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Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht and the boroughs attorney are set to begin discussions with the Petersburg Medical Center on the possibility of transferring management of the Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility to the PMC following unanimous approval from the Petersburg Borough Assembly. The borough has struggled to hire staff including resident assistants and registered nurses at the manor and sees the transfer of management as one solution to relieve staffing challenges. The manor...
The Petersburg Medical Center is one step closer to "shovel ready status" following unanimous approval from the Petersburg Borough Assembly to begin surveying and evaluating potential sites for a future hospital. The approved process, which will be paid for by PMC through received funding, will help the hospital learn more about the borough-owned properties and see if there is anything at the proposed sites that would prevent building. Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter said during... Full story
The Petersburg High School baseball team far exceeded their expectations in the ASAA Division II state championships last weekend in Wasilla, winning their first two games and finishing their season within reach of the state championship. Though the team finished one step from glory, they can take pride in earning their first ever win in the Division II tournament and marking the first time Petersburg baseball has competed in the championship game. "It was a very fun trip and I'm thrilled for th... Full story
School got out last week, but Bridget Wittstock still had one week to go until she ended her final year with the Petersburg School District. She is set to retire after 29 years of service and there will no doubt be a void left that will be difficult to fill. The district recently held a surprise party to recognize Wittstock and, of course, the eventwas catered by Wittstock's mother Julie Dahl and included a song written and preformed by the Luncheonettes. "I cried, it was very touching,"...
June 9, 1922 Big Joint Picnic With Wrangell Planned Sunday. Prompted by the splendid weather and by a mutual desire of getting together for a neighborly visit, the Wrangell and Petersburg American Legion posts have agreed to meet about half-way between Wrangell and Petersburg, at Masons Place, on the coming Sunday, and arrangements for the picnic are being completed in good shape. Every person who can possibly get away from town on Sunday is expected to be on hand Sunday morning at eight oclock as boats are scheduled to leave at that time. A...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed its FY23 budget by a 4-3 margin in its third and final reading on Monday with Assembly Members Dave Kensinger, Jeff Meucci, and Thomas Fine-Walsh voting against. There were no amendments proposed in its last reading but discussion saw similar points of concern raised by opposing assembly members. Fine-Walsh had concerns about how the budget would place “more emphasis on policing than education and housing.” “These are my priorities, these are the priorities of our community as they have been expre...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved two items which will begin the lengthy process of acquiring the state-owned uplands and tidelands surrounding the Papkes Landing Marine Facility during Mondays meeting. Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht put forward the two separate items requesting ownership of the uplands and tidelands respectively as the borough looks to eventually make improvements to the facility. Giesbrecht has held talks with representatives from the Alaska Department of...
Property Development To the Editor: I would like to encourage the borough to proceed with developing building lots on borough land, much of which happens to already be subdivided and adjacent to borough utility services. The lack of available and affordable building lots is slowing growth through the lack of housing. The community is unable to provide housing for necessary workers for the school and hospital as well as the fishing and fish processing industry. Another aspect of borough involvement in supplying building lots is the fact that,...
The Legislature adjourned on time last month, a nice change from past special sessions that got in the way of summer fishing, watching baseball, eating anything off the grill (except eggplant) and sitting outdoors in the sun doing nothing. Lawmakers settled on a healthy and wealthy but not necessarily wise dividend that will put $12,800 into the hands of a family of four this fall. As expected months ago, that single issue consumed the largest amount of political negotiating in the Legislatures final days. House and Senate members also passed...
Amongst the sounds of churning conveyor belts, rolling carts, and running rivers, a high pitched steam whistle blares, cutting through the noise-its time for mug up. Coffee drips and silverware clatters with plates as tired workers gather for a moment of respite. With eyes closed, hearing the symphony of industrial noise one might think they had walked inside an operating Alaskan cannery, but upon opening they would instead find a faithful recreation of cannery life inside the Alaska State... Full story
June 1 — An officer conducted additional patrols near Charles W. St. A citizen was assisted near N. Nordic Dr. Lost property was reported downtown. Childrens toys found near S. Nordic Dr. were turned in at the police department. Brina Compton was arrested on a warrant at the airport. A warning was issued for operating an off-road minibike on the Libby Strait bike path. Teenagers were reported climbing on boats in Middle Harbor. The Alaska State Troopers were notified of a possible deer in distress near Philbin Ln. A dangerous dog was reported n...
