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Petersburg Medical Center has sent out a total of 71 samples to be tested for COVID-19 at state and commercial laboratories as of April 15, said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter at Wednesday's daily COVID-19 community update. Sixty-three tests have returned negative, seven are still pending and one test has returned positive, but the individual has since recovered. On Wednesday, the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services reported 293 cases of COVID-19 in the state. Of the positive cases, 106...
Superior Court Judge William Carey ordered the dismissal all claims against the Alaska Dept. of Transportation brought by The Estate of Molly Parks. The order was filed April 7 in the Superior Court. In the order each party bore their own costs and attorney fees. Last year, both the Petersburg Borough and former Parks and Recreation Department employee Chris Allen have been dropped as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the Estate of Molly Parks, one of two women killed in a July...
There was a time when masks were associated with Halloween, horror movies, dances, and merrymaking. In today's current environment they've been elevated to a new status; as a way to protect and stop the spread of COVID-19. In Petersburg specifically the making of masks has become a cottage industry, helping to encourage good mental health and as a way to reach out and help others, while practicing social distancing. Back in mid-March Erica Kludt-Painter, School Superintendent and Heather Conn,...
During a virtual Petersburg School Board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter recommended that the board postpone talks on the Alaska Reads Act, which is a senate bill being put forth by Alaska legislators to address early childhood education. If passed, Senate Bill 6 would mandate school districts offer a preschool program and ensure students are reading proficiently by third grade. Kludt-Painter recommended further discussions on the topic be postponed because of local and...
On February 13, Petersburg and its law enforcement officers appeared in the season finale of Alaska PD, a new reality show that follows police departments in four Alaskan communities. The episode focused on Officers Carl Tate and Eric Wolf as they patrolled the town, helped an injured eagle and spoke to residents who were under the influence. When the Petersburg Police Department was first approached by Engel Entertainment, the production company that filmed Alaska PD, Tate said he was opposed...
NSRAA is forecasting a total run of 222,000 chum salmon in the Thomas Bay fishery. This year’s return will be the second return for this project and will be comprised of 3-year and 4-year old fish. A portion of the run may be harvested in common property fisheries in Chatham Strait and Frederick Sound....
Utility Director Karl Hagerman and Public Works Director Chris Cotta submitted a letter to the borough assembly at their meeting last week recommending the borough postpone discussions on rate increases and bond issuances due to financial uncertainties in the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We were attempting to answer a question that hadn't been asked yet and to put the community at ease that rates are still under consideration for projects that need to be completed, but that rate increa...
The Board of Equalization, which is made up of the borough assembly, voted in favor of property valuations made by the borough's contract assessors on two properties that were brought before them at a meeting last Wednesday. Twenty-two appellants made a combined total of 30 appeals on their property valuations, and 28 of the appeals were resolved and withdrawn outside of the BOE meeting. Ivar Enge was set to make an appeal on parcel 01-007-672, but the matter was settled prior to the meeting,...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An oil exploration firm has discovered a deposit of potentially 1.8 billion barrels in Alaska’s North Slope region south of Prudhoe Bay, the company said. Pantheon Resources PLC said it located the deposit along the Dalton Highway and Trans-Alaska Pipeline System corridor, The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Wednesday. The London-based company made an updated evaluation of an old exploration well and used information gleaned from recent nearby drilling, officials said. The prospect, called Talitha, could be the lat...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A state forecast released Monday shows projected revenues down sharply from an estimate issued several months ago, with low oil prices and economic impacts from the COVID-19 outbreak cited as factors. The state Revenue Department projects unrestricted general fund revenue of $1.6 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, and $1.2 billion for the year starting July 1, excluding scheduled transfers from earnings of the state’s oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund. That is down from projections of $2.1 billion and...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the state will work with communities, industry leaders and others as it makes decisions on how to proceed in reopening sectors of the economy impacted by the coronavirus. Dunleavy said key to this will be monitoring case numbers. As of Tuesday, Alaska had reported 285 total cases of COVID-19, and nine deaths related to the coronavirus. The health of Alaskans will be a top consideration, Dunleavy said, adding he doesn’t “want anyone to get the wrong idea that we’re going to put the economy ahe...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) —Four employees at a state-run prison in Juneau have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Monday. No staff at other Department of Corrections facilities have tested positive, and no inmates within the system have tested positive, department spokeswoman Sarah Gallagher said by email. Three recent cases in Juneau have involved staff from the Lemon Creek Correctional Center. Results from a fourth case came in as positive but given reporting protocols will show up in the state’s count Tuesday, according to the state hea...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The largest private landowner in Alaska has criticized a state agency for using an emergency meeting intended to discuss the coronavirus to set aside $35 million for a mining road in northwest Alaska. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority approved funding for the proposed 200-mile (320-kilometer) industrial road, which would stretch from Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District northeast of Kotzebue and cross Gates of the Arctic National Park to access an undeveloped copper-zinc mineral belt, the A...
