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The Petersburg borough assembly on Monday was nearly split when it voted in favor of a plan to reorganize the electric utility and public works department. The assembly, voting 4-3 in the first reading each time, moved forward with six ordinances needed to shake up the electric utility and public works department. The reorganization, proposed last May by the borough manager, is to make the current public works director the electric utility director, a plan chosen in favor of hiring a superintendent. The utility director would also oversee...
The Petersburg Chamber of Commerce voted Thursday to cancel this year's salmon derby, saying it would be irresponsible to compete in a time with such depleted salmon stocks. The chamber voted on Thursday to cancel the Memorial Day weekend salmon derby in Petersburg this year. The decision was made after the Alaska Department Fish and Game closed District 8 and part of District 7, a popular derby hole, for May, June and half of July, said Patrick Fowler, a local sport fish area biologist with the...
The Borough assembly at a meeting on Monday heard public comment on an ordinance that would impose a fee on senior sales tax exemption card applicants, after which the council approved it in its second reading. And the marine passenger fee has a new name. John Havrilek was the first to offer support for charging $100 annually to those who apply for a senior sales tax exemption card. Havrilek would prefer the charge be higher, and the whole sales exemption program be phased out. The fee, as...
A Petersburg boat hauler has been recommended by two borough boards for approval to self-fund a ramp at the Scow Bay Turnaround, leaving it up to the clerk and assembly to give final say once again. John Murgas, owner of Island Ventures LLC, is going to the assembly a second time with a request to build a temporary boat ramp at Scow Bay. This time he’s coming with a lease application that’s endorsed by the planning commission and harbor board. The borough clerk will review the application before it can be put before the assembly. In Jan...
(Juneau) — Hunting seasons for Sitka black-tailed deer have closed. Hunters who obtained deer harvest tickets, including those who did not hunt or harvest deer, must return completed hunt reports to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Hunters who have not yet submitted hunt reports should do so immediately by mail, in person at a Fish and Game office, or online at http://hunt.alaska.gov. Information provided in hunt reports helps biologists monitor deer populations and estimate changes in area-specific harvest and hunting effort, and p...
The former Petersburg Municipal Power and Light superintendent addressed the assembly on Monday to offer an experienced perspective on the borough’s plan to reorganize the electric utility and public works department, and why he opposes it. Joe Nelson, who was the electrical superintendent in Petersburg for about 14 years until he retired last summer, said he wanted to clarify a few things after a special meeting on Friday. The meeting was to discuss the borough manager’s plan to reorganize the electrical departments -- a plan that has gai...
Experience always matters Despite the borough assembly vote, I strongly support advertising for a successor for Joe Nelson, PMP&L’s former electrical superintendent. The demands from an ever-expanding residential/business/tourism customer base, plus SEAPA/Crystal Lake hydro are too important to relegate to a 1/2-time Public Works-PMP&L reorganization scenario. Relevant technical experience always matters. Suzanne Wood...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Marijuana tax revenue in Alaska fell for the second straight month in December, though a state tax auditor says the slide may be short lived. The state says it collected about $784,000 in marijuana tax revenue in December. That compares to about $869,000 in November and about $920,000 in October, which is the most that has been collected in a single month since the collection of marijuana taxes from state-licensed businesses began in October 2016. The tax is imposed when marijuana is sold or transferred from a marijuana c...
Feb. 1 — Officers assisted a citizen with a civil issue on Unimak and Pearl F street. Verbal warning issued for registration and insurance at Dock Street and N. Nordic. Officers responded to a verbal argument on N. Nordic Drive. Police impounded a vehicle on S. Nordic Drive. Feb. 2 — Extra patrol was requested on Lumber Street. Extra patrol was requested again on Lumber Street. A parking complaint was reported on Lumber Street. Officers arrested 27-year-old Trevor Williams on charges of domestic violence assault. Feb. 3 — An individual reported...
Jan. 23 — Magistrate Judge Burrell conducted a felony first hearing in the matter of State of Alaska vs. Curtis Medina who is charged with Assault in the 2nd and Assault in the 3rd. Bail was set at $1,000 with 10% posting required. He was released with conditions. Verne Richard Craig appeared before Judge Magistrate Burrell in a change of plea/sentencing hearing. The defendant entered a no contest plea to failure to mark Dungeness crab pots, third offense. The defendant was sentenced to a $1,000 fine with $500 suspended and a $10 surcharge. T...
There were four overtimes of free basketball on Saturday in the PHS boys matchup against Haines, where the Viking gym was deflated by a one point loss, but it was all made possible because of a last second three in regulation by a hometown senior. Petersburg lost to Haines on Saturday, 63-64. The overtime saga began when Mark Neidiffer, a Petersburg senior, made a last second three pointer off an out-of-bounds play with about two seconds remaining, tying the game 45-45. "His will to win and...
WRANGELL — Wrangell appears to be closing in on a solution to its water filtration worries after a workshop held between the City and Borough Assembly, city staff and consultants on Monday. Since its construction in 1999 Wrangell’s water treatment plant has had a number of problems with its production. The plant’s operation involves ozonation of water sourced from two open reservoirs, which then passes through a roughing filter and four slow-sand filtration bays before disinfection. From the start the plant did not work as planned, with sedim...
WRANGELL — Late last week the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued a group announcement regarding expected changes for sport fishermen in Southeast this year. In the Petersburg and Wrangell areas, the marine waters of District 8 are going to be closed to the retention of King Salmon between May 1 and July 15. An exception will be made for the area immediately adjacent to Petersburg’s City Creek, which will be open to King Salmon fishing from June 1 to July 31 to target 300 hatchery salmon expected to return to the area. The closure is bei...
Millennials are now the nation’s “peak spenders” and they are gravitating towards healthier eating which favors more seafood. “We see year over year that there is this cohort aged 35 to 54 that is going to be spending far more across categories, including food expenditures, than any others,” said Will Notini, consumer insights manager at Chicago-based Technomic, a leading market tracker for over 50 years.” The company has contracted with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute to identify trends in seafood consumption and how best to position...
Patrick Gordon Clifton, 38, passed away at home in Sitka, Alaska on January 28, 2017. He was born January 22, 1980 in Yakima, Washington to Jay and Victoria (Tebb) Clifton. Patrick got into commercial fishing at the age of eight, helping his Dad with summer trolling out of Security Bay and Gedney Harbor in Alaska. Summers, fishing with Dad, turned into summers and winters fishing with dad as his mother passed away when he was fourteen. Patrick and his Dad continued trolling and found themselves...
For the first time in a decade, the PHS Jazz Band traveled out of state for a festival, where the 18-person ensemble placed second in its category. The Viking jazz group had 20 minutes to impress judges at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington last weekend. There were about 40 schools and 1,300 musicians at the festival. Petersburg was placed in the Single A category, which is designated by schools with 600 students or fewer in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade. Petersburg doesn't even have 600...
