Newscasts
The Haines Dolphins swim team held their first time trial of the year on Saturday. Eighteen swimmers competed and as many volunteers showed up at the Haines Pool to make the event possible. Results were submitted to the USA Swimming database, where the athletes can compare their times to swimmers across the country.
Skagway experienced its first known fentanyl death in January 2023. Then, before twenty-four hours passed, the community lost its second member to an overdose. It’s a year later, and the police investigation remains open. But a lot has changed in the past year, including community awareness and outreach.
A large avalanche slid across the Haines Highway near 20 mile on Sunday night. The road remains closed to traffic as workers wait for safe conditions to start clearing the debris. They hope to begin work Tuesday morning.
Those stories, in the KHNS newscast for January 29, 2024
A Chilkat robe is returning to Southeast Alaska after spending the last 70 years in a Seattle private collection. Five private donors bought the robe for $39,000 and donated it to the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau. Native weavers are eager to study the robe and discover techniques that have been lost in the ancient art form. KHNS’s Jenn Shelton reports.
The Haines Borough will not have any state lobbyists during the current Legislative Session. The Haines Borough Assembly plans instead to dedicate energy and resources to obtain funding for infrastructure projects at the federal level, where grant funding opportunities are at an “once-in-a-generation” high. And, Mayor Tom Morphet gaveled a member of the public into silence at Tuesday’s Haines Borough Assembly meeting. Morphet said the man could not address assembly members by name, raising concerns of free speech in the Chambers
Governor Mike Dunleavy wants to eliminate the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council. It was one of several executive orders the Governor made at the start of the Legislative session. The eagle preserve’s council is made of 12 members, most of them Haines locals. As KHNS’s Jenn Shelton reports, the community is asking questions about the Governor’s actions. And the local government is considering taking steps to reverse it.
Today’s story is from Skagway, where, after a healthy debate and multiple amendments, the Skagway Borough Assembly passed a resolution regarding the large central tract of land that was the former Garden City RV park, and previously the site of Pius X Mission School. Melinda Munson attended the meeting and has this report.
We have two stories from Skagway Reporter Melinda Munson today, as a Skagway Municipal employee has accepted a regional position with Southeast Conference, and the Skagway Middle School Robotics team wins top honor at the regional robotics competition.
Each commissioner of the Planning and Zoning Commission submitted three ideas for improving the housing situation in Skagway at a work session earlier this week. And, The Chilkoot Indian Association received a $1.4 million dollar grant to go towards building an electric vehicle charging station. The station is intended for public use and construction is expected to begin this spring.
