Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
A new audio system is being installed in the Assembly Chambers this week, which Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson said will improve remote assembly meetings and open the door to in-person meetings on a limited basis. The Borough Assembly approved resolution #2020-18 at their Oct. 20 meeting that was a sole source contract to Chariot Group for the design and installation of a new multimedia audio system. The new system cost $39,970 and was paid for with the borough's Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and...
About 100 residents gathered in front of the Trading Union on Jan. 24 for the second annual local March for Life event, according to organizers Tim Wilkinson and Kurt Wohlhueter. As the group marched towards the Municipal Building, they held and waved signs in support of their belief that life begins at conception. At two intersections the crowd came to a stop and prayed. Wilkinson led the prayer at the intersection of N. Nordic Dr. and Excel St., while Don Bieber gathered the group together...
Two active cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in town this week, according to the Emergency Operations Center. The first case was identified on Monday after an incoming traveler had a tested sample collected at the Petersburg Airport, which later came back positive for the virus, according to a joint press release between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The individual had been in quarantine since arriving in Petersburg, and the EOC had determined the case presented a...
February 4, 1921 At the meeting of the stockholders of the Petersburg Hospital Association held on Wednesday night three new directors were elected and a ladies auxiliary board consisting of five women was appointed to have charge of the institution for the coming year. Chris Tvesten, J.R. Bender and Andrew Wikan were elected as the new members of the board. The ladies auxiliary which will work in conjunction with the board in the interests of the institution will consist of Mrs. Peter Peterson, Mrs. Pansy Elsemore, Mrs. Hans Wick, Mrs. K.L....
Excavation has begun for an affordable housing complex that is to be built on Excel St., which will make one-bedroom apartments available to residents making 30 percent or less of the local median income. Glenn Gellert of Swell, LLC, the real estate development company building the complex, said the COVID-19 pandemic and a shake up of its contractors has postponed the project. He said he hopes to begin renting units by Jan. 1, 2022. "Once we had all our ducks in a row, we were ready to go,"...
A special Borough Assembly meeting to transfer employment of Petersburg Airport greeters and screeners to Petersburg Medical Center was cancelled on Jan. 29 following input from borough staff. The Petersburg Municipal Employees Association allows the borough to hire temporary employees for up to six months, but some of the temporary borough employees greeting and screening incoming passengers at the airport passed that six month mark in early December, said Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson. At the...
The governor had a chance to talk honestly about taxes when he announced his 10-year budget plan last month. He had a second chance Jan. 28 with his State of the State speech. Sadly, he failed both times. The governor's 10-year fiscal plan acknowledges there will be a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget 18 months from now. That's equal to more than 20% of public services and Permanent Fund dividends the next year. And that's after spending down the state's savings for much of the past 30...
Show support for Ted To the Editor: I am surprised and disappointed in the response your community has shown to a go fund me page put up for Ted Smith. My son Dan wanted to start the Go Fund Me page to allow people to show Ted support and a way of saying thanks for all he has done over the years for your community and State. There are countless times when he had AK Fuel that he opened the dock after hours, weekends and holidays to fuel boats. He never left you without heating oil even if you...
On Jan 29 the EOC used the CodeRED system to encourage residents who are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to sign up on the Petersburg Medical Center's waiting list. "Coordinating the vaccine implementation is one of the most important things we can do to beat the virus and getting the word out to make this happen is critical," according to the Borough's website statement. The use of the CodeRed system in this case, was wrong. Use of this emergency notification tool last Friday was...
Petersburg Medical Center continues to see lower than expected inpatient, outpatient and long term care resident income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but $2.2 million in grants is making up for the loss, according to PMC Controller Rocio Tejera at the PMC Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 28. Halfway through the 2021 fiscal year on Dec. 31, PMC had a total gross patient revenue of $1,370,614, which was 4.4 percent lower than budgeted, according to PMC financial statements. Year to...
