Articles from the April 3, 2014 edition


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  • Herring sac roe prices down from last year

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    Sitka sac roe herring fishermen sold their catch at around $150 a ton this season-a dramatic decrease compared to last year's sac roe average price per ton of $780. Sitka's Alaska Department of Fish and Game Area Management Biologist Dave Gordon said past fisheries in Sitka as well as Kodiak and Togiak have flooded the market. "There's an over supply," Gordon said. "There's always a desire to get the maximum quality under those circumstances...It's something that seems to happen in this fishery... Full story

  • School board selects new superintendent

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    The Petersburg School Board unanimously selected Dr. Lisa Stroh to be the new Petersburg School District (PSD) Superintendent. Stroh, who is the current superintendent of Valdez City Schools, officially begins July 1, 2014. "When I look at the (Petersburg) district, things are going very, very well," Stroh said. "What I need to do is get familiar with the programs, listen to people, talk with them and find out from them what's going well, what things we need to tweak, and how can I help them... Full story

  • Iceberg damages boats in South Harbor

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    A stray iceberg damaged several vessels in the South Harbor early Tuesday morning. Assistant Harbor Master Ed Tagaban received the call around 1:30 a.m. Tagaban estimated the iceberg’s surface to be around 40 to 50 feet in diameter and said, when he arrived, it had damaged the swim step on F/V Copasetic and was underneath two other vessels. The iceberg also punctured a hole through the stern of a vessel called the Sea Pride. “It rolled under the boats and lifted them up a little bit on the sterns,” Tagaban said. “The tide was running really...

  • Southeast Chinook harvest quota up

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) announced yesterday a 2014 Southeast Alaska Chinook salmon all gear harvest quota of 439,400 fish. Those fish fall under the Pacific Salmon Treaty—non-Alaska-hatchery produced Chinook. “The quota is based on the forecast of aggregate abundance of Pacific Coast Chinook salmon stocks originating from river systems in the area subject to management under the treaty, which stretches from Cape Suckling, Alaska to Cape Falcon, Oregon,” an ADFG press release states. ADFG officials stated the actual 2013...

  • Yesterday's News

    Apr 3, 2014

    April 4, 1914 – The supreme court has rendered two decisions this week of importance to women: the first is an attack on the ancient legal fiction that woman's identity is swallowed up in that of her husband. In England, for centuries, it was pointed out, woman was prevented from acquiring a domicile for any purpose in a jurisdiction other than that of her husband. Only in recent years the United States has allowed a wife to establish a domicile in a jurisdiction other than that of the husband for the purpose of suing for divorce. Now the c...

  • Petersburg man represents economic interests in D.C.

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    Petersburg resident Brian Lynch, along with other Alaskans representing commercial fishing, tourism and tribal organizations, traveled to Washington D.C. to urge Alaska’s congressional delegation to become more involved in mining development in British Columbia. “Our request was to have the delegation draft a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry to get the ball rolling and make inquiries into Canada,” Lynch said. Lynch and four other Alaska representatives brought to the delegates a letter signed by the Petersburg Borough Assembly and 39 ot...

  • Flotilla awards ceremony

    Apr 3, 2014

  • Letters to the Editor

    Apr 3, 2014

    Thank you Petersburg Indian Association To the Editor: Without the foresight and initiative to begin a voluntary curbside recycling program many years ago, many things would not have happened in Petersburg. Many different tribal members would not have had jobs over the years, faithfully picking up recycling from environmentally aware volunteer recyclers on a weekly basis. As the Borough introduces and welcomes Wes and Angie Davis, owners of Ruger’s Trucking, as our new recycling collection contractor I want to recognize and thank PIA, and t...

  • Police reports

    Apr 3, 2014

    March 26 Officer issued Vinton Woodyard, 51, a citation for speeding. A caller reported an individual jumping into traffic attempting to hitch a ride. A caller reported a possible scam letter. Police received report of suspicious activity. A caller reported an intoxicated female in traffic attempting to get a ride. Officer warned the individual to stay out of the street. March 27 A caller reported theft/loss of a wallet. Officer warned driver of equipment use. A caller requested an officer for an upset individual. Officers responded to a...

  • Local child care worker wins regional award

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    Fillmore Evenson, Petersburg's Children's Center Eagle's Nest lead teacher, won Southeast Alaska's School Age Caregiver of the Year. Evenson has been working at the Children's Center for around six years and last year began leading the Eagle's Nest class-an after school program for K-5 graders. "After their brains are already filled with information, then I get the aftermath," Evenson joked. Children's Center Director Terri Falter said since Evenson has been leading the program, student...

