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The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved an updated electric ordinance that increases rates by four percent during the next two years. The current declining block rate structure was established more than two decades ago to encourage electric usage—the more a customer uses, the less they pay on a kilowatt per hour basis. The declining block rate, combined with the rise of oil prices, contributed to a large conversion from oil to electric heating. Beginning around 2012, that conversion began to level out. During discussions last December over a... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly authorized Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht to sign off on the agreement between the Petersburg Borough, the City and Borough of Wrangell and the Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) that transitions operation and maintenance of the Tyee Hydro Lake facility to Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA). The four bodies have been negotiating the agreement since last year when the Petersburg assembly voted not to fund its share of a portion of the TBPA budget labeled non-net billable—a bill Petersburg and Wrangell have t... Full story
The Wrangell Sentinel welcomes its newest staff writer, Dan Rudy. Rudy recently arrived in Wrangell from Minot, N.D., where he worked as staff writer and evening editor for The Minot Daily News. He also has prior experience as a news cameraman for KXMC-CBS, as well as writing for his university and high school newspapers. His first experience in Southeast Alaska was as an Alaska Service Corps crew member with the SAGA-AmeriCorps program in 2010. As a corps member, he conducted trail work and...
July 25, 1914 – Workmen employed in blasting soft rock from a quarry in Connecticut recently came across a bit of rock which had been blown out about thirty feet underground which, when cracked, exposed a live worm that lived five days after it had been exposed to view. How long the worm had been occupying his cramped quarters is mere conjecture. July 26, 1974 Celebrating Pilot's 40th Year – Petersburg gets publicity in the strangest ways. It has come to our attention that the Department of the Interior, in a report on the subject of "Towing Ic...
The Parks and Recreation department will spruce up Outlook Park by landscaping and adding a bathroom, two barbecues and picnic benches. The work will take place in two phases during the next two years. "We are already pricing out trees and plants for phase one through the Flower Farm," Parks and Recreation Director Donnie Hayes wrote in a letter. "They are looking at having a chilled container shipped up from Seattle with the plants and trees that we are requesting." Hayes has budgeted $5,000... Full story
A new black and white sign will designate "Headlights On At All Times" in Petersburg at the Kings Row intersection (MP 0.7) to 2.2 miles south of the South Mitkof Ferry Terminal access road (MP 26) on Mitkof Highway. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is installing new “Headlights On At All Times” signs in seven southeast Alaska communities this summer. Drivers will now be required to use their headlights while driving in specific areas, regardless of conditions or the time of day. The purpose of the new signs is to...
Despite some talk of changes, the Petersburg Borough Assembly again voted during Monday’s meeting to pass six ballot measures that change the borough’s sales tax code. Four of the changes involve the senior sales tax exemption, which exempts individuals more than 65 years old from paying the borough’s six percent sales tax. One measure would establish a sunset date, December 31, 2019, when the exemption card would no longer be issued. However, those who already receive the exemption would continue to do so. The sunset date ordinance faile...
July 16 A caller informed police that an individual was not leaving their residence. A caller requested an officer to assist with an individual refusing to leave a business. A caller reported illegal camping. An officer responded to a report of an individual refusing to leave a business. July 17 Officers made contact with a group drinking in a prohibited area. The group was leaving upon contact. A caller reported threats being made to an individual. A caller reported the theft of a five-foot antique, wooden airplane propeller. Police received a...
Alaska Department of Transportation (ADOT) staff is headed to Petersburg to discuss with the community its new Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan, which includes changes to the Alaska Marine Highway System, a Kake access road and anticipated funding decreases. Petersburg Borough Assembly member Cindi Lagoudakis announced the visit during Monday’s assembly meeting where she encouraged the public to review the plan. “The concern there is the plan comes out and actually states that DOT is anticipating taking resources from Southeast Alaska and...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported the following during Monday’s assembly meeting: The borough has seen increased littering and other activity in the Frederick Point area. We have assigned officers to extra patrol efforts in the area. Borough staff will meet with architects July 24 to discuss final design concepts for the police and municipal building renovation. Officer Williams is back from maternity leave. She and the baby are doing well and staff is happy to have her back. Assessor Mike Renfro arrived Friday and will be in town f...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska Army National Guard soldier was wearing a combat helmet and other protective gear when he was attacked by a bear while participating in a training exercise at a military base, officials said Monday. Sgt. Lucas Wendeborn of Valdez is being treated for puncture wounds and lacerations after the mauling Sunday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The female brown bear was defending her two young cubs, base officials said. Wendeborn's injuries are not life-threatening, National Guard spokeswoman Maj. Candis O...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed restrictions Friday that would essentially block development of a planned massive gold-and-copper mine near the headwaters of a world premier salmon fishery in Alaska. The announcement came as the EPA was being sued by Pebble Limited Partnership, the group behind the proposed Pebble Mine, and the state of Alaska for allegedly exceeding its authority. The state and Pebble Partnership, which was created to design, permit and run the mine, argue the EPA should not be able t...
It came as no surprise when the first price postings last week tanked for Bristol Bay sockeye salmon to $1.20 a pound, with an extra 15 cents for chilled fish. That compares to a base price of $1.50 a pound last year. The Bristol Bay catch topped 28 million reds by Friday, 11 million more than projected, and the fish were still coming. (Alaska’s total sockeye salmon catch as of July 18 was over 37 million and counting.) Demand for the fish is strong by both foreign and U.S. buyers, but the downward press on prices stems from lots of c...
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Tessa Hasbrouck, daughter of Terry and Sandy Hasbrouck, received the Chancellor's Leadership Award for 2014 from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The award honors graduates who contribute significant leadership, demonstrate university or community service and display a commitment to personal growth. Hasbrouck is a biology and wildlife ecology-research and management major and an honors intern for the College of Natural Resources. She was treasurer of American Indians Reaching for...
Canadian officials are airlifting Chinook and sockeye salmon over a landslide that caused a barrier to salmon passage in the Tahltan River, a tributary of the Stikine. Steve Gotch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) director for the Yukon and Northwestern British Columbia, said the landslide occurred about a half mile up the Tahltan on May 20. The river is roughly 120 miles upstream of the Stikine, but the salmon that swim up it provide harvests for Southeast Alaskan and Canadian commercial and...
