Chisel building turns 100 - page 6 Ukulele music group - page 7 Celebrating 50 Years of Service to Haines and Klukwan, Alaska Chilkat Valley News Volume XLVI Number 36 Thursday, September 8, 2016 $1 Painted Magistrate in office one week per month bears By Peter D’Auria Bonnie Hedrick, the Haines A full-time, on-site Haines court clerk, said a downside of the magistrate is the latest casualty new magistrate system will be the cause in a long series of public service decline in the in-person access to cuts brought on by Alaska’s budget the magistrate. “Communication crisis. is best face-to-face,” she said. Following last month’s Without a full-time magistrate, concern retirement of Haines Magistrate local court hours will be reduced By Natalie Helms Judge John Hutchins, the Alaska to 30. Are the bears green with envy? Court System announced Sept. 1 Hedrick expects the new system Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? that the position would be filled will be similar to the procedure Trying for a punk rock look? by Mary Kay Germain, the Yakutat used when the previous magistrate Two green-splashed bears Magistrate Judge. She will be was on vacation. It worked well puzzled Haines locals and tourists present in Haines only one week in that situation, she said. “I don’t alike along the Chilkoot River last a month. have enough info yet to know how week. “Ms. Germain will hold court it will work (long-term),” she said. “It’s really a complete crazy in Haines and Hoonah one week Magistrate judges are mystery,” said Carl Koch, a a month and will conduct all responsible for a variety of judicial wildlife biologist for the Alaska other hearings telephonically from tasks, including issuing arrest and Department of Fish and Game. Yakutat,” said a press release from search warrants, setting bail and So far, no one has figured out the Alaska Court System. conducting preliminary hearings, what happened. Or admitted to Trevor Stephens, presiding adjudicating misdemeanor and doing the deed. judge of the First Judicial District, minor offense cases, and issuing Although Haines locals are which covers most of Southeast marriage licenses. used to seeing brown bears, black Alaska, said the move was part of Though she will juggle work bears and the occasional glacier a court system effort to manage in Haines, Yakutat and Hoonah, bear, green bears are a rare sight budget cuts. Haines’s incoming magistrate to behold. “Obviously it’s not an ideal Germain said she’s confident Koch said the green-colored situation,” said Stephens. “We she’ll be up to the job. “I’ve been sow and her cub were first seen would like to have people on the covering Hoonah like that since at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31 in ground in each court location.” the first of January,” Germain a Haines resident’s yard. Tom Stephens said Hutchins’s said. “It works in Hoonah and we Ganner, photographer and bear BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES - Pylons wait to be retirement helped save money anticipate it working in Haines.” monitor at Chilkoot, took photos pounded into the soil at the Haines Highway’s Klehini River crossing without cutting staff. “Our mantra Germain expects the change of the bears near the river later to replace the 246-foot Steel Bridge. Southeast Roadbuilders is is: ‘We don’t want to lay anybody will have little effect on Haines’ that day. scheduled to finish the $6.7 million project by next summer. The off,’” he said. judicial proceedings. Ganner’s photos shared on his federal government is paying 91 percent of the tab, and the state This is the latest in a long series “Hearings are going to occur in photography Facebook page, Time is paying the rest. The current bridge is at the end of its designed of public service cuts to Haines. a timely fashion, as they do now,” & Space, and on the Friends of life, having been moved to the Haines Borough from Juneau in In the past year, state funding she said, noting that prosecutors Chilkoot Facebook page show the 1969. Russ Lyman photo. shortages have cut into Haines’s and public defenders, who are cub was solidly covered in green public health positions, Lynn based in Juneau, usually attend from its face and head to its waist Canal Counseling Service, and the Haines hearings by telephone. and down one front leg. The sow local forestry office, as well as the Germain said that there are had green on her head, neck and Gym floor still drying ferry service between Haines and shoulders. Skagway. See COURT page 10 “They were so well covered,” By Natalie Helms half of the floor near the free throw Ganner said. “Would there be that The Haines School gym floor line. Habra