Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 163
In January, a newly-installed barbershop pole light turned on outside of Spruce Frisør, a walk-in barbershop that opened for business in downtown Petersburg. Carrie Martinsen, the owner and sole barber at Spruce Frisør, intends to keep her barbering business simple for both herself and clients in the community. "I've been doing this long enough that ... I just want simple and fun," she said. Martinsen has worked with hair "in some capacity or another" for nearly 30 years. "When I went to hair s...
In 2015, a deadly landslide occurred in Sitka. Anxiety swept the community as a result, and the frequent heavy rainfall typical for Southeast Alaska became a source of fear for many Sitkans left questioning when the next disaster would strike - and wondering what they could do to keep the citizens of the city safe. In response to the concerns, the Sitka Sound Science Center organized a volunteer team of geologic and climate experts from across the country. For over a year, the group met...
The Petersburg Indian Association is seeking to hire a tribal administrator after Chad Wright stepped down from the role last week. Wright submitted his resignation on Jan. 10, the date when the PIA annual tribal council election was canvassed, electing four challengers running on a united ticket. During the election campaign, policy decisions made by Wright became a subject of criticism. The four challengers campaigned to improve communication and transparency in the tribal government and won...
The U.S. Forest Service approved six new recreational cabin sites in the Petersburg and Wrangell Ranger Districts for development in a final decision notice signed on Jan. 17, 2024. Out of eight potential sites proposed in the October 2023 draft decision, the final decision approved all three sites in the Petersburg district -Keex' Kwáan, Blind Slough and Woodpecker Cove Road- and three of five sites in Wrangell district - Fools Pass, Little Lakes and Mustang Lake. The USFS has already...
The Medicare reimbursement program for Critical Access Hospitals was a key topic at the Petersburg Medical Center Hospital Board and Petersburg Borough Assembly annual work session on Jan. 30. PMC is a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) — the designation was created by Congress in the late 1990s to reduce the financial vulnerability of smaller hospitals in isolated rural communities. Facilities that are recognized as critical access hospitals must meet certain qualifying criteria, and they get to participate in a beneficial Medicare r...
Robyn Taylor spent the first six years of her career in the Alaska education system teaching in Petersburg, and the next 18 years elsewhere in the state as an administrator. Currently on year 24, Taylor is excited to return to the Petersburg School District as the next superintendent, in place of Erica Klut-Painter who will depart from the role at the end of this school year. "I'm just so appreciative of the opportunity," Taylor said. "Right timing, right place." Originally from Idaho, Taylor...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved to send a letter to Gov. Dunleavy asking that a fisheries disaster be declared for four fisheries in Southeast Alaska, citing low abundance and financial hardship. If a disaster is declared, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission would distribute funds to applicants to provide relief. For fishing seasons from 2018 through 2022, disaster declarations were issued for 14 fisheries off the interior coast for salmon, red king crab, Tanner crab and cod, according to the letter. Now, the...
The Petersburg Police Department released its annual report for 2023, reflecting a continued trend of low crime in Petersburg. Compared to 2022, last year resulted in increased jail time and bookings, dispatch calls for service, charged offenses, arrests, and total calls for service. However, most of those 2023 totals are still lower when compared to 2018 through 2021. In the overall picture, the low crime rate in Petersburg continued in 2023 after the five-year-low seen in 2022. PPD Chief Jim Kerr attributes this outcome to invested police...
When Scott Roberge was in college, he made his way to Petersburg in the late 70s and worked at the cannery, then Icicle Seafoods, with a friend. With a beat up, old aluminum canoe and a couple of days off from work, the pair of pals paddled out from Petersburg and made their way to LeConte Glacier. "It was incredible - to be that close and really immersed into it," Scott recalled. "I love being out there. I didn't want a nine to five job." They camped, something Scott loves to do, in a couple...
Tribal members cast over 100 ballots in the annual Petersburg Indian Association election held on Monday - a voter turnout around four times higher than last year. Four candidates challenged council incumbents for seats, running on a united ticket and winning the race by a large margin according to the unofficial election results. Debra O'Gara received 74 votes and will be the new council president, serving a one-year term. Incumbent president Cris Morrison received 33 votes. When the vote for...
In Sitka, an academic institution called Outer Coast is expanding into a two-year college - marking a major milestone for both the institution and higher education offerings in Alaska. For the last handful of years in operation, Outer Coast has offered post-secondary and gap year programs for highschool graduates, as well as summer seminars for high school students to earn college credit. While the year-long academic year programs and summer seminars cultivated Outer Coast's values and... Full story
The 2024 commercial Tanner crab and golden king crab season in Southeast opens Feb. 17 at noon, and the registration deadline for both fisheries is Jan. 18. For the 2024 golden king crab season, fishermen will be required to call-in to the department every single day. Mandatory call-ins the day before to state what management area they plan to fish in is new this year, beginning Feb. 16. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced the guideline harvest level (GHL) in Registration...
The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority recently sold a prized lot at the mouth of Blind Slough near Blind River Rapids in the Trust's Fall Land Sale Auction. The Lot 37 parcel is located at a popular recreation site for sport fishing about 14 miles south of downtown Petersburg. It is one of the many properties on Mitkof Island that the Trust Land Office plans to sell by 2025. In response to what the Trust's plans are for selling the dozens of lots near the mouth of Blind Slough, Allison...
