Articles from the January 21, 2021 edition


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  • COVID-19 vaccine given to 350 residents

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center vaccinated about 350 residents ages 65 and older during the COVID-19 vaccine drive on Jan. 14 at the Petersburg School District community gym, according to PMC Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner at the COVID-19 community update on Jan. 15. "It felt really great immunizing so many people in our community and getting that first step to having a safer community and decreasing the risk for people to become ill and hospitalized or worse with COVID," said Bryner. Coupled wit...

  • Devil's Thumb peak

    Jan 21, 2021

    The clouds parted on Wednesday, allowing the sun to shine down on Devil's Thumb and presenting a clear view of the mountain....

  • Tonka Mountain slide poses low risk

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    A portion of Tonka Mountain was stripped down to the bedrock in a landslide on Nov. 1, as a result of heavy rainfall and soil saturation, according to District Ranger Ted Sandhofer, with the United States Forest Service. The normal amount of rainfall over Petersburg for Nov. 1 is .48 inches, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration but on Nov. 1, 2020, 4.17 inches fell. The above average rainfall led to increased soil saturation on Tonka Mountain and ultimately the...

  • Department of Environmental Conservation to test harbor water quality

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    During a discussion on the possibility of testing the water quality in the Petersburg Harbor at the Borough Assembly meeting on Tuesday, Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said the Department of Environmental Conservation is already scheduled to come to town this summer to do just that. Mayor Mark Jensen said he and other mayors in Southeast Alaska lobbied Sen. Bert Stedman to pass legislation that would test the water quality of the region's aquatic traffic lanes. He said fishermen were complaini...

  • Bright moon rising

    Jan 21, 2021

    The rising sun on Dec. 31 illuminates the moon as it sets behind the White Alice Tower....

  • Yesterday's News

    Jan 21, 2021

    January 21, 1921 Bishop Crimont returned from a trip to Petersburg on the steamer Jefferson, which arrived in port Thursday. He said that business conditions in Petersburg were excellent and that he believed “it was the richest little city of its size in the United States.” A Catholic Church will be built in Petersburg. Bishop Crimont, made arrangements and work will be started soon. January 18, 1946 If you notice a shiny, tin can on the counter of the store, or in fact, any business establishment, where you make your next purchase, let it rem...

  • PMC gets OK to apply for second PPP loan

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    The Petersburg Borough gave the Petersburg Medical Center permission to apply for a second Paycheck Protection Program loan totaling $1.8 million at their meeting on Tuesday evening through emergency ordinance #2021-02. PMC applied and received a loan of the same amount in April through the Small Business Administration. Businesses that received a PPP loan had the opportunity to have the loan forgiven if the money was spent on certain expenses like payroll and rent. PMC had its loan forgiven in...

  • EOC identifies local spread of virus

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    The Petersburg Emergency Operations Center is reporting eight active cases of COVID-19 in town as of Wednesday afternoon after positive test results reached as high as 11 on Jan. 16. At the COVID-19 community update on Jan. 15, Incident Commander Karl Hagerman said despite the recent spike in cases, he didn't see a great risk of the virus spreading. "The cases we are seeing have either done a good job of isolating or they're clusters within the same household," said Hagerman. "I'm feeling pretty...

  • To the Editor

    Jan 21, 2021

    Rollercoaster of emotions To the Editor: Last week was one of many different emotions for me. First was the excitement I felt after a phone call where I was directed to show up at 11:50 for a vaccine which I thought was at least several more weeks away. But "don't come before 11:45." Hmmm, okay. Upon arriving and seeing the very full parking lot I defaulted to my skeptical self, "This should be fun." Bam, was I surprised. I was transported back to scenes from boot camp but without the yelling an...

  • Editorial: A job well done

    Ron Loesch Publisher|Jan 21, 2021

    We applaud the work of the entire Petersburg Medical Center staff and everyone that worked with them to get over 350 COVID vaccinations into the arms of residents last Thursday. The vaccination effort was a seamless, speedy and efficient undertaking that should be copied by any community providing mass vaccination clinics for their citizens. No doubt the process will become even more streamlined as additional vaccine doses are delivered and administered in the coming months. This is proof once...

  • PVFD trace minor structure fire to in floor heating

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 600 block of N. Nordic Dr. Tuesday morning at about 7 A.M., according to PVFD Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. Fifteen volunteers responded to a house on OBI Seafoods property near their bunkhouse on PFI Hill that was filled with heavy smoke. The source of the smoke was coming from under a couch in the center of the room, said Berg. Volunteers flipped the couch over expecting to find a burning cigarette or another...

  • Police report

    Jan 21, 2021

    January 13— A motor vehicle accident occurred at the two mile mark of Mitkof Highway. Suspicious activity was observed at Sandy Beach Park January 14— A structure fire was reported at a location on N. 3rd St. A motor vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of 1st St. and Gjoa St. Authorities responded to a duress alarm at a location on N. Nordic Dr. January 15— Jeff Meucci was given a warning for violating the Petersburg Borough’s face masking mandate at the Parks and Recreation Center. An assault was reported at South Boat Harbor. Januar...

  • Court report

    Jan 21, 2021

    Dec. 30 – Christopher W. Miller was arraigned on charges of driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked. After accepting the defendant’s guilty plea the court entered a judgment of a $100 fine, $20 surcharge and ordered the defendant not to drive until licensed and insured. The court granted temporary third party custodianship for Kazmira Manske and ordered the defendant to abide by all conditions set in pending cases. Dec. 31 – Marsha Fernandez entered not guilty pleas to charges of two counts of assault 3rd, assault 4th, reckless drivi...

  • PSD budget revision reflects low student count

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    The Petersburg School Board approved a winter revision to the fiscal year 2021 budget that addresses changes in funding and needs mainly due to a decrease in enrollment and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Petersburg School District projected an enrollment of 470 students across all three schools in the district in the 2020-2021 school year, according to Finance Director Karen Morrison; however, there are only 426 students currently enrolled with the school district. That's an 8.83 percent decrease...

  • PIA plans $800,000 transit building

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    Petersburg Indian Association unveiled plans to build a $800,000 multi-purpose transit building at the corner of 12th St. and Howkan St. across from their current location at a Transportation Priority Update meeting on Tuesday. The multi-purpose transit facility and parking lot will be used as a carport to store PIA transit related equipment, provide an indoor workspace to maintain equipment and add additional parking for PIA staff and tenants. The design of the facility is slated to take place...

  • Single biggest hit to fishermen from Covid-19 virus is lower dock prices, according to Alaska and West Coast harvesters

    Laine Welch|Jan 21, 2021

    The single biggest hit to fishermen from the Covid-19 virus is lower dock prices, according to Alaska and West Coast harvesters, and 98% said their businesses have been badly bashed by the pandemic. That's based on survey results compiled by Ocean Strategies, a public relations firm that focuses on fisheries that helped profile the Pacific region for a larger federal study. Nearly 400 fishermen responded to the short, confidential survey launched last November, said senior consultant Hannah...

  • PHS basketball begins a late season

    Brian Varela|Jan 21, 2021

    After a late start to the basketball season following uncertainty around the pandemic in Alaska, the basketball players at Petersburg High School were finally able to return to the court on Jan. 11. Coaches Rick and Dino Brock said both teams are unfazed by COVID-19 protocols in place and are just happy to be playing the sport again. "We're making the best of it," said Rick. "We're happy to be back in the gym. It's good for the kids. They want to play. They're excited to be there and be able to...