This Week in History
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1997: Blythe Carter brings a trio of rabbits to the livestock barn on Tuesday to enter them in competition. The mixed-breed bunnies, entered as a group in the meat-pen division, are about two months old.
Aug. 2, 1972
Earthquake Jars Haines: No Damage Reported
The first major earthquake to hit Haines since the disastrous quake of 1964 occurred Sunday afternoon.
The quake, centered about 80 miles west of Sitka, was felt as far south as Seattle. No damage of any consequence has been reported. Local residents felt some swaying movement and cars and buildings were seen to move around a bit.
[It is certainly an odd sensation to have one's usually solid point of reference suddenly start to move. We are reminded of the story of Steve "Grampy" Sheldon who, during the Lituya Bay earthquake several years back, was found sitting on the steps leading up to the house. When informed that it was an earthquake, he replied with much relief: "Thank God! I thought it was me!" --Ed.]
Aug. 7, 1997
Fleet hemmed in by effort to guard Chilkoot run
Commercial fishing effort and catches declined this week in Lynn Canal, where the late Chilkoot sockeye run is returning in dismally low numbers.
The price to fishermen, however, has improved, with gillnetters receiving $1 per pound for sockeye retroactive to July 20, up 20 cents per pound from last week.
The poor showing is blamed on a scant showing of Chilkoot sockeye, forcing Fish and Game to make protective closures on the east side of Lynn Canal, where catches are typically strongest.
Only 48 boats fished local waters last week, down from an historic average of 110 boats for the first week of August. Highs in the late 1980s hit 150 vessels.
Aug. 2, 2012
Borough to address worker perks
The Haines Borough will crack down on use of municipal equipment for private purposes by employees following a recent fire that stemmed from after-hours use of the public works shop.
Brian Lemcke, director of public facilities, said private use of the public works shop will be discontinued, and that he intends to extend the policy to other departments.
"You can't just say people at the city shop can't use it if other employees are using the swimming pool or copy machines," Lemcke said. He said he would soon send a memo to department heads explaining the change.
"For thirty years, it's been a perk. It's something that's got to change," Lencke said.
The policy may date back to a time when municipal employees needed to use their own tools to get their government jobs done, and an overlap developed, he said.
