Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
A petition to retain the blue bags as part of the Borough’s curbside recycling program has been withdrawn by its sponsor Angela Davis and 13 co-sponsors, bringing to an end a several months long debate about the future of recycling collection in Petersburg. Davis submitted the withdraw in a letter to the Borough dated April 23. In it she wrote, “In light of the approval of resolution #2015-09…I do not feel that it is in the best interest of the community to have increased garbage rates and to have two competing recycling programs.” The resolut... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Public Works Department has met a 48 hour nuisance abatement order issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for a spillage of waste, but an investigation continues. The Wastewater Utility transports and buries piles of solid waste at the borough's landfill about once a week. Last week, while digging a hole with an excavator, Public Works Director Karl Hagerman said, sludge sitting to the side to be buried slid down a hill to a stream that runs to the... Full story
A new special revenue fund, instead of the general fund, will now house Transient Room Tax (TRT) revenue, meaning the TRT committee and grant process they once oversaw will be dissolved. Assembly members unanimously approved the change at Monday’s meeting. The TRT, also known as the bed tax, is collected from the lodging industry and is used to fund visitor-related services in the borough. In the past, the majority of TRT monies have been allocated to the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, and remaining funds were doled out via... Full story
May 8, 1915 – The U.S. commissioner of internal revenue notes that there was a falling off of two and a half million dollars in the receipts of taxes on spirits for the month of February, 1915, as compared to that month of 1914. Not only is a reduction indicated in the consumption of liquors, but there was a falling off in revenue from the tobacco stamp tax during the same month of $317,987.98. Treasury officials are reported to be much puzzled over the slump, but are inclined to lay it to prohibition legislation. To competent experts of the d...
Borough Assembly members chose a remodel design option for the Petersburg Municipal Power and Light (PMPL) building after hearing a presentation from architect Linda Millard at Monday's regular meeting. The new design incorporates changes to bring the building into compliance with fire and ADA codes, improve the building's insulation, and increase visibility for drivers at the intersection of Haugen Dr. and Nordic Dr. PMPL Superintendent Joe Nelson said the building dates back to the late...
Tongass concerns To the Editor: Dear Mr. Jason Anderson (Deputy Forest Supervisor, Petersburg Ranger District), The board of directors of the Greater Southeast Alaska Conservation Community collectively represents over two hundred years of experience on Tongass conservation issues. We are writing this open letter to express our displeasure on 2 counts: the skewed process the Forest Service used to form the Tongass Advisory Committee (TAC), and the predictably skewed product that committee is fabricating as evidenced by the current Draft...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht gave the following report at Monday’s regular Assembly meeting: • PFI manager Patrick Wilson has been chosen as the Grand Marshal for the 4th of July festivities. This year’s theme is “Freedom, FROZEN in time.” • Public Works staff helped expand the running track at the school. While not a full-distance track, it will be better for the kids to have some straightaways to practice on. • Crews will take advantage of dry weather to paint crosswalks and curbs downtown in the coming days before Mayfest. • Public Works...
April 29 Officers made contact with suspicious individuals. A caller requested extra patrols on S. Nordic. April 30 A caller reported striking a fawn with their vehicle and police notified the Alaska State Trooper. An abandoned vehicle was reported. A civil matter was reported to police. Six parking citations were issued on Balder St. May 1 A loud explosion was reported by a caller near 3.5 mile. Police received multiple reports of a dog running into traffic. An officer responded to a report of a swerving vehicle on the highway. Upon making...
April 30 Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell presided over an arraignment for Zachary Bray charged with Minor in Possession by Consumption. The defendant pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced to a $600 fine with $400 suspended, a $10 police training surcharge and one year of probation. The defendant must also receive an evaluation from a substance abuse agency. Ethan File appeared for an arraignment before Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell for a charge of Minor in Possession by Consumption. The defendant pled no contest to the charge and was...
One of Alaska’s largest seafood processing companies, Icicle Seafoods, Inc. has named a new Chief Executive Officer. CEO Chris Ruettgers began May 1, according to an Icicle press release, while former CEO Amy Humphreys will remain with the company in some capacity. Humphreys, who resigned to join Seattle-based dairy company Darigold, will now serve as Icicle’s Board of Directors chairman. Icicle’s shift in leadership will also include Chief Financial Officer LaDon Johnson’s move to president. Ruettgers has served as the company’s executive...
