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Don Spigelmyre was overcome with panic as the ocean's current pulled him out and water filled his mouth. He managed to yell for help, and his son sprang into action. Sean Spigelmyre swam out to his father, grabbed his arm and began side stroking back to shore. "I wouldn't be here today," said Don Spigelmyre. "There is no way." On Friday, Sean was awarded the Boy Scout's Honor Medal for the heroic rescue of his father in January of 2017 in Kauai, Hawaii. Sean has been with the Boy Scouts since...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed an ordinance adopting the borough's fiscal year 2020 operating budget after making several amendments to it at an assembly meeting last week. The proposed budget was first presented to the assembly in mid-April. Expenditures in the general fund total $9,567,149 for the 2020 budget, but it is balanced out by $9,571,545 in revenues. The total amount of excess of revenues over expenditures is $4,396. The current 2019 fiscal year budget has a total of...
The Petersburg Medical Center held its third Community Cafe on Thursday in the assembly chambers to discuss changes in funding for healthcare at the state level. Each Community Cafe typically follows a theme, with the first Cafe revolving around trends affecting healthcare in rural Alaska and the second forum demonstrating PMC's telehealth capabilities. Jeanie Monk, with the Alaska State Hospital & Nursing Home Association, gave an overview of how Gov. Mike Dunleavy's proposed 2020 fiscal year b...
The borough assembly passed an online sales tax ordinance that adds language to the current tax code in its third reading at an assembly meeting last week. The borough's current tax code does not mention internet sales tax, nor does it forbid it. Ordinance #2019-02 will broaden the language in the current sales tax code to include internet venders not located in Petersburg or Alaska. Some online vendors, such as Amazon, have voluntarily been collecting and remitting online sales taxes on...
Salmon Beyond Borders Campaign Coordinator Breanna Walker will be in Petersburg during the Little Norway Festival to show the film "Chasing Wild: Journey Into the Sacred Headwaters" and to provide a short update on the Stikine and other transboundary rivers. "Chasing Wild" follows three friends on a 250-mile bicycling and packrafting trip into the sacred headwaters of the Stikine River. More than 12 British Columbian large-scale open-pit mines are abandoned, in development or in operation near...
The Petersburg High School eSsports team competed in the state competition on Thursday and came in first place. Seven schools throughout the state have been competing against each other in League of Legends for the entire spring season. League of Legends is a video game where two teams of five players spawn onto a map and must destroy the other teams' base. The games are hosted and coordinated through PlayVs, which is a high school eSsports league. This spring season was PHS' first year...
Erin Kandoll, of Twisted Ginger Designs, unveiled her Mayfest and Game of Thrones inspired collection of handmade earrings and necklaces last night at FireLight Gallery & Framing. The collection featured approximately 100 pairs of sterling silver earrings and 60 necklaces that had a bit of copper sprinkled in from her fall show. Kandoll has been working on the jewelry since last month. Some earrings form a Nordic rune or symbol, while the sword and shield collection flaunts a sword on one ear...
Bruno Henrique Caetano is about half way through his yearlong student exchange program in Petersburg, and he said that he has made plenty of new friends and new memories. Caetano, 16, first arrived in Petersburg from Unaí, Brazil in January of this year as part of theyouth exchange program through the Petersburg Rotary Club. Each year, the Alaska District Rotary Club sends about 25 students to 20 different countries, while receiving 25 students, according to coordinator Dave Berg. There is a lon...
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s seafood industry is exploring strategies to reduce damage from the Trump administration’s trade dispute with China, officials said. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute plans to explore how Alaska can enter additional markets to expand the state’s seafood brand, The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported Thursday. The U.S. plans to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports from 10% to 25% Friday. China is the largest export market and re-processor of Alaska seafood, with about $989 million worth of sales to Chin...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - State officials are documenting air quality in Juneau to determine if harmful pollutants are showing up from cruise ships or other sources. The Juneau Empire reports the state in late April installed 21 monitors around downtown Juneau. They're part of the first ambient air quality study in the capital in more than a decade. Monitors measuring sulfur dioxide also were installed. The monitors use lasers to measure fine particulate. The inhalable particles can cause...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — It’s crunch time for Alaska lawmakers, who face a looming deadline to complete their session and decide some of its thorniest issues. Wednesday will mark the 121st day of the regular session, the constitutional limit though a 10-day extension is allowable. Lawmakers last month blew past a 90-day voter-approved session limit, which wasn’t seen as realistic given Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget hadn’t been released until a month into session and the House didn’t organize until around the same time. Legislative...
