Sorted by date Results 1 - 19 of 19
6 brought with it a new record snowfall on New Year's Day which has the National Weather Service in Juneau and Petersburg Borough staff worried as rain and warmer temperatures are predicted for this weekend. Saturday saw the most snowfall and highest depth ever recorded in Petersburg on January 1 of any year with 17.5 inches of new snow for a depth of 40 inches according to data collected by the NWS. It was just short of the most snowfall ever recorded on a single day in the month of January...
The emergency ordinance requiring masking inside public indoor spaces ended Monday night after the Petersburg Borough Assembly did not make a motion to extend it during Monday's meeting. It was first passed in a 6-0 vote with Mayor Mark Jensen excused at a special meeting on November 5 near the beginning of Petersburg's highest spike in COVID-19 cases. At the time of the meeting, the Petersburg Medical Center reported 63 active cases and later peaked at 97 active cases-the highest seen by...
Driving all-purpose vehicles on roads in Alaska became legal Saturday after regulation changes signed by Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James E. Cockrell and the Office of Alaska Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer last year came into effect. According to a release from the DPS, all-purpose vehicles, not including snowmachines and hovercrafts, can now be driven on roads with speed limits up to and including 45 mph unless a municipality bans their use via by ordinance. Drivers need...
January 6, 1922 The largest Masquerade Ball ever given in Petersburg was pulled off last Saturday night, New Year’s Eve, by the Sons and Daughters of Norway. Over forty couples were masked, the largest number of masqueraders who ever attended any single affair here, and the fun was fast and furious until after four o’clock on New Year’s Day. Many preparations for the enjoyment and comfort of the guests had been made by the committee in charge and the affair was most enjoyable from every standpoint. At midnight an excellent luncheon was serve...
The article on the Christmas Bird Count in last week’s paper incorrectly stated that 2021 was the first year an Anna’s hummingbird was spotted since 2011. 2011 was in fact the first year an Anna’s hummingbird was spotted in the Christmas count. Anna’s have since been spotted in multiple Christmas Bird Counts between 2011 and 2021....
I was nineteen when I first rode the M/V Columbia up to Petersburg, back in 2003, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I parked myself on the ferry's starboard side and watched the landscape grow wilder the further north we sailed. The scenery was more spectacular than anything I had ever seen: Mountains plunged into the sea and mist ribboned through forested shores. As we passed through the Wrangell Narrows the trees seemed close enough to reach out and touch. A passenger near me... Full story
Why not involve the Petersburg Harbor Board? To the Editor: My short testimony to the January 3, 2022 Assembly meeting concerning the Scow Bay project could be summed up in one sentence: “Why not involve the Petersburg Harbor Board?” voter elected members who provide guidance on harbor projects and policies. I am disappointed no one addressed my concern in the Assembly’s discussion. The Borough code specifies the Harbor Board meetings are to be called for by the Borough. Last meeting was over one year ago. John Murgas Congratulations To the Edi...
December 29 — A warning was issued for headlight requirements near the South Boat Harbor. An officer spoke to a citizen about a civil issue near Mitkof Hwy. Officers responded to a dispute about snow removal near Chief John Lott St. An officer spoke to a driver about their vehicle blocking traffic near S. 2nd St. An area-wide power outage was reported near Excel St. PMPL was notified and responded. December 30 — Officers responded to a disturbance near S. 3rd St. Sex offender registration was completed at the police department. A civil issue wa...
The Petersburg Medical Center reported five active cases of COVID-19 Tuesday evening and is currently at a moderate risk level. The Petersburg School District is currently not reporting any cases of COVID-19 on its dashboard due to the winter break. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 1,597 new cases from January 3-4 in the state, 12 new resident hospitalizations, and no deaths. 60.7% of Alaskans aged five or older are fully vaccinated while only 22.3% have received a...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed Resolution #2022-01 during Monday’s meeting which requested a formal discussion with the U.S. Postal Service about providing additional services at Petersburg’s post office. The resolution cited ongoing staffing issues at the post office, irregular hours, and long lines and asked the USPS to explore the possibilities of adding self-help kiosks in the post office and mail collection boxes downtown. The assembly failed to approve a similar resolution tha...
The Petersburg Medical Center Hospital Board heard an update from PMC leadership on how COVID-19 continues to affect hospital operations and PMC's expectation for future outbreaks during its meeting on December 30. Petersburg saw its highest number of active COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic in November, peaking with 97. There were also two COVID-19 related medevacs in the past two months according to Infection Prevention and Quality Manager Liz Bacom who said the hospital is much b...
The Petersburg Indian Association held its annual election Monday which saw four incumbents reelected and one former PIA Tribal Council member return according to the unofficial results. Cris Morrison was reelected to a one-year term as council president, winning the race unopposed with 15 votes. Five people ran for the three two-year seats up for election on the PIA Tribal Council. Incumbents Mary Ann Rainey, who has served on the council for over 10 years, and Heather Conn, who has served for three years, received the most votes with 16...
A Petersburg School Board work session set for Tuesday was pushed to January 6 at 6 p.m. because of flight delays and snow conditions according to an announcement from the Petersburg School District. The meeting’s purpose is to hold a discussion on the district’s COVID-19 Mitigation Plan before the board’s next meeting on January 11. Topics of discussion will include masking, the trialing of the test to stay protocol, and potential changes to the plan. Though there will be no public comments, board members can invite people to speak durin...
The Petersburg High School girls basketball team competed in the Clarke Cochran Tournament in Ketchikan last week to play a few more games before going up against conference teams. Only seven students traveled to the tournament, three of whom were freshmen, because of sickness and travel, but Head Coach Dino Brock said he could see the team's development on the court in each game. The Lady Vikings opened the tournament with a 41-36 loss to Valdez after going behind early and kicking it into gear...
1 members of the Petersburg High School boys basketball team traveled to Ketchikan last week to battle some of the toughest non-conference opponents in and out of the state in the Clarke Cochran Tournament. Though the teams that the Vikings went up against were not all at their level, Head Coach Rick Brock said it gave them an opportunity to get some on-court experience and get comfortable playing as a team before facing local competition. “At the beginning of the tournament, I could tell we had improved from the week before in Sitka and t...
Since 1991 the weekly Fish Factor column has highlighted Alaska’s seafood industry with its annual “Picks and Pans - a no holds barred look back at some of the year’s best and worst happenings, and my choice for the year’s biggest fish story. Here are the choices for 2021, in no particular order - Most business potential – Seaweed mariculture. The market value of U.S. seaweed is pegged at $41 billion by 2031. Driving the demand is increased use in pharmaceuticals, health supplements, as a natural thickening agent and in animal feeds. Best fish...
With the Matanuska out of service longer than expected for more repair work, and the state uncertain whether it can bring an idled ferry out of a cost-saving lay-up, the Alaska Marine Highway System is seeking bids from private vessel operators to possibly provide additional winter runs to several Southeast communities, including Wrangell. The state issued the hurried bid notice on Dec. 31, with proposals due by 2 p.m. Friday. The state also is advertising for a contractor to help it recruit and hire for the ferry system, which is short on...
Gilbert Gunderson passed away on Dec. 22, 2021. He was born June 24, 1930, in Wrangell on Shakes Island, as was his sister Nellie Torgramsen, to Margaret Shakes and Gunnar Gunderson. Their grandparents, Chief George and Mary Shakes, cared for Gilbert and Nellie until Gilbert was 5 years old, at which time Mary passed away. From there they were sent to Juneau, where their dad worked at the AJ Mine. There Gilbert started school, which didn't go well because he couldn't speak English, only Native... Full story
