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Assembly member Taylor Norheim requested a discussion item on Monday's borough assembly agenda that looked at privatizing the Petersburg Public Library. The wording of the discussion item was amended by Norheim at the start of the meeting to read as, "discussion of possible alternative funding for the public library." Norheim said that the wording of the discussion item was confusing to the public and changed the language to more accurately reflect his meaning. Although he clarified the wording...
The borough assembly amended and passed an ordinance in its first reading that would allow police officers to issue fines to individuals lighting off fireworks in service area one. If ordinance #2019-04 were to pass in all three readings, then residents could face a fine of up to $500 for lighting fireworks in service area one. The ordinance originally included language that allowed fireworks to be lit legally in service area one during three dates out of the year, July 4 and 5 and December 31,...
The bid for a new baler was awarded to Recycle Systems by the borough assembly at an assembly meeting on Monday for an amount not to exceed $535,327. The bid came in under the $600,000 that was allocated for a new borough baler by the assembly. All the bids that were placed came under the allocated $600,000, but public works director Chris Cotta recommended the bid be awarded to Recycle Systems. "The proposal offered by Recycle Systems was found to be outstanding in every regard, as well as...
The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors attempted to pass a resolution at their board meeting last month granting authority to specific board members to work with one of the hospital's financial institutions, but the motion was tabled until this month's meeting. The resolution would have allowed the president, vice president and treasurer of the board to perform such actions with Hilltop Securities as opening a brokerage account and transferring and purchasing stocks and bonds. The...
Petersburg Medical Center Controller Rocio Tejera delivered her first financial report to the board of directors on April 25 explaining the hospital's financial standing during the month of March and the fiscal year-to-date. PMC's gross operating revenue was just about on target for March, but the net operating revenue was $1,362,274, which was five percent over the $1,292,686 target for the month. Both the gross and operating revenues from the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2018...
Four students in a nursing program through University of Alaska Anchorage graduated with an associate's degree in applied science in nursing and received their nursing pins in a pinning ceremony on Thursday at the Elk's Lodge. Valaree Nilsen, Audrey Morton, Adam Axmaker and Carolyn Kvernvik had completed most of the two year program at the Petersburg Medical Center. The four graduates are the first to go through the program in Petersburg. Nichole Mattingly and Rosa Niemi led the program as UAA...
The Public Safety Advisory Board supported filling the vacant EMS coordinator position and replacing two fire engines at their meeting last Friday. While the EMS coordinator position does exist, it has not been funded or filled in about six to eight years, according to Fire Marshal Ryan Welde. The position has an annual salary of $96,147. The EMT coordinator duties, include responding to calls and splitting the day-to-day duties with Welde and fire/EMS director Sandy Dixson. Additionally, an...
WRANGELL — Lean times are ahead for the Wrangell School District, according to the budget that was adopted on April 30. Funding for the district has been a topic of much concern ever since Governor Mike Dunleavy released his proposals for the state budget. One of his proposals was a major cut to the Base Student Allocation, a program that gives schools money for every student in their district. It has been very challenging to prepare a budget for the new school year without knowing for sure w...
WRANGELL - The Wrangell Borough Assembly held an emergency meeting last Thursday night to adopt a "surplus property agreement" with the Nome Joint Utility System. The surplus property in question is a pair of diesel generators currently sitting in storage in Nome. Power has been a topic of concern around Wrangell, and amongst the assembly, thanks in part to the recent hydropower shortages at Tyee and Swan Lake. Wrangell currently has four diesel generators which it can use for power in the event...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska court system is working to switch to electronic filing, with goals of reducing workloads for clerks, eliminating delays and improving access to records. The change has been years in the making, with one targeted completion date missed and another in jeopardy. Employees at Kenai Peninsula courthouses have been part of a pilot program for electronic filing and document management systems involving limited case types. The court system plans to expand the pilot effort to include criminal cases and bring on c... Full story
May 9, 1919 Work has been started on the building of a new auto road along Main Street from the fire hall to the Packing Corporation Dock. The new street will be 18 feet in width and the old roadway will be cut down to nine feet, which will be left for a sidewalk. It is estimated that the new road will cost about $4000 before it is completed. May 5, 1944 The Office of Price Administration on Wednesday made all meats except beef steaks and beef roasts ration-free, effective at midday. The removal of ration points was announced by OPA...
