Week of June 11, 2026
Week of June 11, 2026
For the better part of a year wireless communication infrastructure has been a topic of controversy and community engagement in Petersburg. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska has been pursuing three tower locations in Petersburg through its broadband initiative, Tidal Network, as part of a federally funded broadband expansion effort - a project that has drawn sustained opposition from a contingent of residents raising concerns about radio frequency emissions,...
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Over 200 people, many wearing regalia, gathered on a sunny afternoon at Auke Recreation Area, the former site of a Tlingit village. Ten canoes floating near the shore took turns for traditional protocols before landing on the beach. Among them was Petersburg's killer whale canoe, or kéet yaakw in Lingít. "My name is ShaaL'aanee, my English name is Brandon Ware," Ware, the skipper, shouted from the water. "Gunalchéesh for having us. We are so grateful to be here. Forgive me if I miss... Full story
U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan from Petersburg says a state investigation into his bid for office is baseless and inappropriate. "It's a little bit chilling in a way, in some ways, that they would go after somebody like me," he said in an interview Wednesday this afternoon. The candidate shares a name and Republican party designation with Alaska's incumbent senator, whom he's running against. That kicked off a lot of Republican complaints and the state's investigation. Sen. Dan Sullivan has... Full story
An Arizona hunter was cited last month for unlawfully taking a brown bear on Kupreanof Island after mistaking it for a black bear, the second such mistaken-identity case involving a non-resident hunter in the area in roughly a year, according to Petersburg-based Alaska Wildlife Trooper Sgt. Cody Litster. William DeGrave, 38, of Vail, Arizona, was cited May 19 for taking a brown bear in Game Management Unit 3 without the proper tag, registration permit or guide while hunting black bear at Duncan...
A few weeks ago, Petersburg singer-songwriter Sarah C. Hanson Hofstetter released her sixth album, All the Bones, a 14-song collection of original work now available on Bandcamp. The song writing has been in development for over ten years, and the recordings took shape over roughly a year of recording sessions in Petersburg with local musician Matthew Wintersteen, followed by a spring break trip to Anchorage where engineer Kurt Reiman of Surreal Studios helped complete the record. Sarah has...
After a 1.5-year, $12 million renovation, Forest Service staff returned on May 14 to the Federal Building located on the south end of downtown Petersburg. During the project, staff were temporarily relocated to a facility out the road, about 2.3 miles, at Scow Bay. The remodel makes their building more visitor-friendly, and the new location is more walkable and accessible to residents and visitors. "Kids come through before they go to school, they can come in after school before their parents... Full story
This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, there will be informative outdoor community events in Petersburg. Saturday and Sunday’s events will be led by Vivian Mork, where she will lead groups to harvest wild vegetables and teach how to prepare them for eating. Saturday’s hike will begin at Sandy Beach Park, and Sunday’s will be carpooled starting at the library. Both days’ events begin at 10 A.M. Mork’s “Hike, Harvest, Heal” event is through the Rainforest Festival with support from...
WRANGELL — The 71st Wrangell fishing derby is underway after opening on Sunday. Almost $6,000 in cash prizes await the winners with the largest king and coho salmon and largest halibut and the catches closest to a secret weight over the three-month derby which ends Sept. 7. Derby tickets, at $35 each, are available at the chamber of commerce office in the Nolan Center, and at Sentry Hardware and the Stikine Inn, with more locations coming, Lora Lee Mason, executive director of the chamber,...
Alaska lawmakers, meeting in a special session, advanced a bill intended to spur construction of a long-desired pipeline carrying natural gas from the North Slope to markets. The legislature’s House Finance Committee approved the bill, House Bill 381, which would largely eliminate state and municipal property taxes on project-related infrastructure, replacing those revenues with money from gas flowing through the system. The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration. For the bill to... Full story
Consumer price inflation reached 4.2% in May, the highest mark in three years, boosted largely by higher energy prices that have spiked because of the Iran war, according to federal numbers released on Wednesday. The higher year-over-year inflation rate was expected. But at more than double the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%, the new numbers dimmed hopes for a cut in the interest rate. The so-called core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and fuel costs, was 2.9%. Apparel costs... Full story
June 5, 1926 – Since before the coming of the white man to Alaska the Natives have believed Zarembo island free from bear. Archie Abbott, while hunting on Zarembo island a few days ago, was surprised to come upon a black bear which he promptly killed. The bear proved to be a very old animal. Its eyes were sunken and it appeared to be in a weakened condition as it was crawling along feeding on skunk cabbage. Its long worn tusks furnished additional evidence of its great age. It would be most interesting to know when and how that bear got on...
In last week’s news story “[Darcey] Hedlund receives Alaska Airlines “Legend” Award” we misspelled Darcey Heldlund’s name – in the headline, the story and the caption. The Pilot apologizes for that...
A three-day free course titled “Commercial Fishing Boot Camp” will be taught at John Hansen Sr. Hall June 15-17. The hands-on course is intended for high school students interested in the Commercial Fishing Industry, but is open to anyone high school age and up. Gabe Dunham and Sunny Rice are teaching the course, through Alaska Sea Grant. “We’ve heard about crew shortages up and down the West coast,” Rice said. “What the Alaska Sea Grant can do to help with that is to hopefully open the door for people who wouldn’t necessarily...
For just the second time in their program's history, the Petersburg Vikings Baseball team were in the championship game - their opponent: the 8-6-1 Homer Mariners. The Vikings were three outs away from claiming their first state championship - but then, everything changed. To get to that point, the Vikings had to defeat the Kodiak Bears. With the game tied at the bottom of the tenth and Scotty Newman up to the bat, he hit a single, walking off the Vikings and sending them to the championship...
To all my friends and external family in Petersburg To the Editor: I arrived on April 13, 1979 as girlfriend to Jerry Hegar who soon became my lifemate. I was ignorant of Alaska and soon learned a lot. Marie James hired me in her shop and I soon learned about living here! There are so many memories I can’t remember all of them. Marie introduced me to the culture and what it means to appreciate our surroundings. I have made so many friends here that it is hard to leave. This community is great. As I look forward to making new memories with...
Dear Lieutenant Governor Dahlstron: I write in response to your June 8, 2026 letter. I originally received the letter not from your office, but from a reporter. This indicates that you started working with the press to generate a story on your investigation before ever contacting me. In fact, we have never received the letter to you. This conduct is deeply troubling for an elected official who is charged- as you claim – with administering the election laws of the State of Alaska. The premise of your letter is that “credible” allegations...
Alaska needs change. That’s why I’m running for governor: to bring new energy and a new generation of leadership to the governor’s office. For thirteen years in a row, more Alaskans have left our great state than have moved here. Prices are rising, schools are closing, and Alaskans are getting left behind. This year, those planning to leave Alaska include Ben and Catherine Walker, both recipients of Alaska’s Teacher of the Year Award. They can’t justify staying in the place they grew up in and love because of our failure to invest...
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