Two candidates who are up for the Fire/EMS director position visited Petersburg this week. Stephen Jellie and Rhys Mateo were in town to meet with community members and conduct their final interviews in front of a panel and with Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. One of the two could be replacing Sandy Dixon who is retiring at the end of June. Jellie has been involved in fire emergency services since he began volunteering when he was 18. He worked in emergency services in the federal government...
May 24, 2022: Magistrate Judge Rachel Newport presided over an arraignment hearing in the Petersburg District Court for Palmer H. Thomassen Jr. The defendant was present, but not in custody and pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI, refusal to submit to a breath test and reckless driving. Thomassen was released on his own recognizance and will retain his own lawyer. He must: obey all laws, appear at all hearings, maintain contact with attorney when retained, not consume or possess alcohol or go to any establishment where it is the primary source...
After 56 years of service in the Alaska Marine Highway System fleet and almost three years tied up at a Ketchikan dock, unused and in need of costly repairs, the Malaspina is headed to another career as a privately owned floating museum and employee housing. Plans also call for using the ship as a classroom for maritime industry jobs. The state last week accepted $128,250 for the 408-foot-long passenger and vehicle ferry from the recently formed Ketchikan company M/V Malaspina. The company is a subsidiary of Ward Cove Dock Group, owned by John...
WRANGELL – Closing on the boroughs $2.6 million purchase of the 39-acre former sawmill property at 6 Mile has been delayed until June 20, Borough Manager Jeff Good said June 1, the day the sale was supposed to close. The sale is delayed until the seller can resolve a contractor lien on the property. William “Shorty” Tonsgard Jr., owner of Channel Construction, a scrap metal collection company that runs a barge south for disposal or recycling, on March 18 filed a $701,654 lien against Kelso, Washington-based DB AK Enterprises, owned by Betty...
For the first time in four years, Celebration, the largest gatherings of Southeast Alaska Native peoples to celebrate their culture, is being held in person in Juneau from June 8-11. The gathering, sponsored by Sealaska Heritage, drew about 5,000 people pre-COVID, including more than 2,000 dancers. The Wrangell tribe will lead the way this week. Every Celebration features a lead dance group and this year it is Shx’at Kwáan (People Near the Mainland) of Wrangell, Sealaska Heritage spokesperson Kathy Dye said Friday. “They were chosen in 2018...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska voters are facing an election unlike any theyve seen, with 48 candidates running to succeed the man who had held the states only U.S. House seat for 49 years. While some of the candidates in this weeks special primary have name recognition, including Sarah Palin and Santa Claus – yes, Santa Claus – many are relative unknowns or political novices – a fishing guide, a contractor, a gold miner who went to prison for allegedly threatening federal land managers. The huge number of candidates and the short timelin...
With the heavy snow pack and delayed melt this spring, rivers, and lakes are now swelling with snowmelt due to the recent warm weather and summer sunshine. King Salmon Opportunity for Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon is now open in the Anita Bay and Blind Slough-Wrangell Narrows terminal harvest areas. Anglers report good success in the first few days of these fisheries. Blind Slough-Wrangell Narrows king salmon regulations: Bag and possession limit is 2 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and 2 king salmon, under 28 inches in leng...
The Petersburg Ranger District will be cutting, falling and hauling wood in support of the East Ohmer Creek Stream Restoration project, beginning Monday, June 13, 2022. The work is anticipated to take up to two weeks and short delays can be expected. Cut logs and logs with rootwads attached will be taken on Woodpecker Road at Mile Post 3.0 and Mile Post 11.0, and near the junction of the Snake Ridge Road and FS 40006. The contractor will place signs near the work sites but expect log truck traffic from approximately June 13 – 24th. For more i...