The City of Kupreanof has asked the state to reconsider its proposed Southeast State Forest Management Plan. City Councilor David Beebe wrote a letter on the city’s behalf and submitted it during a public comment period that ended April 30. Representatives from the Division of Forestry traveled across Southeast Alaska to collect feedback and provide information on the plan during public meetings last month. It would affect over 3,800 acres on Mitkof Island. Beebe wrote that the plan “relegates the Southern Southeast State Forest to that of an i...
The Petersburg High School baseball team opened its season at home versus the Sitka Wolves, defending state champs, in a three-game match up last weekend. Though the Vikings didn't come out on top in the games, Head Coach Jim Engell said he was happy with his team's performance. "For our first games of the year and starting a pretty young group of kids, I think we did quite well," he said. The Vikings fell to the Wolves 2-0 in Friday's game, which Engell described as the epitome of a pitcher's...
The Petersburg High School track and field team participated in the first official meet of the season in Ketchikan last weekend. The girls and boys team each finished in second place over all. PHS runners and jumpers faced off against those from Prince of Wales, Thorne Bay and Ketchikan. "It was just a real small triangular meet. We did not take a very big crew as far as high school kids," said Head Coach Brad Taylor, adding that a lot of middle school kids also participated in the meet....
Alaskan salmon producers are not buying the presumption that growing numbers of pinks are eating too much food in the ocean, causing sockeye salmon to grow slower and smaller. That’s the claim of a new study by Seattle and British Columbia researchers, who say the race for food ultimately affects sockeye abundance and survival. “Our data sets extend up to 55 years each. In terms of looking at productivity or survival of salmon, they’ve included 36 sockeye populations,” said Greg Ruggerone, a researcher at Natural Resources Consultants in Seat...
It's got humor, romance, revenge and redemption. The Mitkof Mummers Theater Company's "Shipwreck on Cannery Island" hits the stage next week during the Little Norway Festival. It's writer/director Orin Pierson and co-writer Mary Koppes' first play, and a portion of proceeds will go toward the Mummers' newly founded Vara Wright Memorial Scholarship for high school students who plan to continue performing arts in college. Wright, a Mitkof Mummers founder who wrote and directed their plays for... Full story
Looking to start up a business or expand one? Have ideas that are full of planet, people and profit possibilities? There’s a contest going on right now that could benefit someone just like that. For the third year, the Haa Aani Community Development Fund, Inc. and Nature Conservancy are holding the Southeast Alaska Path to Prosperity (P2P) contest. Haa Aani Office Administrator Shawn Blumenshine said they work with both existing small businesses and new startups during the entrepreneurial competition. Two winners receive $40,000 each to go t...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Three men have been accused of stabbing a young moose to death at a park in Alaska's largest city, and police said witnesses reported seeing the men punching the animal and walking away. The men were arraigned Wednesday in the death of the yearling moose near a bike trail in Anchorage's Russian Jack Springs Park. All three were arrested on charges of animal cruelty, wanton waste of big game and tampering with evidence. Three witnesses called police shortly before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to report the moose under attack. Assistant D...
KETCHIKAN (AP) — Officials have confirmed a case of paralytic shellfish poisoning from a mixture of clams harvested from a beach north of Ketchikan. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services officials confirmed Monday that a person became sick on the evening of April 24 from a mixture of horse, manilla and butter clams, reports he Ketchikan Daily News reports The leftover clams showed elevated levels of saxitoxin when tested at the state Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Health Laboratory. DHSS says the person had t...
Petersburg’s Market received a big boost in the form of an U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant. “It’s a really awesome opportunity for us to support as many businesses as possible,” Market Manager Chelsea Tremblay said. The Market will use a portion of the roughly $26,000 two-year grant to help those interested in selling items locally get started, along with assisting micro businesses in growing. The grant’s purpose, according to the USDA, is to develop and improve outreach, training and technical...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces the 2015 sport fishing regulations for king salmon in SE Alaska and Yakutat effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 1, 2015 – 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 1, 2016: Alaska 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, during which the bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; the nonreside...
