Articles written by liam demko


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  • PHS swim duo start their path to regionals

    Liam Demko|Sep 7, 2023

    Petersburg High School's swim team started things off with a strong showing this year with their first meet in Sitka last weekend. Over the course of the two-day meet, sophomores Brooklyn Whitethorn and Logan Tow-the only members of this year's smaller than usual squad-both showed strong performances, hinting that the team has a successful season ahead of them this year. "We're doing really well I think. We're ahead of schedule," said coach Andy Carlisle on Wednesday. Both swimmers had...

  • New beginnings for PHS Cross Country team

    Liam Demko|Aug 31, 2023

    It's the start of a fresh season for Petersburg High School's Cross Country team, marking the beginning of a new era under the team's incoming head coach, Casey Gates. With a community race under their belts and a first meet in Klawock coming up this weekend, Gates and this year's PHS team are ready and excited to put themselves to the test. "Looking at [our race] times, I really think that we've just scratched the surface of what we're capable of," said Gates. "I think that we're going to...

  • Petersburg's groundskeeper grows into his new position

    Liam Demko|Aug 24, 2023

    For many, the beginning of May is exactly the moment when Petersburg truly blossoms into life each year, and perhaps no one who understands that annual transformation better than the town's groundskeeper, Colin Perry. On top of caring for the cemetery and maintaining Petersburg's several parks, Perry ushers the community into Spring each year with his flower displays, fighting off the dull tones of winter and giving the town a fresh coat of paint just in time for Mayfest. "My favorite part is...

  • Swimmer completes seven-mile open-water crossing of Frederick Sound

    Liam Demko|Jul 27, 2023

    After just barely falling short of his goal last year, Andrew Simmonds managed to complete a seven-mile swim across Frederick Sound on July 15. Simmonds-a physical therapist at the Petersburg Medical Center-started his crossing at Petersburg's Sandy Beach at 7:01 a.m. His first steps into the water marked the beginning of what would become a seven-hour long battle that pushed him to his limits. However, the challenge truly began for Simmonds when he arrived in Petersburg back in October 2021...

  • PMC's 9th annual Pedal/Paddle Battle hopes to raise $20,000 for continuing education

    Liam Demko|Jul 20, 2023

    The Petersburg Medical Center Foundation is inviting all members of the community to bike or kayak as part of the annual Pedal/Paddle Battle this year on Saturday, July 29. The course will take participants from Scow Bay to Sandy Beach while contributions raised by the event will support continuing education for PMC staff and go toward scholarships for Petersburg High School seniors. "We were really successful last year, we had about 75 participants, and a lot of families participated. Anybody...

  • Mountain View Food Services will begin hosting dining room meals again this week

    Liam Demko|Jul 13, 2023

    Mountain View Food Services will begin holding in-person meals at Mountain View Manor's dining room this Monday, bringing the elderly dining program one step closer to its pre-COVID state. Since March 2020, the program has exclusively functioned as a meal delivery service due to COVID-19 concerns, but after a board decision on Tuesday, the dining hall will open its doors to the program once again. "Prior COVID, all the meals were to be eaten in the dining room unless someone was considered to...

  • Ness Point bench commemorates early Petersburg family

    Liam Demko|Jul 13, 2023

    Ness family members from across the country gathered at Ness Point in Petersburg last Saturday to dedicate a bench to relatives Erick, Ragna, Leo, and Carl Ness. Crafted by local artist Josef Quitslund, the bench depicts an early 20th century view of Ness Point-the current location of Eagle's Roost Park-where three houses and a large garden built by Petersburg pioneer Erick Ness previously stood. "[The point] is everything. Even to talk about it brings emotions for me," said Erick Ness'...

  • 10.8 Mile culvert replacement project nearly complete

    Liam Demko|Jul 6, 2023

    Culvert repairs at 10.8 Mile Mitkof Highway in Petersburg are planned to come to a close this Saturday. Rock-N-Road Construction—the project’s primary contractor—started the project during the last week of May, completely replacing the five-foot culvert which had been damaged by age, erosion, and corrosion. “We went in and replaced it with a seven-foot aluminum culvert, where the previous one was galvanized steel,” said project superintendent Roger Hammer. “[Galvanized steel] tends to have a c...

  • State budget allocates $2.6 million for Crystal Lake Hatchery improvements

    Liam Demko|Jun 29, 2023

    Petersburg's Crystal Lake Hatchery is set to receive $2.6 million in funding as part of the appropriations made in the State of Alaska's FY24 operating budget, which was approved by Gov. Mike Dunleavy on June 19. The appropriation will fund much needed repairs and upgrades for the hatchery's salmon raceways, a set of concrete canals which house hundreds of thousands of growing salmon and serve as their final home before being released. But before the hatchery staff can fill the raceways with...

  • Search effort conducted for missing Kake fisherman

    Liam Demko|Jun 22, 2023

    A Kake resident was reported missing Friday night after failing to return from a fishing trip, prompting a search over the weekend, according to Petersburg Fire/EMS/SAR Director Aaron Hankins. A U.S. Coast Guard press release identified the missing man as Timothy Wilson Jr., 70, last seen Friday morning departing aboard a 15-foot Lund near Pup Island. Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a relayed report from the Alaska State Troopers at 8:30 p.m., Friday, of an overdue boater. Using a cell phone...

  • Baler accepting household hazardous waste at no charge next week

    Liam Demko|Jun 15, 2023

    The Petersburg Borough's annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Event is returning at the end of this month after a three-year hiatus. The borough invites the public to deliver their materials to the baling facility on June 24-25 at no cost, encouraging community members to get hazardous substances out of their homes and disposed of in a safe manner. "COVID kind of interrupted our stride, and-you know-it's taken us a couple years to get back to where we need to be, so we fully intend to make...

  • Gregg Kowalski retires from Stedman Elementary

    Liam Demko|Jun 8, 2023

    After 22 years of teaching at Stedman Elementary School, Gregg Kowalski is heading into a whole new world of learning-retirement. Kowalski could be found packing up his classroom last Monday morning, taking down inflatable planets and Tibetan prayer flags, moving well-used couches to other classrooms, and organizing shelves full of books that he will leave for the teacher taking his place next year. "It feels surreal. It's almost like I have to invent myself again, like being born again,...

  • Gym & pool closes for summer maintenance

    Liam Demko|Jun 1, 2023

    Petersburg Parks & Recreation closed the doors to the community center Monday to begin their annual summer maintenance, which will last until June 12. The fitness court and aquatic center are both receiving several important tune-ups during the two-week period, breathing new life into the facilities and ensuring that everything runs smoothly for another year. Parks & Recreation Director Stephanie Payne said, "We have a few surprises for the weight room...that way when people come in, they do...

  • Petersburg Community Foundation awards $28,000 to local organizations

    Liam Demko, Pilot writer|May 25, 2023

    The Petersburg Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Alaska Community Foundation, presented eight grants last Saturday supporting community nonprofits. Hosted by Sue Paulsen, the event brought together volunteers, community members, and representatives from local organizations to award over $28,000 in grants. Before the grants were announced, Jeanette Ness was named as this year's recipient of the foundation's Volunteer of the Year award. Glo Wollen, who presented the award, said, "When...