Sorted by date Results 1 - 19 of 19
Petersburg is planning how potential funds from the $1 trillion infrastructure deal could be used and has some projects in mind according to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. President Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure bill earlier this month which passed in the House of Representatives in a 228-206 vote with the support of 13 Republicans and a majority of Democrats and in the Senate with a 69-30 vote. According to the Department of Transportation, it is the largest long-term...
The 2021-2022 Southeast Alaska sea cucumber season is expected to surpass the current three-year rotation's harvest record according to Whitney Crittenden, an assistant area management biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Ketchikan. As of November 24, 1,677,032 pounds of sea cucumber have been harvested, while the guideline harvest level (GHL) for the region stands at a record 1,872,800 pounds. This season has the highest region-wide GHL ever seen for the current rotation, de...
The Petersburg Medical Center reported a declining number of cases this week with with only 27 active cases of COVID-19 and 43 tests pending results. According to the Petersburg COVID-19 Dashboard, PMC has recorded a 9.4% positivity rate over the last seven days, and, as of Wednesday evening, there are no longer any healthcare workers currently infected. Although the PMC staffing level are still classified as inadequate and the hospital's medevac capability remains limited. "While this is very...
December 2, 1921 A rutabaga weighing 27½ pounds, was raised by D.W. Kirk of Wrangell and is on exhibit in that city. Mr. Kirk had one weighing 56 pounds, but a horse discovered it and sampled it, making it unfit for exhibition. Several 35 pound rutabagas have been raised by him. December 6, 1946 The High School Athletic Department has purchased an all-electric scoreboard with the proceeds of the Athletic Benefit Dance which netted the $450 necessary. Ten turkeys were taken away to grace Thanksgiving tables. Gill Joynt made a score of 15 out of...
Thank you To the Editor: A heartfelt thank you to our EMTs, doctors, and hospital staff for all their kindness. Geneva Bishop and Family My turn To the Editor: A half century ago on Nov. 2, 1971, I enlisted in the United States Navy. I served on two different duty stations, Naval Air Station Moffett Field, and the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Robison (DDG-12). During my tour on the ‘Rockin’ Robie,’ I stood numerous in-port quarterdeck watches throughout various Pacific ports, and countless watches on the bridge in the Navigation Division while...
Sometimes, connecting the dots is the best way to learn. The first set of dots cost $87 million in federal pandemic aid money. That’s the price of the contract the state signed with an Atlanta-based for-profit health care staffing firm to provide up to 470 medical professionals to help out at 15 Alaska hospitals and medical clinics, schools too, for 90 days. The travelers helped relieve the strain during the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak this fall, when Alaska was in record territory for new cases and hospitalizations. The Wrangell Medical C...
Nov. 15 – Bail conditions for Levi Scott Newman were amended that defendant not depart S.E. Alaska without court permission. Nov. 17 – The court issued a summons for Bryon Scott Fletcher after he failed to appear at arraignment. Sentencing was set for Jan. 25, 2022 after Roderick Vasquez changed his plea to guilty on charges of attempted misconduct involving a controlled substance 2, attempted escape and violating conditions of release. Aaron Wayne Bradford changed his plea and pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and was sentenced to sus...
November 23 — A runaway canine was reported near Gjoa St. An officer responded to a minor vehicle accident in a parking lot near N. Nordic Dr. Property was found near S. 2nd St. Officers conducted a civil standby at the police department. November 24 — Barking canines were reported near Skylark Way. The owners were contacted and the animals were placed inside the residence. An officer responded to a report of harassment near Skylark Way. It was resolved and the individual left at the direction of the officer. An officer conducted a civil standb...
An unexpected, strong weather system sent high winds tearing through Wrangell, snapping three Southeast Alaska Power Agency poles which blocked the highway at City Park and knocked out power to most of Wrangell for much of Tuesday and Wednesday. Petersburg buildings, businesses, and homes also went dark Tuesday afternoon from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. At 2:19 p.m., Utility Director Karl Hagerman reported that Petersburg was running on diesel generators while awaiting a report from...
Though the call for adventure never ceases, even the crew of the Endeavour needs to take time to rest and take stock of the year's expeditions. Captain Bill Urschel, his wife Patsy, and their dog Bella live aboard the ship in North Harbor and are wintering in Petersburg for their second year in a row. The Endeavour, named for the ship Captain James Cook commanded on his first voyage of discovery, is a 72-foot U.S. Army T-Boat built in 1954 that has seen many names and many places over her...
Petersburg generally saw average temperatures and precipitation over the summer compared to historical data according to records collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From June through August of 2021, the average temperature was 56.37 degrees, one degree higher than the average from 1991-2020 of 55.37 degrees. The summer temperature peaked at 77 degrees but failed to reach 80 degrees for the third year in a row. According to NOAA, June recorded an average...
The United States Forest Service announced plans Monday to improve three sites within the Tongass National Forest's Petersburg Ranger District. According to decision memos released by the USFS and signed by Petersburg District Ranger Ted Sandhofer earlier this month, the three sites include the Blind River Rapids, Crane Lake Trail, and Ohmer Creek. The first memo authorized the construction of a replacement shelter at Blind River Rapids and the addition of a picnic table. According to the memo,...
More than one million pounds of old fishing nets and lines from Alaska have made it to recycling markets, where they are remade into plastic pellets and fibers. The milestone was reached with a recent haul of nets from Unalaska, and more are already adding to the total. Shipping vans filled with old gear collected at Haines were offloaded in Seattle last week and another container from Cordova is on its way. Unalaska was the first to sign on four years ago with Net Your Problem (NYP), a small Seattle-based company that jump-started fishing...
Tanya Lee Roundtree, 65, now rests in peace. She passed away Nov. 16, 2021 after living with ALS. She was born April 27, 1956, to Juanita (Arthur) and Charles Deffenbaugh Sr., in Lebanon, Oregon. Growing up one of five siblings, Tanya was always hard-working, helping take care of her older sister Cathy and whatever was needed of her. In 1974, she graduated from Sweet Home High School in Sweet Home, Oregon, leaving the very next day with two of her friends, Carleen (Lyons) and Lori (Roberts),... Full story
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking to repeal the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule which could restore protections to roadless areas within the Tongass National Forest according to an announcement from November 23. The 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule, approved under the Trump administration on October 29, 2020, allowed for road construction and timber harvesting in the Tongass which was previously protected by the 2001 Roadless Rule according to the USDA. The repeal comes as the department...
The Petersburg School District updated its testing protocols Friday, Nov. 26 to allow students identified as close contacts at the school to continue attending in-person classes, according to an announcement from Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter. Changes were made to the COVID-19 guidelines after a firmware update from the CUE molecular test manufacturer caused performance irregularities. According to the announcement, the district will be suspend the use of CUE tests and introduce new...
In November of 1942, the Alaska Life magazine provided helpful household tips under the heading "Specific Jobs for Women," declaring that homemaking was "America's biggest industry." Families were asked to cut down material needs, save rubber by driving less and carpooling, and to conserve clothes and food-though war efforts rather than conservation were the motivation for frugality. "Health, efficiency and the fighting spirit are all improved by the right food, and almost everyone has...
