Assembly discusses EOC pay - page 2 Large cruise line courts Haines - page 3 Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966 Volume LIV, Issue 17 Thursday, April 30, 2020 $1.25 State relaxes mandates, some remain cautious As oil prices By Kyle Clayton Injury Disaster Loan Emergency While some local business owners Advance because she has no crash, residents are expanding operations since the employees, and she was turned state’s “Reopen Alaska Responsibly” away from applying for a Paycheck question high plan began Friday, some are reluctant Protection Program (PPP) loan to open their doors. In the midst because First National Bank Alaska is of reopening, some businesses are currently not accepting applications pump prices unable to apply for federal relief for that program. By Kyle Clayton loans and are reeling from the loss She said she’ll have to drum up Oil prices began to plummet in of revenue. local support and find additional mid-February due to the COVID-19 The state released a health mandate revenue streams. She said she is worldwide pandemic and economic last week that loosened restrictions planning on renting out a part of her downturn and bottomed out around on retail businesses, restaurants, building to another business. April 21. Haines gas prices are still personal care services, fishing First National Bank Alaska Haines higher than most communities across charters and other non-essential branch manager Wendell Harren the region, which has befuddled some businesses. said the bank is no longer accepting Haines residents. The Magpie Gallery owner Laura applications because they’re still “A barrel of oil costs 12 bucks, but Rogers has three children who can’t processing an “unprecedented not if you go to Delta Western,” Fred go to school and her husband, Manuel, amount and continue to process Shields quipped this week. is working out of town. “How do I run them.” Mark Sebens questioned when a business with the kids schooling at He said the bank will accept new prices are going to come down “to home and as a solo parent?” Rogers applications when the previous wave a reasonable amount.” asked. “And as a business, how do I has been processed, but is unsure “It’s difficult to reconcile the continue to invest in a business that when that will occur. Harren said the concept of fuel down south being is most likely unable to pay for itself bank will not release the quantity of under a dollar in places, and in the this year?” applications they’ve received yet, two-dollar range in other parts of Rogers said her business doesn’t Southeast Alaska and we’re almost qualify for the federal Economic See OPEN page 4 four dollars here in Haines with no signs of movement. I just want to know why,” Sebens said. On Monday, unleaded fuel prices Haines’ 14-day quarantine in Haines ranged from $3.89 per gallon at the Tesoro station on Second Avenue, to $3.62 at the Main Street is now a suggestion rather Tesoro station and $3.57 at Bigfoot. In Skagway, unleaded cost $3.40 than a requirement per gallon at Family Fuel and $3.25 if By Ceri Godinez letters detailing a variety of views on paying with cash. Petersburg Motors The Haines Borough’s quarantine the issue. Haines resident Clay Frick charged $2.95 per gallon and at the resolution no longer “requires” said the quarantine requirement has Alpine Mini Mart in Wrangell, a people entering from outside the played a critical role in keeping the gallon of gas cost $2.99. Those borough to quarantine for 14 days, community safe. stations are supplied by Petro Marine. it “encourages” them to do so. Terry Pardee, who also spoke Delta Western Tesoro manager At a meeting on Tuesday, assembly during public comment, said he didn’t Fred Gray said he can’t comment members voted 4-2 to approve see an urgent need to continue to keep on gas prices and referred the CVN revised language. Members Zephyr the town shut down, especially with to an advertisement placed by Delta Sincerny and Stephanie Scott businesses struggling to stay afloat. Western in the March 26 issue, and opposed the change. “We’ve been pretty well locked to the president of the company. A Assembly member Josephson said down here for eight weeks now,” company spokesperson also declined in the days leading up to the meeting, Pardee said. “People who are scared to comment, and referred the CVN she received a large volume of calls to death of catching something, stay Hair Shop owner Judith McDermaid cuts Beverly Klanott’s hair to the same advertisement in the from residents on both sides of the home. It’s pretty simple.” Tuesday afternoon. McDermaid said she and stylist Jackie Brewington March 26 paper. issue--those who feel the borough’s Josephson said she proposed the had cut about 20 peoples’ hair since restrictions eased on Friday. Kyle current COVID-19 response