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The University of Alaska has issued lay-off notices to 48 employees as part of an overhaul of its human resources department. UA President Jim Johnsen announced the changes, which will include downsizing, on Monday. He called the changes a redesign. “This is not a merger — it is a complete redesign based on best practices in higher education, which will lead to increased efficiencies that ultimately serve you better,” Johnsen wrote in an email to employees. “We want to make our search for new talent more efficient...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Dive teams plunged into the icy cold waters of a southeast Alaska inlet Tuesday, searching an area the size of 24 football fields for two cruise ship passengers missing after two sightseeing planes collided. The Coast Guard has confirmed four fatalities in the collision Monday afternoon near Ketchikan, a popular destination for cruise ships in Alaska. Ten people, all Americans, were injured. The missing passengers were from Canada and Australia, Princess Cruises said. The Royal Princess, which can carry up to 3,600 p...
WRANGELL - With the recent resignation of Principal Virginia Tulley, Evergreen Elementary School has found itself in need of new leadership. However, the school district itself is also facing tight finances, with the recent passage of a "no fat" budget. This budget does not allow for the hiring of a new principal, according to Superintendent Debbe Lancaster. In response, the school board determined that a new leadership position was required. The board met in a special meeting last Friday, May...
May 16, 1919 The workrooms of the Petersburg Branch American Red Cross will be open on regular days from now on and all ladies are requested to give a few minutes of time for completing the work on hand. The stock of yarn will be worked up into garments for the Belgian and French refugees. There are uncompleted garments which must be finished any time before fall so that it may be shipped to Europe before the cold winter. Mrs. E.E. Harvey will be in charge of the workrooms. May 12, 1944 The mother-daughter banquet was a special occasion as deco...
Ban on fireworks unenforceable To the Editor: I support allowing fireworks inside of Service Area 1. I believe that they are part of American tradition and should be allowed to be set off on/near the 4th of July as originally included in the first reading of the ordinance before it was amended. I think a ban on fireworks is unenforceable under the current staffing of our police force. Richard S. Burke Truth difficult to find To the Editor: Humans love to hunt. We hunt fish and game. We hunt for...
May 8— Ryan Dawson, 31, was arrested for violation of conditions of release. A drug take back bin was emptied and counted by authorities. A disturbance was reported on S. 3rd St. Sandi Medina, 33, was arrested for two counts of violation of conditions of release. May 9 — Authorities responded to a disturbance at the Tides Inn. A disturbance report was made against an individual trespassing at a location on S. Nordic Dr. Alexander Behary, 73, was issued a citation for excessive speed. Sandi Medina, 33, was arrested for violation of con...
Aaron T. Murph graduated with Honors from the University of Alaska, Anchorage with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering....
Bering Sea crabbers saw upticks in crab recruits during a good fishery for the 2018/2019 season, along with strong prices. The crab season opens in mid-October for red king crab, Tanners and snow crab (opilio), and while fishing goes fast for red kings in order to fill orders for year-end markets in Japan, the fleet typically drops pots for the other species in January. Crabbers said they saw strong showings of younger crab poised to enter the three fisheries. Only male crabs of a certain size are able to be retained for sale. “For Bristol Bay...
Ken Madsen looks for his golf ball, after knocking it into a ditch, at last weekend's Ray Pedersen Memorial Ryder Cup. The tournament, memorializing Ray Pedersen, brings together the towns of Wrangell and Petersburg for a weekend of golfing. Petersburg won the match 22 to 13. Wrangell and Petersburg came together for Muskeg Meadow's annual Ray Pedersen Memorial Ryder Cup last Saturday and Sunday. The two communities have been going back-and-forth on winning this tournament for several years. In... Full story
