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The Borough Assembly approved an ordinance in its second reading that would let voters decide whether or not to remove the Frederick Point East Subdivision from the boundaries of service area one. Should ordinance #2021-08 pass in all three readings, it would put proposition #1 on the municipal election ballot in October, and the voters would have to decide whether the subdivision should be removed from service area one. According to the ordinance, a majority of voters within service area one...
A cracked, porcelain insulator on a utility pole in the Scow Bay Turnaround area caused two power outages on May 1, which left parts of the community in the dark for a total of about 4 hours. Petersburg Municipal Power & Light first responded to a power outage on circuit 62, which powers most of the downtown area, at 10:23 A.M. on Saturday, said Utility Director Karl Hagerman in a press release. A PMP&L line crew patrolled the line on circuit 62 for damage that would have caused a fault, but no damage was found; however, the crew did find that...
The Borough Assembly passed an ordinance in its first reading on Monday that would adopt the borough's proposed fiscal year 2022 operating budget. The General Fund's revenues and expenditures equal $9,741,364 and is an overall increase of .39 percent from the 2021 fiscal year adopted budget. The assembly unanimously passed two amendments to the proposed budget that prevents a millage rate increase and honors KFSK's full community service funding request. The millage rate is the amount per...
May 6, 1921 The power boat Pilot was on her last trip when while setting the gear outside of Cape Spencer, near the reefs a storm came up and the rudder shifted and sprung the upper bolts so that they could not be put back. The anchor line also broke and the men aboard labored as best they could with the clumsy emergency rudder and sails, white foam dashing over the boat and breakers on every side. After battling over 24 hours, with every man aboard exhausted, as tho’ by a miracle, they reached the harbor. After getting in shape again they m...
An ordinance that would ask the voters in the next municipal election whether term limits should be placed on the Borough Assembly will go before the assembly at their meeting on May 17. At the request of Assembly Member Taylor Norheim, the assembly discussed instituting term limits at the end of their meeting on Monday. He said he will be adding an ordinance to the agenda of their next assembly meeting that would let the voters decide whether to place term limits on the assembly. According to...
The last time Alaska changed the state tax on motor fuel, gasoline cost about 36 cents a gallon at a Lower 48 pump, the average home price in the United States was $24,000, and the average price of a new car was about $3,500. The motor fuel tax rate in Alaska in 1970 was 8 cents a gallon, about half the price of a cup of coffee. Gasoline now runs about $2.50 a gallon in the Lower 48, $3 in Anchorage, and closer to $4 a gallon in California. The average home price in the country is over...
Changes to Service Area 1 boundaries proposed under Ordinance 2021-08 are unnecessary and ill advised. The issue has nothing to do with services available to the Frederick Point East (FPE) property owners. They currently pay the lowest tax assessments for their properties. Millage rates don't have to be revised. Because they lack amenities available to other property in Service Area 1, the assessments reflect that fact. A waterfront 12,000 sq. ft. lot in the Frederick Point East subdivision is...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department donated a total of 987 person hours during the first quarter of 2021, according to the Fire Chief Jim Stolpe at the Borough Assembly meeting on Monday. "As always, we stand ready to help the citizens in their hour of need," said Stolpe. "Whether their issue is big or small, we're still here." Between Jan. and March 31, the fire branch of PVFD donated 516 person hours, the EMS branch donated 355 person hours and the search and rescue branch donated 116...
April 28— Brandon Burrell, 41, was arrested on charges of violating conditions of release. Authorities responded to a possible domestic violence protection order violation at a location on Mitkof Highway. Mizani Rawhani, 26, was arrested on charges of violating a protective order. A welfare check was requested for an individual at a location on 2nd St. who appeared to be intoxicated. Malcolm Ware checked into the Petersburg Police Department to serve time. April 29— Authorities responded to a report of harassment at a location on Nordic Dr....
Sam Caulum, with Petersburg Municipal Power & Light, hangs a banner on the lamp post at the corner of N. Nordic Dr. and Gjoa St. on Monday. Eighteen banners were hung along Nordic Drthe ., Harbor Way and the north end of Sing Lee Alley ahead of the Little Norway Festival and will stay up throughout the spring and summer seasons. The Petersburg Chamber of Commerce owns the banners, but PMP&L lends the chamber its staff and bucket truck to hang up the banners each year, said Utility Director Karl...
April 29 – Brandon Burrell entered a not guilty plea to a charge of violating conditions of release. The defendant was released on $25,000 additional cash performance bail and an additional condition not to drive beyond 6-mile Mitkof Hwy. April 28 – Mathew A. Brown, Jr. faced charges of Burglary 2, unlawful contact, indecent exposure 2, and disorderly conduct. The defendant entered not guilty pleas to the misdemeanor charges and was released on $2,500 cash performance bond on the burglary count and $500 cash performance bond on the ind...
