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At their meeting last Friday, the borough assembly approved 13 goals and objectives for Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht to work on in the upcoming 2020 fiscal year. The 13 items are a result of the manager's recent performance evaluation. Some of the goals and objectives have comments from Giesbrecht that go into further detail to better capture the assembly's intentions. A motion was made to adopt Giesbrecht's comments into the document. Giesbrecht said that he could get each of the items done...
On Friday, the borough assembly approved one of two resolutions that set the millage rate at 11.45 mills for service area one. The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 of the property's assessed value that is used to calculate taxes within the borough. The mill rate reflects a scenario where Gov. Mike Dunleavy does not veto the state legislators' 2020 fiscal year state budget and funds the state's portion of the school bond debt reimbursement. If the governor does veto the budget, the assembly...
A request for proposal was awarded to Eaton Corporation on Friday by the borough assembly for the supply, integration, training and support for a fully functioning radio frequency meter reading system not to exceed $113,034.38. The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system will replace all the meters in North Boat Harbor and some of the meters in the Middle and South Boat Harbors. The radio frequency meters will eliminate the need for a meter reader to go down to the harbor when a visiting...
June 27, 1919 All ladies having finished knitting for the Red Cross are asked to turn it in to Mrs. Harvey at once as a shipment will be made on one of the next boats. June 23, 1944 For Alaskans who plan to take the family car along when they make the anticipated trip to the States, the advice of the Territorial Office of Price Administration is “Don’t.” Gasoline rationing is becoming more strict. Basic ‘A’ cards permit persons to travel 120 miles per month. Persons will be unable to obtain allotments of gasoline for the long trip south to the...
Around 2 A.M. on Sunday morning John P. Akers allegedly drove an SUV down Sing Lee Alley while under the influence of alcohol and crashed into the hand rail on the right side of the bridge near the former Seaside Restaurant, according to police. Officer Eric Wolf was conducting a standard patrol of the area when he came across a black, 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe that was straddling the bull rail of the bridge with the front and back passenger side tires hanging over the side in mid-air, according to...
The borough assembly on Friday voted in favor of moving assembly meetings in July and August from their usual Monday dates to Thursdays to have a better chance of a quorum. "I think if we moved it to Thursday and had better odds, I don't see a problem with that," said Assembly Member Brandi Marohl. Assembly meetings are usually held on the first and third Mondays of the month at 12 P.M. and 6 P.M. respectively. The meetings in July and August will fall on the Thursday after the first and third...
The Alaska State Legislature adjourned last week, but before adjourning, the most significant accomplishment was the agreement to transfer $10.5 billion from the Earnings Reserve Account (ERA) to the Corpus of the Permanent Fund. For the majority of legislators, including Senator Stedman and myself, it is a top priority to protect and enhance opportunities for the Permanent Fund to grow so that there will continue to be PFDs for Alaskans well into the future. The Permanent Fund is comprised of the Corpus (also known as the Principal) and the...
To the Editor: I write hoping to encourage community members to participate in the annual 4th of July Parade. The Chamber of Commerce announced another great theme "Let Freedom Rock" and it would be wonderful to have the parade full of locally decorated neighborhood floats, kids riding their decorated bikes or pulling wagons, organizations promoting their mission all walking together in celebration. Parents please encourage your kids to participate. Some of my best childhood memories are the...
June 19 — Brina Compton was found riding a stolen Trek bike. Levi Newman, 31, was arrested on charges of theft in the third degree. A vehicle was damaged at a location on Frederick Point Rd. Charles R. Christensen, 19, was issued a citation for expired registration. Bryce Covington, 32, was arrested on charges of violating conditions of release. June 20 — A patrol was requested near the ball field. A patrol was requested on N. Nordic Dr. Brina Compton, 24, was arrested for violating conditions of release. Kenneth Whitmore, 31, was issued a cit...
Alaska Fish and Game biologist Troy Thynes has accepted the role of regional management coordinator for commercial fisheries, which is the first time the position has been held in Petersburg. Thynes has been with the Petersburg Fish and Game office since 2000 when he took a job as a fish and wildlife technician. After a year, he transferred to the area management department as an assistant. In 2009, he took over as area management biologist for the Petersburg and Wrangell area. Now he oversees...
