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Sunday, January 14, was the warmest day on record in Petersburg for the month of January, with temperatures reaching 63 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Juneau. What's more, the state of Alaska hit a record high on Annette Island, where it was 66 degrees, said Jake Byrd, a forecaster with the weather service. The winter heat comes after temperatures dropped well below freezing last week. "When we go from extreme cold to extreme warm like this," Byrd said, "basically what...
The borough’s highest electrical job once again could go to Karl Hagerman, who had pulled his name from consideration in October following the election and scrutiny of his qualifications. One assembly member and an empty search for someone else made him reconsider. In a meeting on Monday, the assembly voted 5-2 in support of making Mr. Hagerman utility director of power and light, a title comparable to electrical superintendent. The move revisits Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht’s idea to reorganize power and light and public works, which he...
The Peterburg assembly narrowly struck down a resolution to repeal a federal ruling that limits development on national forest land, a decision it made after hearing public testimony from seven people on Monday. The resolution Monday supported an end to the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects social and ecological value and characteristics of roadless areas from construction and reconstruction, along with certain timber harvest activities, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The borough said this resolution was brought to...
Police say a Petersburg woman was arrested on Saturday for fleeing a scene under the influence after driving a vehicle into two pedestrians in the 1100 block of South Nordic Drive. Shirlene Olson, 54, was arrested on two counts of assault in the third degree, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence. Olson appeared in District Court before Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell on Tuesday afternoon. Olson did not enter a plea and was released under conditions with $1,000 bail....
The Petersburg Police Department recently purchased a pick-up truck for about $47,000, the chief said. The borough used $47,311 of its motor pool fund in early December 2017 to purchase an officer patrol truck. The truck will be used to haul the department's portable dispatch center, along with getting access to areas outside of service area one, especially in poor weather conditions, said Police Chief Kelly Swihart. "It is capable of pulling the communications trailer in various conditions if...
For the first time in at least 28 years, the Petersburg girls basketball team played a series in Unalaska, where a defensive weekend gave the Vikings their second win and fourth loss of the season. “What a great cultural experience,” said Dino Brock, the Vikings coach, noting Unalaska’s mountainous landscape and scant forest land. “What a different part of the state -- a whole different world for us.” On Friday, the Vikings lost to Unalaska 26-24, but won on Saturday after the team went 11 for 15 from the free throw line. “We won the game fr...
Petersburg boys basketball took a team of eight to Unalaska this weekend where it struggled to shoot the ball, losing two games and dropping to a 1-5 record. The Vikings lost to Unalaska on Friday, 48-27, and Saturday 64-38. "That's a quality team we played," said Rick Brock, the Viking head coach. "Has to be one of the best teams in the state for what I've seen." With Petersburg shooting woes against Unalaska -- a team that's big, fast and can shoot, Brock said -- he was happy to see his team...
A recently proposed revision to the borough's zoning code is slated to introduce a new form of affordable housing, an expansion of the historic and industrial district, and the end of a requirement on businesses to include parking downtown, officials say. The Petersburg Borough is rolling out a fresh development code that it hopes will streamline zoning approval processes and sure-up any vague and "blurry" language that exists now. There are significant changes that, if approved, could be in...
A coffee shop fundraiser in Petersburg last week in memory of an 18-year-old girl who died in 2016 raised thousands of dollars and sparked an outpouring of online support from across the country. Guylynn Etcher, owner of Glacier Express Cafe, and Britni Birchell, owner of Common Grounds & Alaska Island Coffee, organized a fundraiser last Thursday on behalf of Molly Parks, who wanted to be a special education teacher. She was an athlete, a daughter and a sucker for the underdog. She loved...
The borough assembly held a work session on Monday to discuss a plan to impose restrictions on who's eligible for senior sales tax exemption, along with a shorter talk on a passenger fee for cruise ships. In a public discussion, hosted by the assembly to hear community member input, an agreement was made that an annual fee ought to be charged to those who'd like a sales tax exemption card. The goal would be to offset costs that go into processing exemption cards for those 65 or older. The...
The police chief and deputy clerk in Petersburg announced they plan to retire in July, a decision the married couple made together after a year of pondering. The police chief, Kelly Swihart, and his wife, Melinda, the deputy borough clerk, said they plan to retire after the chief’s contract expires on June 30, he said. “We have been debating for the past year on whether or not we wanted to renew my contract in Petersburg,” said Mr. Swihart, who says his leaving is not a resignation. “Or look in other law enforcement opportunities in Alaska,...
The Petersburg girls basketball team started its weekend series against Wrangell on Friday with its first win of the season, coming after a pair of free throws put the Vikings up one with seconds left. The second half of the lady's game on Friday saw two key Viking scores at the end of each break. A last second shot by Petersburg at the end of the third gave the team the lead heading into the fourth. And then again, with 4.9 seconds left in regulation, Petersburg was down two and Nina McCay was...
Petersburg boys basketball split two games with Wrangell last weekend, losing on Friday and coming better prepared for the rivalry matchup on Saturday, the coach said. Petersburg had to reach into its bench early in a game against Wrangell on Friday, which caused for a stop-and-go night with recurring scoring lulls. Petersburg lost 44-50. Mark Neidiffer, a Petersburg senior and one of its highest scorers, was benched after being whistled for two fouls early in the first quarter. Dale Strong,...