After last year's festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 62nd annual Little Norway Festival is slated to begin May 13. "I think everyone can't wait for it to happen," said Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Administrator Mindy Lopez. "There's some excitement in the air." Prior to the festival, free transportation across the Wrangell Narrows will be provided on May 8 for the City of Kupreanof Celebration Day from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. The United States Forest Service is also hosting a...
Between Feb. 1 and March 31, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services identified 152 positive cases of COVID-19 among people in the state who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a report from DHSS. About 74 percent of the vaccine breakthrough cases, or 112 individuals, were among people who had received the Pfizer vaccine, according to the report. Thirty-eight percent of the breakthrough cases had received the Moderna vaccine, and one person had received the Johnson &...
Three cases of COVID-19 were identified within a single household over the course of two days this week, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The first two cases were identified on Tuesday by PMC within a single household. According to a joint press release, the two cases were travel related. Then on Wednesday, a third case was identified within the same household as the previous two cases. All three individuals have been directed to...
After traveling to Juneau last weekend to play against Juneau-Douglas High School in a series of games, Head Coach Jim Engell said the Petersburg High School baseball team will be working on reducing their mistakes and errors in upcoming practices. "That's been the repetitive theme," said Engell. "If we can reduce our errors, we're going to be in the games. The kids are fully aware of it. It's something we're going to build on. We're really showing that we haven't played for two years." The...
A snow covered Bear Claw Mountain reflects into the Wrangell Narrows at 7 A.M. on April 3....
The budget for Alaska’s commercial fisheries division is facing no cuts for the upcoming fiscal year, assuming the current numbers make it through the Legislature. “The governor’s proposed budget is at about $72.8 million, which is a slight increase from the FY21 approved budget. And most of that increase is due to our personnel services, cost of living increases and things like that that are funded by the administration generally. And also from some additional federal funds for training and things like that. So we’re looking pretty good compar...
Sunday, May 2...
This man's copper Double Wolf Cuff was created by Mary Goddard, Tlingit artist from the Eagle Clan and Brown Bear House. The cuff is hand-carved, shaped and cut by Mary, and uses formline - a style incorporating curves, ovoids and other shapes into flowing designs. Formline design is used in Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures to depict events, creatures, clan crests or other objects. Goddard was raised in Yakutat and learned from her mother Jennie Wheeler, who is also an artist. The Museum...
The Petersburg Pilot earned two awards presented by the Alaska Press Club this weekend. John Havrilek was awarded third place for his photo of a Bald Eagle perched against the backdrop of Petersburg Mountain. The Pilot staff was awarded third place for best weekly newspaper. Judges commented: "Good mix of pure news and advertiser-driven information for a very specific audience (yours). Nicely put together." The judges evaluated the work from three editions submitted from March, July and...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers have agreed to retroactively extend the state’s COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration as part of an effort to maintain state eligibility for food assistance benefits and other federal aid dollars. The measure, which would extend the declaration through 2021, was passed by the Senate and House Wednesday and sent to Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Adam Crum, the state health commissioner, had told legislative leaders action on the bill was needed by Friday to ensure the state could access additional food assistance be...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday ended the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration, saying the state is in such a good position he doesn’t need emergency powers bestowed by the Legislature. “Alaska is in the recovery phase where an emergency declaration is no longer necessary,’’ Dunleavy said in a statement. “Our systems are fully functioning with vaccine distribution, adequate testing, and health care capacity. It is important our focus remains on getting Alaska’s economy back on track and welcoming summer tourism...
JUNEAU (AP) - The Alaska Court System has temporarily disconnected most of its operations from the internet after a cybersecurity threat on Saturday, including shutting down its website and removing the ability to look up court records. The threat blocked electronic court filings, disrupted online payments and prevented hearings from taking place by videoconference for several days, officials said. “I think for a few days, there may be some inconveniences, there may be some hearings that are canceled, or some judges who decide to shift from v...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A derelict tugboat that the U.S. Coast Guard says had been abandoned has been sunk in waters off southeast Alaska. The Coast Guard, in a news release, said the 107-foot tugboat called the Lumberman was sunk in more than 8,400 feet of water on Sunday. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Janessa Warschkow said Tuesday that scuttling of the tugboat, about 145 miles west of Juneau, included flooding by opening water valves on the tug and rounds fired from the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick to help speed the process. The C...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An advocacy group is evaluating the use of tiny homes to provide housing for people who are homeless in the southeast Alaska city of Sitka. Gayle Young, co-founder of the Sitka Homeless Coalition, said there are few services in Sitka for those who are homeless and that over the years, a number of groups have worked on ideas to fill in the gaps. A project her group is working on involves building a tiny home community to help provide a safe place to stay. Young estimates between 15 and 25 people in the city of about 8...
