Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
As Petersburg Borough administrators draft a local marijuana ordinance, borough manager Steve Giesbrecht asked questions for the Borough Assembly, and the community, to answer regarding commercial marijuana regulations in the borough. “What you have also is a list of six questions that we need some guidance on to fill in the blanks on this ordinance before we finalize it enough to bring it back to the assembly for a vote,” Giesbrecht said. Giesbrecht and other staff have been creating a draft ordinance and found it most helpful to copy and pas... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly tabled a discussion regarding the takeover from the state of several dock facilities within the borough. In a January 21 letter, the Assembly wrote the state to request the transfer of state owned facilities Papke’s Landing, Kupreanof and Entrance Island docks to the Petersburg Borough. In a February 11 letter from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner Marc Luiken, the commissioner said he applauds the borough’s willingness to accept responsibility and stewardship for the har... Full story
February 26, 1916 – The bait famine has tied up halibut fishing to a large extent recently. The Lovera and Mira arrived from Sitka on Thursday and reported no bait at that point. The Fram, Captain Ole Bensen, started on Thursday for Port Simpson, to get a supply for a number of boats. As the Canadian regulations require boats getting bait in that country to bring their catches to Canadian ports, there is some question whether the Fram will succeed in getting a cargo. February 28, 1941 – The Town of Petersburg now has its new fire truck – but d...
Buschmann Park in downtown Petersburg received a long awaited addition last Friday. The bronze sculpture named "Everything starts with a dream" by local artist Eric Larson was installed. "It's a huge relief, I was apprehensive taking it down there, but then once it went in it was like 'oh, yeah,'" Larson says with a chuckle. Larson estimates the piece weighs around 700 pounds, and there is still some electric work to do until it can be officially unveiled later this year at the Little Norway... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly advanced the borough’s comprehensive plan Monday evening. The plan outlines and recommends strategies for borough management and the development of transportation, economy, recreation and tourism over the next two decades. The plan is several years in the making. A consulting firm in Anchorage, hired to update the borough’s plan, met with community members during that time, took surveys, interviewed citizens and received public comment. Planning and Zoning (P&Z) member Dave Kensinger attended the ass... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved a Petersburg Planning Commission letter regarding a proposed amendment to the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan. On its website, the U.S. Forest Service stated an amendment was needed after U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack directed the Tongass to transition its management plan to be more ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. “An amendment is needed to accelerate the transition to a young-growth forest management program, and to do so in a way that preserves a vi...
The Alaska Marine Highway System brings more to S.E. Alaska than transportation. It’s also an economic driver for all of Southeast. Most of the benefits fall to small rural communities. For every $1 in benefits paid to subsidize the system’s operation, $2.30 comes back to local economies in jobs, spending, shipping and other services. The report from the McDowell Group states the ferry system is directly responsible for 1,017 jobs and indirectly responsible for 683 who are employed by businesses benefitting from the state ferries. Put another w...
PETERSBURG (AP) — Fishing season for Tanner crab and golden king crab has opened in southeast Alaska. Fishing for the two crab species opened at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 17, KFSK-FM reported The most popular areas will be open for seven days, with the other non-core areas staying open for 12 days. Last year's Tanner catch was the best in 15 seasons, at more than 1.4 million pounds. Tanner crab sold for an average of $1.93 a pound, netting more than $2.7 million at the docks. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's estimate of the amount of l...
February 17 A caller reported he was being abused. A caller reported a second hand report of a house fire on North 2nd Street. A caller spoke with an officer about sexual assault reporting. A caller reported a bike taken from the crane dock lot. February 18 An officer issued a citation to Douglas Whittlesey, 53, for speeding. An officer issued a citation to Felisha Hope, 20, for negligent driving. February 19 A distressed female wanted to talk with an officer. A caller requested a welfare check for a child who was yelling and screaming...
The parking lot of the municipal building increased by a couple spaces this week after a Public Works crew demolished the old Mitkof Sales and Service garage on Sing Lee Alley. The borough bought the building a couple years ago, and it was being used for dry storage, but the structure was essentially vacant, says Public Works director Karl Hagerman. "It's been there for an awful long time, since the 50s," he says. "You never know what you're going to get into when you do a demo project, but the...
February 22 Lars Christensen appeared before Superior Court Judge William Carey for a sentencing hearing. Christensen entered a guilty plea to Assault 4, Reckless Endangerment and Reckless Driving. The court sentenced the defendant to 360 days in jail with 90 days to serve, three years probation and other fines. Roderick Vasquez appeared before Superior Court Judge William Carey for a charge of probation violation. The court found there was a violation and ordered the defendant’s probation extended and the completion of alcohol and anger m...