A house at Hungry Point created an Easter game for kids for asking them how many Easter eggs they see in the yard....
Snow was still covering the peak of Crystal Mountain on Saturday....
The waters were calm in Breiland Slough last Friday....
A large iceberg washed ashore about 300 yards from Hungry Point over the weekend....
A robin stands tall on a log and looks out over the horizon near the whale observatory on Saturday....
A small forest grows on a rock formation on one of the Castle Islands....
April 16, 1920 The news brought from Seattle recently that active work will start soon on the erection of a pulp and paper plant at Thomas Bay is certainly cheering to the people of Perersburg. This will mean the first plant of this kind to be established in Alaska. After looking at the field from every standpoint, timber, supplies, water power, etc., the backershave selected the Thomas Bay site as the best in Southeastern Alaska. A pulp plant means an initial outlay of between two and five millions of dollars, according to the size of the plan...
Petersburg's sense of humor is coming through during these trying times. Bearing witness to this is the above photo showing the likeness of Bojer Wikan, wearing his protective mask as his statue towers above the memorial park next to the Sons of Norway Hall. Or the hardware clerk's reply when asked if the plastic sneeze guards at the checkout counter made her feel more protected. The reply: "Only until Darby (Mattingly) shows up." Darby stands 80-inches tall and the barrier tops out at his...
April 8 — Authorities resolved a protective order issue at a location on Fram St. Two disturbances were reported at locations on S. Nordic Dr. Authorities assisted an individual in gaining entry into a business on Lake St. April 9 — Authorities responded to a report of harassment at a location on S. Nordic Dr. A report of trespassing was made at a location on Haugen Dr. Suspicious activity was observed at a location on N. 2nd St. April 10 — Extra patrols were requested on N. 3rd St. Authorities performed welfare checks on Sandy Beach Rd. and Ha...
How can fishermen be sure their vessels are clean of coronavirus contamination? Where can they find out about relief funds that are newly available for fishermen? COVID-19 has Alaska’s seafood industry traveling in uncharted waters as more fisheries continue and get underway, and fishermen and processors prepare for a salmon season that’s just a month away. Information in an upside down world changes daily, making it tough to plot a course. United Fishermen of Alaska has crafted a “one stop shop” for the latest fishing-related COVID-19 updates...
Bridgette Dawn Reyes (X'ee T'li), 49, was born on September 9, 1971 at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska. On April 3, 2020 she joined her youngest daughter, Kyla Rae in heaven. Bridgette will always be remembered for her kind heart and the unconditional love she had for her family. She was always there with open arms for her loved ones; ready to laugh, ready to cry, by your side through it all. She enjoyed many things in life from art, beading, playing the piano to camping and... Full story
Marvin Warren Rowland, 76, passed away in Gig Harbor, Washington on April 3, 2020. He was born January 22, 1944, in Macon Georgia, to Emmitt Rowland and Verdna Mae Bryant. Marvin graduated from Bessemer City High School in Bessemer City, North Carolina in 1962. After high school he made his way across the country and spent some time working as a ranch hand on the Lone Rock Ranch in Lone Rock, Oregon during the great Oregon flood of 1964. He settled in Petersburg, Alaska and worked as a driller... Full story
