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PMC Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the COVID-19 community update on Jan. 8 that PMC is expecting to have a combined total of about 300 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine to begin vaccinating residents 65 years and older this week. She said most of the local residents who received the vaccine last month have already been vaccinated for the second and final time. According to the Petersburg Emergency Operations Center, 219 vaccines have been administered locally as of Wednesday,...
The sun sets on calm waters and snow capped mountain tops last month at Blind River Rapids....
GCI cable TV customers in Petersburg and across Alaska have lost access to three network channels as negotiations continue over rates the cable company will pay to Vision Alaska and Coastal Television that operate Fox, ABC and CW. Vision Alaska and Coastal Television requested a nearly 40% rate increase this year, according to GCI. In a published statement Heather Handyside, a spokeswoman for GCI, said it's unclear when the companies may reach an agreement. She added that the networks rejected...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht and Utility Superintendent Karl Hagerman have agreed to leave the downtown Christmas tree and main street holiday lights illuminated, perhaps through February. With the concurrence of the assembly members, the manager said he was okay with leaving the decorations up, but worried about the wind, which of late, has reached gusts of over 40 mph. Giesbrecht said if wind damage occurs, the lights and tree will be taken down. A citizen emailed the manager suggesting...
The Petersburg Emergency Operations Center lowered the community risk of COVID-19 transmission from orange to yellow, or level one on Wednesday, according to a joint press between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. Although the current active case number in town is nine as of Wednesday afternoon, the EOC said the cases were a part of household clusters and have been isolated from the community; as a result, the EOC is able to lower the overall community risk level. However, an...
January 14, 1921 Work is to start immediately on the section of shrimp and crab cannery in Petersburg which will have a capacity of from 40-50 cases of half pound cans per day to start, which will be increased as condition warrants. H. H. Malcom, an experienced cannery man, arrived from the south on the Jefferson and is making the arrangements for the start of the work. He stated that it is his intention to secure his help locally and that with the ability to handle the various products as they are in season he expects to run the cannery the...
In the first round of COVID-19 aid released through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, Petersburg received $15.08 million in bailout funds from the federal government. Funds were released through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). A little over 270 Petersburg businesses received a total of $8.46 million in PPP loans, while 268 local businesses received a combined $6.61 million through EIDL, according to covidbailouttracker.com....
A large group of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the United States Capitol Building on Jan. 6 while Congress was certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election leaving a wake of destruction behind them. Petersburg residents seem united in their feelings of disappointment and embarrassment at those that entered the Capitol Building and condemnation of their actions. Where they differ is whether or not those that remained outside are just as guilty as those that entered the...
Alaska Natives Without Land now looks to the 117th Congress for the opportunity to acquire land through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act after legislation that would have established five Urban Corporations failed to progress in the previous session of Congress. "With the continued support of our Alaska delegation, our communities, and our shareholders, we will realize a positive result after many years of anguish," wrote Randy Williams, an ANWL representative, in prepared statement. Five...
A Sandy Beach resident starts the New Year out with some heavy duty housecleaning that included the kitchen sink....
January 6— A welfare check was requested at a location on S. 2nd St. Authorities conducted a security check at the Petersburg Municipal Power & Light pole yard. January 7— A burglary was reported at a location on S. 3rd St. January 8— Authorities responded to a report of disorderly conduct at Bojer Wikan Fishermen’s Memorial Park. Suspicious activity was observed at a location on Harbor Way. January 9— Suspicious activity was seen behind a business located on S. Nordic Dr. Authorities responded to an intoxicated individual who would not leave...
In her first Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting since becoming the new Parks and Recreation director, Stephanie Payne laid out the goals she'd like to accomplish in the coming weeks and months. Probably her highest priority is reassessing user contracts and memorandums of understanding. In addition to the typical patron who may visit the community gym to work out, play basketball or swim, there are organizations that have agreements with Parks and Recreation to use the facility. Some of...
This winter hasn't been cold enough to keep Terrie Beal's large crocuses in the ground. The warm weather doesn't usually draw them out until towards the end of winter, she said. "They're coming up pretty good, but I'm worried they're going to freeze," said Beal....
