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The fireworks display tonight at 11P.M. at the ball field is moving forward as planned, said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg, as parts of the state face fireworks bans due to wildfires and dry conditions. On June 27, the Alaska State Fire Marshal's Office implemented an immediate suspension on the sale and use of fireworks across most of the state, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety, Fire and Life Safety. The ban affects areas that face fire risk levels in high, very high and...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors passed the hospital's 2020 fiscal year budget at their board meeting last week. The balanced budget anticipates $16,695,000 in both total revenue and total expenses for the new fiscal year that began on July 1. A preliminary budget was approved by the board in March, and several changes have been made to the budget since then, according to PMC Controller Rocio Tejera. The amount of money budgeted for employee wages was increased since salaries...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will be holding an assembly meeting on Thursday at 10 A.M. to discuss and possibly pass a resolution setting a supplemental millage rate for the 2020 fiscal year that began on July 1. The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 of a property's assessed value that is used to calculate taxes within the borough. The meeting was originally supposed to be held on Friday, but it was cancelled due to a lack of quorum. The next meeting wasn't going to be until July 18, but...
Petersburg Medical Center Controller Rocio Tejera gave her monthly financial report to the PMC board of directors last Thursday explaining the hospital's financial standing during the month of May and the fiscal year-to-date. Both PMC's gross and net operating revenue were above target for the month of May. The gross operating revenue was at $1,873,317, which was 24 percent above the budgeted $1,503,353 for the month. The net operating revenue was up 16 percent at $1,501,766. The hospital's...
A list of Petersburg Medical Center's capital items and projects for the 2020 fiscal year was presented to the Board of Directors at their meeting on Friday. The list included over 20 items from nine departments for a total of $827,646, but PMC Controller Rocio Tereja said that the hospital will not be going over $500,000. "We have no intention of going over $500,000 on capital," said Tereja. "We need to sit down, talk about it and see what's really needed and go from there." The list was just...
The Resource Advisory Committee plans on completing most of their on-going projects in the Petersburg, Wrangell and Kake areas. RAC makes recommendations to the Forest Service on how to allocate funds that it receives from title two of the Secure Rural Schools Act. The act was created to offset the loss in funding that western states were receiving from the timber industry, according to Petersburg District Ranger Ted Sandhofer and RAC Designated Federal Officer. Fifteen percent of the funds...
Chelsea and Pete Keutmann have taken on hours of extra work when processing the fish they catch in an effort to reach their goal of utilizing the entire fish and leaving behind zero waste. "A big thing that we're passionate about is minimizing the waste that we're producing," said Chelsea. "Some people fillet a fish and then it's just discarded. However, there is so much nutrients and value left on these fish that can still be utilized." The two have been marketing fish for about 12 years, but...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Coast Guard is searching for a commercial fisherman missing near Bristol Bay. A crewman from the vessel Pail Rider went overboard at approximately 3 a.m. Monday in Nushagak Bay. The man was not wearing a life jacket. Remaining crew members fired flares and other vessels arrived to help search but the man has not been found. The Coast Guard says the man was wearing orange and it’s hoped the bright-colored clothing will help him be found. A Jayhawk helicopter and a C-130 Hercules aircraft from Kodiak is searching alo...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy slashed the University of Alaska system budget by $130 million on Friday, part of more than $400 million in vetoes he characterized as difficult but necessary amid an ongoing state deficit. Critics called the cuts disappointing and dangerous for an economy that’s shown bright spots after a prolonged recession. Dunleavy, a Republican, also cut state support for public broadcasting, reduced spending for Medicaid and eliminated a program that provides mon...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A Juneau man who suffered a stab wound to his abdomen two weeks ago has died at a Seattle hospital. Juneau police say 61-year-old Gregory Bowen died Saturday at Harborview Medical Center. Police on June 17 took a call from a woman reporting that a man was bleeding from a stab wound. Emergency responders found Bowen on the floor of a home. He was rushed to Bartlett Regional Hospital and later flown to Seattle. Police arrested 42-year-old Sonya Taton that night on a felony assault charge and seized a fillet knife as e...