On Tuesday the borough assembly reviewed capital projects needs in Petersburg. Out of 81 requested capital projects across the borough, new and continued, 11 ranked top priority for state funding. The top two priorities are continuing projects for the Petersburg Medical Center replacement. The first is for Phase 4, Main Hospital Construction, seeking $37 million in funding to cover the cost in full. The second is for Phase 5, Main Hospital Interior Build out, seeking $30 million. Hospital project Phases 1 through 3, in the amount of $29...
Trekking up the harbor ramp as the sun set at North Harbor, scores of film production crew members geared up to their chins and strapped with various pieces of equipment made their way back to the Tides Inn after a long day at Little Duncan Bay. A Netflix reality television show called "Outlast" recently filmed its second season on National Forest System lands in the Petersburg Ranger District, around Little Duncan Bay on Kupreanof Island. The series follows 16 individuals as they "survive off...
In January The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously voted to award the construction contract for the Blind Slough Hydroelectric refurbishment project to McG/Dawson Joint Venture for an amount not to exceed $5,744,000. The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved an ordinance in its first reading that would rezone a lot located at 10 N. 12th Street for commercial use. The rezoning was requested by the Petersburg Indian Association ahead of their prospective purchase of the lot, which h...
Student enrollment in Petersburg School District increased beyond initial expectations, providing a boost in revenues. Student enrollment in PSD increased by 39.1, bringing enrollment to a student count of 469.1. State funding for PSD increased by $1,162,300, arriving at a total of $7,198,073. The State of Alaska funds school districts based on the number of students enrolled, known as the Base Student Allocation (BSA). There is a state-mandated 20-day student count period in October that establishes a district’s enrollment number as something...
The Cedar Social Club opened Dec. 11 as Petersburg’s first adult day program. This four-hour day program provides personal care, social activity and meal service in a homelike environment for adults who could benefit from spending time in a safe space with trained staff and licensed nurses. “Right now, we’re really at the ground zero. We are building this and creating it,” said Home Health Clinical Manager Kirsten Testoni. “We need to tailor it to everybody’s likes and wants…” While serving as an alternative to assisted living or long-term ca...
On Dec. 12, the Petersburg Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously agreed to recommend the sale of borough-owned tidelands property to Island Refrigeration, LLC. The property -Lease Parcel B and the Port Authority Storage Area- is located off Dock Street, behind Wikan Enterprises and the U.S. Coast Guard, and is approximately 35 thousand square-feet; it is currently used for storage. If sold, the proposed use of the land as stated in the application is to "establish a marine refrigeration...
Sandy Beach will be fired up for the holidays this Saturday, Dec. 16, when the first ever Jingle & Mingle event —facilitated through the Parks & Recreation department— will take place at shelters one and two from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Several Petersburg Borough departments will pitch in for an evening of s’mores, music, good company and a special appearance from a certain jolly someone. Attendees from the Petersburg community can look forward to “the camaraderie” of gathering together around the various fires during the event, “seeing people just c...
On Dec. 16, local avian enthusiasts will set out on a quest — not to hunt birds, but to count them as participants in the National Audubon Society’s 124th Christmas Bird Count. The nationwide Christmas Bird Count event is a coordinated citizen science data collection effort that Petersburg started participating in around 1988. “There used to be a custom in the United States of going out on Christmas day and seeing how many birds you could shoot,” said Brad Hunter, who coordinates the local effort on Mitkof Island. “And this was started [...
The Petersburg School District recently enhanced security measures at Stedman Elementary, Mitkof Middle School and Petersburg High School. As of Nov. 27, the front doors of PHS and MMS lock after classes begin at 8:05 a.m. Doorbells with cameras and an intercom system are installed on the front doors, alongside signage to clearly direct people who may try to access the building. Office staff can now see who is ringing the doorbell, which allows them to assess and approve people before allowing them to enter for better security. During the Nov....
PIA is planning to create more housing in Petersburg by constructing residential rental units for both tribal and non-tribal members. The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously agreed to move forward with PIA's application to purchase 7.88 acres of borough-owned land located on N. 8th Street beside the Mort Fryer Ball Field Park during a meeting on Dec. 4, approving for the Borough Manager to negotiate directly with PIA. The area in question is part of a larger piece of property (US Survey 1168...
The community gymnasium in Hoonah was the venue chosen to host a Koo.éex' for four members of the Tlingit tribe Raven moiety T'akdeintaan (Sea Pigeon) clan who had died during the past few years. Around 400 Tlingit tribal members traveled to the T'akdeintaan home village in early November for what Will Ware describes as a "payoff party" and an opportunity to "acknowledge and recognize our opposites." In the matrilineal Tlingit culture, individuals are born into one of two moieties, either... Full story
During October's hospital board meeting, program facilitators presented a review of the PMC Youth Programs under the Petersburg Medical Center community wellness department - primarily highlighting Kinder Skog's past year as a PMC pilot program. The outdoor-based childcare program transitioned from operating under Petersburg Lutheran Church's Good Beginnings Preschool to PMC in August 2022 after the hospital board agreed earlier that year to establish a pilot childcare program in the Community W...
