter: May 2 – May 16 appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

The Chilkat Valley’s first Dolly Varden fishing derby kicked off last Friday and will run until June 15. The idea came about when Doug Olerud and Gabe Long heard from locals who were eager for the salmon to return.

“Our dolly fishing is some of the best in the state and not a lot of people recognize that,” Olerud said. He also wanted to find an event to encourage people to go outside and recreate with friends and family.

Thus far, Olerud said that most of the participants have been kids ages 5-10 who have been fishing at the Small Boat Harbor.

“I think it is really cool that we got these young kids that want to go out there.”

Three age groups can participate in the derby and weekly drawings: ages 5-10, ages 11-15, and age 16 and above.

Participants need to have a valid fishing license (if of age) and have purchased a derby ticket. Each participant can submit two photos of their dolly catch each day during the contest. A random prize drawing will be drawn blindly from the photos each week. Olerud said the random drawing is intended to prevent people from thinking they have to catch a large fish to win. “It should be less damaging to the population as well.”

In addition to the weekly drawing that will occur on Thursdays, Olerud said there will be an overall drawing at the end of the derby.

Olerud and Long said submitting photos instead of killing and weighing their catch will encourage “good catch and release techniques.”

Olerud stressed the importance of handling fish with wet hands to give them a better chance of survival.

“You can go out with the right equipment and have fun, you don’t have to just catch any fish,” he said.

Popular fishing spots during the derby include the boat harbor and at Chilkoot Lake. According to the derby rules, fish must be caught in either the Chilkat or Chilkoot river systems and in the saltwater north of Eldred Rock. This time of year the dollies are feeding on the salmon fry as they hatch. 

Olerud said that the best lures for this time of year are the Kastmaster, small pixie or Mepps Aliga.

The proceeds go to the Haines Sportsmen’s Association Scholarship Fund. Olerud hopes to have enough participation to make it an annual event. He said there have been around 15 tickets sold so far but estimates more will participate as weather changes.

“Haines is such a beautiful place, let’s get people out, the best way to protect it is that people use it.” he said. 

The post Dolly Varden derby sees slow start appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.