This Week in History
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1997: Planting 100 pots – Volunteers turned out Tuesday night to pot 100 flowers to adorn the fairgrounds this summer. From left, Patricia Blank, fair manager Joanne Waterman, Sue Nelson, Nancy Schnabel, Nelle Greene and Payson Schnabel help out on the new deck of the Klondike Saloon. The Klondike is open daily, offering food and beverages. Two new horseshoe pits are being added nearby. A painting party set for later this summer will turn Harriett Hall and McPherson Barn red with white trim.
June 21, 2012
Dumpster cost rocks borough
Haines Borough officials are looking for ways to cut garbage expenses in the face of increased collection fees that have doubled or more in less than a year.
The borough paid Community Waste Solutions $4,094 for garbage removal at the boat harbor in May, more than four times the municipality's bill of $952 in May 2011.
Harbormaster Phil Benner attributed the spike to increased rates, unauthorized use of dumpsters, and new fees for items such as oily waste, fiberglass and electronic devices. Also, harbor users aren't taking advantage of a new, recycling station there, he said.
"If things keep going the way they are, we may have to charge fees for different kinds of regulated garbage," Benner said.
"When you look at the price we're paying (for disposal) doubling or tripling, or in this case (quadrupling), the price of that has to come out of somewhere... There's only so much that the harbormaster jumping on top of the dumpster can do," Benner said.
June 19, 1997:
Voters to decide library funding
Borough voters will be asked Oct. 7 if they want a revenue bond of about $400,000 to finance construction of a new library.
The borough assembly decided informally Tuesday to put the issue on the ballot, even though it's not required by law. A resolution to schedule the ballot question will be presented at the July 17 assembly meeting.
Assembly members Karen Hess and Gary Koenig said that while they might support the $1.2 million library project themselves, they are hearing from many people who either question whether a new building is needed or who think that taxpayers are entitled to a voice on the financing, regardless.
Assemblywoman Shirley Willard said it appears that many people think the current facility is sufficient.
June 26, 1972:
Boating safety: Alaska needs lots and lots of it!
Next week, July 2-8, is National Safe Boating Week, proclaimed by president Richard M. Nixon.
Since 1958 the number of boaters has increased to more than 45 million with more than 7.5 million boats on the water.
Along with the growing number of boats comes an increase in boating-related deaths. In 1971 there were 60 boating fatalities reported in Alaska alone. Only three states had a greater number of deaths: California with 88, Washington with 73 and Florida with 63. According to 1971 Boating Statistics compiled by the Coast Guard, Alaska had 16,376 registered boats while California had 480,484. With a death rate of this nature one can understand the need for boating safety in Alaska.
The most important piece of boating safety knowledge you carry on board your boat is common sense, says the Coast Guard. Without common sense any PFD's (personal flotation devices), fire fighting equipment, flares, lights, horns or first-aid kits will be of little value.
