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Plows and shovels became commonplace in Petersburg last week after record-breaking snowfall covered the town while Public Works, the Alaska Department of Transportation, businesses, homeowners, and everyone in between cleared roads and paths to keep the snow at bay. Last year only a total of 9.1 inches of accumulated snowfall had been seen by this time-a drastic contrast to this winter which, according to the National Weather Service in Juneau, has seen the third-highest snowfall on record in Pe...
The Petersburg High School wrestling team traveled to Wrangell last weekend to compete in the Region V Championship Tournament which gave students a chance to qualify for the state championships in Anchorage. Head Coach James Valentine said he was proud of the confidence the team had going into the tournament which was the culmination of all the hard work the students had put into the season. "This weekend, I thought that everybody showed up and left 110% on that mat, which is fantastic to see a...
December 9, 1921 While it has not been officially announced, it is under good authority that Wrangell Narrows is to be dredged, and that within a short time, which means that three million or more dollars will be spent by the government close to the town. This means very good business in addition to the increased transportation facilities which would ultimately result from the improvement. Who was it said business is on the bum? We have heard it said but we don’t believe it is now, nor do we believe it will be for those in business who stick i...
The board that oversees Alaska's multibillion-dollar investment portfolio has fired Angela Rodell as chief executive officer of the Permanent Fund Corp. Legislative leaders and Finance Committee members are upset at the surprise decision and plan to hold hearings to ask questions. The fund this past fiscal year grew more than 25%, with record returns on its investments. The board on Dec. 9 voted 5-1 to remove Rodell. The five votes came from members last appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The...
Thank you for support To the Editor: The Five Finger Lighthouse Society would like to thank the supporters of our fundraising event during the months of September and October. We really appreciate the artists who contributed their creativity and time to their donated pieces and to those businesses that donated services for the auction. We also thank the bidders and winners of the auction items on the Bidding Owl website, our new members, and those who made additional monetary donations during this time. All of these contributions help keep the...
With the firing of Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation Executive Director Angela Rodell at the corporation’s quarterly board meeting, a full explanation needs to be provided to the public. Why is it logical to fire the person in charge of the state’s $83 billion nest egg, particularly after the fund’s value grew by 29.73 percent over the past year under her leadership? During her six years on the job the fund grew from $51 billion to $83 billion. Rodell has pushed for careful, thoughtful management of the fund and has advocated for a conservative...
December 8—A possibly abandoned vehicle was reported on Howkan Dr., unable to locate owner. The vehicle will be impounded if not moved. Suspicious activity was reported on N. Nordic Dr. and an officer responded. Sex offender registration completed. A protective order was served. A fallen tree was reported on Mitkof Highway. DOT responded. An individual was advised on properly restraining their children in a moving vehicle. A protective order was served. A downed power line was reported on Haugen Drive. Power & Light responded. Suspicious activi...
The Petersburg Medical Center' COVID-19 Dashboard reported four active cases as of Monday, the last time the dashboard was updated, with 18 tests results pending. PMC moved to yellow status on Monday as a result of the decrease in cases and continues to encourage physical distancing, masking, and other mitigation measures. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 347 new cases from December 13 to December 14 in the state, along with two deaths and 12 new resident...
The Petersburg School Board held a discussion on the district's current COVID-19 protocols during Tuesday's meeting and agreed to hold a work session on potential changes in January. The district has required universal masking for the majority of the year due to continued COVID-19 outbreaks both in the district and in the community. The district began the school year with two weeks of universal masking as part of its reopening plan and the board later amended the plan during its September...
The newly opened Evergreen Market is looking to offer new options in a changed world as challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic shift the store's thinking. Replacing the old hardware store, the market looks to be a fluid store that can adapt to supply chain issues and stock items that are not easy to find in Petersburg. Half of the market focuses on offering healthier food options for those who want to eat better or have specialized dietary needs. "...the thing we get asked for the most...
Low-cost LED lights can help Chinook salmon escape trawl nets. A 2020 study by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center showed that LEDs are very effective in directing Chinook salmon to escape openings in trawl nets targeting Pacific hake, the largest groundfish fishery on the West Coast that typically takes more than 500 million pounds a year. The study showed that Chinook are much more likely to exit the nets where lights are placed — 86% of escaped salmon used the LED-framed openings — w...
The Petersburg High School boys basketball team is set to open its season at the Sitka Holland America Tournament this week. Led by Head Coach Rick Brock, who was named as the 2021 2A Boys Coach of the Year, the boys basketball program is starting its season with approximately 20 students, four of whom are seniors. The team is still waiting on a handful of students who are coming back from injury or are still with the wrestling team. After two years of big senior classes, Brock said a lot of...
The Petersburg High School girls basketball team is looking to bounce back from last year’s shortened season going into its first tournament of the year. The team has been practicing for two weeks under Head Coach Dino Brock, who said so far practices are going well and the students are working hard. This year’s team is younger than most. It is made up of three seniors, two sophomores, and seven freshmen who practice on the court who put time on the court every day. “The younger kids are learning quickly, older kids are doing a great job helpi...
The Petersburg Medical Center has spent the last two weeks implementing a new electronic health records system, with the goal of increased security of patient records and improved usability. Cerner—the company which after the hospital board’s request for proposals in December 2020 was awarded a $1.3 million contract which was paid for by a state grant—sent technicians to Petersburg last week to help install the software and train staff on the new system. PMC was drawn to use Cerner as it is one of the two largest healthcare software provi...
JUNEAU (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Monday he plans to propose as part of his upcoming budget that the state spend $5 million in federal dollars to support tourism marketing efforts amid the ongoing pandemic, and additional funds to prepare state parks for visitors next year. He said the hope is for a return to “robust” tourism activity after a difficult two years. Speaking in Anchorage, Dunleavy said people are “starting to learn to live with (the coronavirus) … understanding that it’s not going to go away, but there’s ways to protect onese...
Haines - Klukwan resident and Diné (Navajo) artist Clara Natonabah wrote and sang a Navajo song that was featured this month in a Disney Junior Shake Your Tale with Chip 'N Dale music video. The song, titled "Hózhóogoo Dahwiit'áál" (We Will Sing in Beauty), was released on YouTube and appears in the cartoon where the popular Disney cartoon characters dance to Natonabah's song. Natonabah was chosen by Disney to celebrate Native American Heritage Month in November. "I was asked to part...
WRANGELL - A Wrangell company that makes bath and body care products has nothing to do with fish, but that's OK because it won this year's beyond-the-plate award at the Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition. Waterbody won for its Deep Blue Sea Bath Soak, which counts Pacific sea salt and Alaska bull kelp among its ingredients. Angie Flickinger started the business in 2015 as Gathered and Grown Botanicals. The idea began when she wanted to give handcrafted soap as a gift. She rebranded in 2020 a...