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PETERSBURG — The Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska crashed into the face of the Ocean Beauty Seafoods dock in Petersburg at 1:00 p.m. Monday. The M/V Matanuska was negotiating a turn in Wrangell Narrows prior to the accident as it prepared to dock at the Petersburg ferry terminal on its southbound trip. Heavy damage was sustained to the face of the Ocean Beauty dock. Dock piling were broken and the hydraulic crane was dangling over the water. In addition to the dock damage, the second f...
Passengers of the M/V Matanuska said they barely felt the impact when the ferry crashed into Ocean Beauty Seafoods on Monday. None of the 60 passengers aboard the M/V Matanuska were injured when the incident occurred around 1 p.m. According to Petersburg resident John Bringhurst, who was a passenger at the time, the impact was barely felt from the observation deck where he was standing. “I was a little distracted. I was talking to my wife,” Bringhurst said as the M/V Matanuska began a 360-degree turn. “Then my wife said, 'John, what is he do...
May 12, 1982 - A 41-2 strike vote by International Longshoreman’s Warehouse Union cold storage workers at Petersburg Fisheries Friday night was brought about mainly because of workers’ concerns that their overtime hours will be cut back, and because, under proposals made by the PFI negotiating team, workers would have to put in almost three times as many hours before they would be eligible for top wage, according to ILWU Local 85 President Cathy Montgomery. At Whitney-Fidalgo, ILWU cold sto...
How Was Prom? To the Editor: “How was Prom?” This was the primary question asked of me in the days following the Prom (held Saturday night, May 5, 2012). The vast majority of Petersburg High School students and guests rose to the published expectations of the occasion and enjoyed an evening of fun and appropriate dance. Did some individuals need reminding? Yes. Were they respectful when reminded of the expectations? Absolutely. A big thank you and congratulations to our great PHS students for their help in making this a successful Prom. A spe...
May 2 Christopher Haerling, 20, was cited on charges of suspicion of minor in possession of alcohol at 1st and Ira streets. Unknown suspects took items from a vehicle on Gauffin Street. Caller reported hitting a deer on Mitkof Highway. Unknown suspects stole a 125cc dirt bike from a driveway on Excel Street. Caller reported keys missing from a vehicle on Lake Street. Caller reported someone rifled through the glove box of a car on Wrangell, but nothing appeared to be missing. Caller reported children riding in a vehicle without restraints. May...
The City Council on Monday awarded ASRC McGraw Constructors the construction bid for the new library. The Library Building Committee recommended low bidder ASRC McGraw Constructors for the project. ASRC McGraw was one of five bids that came well under the $4.5 million estimated cost. The bid will also allow for additional features such at higher quality finishes to the building, a paved parking lot as well as sidewalks and gutters. The single story, 9,770 square-foot building was designed by MRV Architects in Juneau. The City Council...
May 3 Frances D. Yatchmenoff, 40, entered a Not Guilty plea in District Court to the charges of DUI and Assault, a fourth degree misdemeanor. Judge William Carey will hear the case. Guy G. Birchell, 18, entered a Not Guilty plea in District Court to the charges of driving without a license and reckless endangerment. Judge William Carey will hear the case....
Petersburg residents can now pay their utility bills online. A new program allows utility customers to register their accounts and then pay monthly bills on the web site with a credit card. Customers can log on to verify their accounts with an account number and either a meter number or phone number associated with the account. “The new program will let customers view usage and billing history for themselves,” said City Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported to the City Council on Monday. He also noted that online bill pay offers the added con...
Frustrated by the lack of public forum regarding proposed funding for the Kake-Petersburg Road, Petersburg and Kupreanof City residents spoke out against the project during Monday night's City Council meeting. Petersburg resident Mike Stainbrook submitted a letter to the council that contained a sample resolution asking Governor Sean Parnell for a line item veto of the road. “This funding requires a bold reaction. A request for veto,” he said. The 50-mile road was added to the state budget by Senator Bert Stedman as part of $870 million in tra...
Diane Powell from the Alaska Dept. of Transportation and Public Facilities will be at the Retail Committee meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, along with one of the engineers for the Main Street project and Karl Hagerman from the city public works department. The meeting will be held Thursday, May 10 at 8:30 am at the Chamber of Commerce conference room. According to the Chamber, ADOT-PF is flying down for this meeting as they need to get signed easements from all of the affected businesses and want to give an update on the proposed project....
Fourth grade students from Wrangell and Petersburg were treated to a trip on the Stikine River last Thursday. Jet boats from Alaska Waters, Summit Charters, Alaska Charters and Adventures and Alaska Peak & Seas transported the students to six learning stations that were situated along the lower river. The hooligan fishery station was manned by Brennon Eagle and Winston Davies. Virginia Oliver shared her enormous wealth of Tlingit culture in the second station at Lower Limb Island. At the Upper...
Vikings baseball swept a home series against Craig, Wrangell, and Juneau JV last weekend. The first game, against the Juneau JV on Thursday, was a six to five Vikings win. Colby Bell started on the mound for Petersburg through the first four innings and gave up only three hits and four runs, and struck out eight Juneau batters. Dalton Small pitched the 5th and the 6th innings. The ball game was tied four to four in the 6th and 7th innings, and Juneau scored off an error. Taylor Pullar was first...