Joe Bertagnoli knows the inherent difficulties of trying to announce a basketball game live on the radio all by himself. Bertagnoli has called a couple different sports for KFSK, including baseball and basketball, and last year he was the only voice listeners tuning into basketball games on the radio heard. However, this season, he has someone to help call games and banter with at times, his grandson Brayden Larson. Early in the basketball season Bertagnoli asked Larson and his friend Thomas... Full story
The clock shows 5:30 a.m. in the Parks and Rec community gym and the youth roller derby team is busy gearing up for their weekly two-hour practice. The first 20 minutes or so are dedicated to putting on protective guards for their knees and elbows, followed by laying out the red markers for the track boundaries. For Coach Lisa Nilsen, the early hour practices are a sign of the players' dedication, and believe it or not, actually help them focus. None of the players are yawning or leaning up...
The Petersburg High School boys basketball team traveled south to take on the Metlakatla Chiefs last weekend and lost both games. The last time the Vikings took on the Chiefs the games went differently with the Vikings keeping Danny Marsden of Metlakatla in check. Marsden is one of the better players in the state, so holding him to 11 points in two games made a huge difference. This time, however, Marsden went off for 18 and 21, giving him 39 points for the weekend while leading the Chiefs to two close victories. “On Friday’s game we pla...
JUNEAU (AP) — Fishing industry and lawmakers on Thursday puzzled over the origins of a proposed one percent tax increase in fisheries business taxes and fisheryresource landing taxes. During a hearing on the bill by the House fisheries committee, fishermen testified that they did not understand the origins of the increase. It is expected to raise $18 million in new revenue for the state annually, according to the Department of Revenue. It is one of six proposed industry taxes from Gov. Bill Walker, including increases to mining, motor fuels, a...
Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association Inc., (NSRAA) will hold its annual Board of Directors meeting on March 2 and 3 starting at 9:00 a.m. on both days. The meeting will be held this year at the NSRAA Boardroom, 1308 Sawmill Creek Rd, in Sitka. The agenda will include operational plans, and consideration of the FY ’17 Budget. Copies of the agenda will be available in the NSRAA office, and online atwww.nsraa.org. Meetings are open to the public....
JUNEAU (AP) — A price drop that lowered Fred Meyer's gas prices to less than $2 a gallon at the Oregon-based department store's Juneau store only was caused by a mistake and prices will gradually go back up, a company spokeswoman said. Melinda Merrill told the Juneau Empire that the overnight drop from $2.92 to $1.91 between Monday and Tuesday was due to an error made by corporate staff. “That huge price drop yesterday was a mistake,” she said. Merrill said the price drop was the result of a typo. The price should have been reduced by only...
Early signs point to continuing headwinds in world markets for Alaska salmon. Global currencies remain in disarray, the ongoing Russian seafood embargo is diverting more farmed salmon to the U.S., and tons of product remains in freezers from back to back bumper sockeye runs. (The majority of Alaska’s salmon goes to market in frozen, headed and gutted (H&G) form.) One plus: aggressive market promotions have kept reds moving briskly at retail outlets at home and abroad and removed some of the back log. “What the Alaska industry really needs is...
Vivian Elida Westre, 95, passed away February 12, 2016, with her two children at her side at Petersburg Medical Center Long Term Care. She was born July 17, 1920 in Ketchikan, Alaska to Gifford and Agnes Close. Her father built a home next to Sunny Point Cannery near where the Ketchikan ferry terminal exists today. Vivian spoke fondly of her childhood there and shared many interesting stories about her pet bear cub. At age 14 the family moved to Petersburg where her father worked for the U.S.... Full story
Ruth Margarith Lee Powels died on the evening of her 92nd birthday, Feb. 17, 2016. She was a resident of San Ramon, Calif. for many decades. She was a native of Petersburg, Alaska, the daughter of two Norwegian immigrants Harold Lee and Magnhild (Husby) Lee. Her father was the captain of the famous "good ship" fishing boat Vesta. Ruth became known around the small island town as "Sis Lee." In high school Ruth wanted to be a pilot and began taking flying lessons in Alaska. However, when WWII brok... Full story
During last week's games in front of the hometown crowd, the Lady Vikings put three more games in the win column. Ruby Brock dropped in eight 3-pointers and the entire team played aggressive defense helping keep Haines and Metlakatla under control. "I thought we did a nice job defensively," head coach Dino Brock said. "Working together, helping, communicating, all the little things you need to do." On Thursday, the Lady Vikings took on the Lady Glacier Bears winning the game 55-31. Kylie...