The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors held a special meeting on Tuesday to approve the hospital's request to apply for a loan from the Small Business Administration through the Paycheck Protection Program of up to $1.8 million to maintain payroll in the coming months. During the second round of PPP loans, PMC will have to prove that it lost at least 25 percent in gross revenue during one quarter last year when compared to 2019, according to PMC Controller Rocio Tejera. PMC did experie...
The Petersburg School Board approved the sex education curriculum for Petersburg High School at their regular meeting on Tuesday to comply with HB 156. The house bill requires that the sex education instructor and the curriculum be approved each year, according to the PSB. The instructor will be science teacher Alice Cumps and sex education will be part of the overall curriculum for the ninth grade health class. PHS Principal Rick Dormer said the curriculum for sex education at the high school i...
Is it a coincidence that one of the world’s largest mineral deposits is located near the world’s largest sockeye salmon spawning grounds at Bristol Bay? And if the likes of a Pebble Mine removed the bulk of those deep deposits that also create the world’s magnetic field, could it disrupt the salmons ability to find their way home? A study, funded by Arron Kallenberg of Homer, founder/CEO of Wild Alaskan Company and a third generation Bristol Bay fisherman, aims to find out. “It’s not even been 10 years since we’ve discovered that salmon, sea...
The guideline harvest level (GHL) for the 2021 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 33,304 tons of mature herring; however, based on input from processors involved with the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, it is expected that the commercial harvest in 2021 will not exceed 20,000 tons. The 2021 GHL was calculated by reducing the Age Structured Analysis (ASA) derived GHL by 21%, which approximates the harvest level available if the number of age-5 fish is 75% of that projected. This precautionary approach in determining the GHL takes into a...
By 1923, the U. S. Forest Service managed 140 fox farm permits on the Tongass National Forest, covering 78,000 acres. Petersburg along with Haines-Skagway, and the Mendenhall Valley and Lemon Creek area in Juneau were pioneers in the industry. Fashion dictated demand, with markets as far away as New York and London. Silver fox was a prized commodity over blue or red. From the beginning foxes were fed commercial fish scraps, but even so, finances were challenging. It was common for farms to engage in bootlegging--rumored to be the actual...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A judge has refused to invalidate more than 90 appointments made by Gov. Mike Dunleavy who haven’t been confirmed by Alaska lawmakers. The Legislative Council, composed of House and Senate leaders, argued appointments presented by Dunleavy early last year lapsed in December after lawmakers failed to act on them. The council asked Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg to block Dunleavy from continuing with those appointments and from reappointing people to posts until the start of the next legislative session on Jan. 19....
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the state will appeal the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' rejection of a key permit for a proposed copper and gold mine in a region that supports the world's largest sockeye salmon runs. Dunleavy, in a statement Friday, called the corps' decision flawed and said the state has to keep a federal agency "from using the regulatory process to effectively prevent the State from fulfilling a constitutional mandate to develop its natural resources."...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Department of the Navy released details of a new strategy for operations in the Arctic as competition for resources among nations increases in the region. Members of Alaska’s congressional delegation have expressed support for the increased focus on the Arctic, the Juneau Empire reported Saturday. The Navy statement titled “A Blue Arctic” provides an outline of planned operational changes for the military’s sea services in and around Alaska, including the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. The services will oper...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 600 block of N. Nordic Dr. Tuesday morning at about 7 A.M., according to PVFD Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. Fifteen volunteers responded to an OBI Seafoods bunkhouse on PFI Hill that was filled with heavy smoke. The source of the smoke was coming from under a couch in the center of the room, said Berg. Volunteers flipped the couch over expecting to find a burning cigarette or another source of the smoke, instead... Full story
A new case of COVID-19 was confirmed in town on Saturday, and the Petersburg Emergency Operations Center is attributing the positive test result to community spread, according to a joint press release between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The infected individual had limited community interaction in the days prior to testing positive for the virus, according to the press release. Despite the virus' possible presence in the community, the EOC continues to maintain the... Full story
