Articles from the April 1, 2021 edition


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  • Lady Vikings named regional champions

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    The Lady Vikings took first place in the Region V 2A Division Regional Tournament in Ketchikan on March 27 with a team of only five players. The Petersburg High School girls basketball team went into the tournament with the number one seeding. After winning a match against Metlakatla, Craig played in the championship game against Petersburg. The Lady Vikings started off their game against the Lady Panthers with a burst of adrenaline, said Head Coach Dino Brock. They went into the second quarter...

  • Shipyard fire totals vessel

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a vessel fire in Petersburg Marine's shipyard on Sunday at about 1 P.M., which likely left the boat totaled, said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. Berg, who was one of the first responders on the scene, said he saw the F/V Nitty Gritty, owned by Denny Heimdahl of Petersburg, engulfed with smoke and flames when he arrived. Two fire engines responded to the fire, along with 10 firefighters. They quickly began dousing the flames with water, and...

  • Vikings take second at Regionals

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    The Petersburg High School boys basketball team took second place at the Region V 2A Division Regional Tournament on March 27 in Ketchikan, seven weeks after their last basketball game. The Vikings, who were seeded third, were just one of three teams that participated in Regionals this year, and their first match was against Haines. Additionally, all the players had to wear face masks on the court to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19, which was a first for the Vikings. In the game against...

  • Yesterday's News

    Apr 1, 2021

    April 1, 1921 Earl N. Ohmer, manager of the Alaskan Glacier Sea Food Company, who has been making a short business trip to the south returned on one of the late boats, and is making preparations to start the shrimp packing plant again within the next few days. Mr. Ohmer reports that every kind of fish, from halibut to shrimp is almost a drug on the market, with cold storage plants packed full, but that the stock is gradually moving. He says that the shrimp business will be rather quiet for several weeks, but that he is preparing to start up...

  • New Raven's Roost cabin coming in fall

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    The construction of a new Raven's Roost Cabin is expected to begin this spring and be completed by the fall, according to Paul Olson, cabin and trails manager with the United States Forest Service. The current Raven's Roost Cabin sits at the end of the 4.2 mile long Raven's Roost Trail, but the new cabin will be built at about the three mile mark of the trail. Olson said in a presentation to the Petersburg Rotary Club on March 24 that by moving the cabin closer to the trailhead, the USFS hopes...

  • To the Editor

    Apr 1, 2021

    Vaccinations save lives To the Editor: Here is some important information that I have read about the vaccines that protect you against Covid-19: If you get Covid-19, it could infect your whole body and you could be sick for more than a week. This viral infection may damage many vital organs in your body such as your lungs, heart, and brain. This damage will probably heal but it could also last a long time and be life changing. Covid-19 is much more likely to cause long term damage to your body than the vaccines will. The vaccines, once they... Full story

  • Police report

    Apr 1, 2021

    March 24— Extra patrols were requested on Mitkof Highway. A bicycle was reported stolen from an undisclosed location. The bike was later found and returned to its owner. Authorities conducted a security check at an undisclosed location. A wallet was found at a location on Cornelius Rd. and turned over to authorities. A resident reported an unwanted third party telephone call. March 25— An officer made contact with an individual that was parked in a car at an undisclosed location for a long period of time. A car alarm was set off at a loc...

  • Virus reappears after two weeks

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    The Emergency Operations Center will be scheduling a risk assessment meeting to discuss whether or not to increase the local risk level for COVID-19 from yellow to orange after seven cases of the virus were identified locally over the course of two days, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. Six individuals tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, five of whom were identified through PMC's symptomatic testing, and one case was identified...

  • Next vaccine clinic set

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center will be having its next COVID-19 vaccination clinic on April 9 at the Parks and Recreation Center's community gym. PMC Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the COVID-19 community update on March 26 that April 9's clinic will likely be the last large vaccine clinic as more and more residents become fully vaccinated. On April 9, PMC staff will be administering second doses of the Moderna vaccine and some first doses of that vaccine. PMC will also have 150 doses of...

  • PMC spent nearly $2 million on pandemic response

    Apr 1, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center has spent $1,950,159 in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 through Feb. 28, 2021, according to documents presented to the PMC Board of Directors at their meeting on March 25. At the onset of the pandemic, PMC created a new department in the facility to track its spending and income related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to PMC Controller Rocio Tejera. While the hospital has spent $1,950,159 on the pandemic, it has only been able to bring in...

  • The Del Gattos

    Apr 1, 2021

    The Del Gattos perform at Sandy Beach on March 28 during an outdoor concert. From left to right: Tom Walsh and Sarah Fine....

  • Hospital switches billing vendors

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center has switched its billing operations over to Healthcare Research Group, Inc in an effort to improve its revenue cycle and elements of its billing services. PMC has been working with Healthcare Research Group, Inc. since March 23. The organization is based out of Washington, but is well-known in Alaska, said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. They specialize in the specific billing procedures required for critical access hospitals in Alaska. Previously TruBridge, which is based...

  • Fishermen harvest 5,000 tons of herring in Sitka fishery

    Apr 1, 2021

    The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery opened for a 5th time at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday March 31. On Tuesday's herring survey, ADF&G vessels located numerous large schools of herring extending from Sandy Beach to Starrigavin Gay, from Lisianski Point to Dog Point in Hayward Strait and near Deep Inlet. A large biomass of herring was observed from Crescent Harbor to Thimbleberry Bay. Harvest from the fishery conducted on March 29 totaled approximately 1,500-tons of herring and the cumulative...

  • Fish Factor: AK canned salmon sees record sales during the COVID pandemic

    Laine Welch|Apr 1, 2021

    It’s “back to the future” for Alaska canned salmon as more Americans choose it for its health benefits and as an easy-to-use ingredient for sandwiches, salads and more. Salmon canning in Alaska started in the 1870s and by the early 20th century, it was the state’s largest industry, generating 80% of the territorial tax revenues. Its position then in the state economy is one that oil enjoys today. The covid pandemic has pushed record sales for the pantry shelf product and canned salmon sales soared by 30.3% in 2020 to $286 million. “Sudden...

  • High flyin'

    Apr 1, 2021

    Adam Caster catches air during a brief period of sunshine on March 22 off the slopes behind Hungerford Hill....

  • Alaska lawmakers contemplate sinking ferry to save money

    Apr 1, 2021

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers are contemplating sinking a ferry to save money. Members of the Alaska Legislature have considered turning the ferry Malaspina into an artificial reef, the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday. The ship is one of the oldest of the state's eight ferries. The Malaspina has been tied down since 2019 because of a lack of funding, but it still costs the state about $450,000 in maintenance per year. Sinking the ship as an artificial reef could cost between $500,000 and $1 million, but may make long-term f...

  • One more to the local COVID-19 case count

    Brian Varela|Apr 1, 2021

    A case of COVID-19 was identified through testing at the James A. Johnson Airport on April 1, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and the Petersburg Medical Center. The incoming traveler is the eighth person to test positive for COVID-19 in the last seven days. According to the borough's COVID-19 Dashboard, Petersburg was reporting eight active cases of the virus as of Friday morning. The local positivity rate for COVID-19 is 3.5 percent. "That is higher than it... Full story