doesn’t change in language as a compromise Clayton photo. See GAS page 2 go far enough and those who “feel between the two viewpoints. It still their constitutional rights are being sends the message that the borough trodden on.” supports quarantine for individuals At the meeting, community Spring eulachon run brings people members called in and submitted See VIRUS page2 together for the first time since March Supreme Court Ruling By Kyle Clayton lot of our elders really appreciate this time of year,” As spring slowly unlocks in the Chilkat Valley, so Hart said. “The eulachon lift their spirits, but we have too have state social distancing restrictions, which to protect our elders at the same time.” could delay Palmer Project happened to coincide with the Chilkoot River eulachon Hart said the run has started slowly, but is gaining By Ceri Godinez waste is discharged into groundwater. run where friends and families socialized in person for momentum. He said he likes to let the early run, the A recent U.S. Supreme Court “We conclude that (a Clean Water the first time since March. “scouts,” return undisturbed before fishing and that he ruling could have a significant impact Act permit is required) if the addition According to state COVID-19 health mandates plans to fish this week. “My son’s been asking for a on plans for Constantine’s Palmer of the pollutants through groundwater effective April 24, members of different households while,” Hart said. “He really wants to go dip some.” Project. is the functional equivalent of a direct were able to recreate outdoors as long as groups do Sean and Rhianna Brownell’s family were among The court case, County of Maui v. discharge from the point source into not exceed 20 people and non-household members the first to throw their nets in Chilkoot River on Friday Hawaii Wildlife Fund, hinged on the navigable waters,” Justice Stephen maintain a six-foot distance. afternoon. Their outing yielded several coolers filled question of whether the Clean Water Breyer wrote. Breyer said the law Families and groups flocked to the river over the with the oily fish that they planned to fry, process Act, a 1972 law regulating pollution should prevent a polluter from weekend, dotting both sides of the Chilkoot’s banks. for oil, and give to The Kroschel Wildlife Center for levels in surface waters, applies to avoiding permit requirements by Terry Davis, Viva Landry and their family loaded a human and animal feed. waste discharged into groundwater. simply moving the point of discharge green plastic trash can before dumping it in their tarp- “Sometimes after they’re fried up and I have scraps, A wastewater treatment plant in Maui “perhaps only a few yards, so that the lined pickup truck. Landry said two truckloads would I give them to the arctic foxes. The arctic foxes like was taken to court after pollutants pollution must travel through at least be a successful harvest. The family has pits at 4 Mile them,” Steve Kroschel said. “They’re also food for from its wastewater disposal wells some groundwater before reaching Haines Highway they use to ferment the fish before us and treats for Kitty the grizzly, especially from the were shown to be making their way to the sea,” but it should not apply to processing them into oil. plate after they’re cooked.” the ocean, roughly a half-mile away. “the 100-year migration of pollutants Chilkoot Indian Association fisheries specialist Juniper Brownell, 6, caught fish with a net and took On Thursday, April 23, the through 250 miles of groundwater Ted Hart said tribal members reinforced the need to one home as a pet on Friday and released it the next Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the to a river.” maintain social distancing requirements especially Clean Water Act applies not only to The Supreme Court assigned the because many fishermen give eulachon to elders. “A See FISH page 2 direct discharge into surface waters but also in some instances where See RULING page 6 Price named ‘2020 Distinguished Artist’ by Rasmuson Foundation By Kyle Clayton across Southeast Alaska and the Wayne Price was honored Yukon. For the past two years he’s Wednesday at the Rasmuson taught Northwest Coast formline Foundations Distinguished Artist design classes along with beginning, for 2020. intermediate and advanced carving at The annual award recognizes the University of Alaska Southeast. one Alaskan artist each year “for “Wayne Price represents the best of a lifetime of creative excellence Alaska art and artist. He’s preserved and outstanding contribution to the and replicated traditional Tlingit art state’s arts and culture.” Price was with remarkable attention to detail,” nominated last fall and a panel of Rasmuson Foundation president and Alaska artists and experts chose Price CEO Diane Kaplan said.