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska state government says it will not delay implementation of a new boat registration law. The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported Wednesday that the statement came in response to a request by United Fishermen of Alaska. Beginning this year, all vessels longer than 24 feet (7.32 meters) are required to be registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles. A United Fishermen official says very few fishermen are aware of the regulation and stand to be prosecuted for non-compliance. Earlier this month, UFA requested a d...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- A former Superior Court judge ousted by voters after accepting a plea deal in an assault case that some saw as too lenient has joined former Gov. Bill Walker’s law firm. The Anchorage firm of Brena, Bell and Walker said Michael Corey is expected to handle complex civil matters and help resolve disputes outside of court. Corey lost a judicial retention vote last year after accepting the plea deal for Justin Schneider. Schneider was accused of attacking and masturbating on a woman in 2017. Schneider pleaded guilty to f...
July 4, 1919 On the night of July 4 at the Sons of Norway a regular vaudeville entertainment and dance will be given by H. L. Toysen and several of the local boys. A show of two hours duration is promised to be followed by a dance lasting until the early hours of the morning. The main feature is a vaudeville sketch entitled, “The Ghost in a Pawn Shop” and was produced at Camp Lewis and other places before the soldier audiences. June 30, 1944 The Press wishes to extend a hand of congratulation to Lew Williams, Wrangell editor and pos...
A group of jet skiers exits LeConte Bay this week. The group is a part of Jetski tours provided by Steven Mall with Dangerous Waters, which features excursions throughout S.E. Alaska....
The lupine were in bloom on Saturday at Baird Glacier. The purple flower can grow up to three to four feet tall....
Secondhand smoke To the Editor: Since 1964, nearly 3 million nonsmokers have died from secondhand smoke. Most exposure to secondhand smoke happens in the home. In apartment buildings, if one person smokes, everyone smokes. What is the best way to eliminate the risk of secondhand smoke? Eliminate the smoke. As a housing manager/landlord, passing a smokefree policy could achieve this goal. As a concerned tenant, express your concerns to your housing manager/landlord, and encourage them to go...
June 26 — A police patrol was requested on N. Nordic Dr. A gate on Airport Access Rd. was tampered with. Donald Perry was issued a citation for a dog at large. Kylene Hedlund, 26, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a breath test. An officer provided a courtesy transport for an intoxicated individual. June 27 — Dogs were roaming in the street at a location on Sandy Beach Rd. The dogs were returned to their owner. A noise complaint was reported at a location on S. 5th St. The individuals turned off...
Two arctic tern eggs were spotted on Sunday near Baird Glacier. According to the United States Forest Service, arctic terns have the farthest migration distance of any bird, traveling from pole to pole....
The sun sets on Friday as viewed from Wood Point at the entrance to Thomas Bay....
The biggest fish story for Alaska’s salmon season so far is the early plug of pinks at the South Alaska Peninsula. By June 28, over 8 million pink salmon were taken there out of a statewide catch of just over 8.5 million. Previously, a catch of 2.5 million pinks at the South Peninsula in 2016 was the record for June and last year’s catch was just 1.7 million Managers at the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game at Sand Point said at this pace, this month’s catch could near 10 million pinks. “It’s unheard of, really,” ADF&G’s Elisabeth Fox told KDLG...
Jayne Aiken, a graduate of Petersburg High School Class of 2008, successfully completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the field of Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development. She received the Dean's Outstanding Dissertation Award for her Ph.D. dissertation titled "Building a Brain: Interrogating How the α-Tubulin Gene TUBA1A Contributes to Neurodevelopment". Jayne will be continuing her work in neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania,...
Experimental Fur Farm operated from 1938-1972 In 1936, Earl N. Ohmer circulated a petition proposing the establishment of an Experimental Fur Farm Station in the Territory. Territorial Senator Henry Roden introduced legislation and the appropriation of $15,000.00, to be matched by the federal government, for the establishment of an Experiential Fur Farm, which passed in 1937. The Experimental Fur Farm on Mitkof Island was established in 1938. Dr. Leekley was the full time biologist in charge of...
Jeremy Tucker Schouweiler, 45, died on June 27, 2019 in Petersburg. He was born June 30, 1973 in Petersburg to Joni Clausen and Dennis Schouweiler. He attended primary school in Petersburg, remote logging camps, and high school in Soldotna. His early life was filled with family, adventures in the natural world, and lessons from demanding physical work. He grew to love pursuit of adrenaline and was an accomplished snowboarder. Working as a commercial fisherman was a particular source of pride in... Full story
