Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 304
Petersburg and Wrangell's representative of the Thomas Bay Power Commission (TBPC) met Tuesday morning via teleconference to discuss the commission's future role. The TPBC is the acting body for the Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) that was responsible for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Tyee Hydroelectric Plant, providing power to Wrangell and Petersburg. Last May the Petersburg Assembly voted not to fund its share of a portion of the TBPA's budget, called the non-net billable, after discussions about whether or not the agency...
Mark Weaver, 59, was indicted by a Grand Jury in U.S. District Court on two counts of Possession of Unregistered Destructive Devices in conjunction with an explosion at the Petersburg rock quarry July 13. He was arrested Aug. 27 in Tacoma, Wash. According to court documents, “Weaver did knowingly possess a destructive device which was not registered to him.” The document also states that Weaver possessed seven hand grenades, which were also unregistered. The prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini said, “The first device (in count... Full story
Seventeen runners, including two teams of two, and four walkers participated in Petersburg's first ever Rainforest Run half marathon on Labor Day. The sounding of a conch shell marked the start of the race as runners took off along the 13.1-mile course that wound through the eastern end of the island and ended at Sandy Beach Park. Runners followed tiled mile markers custom-made by Emil Tucker and Carin Christensen and received encouragement, along with water, from volunteers and supporters at ai... Full story
Lee's Clothing has had a main street presence for decades. In fact, owner Roxy Lee and her daughters and store managers Cynthia Lee Mathisen and Heidi Lee are celebrating 45 years of business this month. In the early days Lee's was a working man's store. Roxy outfitted loggers and fishermen and the high-school-aged boys in town. Lee's has since grown into a main street staple outfitting for fashion and function. The story of the store and the Lee's family who run it parallels the story of the... Full story
The Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) hospital board meeting last week covered many topics, several of which revolved around financials as the center received their annual audit and a financial report indicating a break-even year for the fiscal year ending June 30. One new cost also came to the fore as Maintenance Director Mike Boggs reported the fuel oil boiler—one of two boilers used to heat the facility— has a leak and needs to be retubed. However, due to the cost to repair and maintain the old boiler, an estimated $37,900, and fuel costs to...
Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) board members unanimously approved a resolution supporting the establishment of a Level IV trauma center. Members of the Trauma Committee at PMC will now pursue the designation given by the Alaska Division of Public Health in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ASCOT). Trauma designations range from Level I, which has the greatest number of requirements, to Level IV, which has the least. Level IV centers are typically granted to rural facilities that evaluate and assess...
The 7th annual Rainforest Festival kicks off next week. There are many highlights this year including a portable planetarium for viewing a projection of the night sky indoors and the first ever Rain Forest Run half marathon. The Rain Forest Run half marathon, a 13.1 mile run or walk, will be the first event of the festival. The run will be held on Labor Day, Sept.1, on a course beginning at central Mitkof Island and ending at Sandy Beach Park. "The event was organized by local runners eager for... Full story
The Drive Down dock project is on schedule and workers are driving piling and assembling steel components this month. The three-phase project is well into the second phase now, which includes building a pile-supported open grate approach dock, a heavy duty vehicle transfer bridge and a drive down float at the facility located near Community Cold Storage just south of the South Harbor. Those in town may have heard the sounds of the pile driving work in recent weeks, but work on the facility's... Full story
Police apprehended one suspect and are investigating two others in conjunction with the burglary of a Petersburg home last Tuesday. Officers arrived on the scene after a neighbor reported two individuals breaking into an E. Lansing Street home, according to a Police Department press release. “The officers went in the front door of the residence after being called by neighbors and the suspects ran out the back,” Police Chief Kelly Swihart said. One suspect, 23-year-old David Estes, was arrested after a brief foot pursuit that resulted in a min...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a motion to send a letter to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) urging them to elevate the federal assessment for the KSM (Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell) mine project to the panel review level at their meeting Aug. 18. The assembly's move to send the letter urging the more stringent review process for the mine is one of many in a string of local and state governments calling for similar action. The KSM mine is currently in the environmental assessment pre-application process....
Efforts by the Canadian agency Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to relocate salmon across a barrier created by a landslide in late May are helping sockeye salmon reach escapement goals. DFO began relocating sockeye and Chinook salmon via helicopter across the barrier in early July. As of July 20, nearly 4,000 sockeye and over 1,000 large Chinook salmon were successfully transported over the slide area and released into the upper Tahltan River. Water levels in the Tahtan River had receded by the end of July making it possible for “a s...