Skipper Erickson was named the winner of the 2019 Andrew Wilson Knecht III Memorial Award from the Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics Dept. of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The award is given annually to a senior who has exhibited the greatest potential for applying technical training to practical application. The award consists of a plaque and a $500 cash prize. Erickson graduates in May 2019 with a major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Aerospace Engin...
Several Coast Guard personnel will be in Petersburg from May 14-17 to conduct dockside safety exams on commercial fishing vessels. Sign up at the harbormaster’s office. Exams are free, take about an hour and help ensure vessels are being operated safely and legally. Vessels passing their exam will be issued a decal that is good for two years. Prior to the exam, vessel owners should visit www.fishsafewest.info to create a customized checklist of federal requirements for their vessel. Contact Steve Ramp at 738-7267 with questi...
MDT recital thank you To the Editor: Thank you to the wonderful teachers, generous donors, gracious parents, dedicated volunteers, supportive businesses and community members, and most of all, the talented dancers, for participating in an entertaining and successful spring recital. The Mitkof Dance Troupe Board Scouts made a difference To the Editor: During the Blessing of the Fleet, from the posting of the colors to the Scout honor guard launching the floating memorial wreath, to the clean up when the last tables and chairs were cleared and...
May 1 — A pit bull was running loose near the 100 block of N. Nordic Dr., but authorities were unable to locate it. Authorities instructed an unwanted individual at a residence at a location on N. 3rd St. to leave. The individual complied. A disturbance was reported at a location on S. 3rd St. The individual left the residence at the direction of authorities. May 2 — A resident reported a theft from a vehicle at a location on Chief John Lott St. A phone scam was reported claiming to offer assistance with interest payments. A bear was seen at...
April 4 — Andrew Whitethorn entered a not guilty plea to charges of DUI, assault 4 and two counts of criminal mischief. The court released the defendant on a $500 cash performance bond with conditions. April 10 — Juan Carlos Gallardo entered a guilty plea to charges of driving without a license. The court accepted his guilty plea and granted a suspended entry of judgment if the defendant showed proof of a driver’s license within six months. The defendant paid a $20 service charge. Donald Lee Fincher, Jr. entered not guilty pleas on an assau...
The Petersburg High School varsity baseball team played against the Sitka Wolves last week during the third week of the season, but the Vikings lost all three games. The Vikings arrived in Sitka on May 1 and immediately played the Wolves in the first game of the week. The first inning saw the Vikings jump ahead with two runs, but the Wolves fought back with three runs of their own. Sitka went on to make three more runs in the second quarter, putting Petersburg down 2-6 at the start of the third...
Eleven Petersburg High School athletes gave up the opportunity to attend prom over the weekend to compete in the third track and field meet of the season in Juneau, leaving one more meet before the regional competition. Every school from the region was present at the meet at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau last week, except for Thorne Bay. According to Head Coach Tyler Thain, nearly every student from Petersburg set a new personal record. "Everyone is improving, which is really cool to...
Bulldozers, blasters, excavators, vibrators, jaw crushers, drillers, graders, crushers, huge trucks and other heavy equipment are tools of the trade when building and operating large mines - and they all kick up a lot of dust. In the case of the Pebble Mine, the project is expected to generate 8,300 tons of so called fugitive dust in its annual mining operations. Another 5,700 tons will come from building the 83 mile main road to Cook Inlet, and the 35 daily round trip trucking of mineral concentrates will churn out 1,500 tons of road dust...
Steelhead The spring steelhead fishing season is in full swing. Anglers report strong catch rates after recent high water events have subsided. Annual surveys of index streams are ongoing but indicate a strong steelhead run in 2019 for the Petersburg/Wrangell area. Water temperatures are steadily warming and spawning activity is being observed regularly. Anglers can expect several more weeks of fishing opportunity as steelhead continue to enter freshwaters during early May. Steelhead can be...
Former Petersburg resident Bernard (Bernie) Engebretson, 71, passed away April 28, in Brinnon, Washington after a long battle with Parkinson’s. His wife (Caroline) and his daughter (Teri) were by his side. He was born in Shell Lake, Wisconsin on September 27, 1947 to Phyllis (Schull) and Ernest Engebretson, the eldest of five children. Bernie enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from high school, serving from 1966 – 1970, during the Vietnam War era. He was stationed at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and worked on the Titan mi... Full story