Petersburg’s assembly on Monday voted against issuing a permit to allow a private hauler to pay for a second boat ramp at Scow Bay, saying it would set a precedent open for too much interpretation. John Murgas, owner of Island Ventures LLC, applied for a special use permit to install a second boat ramp at Scow Bay. His proposed ramp would nudge-up against a jetty, which would, he says, create safer launching and hauling of boats. “A single mishap,” Murgas wrote in his permit application, “while loading or launching a vessel due to souther...
A Petersburg man pleaded guilty last Tuesday of interfering with crab pots belonging to four other fishermen in town, coming after a hearing with testimony from a remorseful defendant and community members questioning whether the punishment was harsh enough. In a change of plea hearing on December 19, James Andrew Knight, 54 of Petersburg, told Judge William B Carey he was guilty of three misdemeanors, including interfering with commercial fishing gear, unlawful use of pot tags and operating more than 300 Dungeness crab pots. Knight was fined...
The search to find an electrical superintendent in Petersburg has narrowed to three applicants, coming after a borough screening committee started with 10, a number the manager called low last week. There were two internal applicants and eight external who sent resumes to the borough with interest in Petersburg’s Power & Light superintendent job. Since December 20, four withdrew their applications for unknown reasons, and then three are “moving forward in the process,” Deputy Clerk Mindy Swihart said in an email. The internal applicants are S...
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Salvation Army in Petersburg distributed about $8,000 worth of food and gifts to about 85 families. Last week, a day before Major Loni Upshaw with the Salvation Army would lead food distribution to mostly low-income families; five Coast Guard members were stuffing boxes with dinner rolls and soup; green beans and eggs. Most of the food and gifts were donated from the community, along with purchases from the Salvation Army and the Women's Group at the...
The Petersburg high wrestling team placed 22nd at the division two state tournament last week, where two Viking wrestlers placed top five in their weight classes. The Viking wrestling team sent five boys and two girls to the state championship in Anchorage. The only Vikings to place were senior Taegen Schwartz, who was fifth, and sophomore Jolyn Toyomura, who finished fourth in the girls championship. "We weren't really expecting to come out like we did last year, as far as team points," said...
A Petersburg man was indicted by a Juneau grand jury last week and charged with 12 counts related to the possession of child pornogrpahy, according to a press release from the Department of Law. Kanin Robert Grant, also known as Robert Carle, was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation's Technical Crimes Unit. He was indicted last Thursday. The investigation started in early June, when the bureau received a tip that claimed a Twitter account had uploaded an...
The Petersburg Mayor asked an assembly member on Monday about a questionnaire he had been giving community members recently, but he declined to share it, leading to an exchange that highlights the mounting tension between political executives on Mitkof Island. Assembly member Jeff Meucci said he created an issue-centric questionnaire for business owners and working community members alike in Petersburg. When Mayor Mark Jensen asked him to see it, Meucci said no. “Well, it’s none of his business,” said Meucci, commenting after the meeting on an...
A town hall on opioids was held in Petersburg last week, and state representatives continued a tour through Alaska communities in search of ideas and questions on the recently-declared drug disaster. "We're not here with an action plan. So often we do this, at the government level," started Andy Jones, director of the Office of Misuse and Addiction Prevention in Alaska, addressing about 50 people at the Sons of Norway Hall. "We create something and we come to you guys and say, 'here ya go, what...
A hydro power agency in Southeast Alaska proposed to cut a customer rebate last week after it increased by nearly $1 million in 2017, but the board shot it down while keeping the possibility of a future slash in play. Trey Acteson, CEO of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, or SEAPA -- which provides most of the power used by Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan -- gave two propositions to its board last Thursday: Give $2.7 million in rebate money back to the ratepayers, or cut it by 30 percent to save for future projects and debt. “I think i...
The borough assembly on Monday approved a trip to Washington, D.C., where two Petersburg representatives will advocate for its federal priorities. The trip puts the borough over its travel budget by nearly $5,000, a point of dispute members had before voting. The borough on Monday scheduled a trip to D.C. for the end of January 2018. The borough manager and mayor will spend about three days in meetings with lawmakers trying to advocate for federal money for Petersburg. Kurt Wohlhueter began his discussion -- and later repeated it -- on the...
A former Petersburg police officer was banned from working in the state of Alaska after sexual harassment allegations against him were presented to a state ethics council in early December. Kent Preston, who was with the Petersburg Police Department for nearly a year in 2015 and 2016, can no longer become certified as an officer in Alaska. The Alaska Police Standards Council made the decision after it heard Executive Director Bob Griffiths' sexual harassment case against Preston on December 5....
Petersburg High School boys basketball lost two games against Metlakatla last weekend, an outcome that underscored the Vikings' effort but punctuated its youth, the coach said. In Friday's game -- last year's 2A state championship matchup -- the Vikings jumped out to a 28-27 lead at the end of the half. Petersburg senior Mark Neidiffer led the way in scoring with 13 points in the first quarter and three in the second. He finished with 21. The start of the third quarter saw Metlakatla go on a...