There is still time to register for one of the 18 remaining candidate positions before the deadline Tuesday. There are 37 positions total to fill on the Oct. 7 ballot. There have been no new filings for Borough Assembly since last week. Two 2-year terms and two 3-year terms remain without candidates. For the school board there are three vacancies—a 3-year term, a 2-year term and a 1-year term. As of Wednesday, no one had filed for the board seats, said Petersburg Borough Clerk Kathy O’Rear. Since last week, Chris Fry has filed for a 3-year ter... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously voted at Monday's meeting to send a letter to the Petersburg Mental Health Land Trust asking them to postpone the sale of three land parcels near Papke's Landing. Assembly member Bob Lynn brought the motion to the assembly after being approached by a number of residents, he said. "My motion would be a letter to Mental Health Trust asking to hold off on the sale of lots 5, 6 and 7 at this time. And I would also ask that we put into the letter that we... Full story
Representatives from the Alaska Department of Transportation (ADOT&PF) gave a public presentation on their long-range transportation plan for Southeast Alaska last Wednesday. The presentation was followed by a public comment period, which centered largely on ferry service and the Kake Access project. ADOT&PF's draft Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (SATP) is a 20-year plan for the region which recommends projects for roadways, airports and ferry service. Regional trends, current priorities and projects, as well as maintenance costs and... Full story
The primary election wrapped up Tuesday evening and Petersburg voters aligned with the state in all but two contests. The biggest difference between state and local voters was seen in Measure No. 1. Statewide the contest was close, with a "no" vote garnering 52 percent and a "yes" vote 48 percent. Locally, Petersburg residers voted 68 percent "yes." A "yes" vote would have repealed Senate Bill 21 and reverted to the previous ACES system. The "no" vote keeps the Senate Bill 21. Among other...
The assembly voted unanimously in favor of a motion to change the wording in their letter to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in support of the North End Ferry Authority's Rainforest Islands Ferry using a Petersburg launch point. The assembly had previously voted to support the North End Ferry Authority in using the Banana Point launch ramp as an interim ferry terminal for the Rainforest Island Ferry. At Monday's meeting the assembly voted to change the wording to say they support the use of Olsen's log dump or the South Mitkof Ferry...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly met Monday evening and approved several ordinances and motions. The assembly unanimously approved on the third and final reading the ordinance to increase and restructure electric rates. Mayor Mark Jensen was not present at the first two readings of the ordinance and asked Power and Light Superintendent Joe Nelson to clarify whether the rate increase sought to cover depreciation, build reserves or keep the department balanced. Nelson said the money from the increased rate will be used to cover some of the...
The Borough Assembly voted unanimously to accept the bid award from Northwood Sand and Gravel to furnish 1000 tons of 3/8"-minus traction sand to the Public Works Department. Public Works Director Karl Hagerman recommended the company's low bid of $36 per ton with a total expenditure of $36,000. The funding for the material was already budgeted by the department. Two bids were received, with Ketchikan Ready Mix bidding $40 per ton. Northwood Sand and Gravel is owned by Steve Nelson and operated out of the Thomas Bay area....
Juneau Superior Court Judge Louis J. Menendez denied the City and Borough of Juneau's (CBJ) motion for a stay pending appeal. CBJ appealed the Local Boundary Commission's decision on the northern boundary of the Petersburg Borough in October 2012. According to the court order issued by Judge Menendez, "CBJ requests a stay because: (1) a stay would prevent harm to Petersburg which has intimated expenditure of resources in the disputed land area; and (2) CBJ believes it has a likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal." Judge Menendez...
A week and a half remains for interested parties to file for candidacy to sit on the Petersburg Borough Assembly or serve as a member of multiple advisory boards. The following is the status of positions as of Fri., August 8 according to Borough Clerk Kathy O'Rear: Incumbent Jeigh Stanton Gregor will run for one of the 2-year terms for the Borough Assembly. Three open positions on the Borough Assembly have not yet received candidate filings— two 3-year terms and one 2-year term. Assembly members Stanton Gregor, Kurt Wohlhueter, Bob Lynn, and C... Full story
There has been an ebb and flow of boats in the harbor as the summer salmon season presses on. The Southeast drift gillnet fishery opened on July 6 with the challenge of overcoming a landslide on the Tahltan River in late May that caused a barrier to salmon passage. The Tahltan is a tributary of the Stikine and a major contributor to the Southeast gillnet fishery for sockeye, and the landslide there was thought to have caused a complete blockage to salmon passage, said Troy Thynes, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) biologist. To address... Full story
Even to those well adjusted to Petersburg weather, the downpour of rain in the past weeks hasn't gone without notice. So far two days this month have set new precipitation records. National Weather Service data showed some 1.97 inches of rain fell on Petersburg last Saturday and 3.25 inches fell on Sunday, breaking previous precipitation records for those respective days in August. The normal average rainfall for each day is 0.20 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The all time...
Representatives from the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) visited Petersburg last weekend, toured local art-related businesses and organizations and met with stakeholders about the role of the arts in the local community and economy. Laura Forbes, ASCA's art education program director, and Shannon Daut, the executive director, were on hand Sunday for their first meeting in Petersburg to discuss the programs and support ASCA has to offer as well as to learn more about the needs of the community. “We at the state arts council are e...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved, on second reading, an ordinance that increases electric rates during the next two years. Before assembly members voted on the ordinance, Patrick Wilson, Petersburg Fisheries (PFI) plant manager, spoke before the assembly to request that the electric rates stay consistent with past year's schedules. Wilson said that even though the percent increase represents a small dollar amount, the increased cost will make PFI less competitive in an increasingly competitive industry. "It (the new rate... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed six measures related to proposed sales tax changes which will appear on the Oct. 7 ballot. Four of the measures relate to the senior sales tax exemption, which exempts local residents more than 65 years old from paying the borough's six percent sales tax. One measure would establish December 31, 2019, as a sunset date when the exemption card would no longer be issued. However, those who already receive the exemption would continue to do so. As in past readings of the ordinance, assembly members Cindi Lagou... Full story