said he and the facilities much paint in one can?” may have to be refinished again staff have researched ways to News about the green bears because the coating applied last speed up the curing process. quickly circulated, and the photos month is still not completely dry. They’ve kept fans on the floor, generated speculation about the The gel-like coating ended up bumped the heat up to 76 degrees painted bear mystery. too thick on the floor due to “issues and might try adding mineral On Facebook, some people with the materials used to apply spirits to harden the substance. The thought the bears may have it,” said Haines School District mineral spirits may make the clear accidentally got into a paint-filled superintendent Tony Habra at product turn cloudy. dumpster, or bit into a spray paint Tuesday’s school board meeting. “If it would just dry, it would be can that exploded. High humidity when it was applied great,” Habra said. on Aug. 1 could also be a factor. See BEARS page 12 There are still soft spots on one See FLOOR page 12 Candidates start to stake out positions on Haines issues By John Stang forum hosted by the Friends of and Lende writes obituaries for All six Haines assembly the Mosquito Lake School and the paper) candidates are sick of debating Community Center. Different philosophical stances helicopter skiing. “You can sit on the sideline and on Wednesday include Dubber Keeping basic infrastructure bitch and bitch and bitch. Or you calling to shrink the borough’s up to snuff is a big worry, along can jump in and be the one that government. “I think we have way PUTTING FOR PAR - Cory Kowalczyk of Juneau tosses a disc at a with the big picture of Haines’ people are bitchin’ about,” said too many studies. We spend too beer keg, the “hole,” at last Saturday’s disc golf tournament on the future. Then there’s the borough’s candidate Ryan Cook. much money. … We need to cut Raven’s Bowl Course at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds. $500,000 deficit. Other candidates for the two the budget,” he said. Disc golfers played an 18-hole “yellow” course, an 18-hole “red” The six candidates outlined open seats are incumbent and Lende called for optimism and course, and mini games. Yellow course winners were Jeremy Reed problems and concerns, but were Deputy Mayor Diana Lapham and a can-do spirit. Lapham said of Haines with a score of 47, and Brian Blitz of Juneau with a score light on specific fix-it proposals at a challengers Leonard Dubber, Judy being an assembly member is of 50. Alan Hill of Whitehorse won the red course competition with Wednesday forum at the Mosquito Erekson, Heather Lende and Tom complicated with compromises a score of 48, followed by Derek Eby of Juneau with a score of 49. Lake Community Center. Twenty- Morphet (Disclosure: Morphet The overall winner was Reed with a score of 97, followed by Eby two people attended the candidate owns the Chilkat Valley News, See FORUM page 9 with a score of 100. Eleven people competed. Natalie Helms photo. Page 2 Chilkat Valley News September 8, 2016 To list an event in Save the Date, phone 766- Letters to the Editor Save the Date 2688 or email [email protected]. Code Review Commission needs members Thursday, Sept. 8 Tuesday, Sept. 13 Our community is in need of seven individuals to step up to serve Junk Car Removal Program Informational Haines Sportsman’s meeting, 5 p.m. at the on the Code Review Commission. The Minor Offenses Ordinance Meeting, 5:30 p.m. in assembly chambers. Call shooting range on Mud Bay Road. brought to light the need of a systematic review of Haines Borough 314-0648 for more information. Haines Borough Assembly meeting, 6:30 p.m. Code. In response to this need, the assembly recently established the Haines Planning Commission meeting, 6:30 in assembly chambers. Code Review Commission. p.m. in assembly chambers. Author Glen Klinkhart, 7 p.m. at the library. The commission will be undertaking the task of reviewing the current ADF&G moose hunt meeting, 7 p.m. at the Klinkhart discusses his true-crime memoir, code and recommending changes to support individual rights, form a American Bald Eagle Foundation. Information “Finding Bethany”. Recommended for ages 13 and more responsive government, secure maximum control of local affairs, for Unit 1D-Tier II moose hunt. 907-465-4265. up. retain control over the affairs of government, and allow residents to enjoy life without unnecessarily restrictive or arbitrary laws or Friday, Sept. 9 Wednesday, Sept. 14 regulations. Haines Tourism Advisory Board meeting, Public Health Nurse appointments, September The mayor is currently requesting applicants to respond ASAP in the noon in assembly chambers.