Soccer balls…motorcycles… reminders of the massive tsunami in Japan a year ago are now appearing along Alaska’s coastlines. “It’s safe to say that tsunami debris is here,” said Merrick Burden, director of the Juneau-based Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation. Since January the MCA has been tracking where and the kinds of debris that is coming ashore, and whether it is radioactive (none so far), at Kodiak, Yakutat, Sitka and Craig where the wreckage was first likely to hit. “What we’re finding are wind driven objects like buoys, Styrofoa...
Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiners will be conducting voluntary dockside examinations for Commercial Fishing Vessels from May 17 through May 20. Anyone interested in a Voluntary Dockside Examination sign-up at the Petersburg Harbormasters Office. Voluntary dockside examinations are free, take about an hour and help foster public awareness of fishing vessel safety, regulations and safety carriage requirements. Commercial Fishermen interested in this service contact Scott Wilwert at (907) 957-0152....
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently announced that the lingcod sport fishing seasons, bag and possession limits, annual limits, and size limits have been established for the Northern Southeast Area. In this area the following regulations apply: Northern Southeast Area - Season: May 16 – November 30. Limits: Residents – 1 daily 2 in possession, no size limit. Nonresidents – 1 daily, 1 in possession, size limit: 30 inches or greater in length and less than 35 inches in length, or 55 inches or greater in length. An annual limit of 2...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently announced that the lingcod sport fishing seasons, bag and possession limits, annual limits, and size limits have been established for the Southern Southeast Area. In this area the following regulations apply: Southern Southeast Area - Season: May 16 – November 30. Limits: Residents – 1 daily 2 in possession, no size limit. Nonresidents – 1 daily, 1 in possession, size limit: 30 inches or greater in length and less than 45 inches in length, or 55 inches or greater in length. An annual limit of 2...
More than 100 students attended the Petersburg High School Prom Night on Saturday, May 5. The students kicked off their shoes and danced to a variety of music from Lady Ga Ga to Nickelback. The Sons of Norway Hall was decorated like a disco with strobe lights and a mirrored ball. Balloon arches and streamers framed the dance floor as several students shared the dj duties with a laptop playing students’ favorite songs. At the end of the evening as fellow students, parents and young siblings l...
KETCHIKAN (AP) — Southeast Alaska commercial fishermen have approved a $13 million plan to buy back 64 state permits for purse seine fishing to boost market conditions. The region's seine permit holders voted 215-54 in favor of the “capacity reduction program” aimed at improving the economic viability of the remaining 315 permit holders. They voted from March 30 to April 30 in a referendum conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The buyback will be financed with a federal loan to be repaid over time by remaining permit holde...
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Canneries in Alaska can continue to hire foreign workers until at least November under the J-1 Summer Work and Travel Program. The visa program brings more than 100,000 foreign college students to the Unites States each year. The State Department announced Friday it is making major changes to its premier student-exchange program. U.S. Sens. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich of Alaska lauded the decision, saying it was paramount to keeping canneries in Alaska operating. KMXT says a last minute decision would have l...
PETERSBURG (AP) — Observers hired by the National Marine Fisheries Service will monitor commercial fishermen catching salmon with drift gillnets near Petersburg and Wrangell starting next month. KFSK-FM reports contract observers will use 23-foot boats to follow gillnetters for the season that typically starts mid-June and runs through September. They'll be watching for interaction between fishermen and marine mammals or seabirds, and observing fishing practices. Fishermen have concerns. Some fear catch information could be shared by o...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Supreme Court plans to hear arguments Thursday on whether a redistricting plan that sparked a legal fight should be used for this year's elections. The Alaska Redistricting Board petitioned the court to have the plan, with some changes, used. An attorney for the board has said there's insufficient time for a new plan to clear all necessary hurdles in time for the elections. The board drafted a new plan but it was rejected by a lower court judge. The board appealed that decision. Taylor Bickford, the board's e...
The 4th of July committee recently announced that the theme for this 4th of July is: From Sea to Shining Sea. Call the Chamber of Commerce if you have questions....
This year the Hospital Silver Tea will be held on Thursday, May 17 from 2 - 4 pm in the Long Term Care dining room. The entire community is welcome to help the Hospital Guild celebrate 75 years of service to the Petersburg Medical Center. On May 12, 1938 the Hospital Guild held their first Hospital Tea Day. The Tea observes the birthday of Florence Nightingale and honors all hospital workers. On February 12, 1937, eighteen Petersburg women met to form the Hospital Guild and the following by-laws were adopted: 1.The Petersburg Hospital Guild...
The library will be closed Saturday, May 19 for Little Norway Paint with Doris Olsen - Vikings & Viking ships, Thursday, May 10, 3:30 -5 pm. Get ready for Little Norway Festival by painting a Viking themed picture. The paintings will be displayed for Mayfest at Java Hus. Open to kids and teens 8+, call the library at 772-3349 to sign up. Preschool Story time - Wednesday, May 16, 10 – 11 am. Open to preschoolers. Stories, songs and activities that help children get ready for school and encourage a love of reading at an early age. Tlingit W...