Last Thursday, June 20, members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the Forest Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local volunteers all converged on the beach of east Wrangell, near Channel Island, to dissect a dead gray whale that had washed ashore. Kate Savage, once a veterinarian in Wrangell but now working with NOAA, said that an Unusual Mortality Event is occurring all along the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to Mexico. There...
Visitors will soon be able to request the last of the daily permits for the Anan Wildlife Observatory this summer. There are four permits per day for the remainder of the summer meant to accommodate last-minute planning, and these permits need to be requested in person at the Wrangell Ranger District up to one week in advance. Requests must be made by filling out a form at the front desk, and individuals listed on the form must be physically present at the time of request (with the exception of...
WRANGELL - he Southeast Alaska Power Agency held a two-day meeting in Wrangell last week, on June 19 and 20. The SEAPA board of directors consists of five voting community members and their alternates from Wrangell, Petersburg, and Ketchikan, which are the three communities the power agency supplies. During last week's meetings, the board agreed to pay the two cities of Wrangell and Petersburg almost $850,000 in a reimbursement package. The reimbursement plan was to pay back the two cities for...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers have rejected Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s location of his hometown of Wasilla for a special session that starts next month. The Alaska Legislature will instead convene in Juneau on July 8 and then hold a majority of its meetings in Anchorage, House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent from Dillingham, and Senate President Cathy Giessel, an Anchorage Republican, said in a joint statement. “The majority of legislators in both bodies considers it our right to determine the location and venue best equipped to co...
A well-intended new Alaska law has gone awry from a botched roll out that has turned thousands of Alaskan fishing vessel, tender, barge and sport fish operators into lawbreakers. Since the start of 2019, all vessels over 24 feet are required to be registered with the State at a Department of Motor Vehicles office. Previously, vessels that were documented with the US Coast Guard were not also required to register with the state. The registration costs $24 and is good for three years. “You need to get down to the DMV whether you’re doc...
SITKA, Alaska (AP) — A health care business group plans to rename five southeast Alaska facilities. The Daily Sitka Sentinel reported Monday that Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium will change the name of the facilities in Sitka as part of a new association with Sitka Community Hospital scheduled to be completed August 1. Sitka Medical Center Express Care Clinic will be renamed Mountainside Urgent Care, Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital will be renamed Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center, Sitka Community Hospital will become Sitka Long-Term Care, M...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s unemployment rate fell to 6.4 percent last month, which would be its lowest level in more than a decade. The figure is preliminary and could still change; the state’s unemployment rate had stood at 6.5 percent since August. Federal labor statistics show the last time Alaska’s unemployment rate was 6.4 percent was December 2007. The state labor department says Alaska gained 900 jobs between May 2018 and last month. Construction added the most jobs during that time, followed by the oil and gas sector. Manufac...
Kristian Wittstock was named to the Dean’s list and Nels Evens was named to the President’s List for 2019 spring semester at Gonzaga University. Jasmine Ieremia was named to the 2019 spring semester honor roll at Central Washington University....
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — Stitching, padding, and layers of fabric are what can be seen and felt when touching a quilt, but the colors and patterns in combination with the effort and gratitude symbolize much more. When seven former members of the Armed Forces of the United States were called upon by members of the Rainy Day Quilt Guild June 15 in the Honey-Do Lounge at the Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 3113, they were met with applause from the community followed by a token of appreciation, a “Quilt of Valor,” for the lifelong sacrifices they hav...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) _ The developer of a proposed mine in southeast Alaska is moving ahead with exploration following a favorable court decision. That decision, however, is being appealed by critics of the project, which is located near Haines. Liz Cornejo, vice president for community and external affairs with Canada-based Constantine Metal Resources Ltd., told the Juneau Empire she believes mines, eagles and fish can co-exist. The next phase of exploration involves tunneling into a mountain to get a better sense for how substantial the minera...
