I live and write on Lingít Aaní, and gratefully acknowledge the past, present and future caretakers of this beautiful place, the Jilkaat Kwaan and Jilkoot Kwaan.
It’s Advent, and almost Christmas time, and we always put up the tree following the annual holiday parade. I didn’t much feel like it, but Chip kind of suprised me and insisted, gently, on it. He cut a tree, then put it up, and then he asked if I knew...
The news from here in Haines is that the ground is drying out and life is returning to the new normal. School is open and the holiday parade scheduled for Saturday afternoon, Snow Dragon and all—is on, along with a candlelight vigil, prayers, and a few hymns down at...
“The past six days in Haines have been traumatic,” Mayor Olerud is saying on the radio. My dad and grand daughters are downstairs. I’m up the stairs at my desk, where I have been since this began, matching volunteers to needs and helping the Mayor...
It’s early and I’ve brewed a cup of coffee in the semi-dark of the Christmas lights, and fed two of the dogs quietly. I let them out the back door, guessed the new snow is about 8-10 inches deep and I know Little Jack, who plows, won’t be here. He...
Some news: Last night more neighborhoods were evacuated due to potential slides. Piedad Road, Cathedral View, friends at 2 Mile, up Menaker Road. Lutak folks have made it to town around the slides out there. Some 50 households are waiting out the weather in town. Just...
We wait and hope that nothing worse happens. Some of the people that we thought to be missing have been located, so that’s good. Two young people we love are still missing. The house they lived in was destroyed in the Beach Road slide. Coast Guard and search and...