January 27— Suspicious activity was reported at the 2.5 mile mark of Mitkof Highway and at a location on Airport Access Rd. Authorities responded to a hit and run at a location on Sandy Beach Rd. January 28— Two vehicles at locations on Lumber St. and 1st St. were impounded. Suspicious activity was observed at a location on S. 2nd St. A driver was issued a warning at South Boat Harbor for brake light requirements. January 29— Two drivers were warned for extinguished tail lights. A trespassing notice was serviced at a location on Skylark Way....
Petersburg Medical Center hired a total of 58 employees in 2020 but lost 29 staff members in the same time frame, according to Human Resources Director Cynthia Newman at the PMC Board of Director meeting on Jan. 28. "It appears there has been a lot of movement coming in and out of the hospital personnel wise," said PMC Board President Jerod Cook. Of the 58 employees hired, 26 were emergency hires to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight hospital screeners, six airport screeners and eight...
The Petersburg High School boys basketball team traveled to Wrangell on Jan. 29 to play the Wolves for their homecoming weekend in the first two games of the season, and came back with one win and one loss. The first game was held Friday evening and was filled with excitement as the Vikings were back on the court to play an opposing team for the first time since early March 2020. Head Coach Rick Brock said both teams fought hard, but the Vikings made quite a bit of mistakes and missed makeable...
A 2020 audit of the Alaska Region timber sales program by the Forest Service Financial Compliance & Oversight Branch of the United States Department of Agriculture concluded that two timber contracts in the Tongass National Forest had been mismanaged. According to the audit, the timber sale cruising, appraisal, sale preparation and contracting program for the Big Thorne Stewardship Contract (BTSC) and the Kosciusko Good Neighbor Authority Agreement (KGNAA) weren’t always managed in accordance w...
Pacific halibut harvesters got some rare good news last week: increased catches in 2021 along with a longer fishing season. At its annual meeting that ended on January 25, the International Pacific Halibut Commission boosted the coastwide removals for 2021to 39 million pounds, a 6.53% increase over last year. It includes halibut taken in commercial, sport, subsistence, research, personal use and as bycatch for fisheries of the West Coast, British Columbia and Alaska. A total of 278 individual Pacific halibut stakeholders attended the meeting...
Below freezing temperatures created the perfect race track for ice skaters at Falls Creek in late January. (Above) From left to right: Emilia Anderson, Bella Millet and Bareal Lutton....
Cruise ships are expected to make 85 port calls in Petersburg between May 11 and Sept. 18, according to the current 2021 Petersburg cruise ship schedule. Following the cancelled ports of call in Petersburg and Alaska last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dave Berg said tourists are eager to make their way back up to America's Last Frontier. "We're getting lots of calls from people who want to visit Alaska on ferries or with tours," said Berg, who cofounded Viking Travel. "The number...
Several Coast Guard personnel will be in Petersburg Feb. 8 - 11 to conduct dockside safety exams on commercial fishing vessels. Sign up at the harbormaster’s office for the free exams. Vessels passing their exam will be issued a decal that is good for two years. Prior to the exam, visit www.fishsafewest.info, to create a customized checklist of federal requirements for the vessel. Contact Jim Paul at (907) 617 2523 with questions....
PMC Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the Jan. 29 COVID-19 community update the state has allocated 150 doses for the month, but PMC will also receive doses from the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium. She also confirmed the day of the next community COVID-19 vaccine clinic, which will take place on Feb. 5 at the Parks and Recreation community gym. The upcoming vaccine clinic will focus on residents 65 years old and older, but Bryner encouraged anyone who wants to be vaccinate...
One positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in the community and is travel related, according to a joint press release between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center on Monday. The individual tested positive for the virus upon landing at the Petersburg Airport. The traveler has been in quarantine since arriving in Petersburg and poses a low risk of transmission to the community, according to the press release. The recent positive case of COVID-19 marks the first in town in over a week following an outbreak in January. It is... Full story
A pre-hire employee for the 2021 tanner and golden king crab season at OBI Seafoods has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The individual tested positive during the cannery’s asymptomatic testing of all incoming employees, according to a press release from OBI Seafoods. The person is currently asymptomatic and is in isolation. Employees that may have come into contact with the infected individual have b... Full story