  • Courts

    Apr 3, 2014

    March 27 Magistrate Judge Burrell denied a long-term stalking order against David Janzen petitioned by Terry Slafter, who wasn’t present at the hearing. April 1 Kory Versteeg appeared before Magistrate Judge Burrell for Unlawful Gear Storage. The defendant entered a plea of no contest. The court ordered Versteeg to pay a $2000 fine with $1000 suspended, a $10 surcharge and one year of probation....

  • Community service leaders lobby against proposed budget cuts

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    With some assembly members proposing cuts to school and mental health services funding, Petersburg School District (PSD) Superintendent Dr. Rob Thomason and Petersburg Mental Health Services (PMHS) Director Susan Ohmer each rallied against the potential cuts. Thomason explained that State and local funding has remained flat for the last four years. The State funds public school districts on a per pupil basis-an amount of $5,680 per child. Declining enrollment and increased operations and...

  • Petersen to enter guilty pleas for child pornography charges

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    Former Petersburg Community School District Maintenance Director Tye Petersen plans to plead guilty to Distribution, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography—three counts that carry up to 20 years of imprisonment each and a $250,000 fine for each count. In exchange for the U.S. District Court's acceptance of Petersen's guilty plea, U.S. prosecutors agree not to prosecute the defendant further for any other offenses arising out of the investigation related to Petersen's indictment, the plea agreement states. Last July, FBI investigators i...

  • Outdoor Safety: Be prepared

    Bob Carter|Apr 3, 2014

    Bob Carter, Captain Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Search and Rescue “Be prepared” is the famous motto of the Boy Scouts. All of us who enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor activities would be wise to heed the Scout’s wisdom. Unfortunately, each year in Alaska a number of people become lost. Some are found safe and sound while others sadly succumb to the elements before rescuers can locate them. Petersburg Search and Rescue would like to offer the following survival tips: • Let someone know where you are going a...

  • 2014 SE Alaska King salmon sport fishing regulations announced

    Apr 3, 2014

    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces the regulations for king salmon, effective April 2, 2014 - April 30, 2015. The regulations are: Alaskan Resident: The resident bag and possession limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. Nonresident: The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, except during May and June the bag and possession limit is two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. The nonresident annual limit is six king salmon 28 inches or greater in length....

  • Appeals court sides with Alaska on roadless rule

    Apr 3, 2014

    JUNEAU (AP) — A divided federal appeals court panel has sided with the state of Alaska in reversing a decision that reinstated the roadless rule in the Tongass National Forest. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision Wednesday, found that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had articulated ``a number of legitimate grounds'' in a 2003 decision to temporarily exempt the Tongass from the roadless rule. A lower court judge, in 2011, had found the decision to be arbitrary and capricious. The appeals court panel sent the matter b...

  • Young women of distinction

    Apr 3, 2014

    The Alaska Girl Scouts Council flew Diane Murph to Anchorage to celebrate the young women who have achieved their Gold Award in Girl Scouting. The "Young Women of Distinction Luncheon" was held at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage with approximately 300 attendees. The young women each gave a presentation on their projects and received letters of congratulations from President Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama, Governor Sean Parnell, Senator Mark Begich, Congressman Don Young, and Diane...

  • Prosecutors to open Coast Guard shooting trial

    Apr 3, 2014

    ANCHORAGE (AP) — Jurors will hear opening statements Tuesday in the trial of a Coast Guard civilian technician charged with killing two co-workers workers in Kodiak. Federal prosecutors say 63-year-old James Michael Wells nearly two years ago dodged direct surveillance cameras and shot 51-year-old Richard Belisle (BEL'-eye-ul) and 41-year-old Petty Officer 1st Class James Hopkins at the communications station workshop where all three were employed. Prosecutors say Wells' had feuded with his younger co-workers and was unhappy that his a...

  • Fundraising flamingos

    Apr 3, 2014

  • Big changes possible for State Board of Fisheries

    Laine Welch|Apr 3, 2014

    Nine names are vying for three seats on the state Board of Fisheries, including six newcomers. That gives Governor Parnell the unique opportunity to replace a majority of the seven-member Fish Board, should he choose to do so, and should the Alaska legislature go along with it - an unlikely scenario. It took filing a Freedom of Information request and a 10 day wait to get the names of the Fish Board hopefuls, said veteran legislative watch dog Bob Tkacz in his weekly Laws for the Sea. They include the three incumbents - John Jensen of...

  • Heavy load of herring

    Apr 3, 2014

  • Assembly reaches impasse on budget direction

    Kyle Clayton|Apr 3, 2014

    The Petersburg Borough Assembly couldn't come to a consensus last Tuesday for next year's budget spending after it was tasked with providing direction to borough staff to make any changes the assembly would like to see. The assembly met with department heads last week and went over budget line items department wide. During Tuesday's budget hearing, members of Petersburg's community service organizations-organizations the borough funds annually-lobbied for their respective funding needs....