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The Petersburg Borough assembly unanimously approved moving forward with police and municipal building remodel design and construction plans. The $506,654 plans and design will help lock in construction costs and get the project shovel ready, which Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said helps the borough when it lobbies for capital project funding during next year’s legislative session. Giesbrecht estimated a project shortfall of around $4.7 million for the renovation of the police station, jail and municipal offices. That cost does not i...
Mandy Kivisto opened up a new photography studio as the Little Norway Festival kicked off last week. Kivisto has only been seriously into photography for two years, but since then her photos have been published in Alaska Magazine and Alaska Airlines Magazine, and she's earned a handful of awards for her work. The name of Kivisto's business, Altered Perceptions Studio, was inspired by the experience of looking into the view finder of a camera she got for Christmas two years ago. "I hadn't had a...
In last weeks story entitled “Ragnarok Rollers host first official bout during Little Norway Festival”, it was stated that heckling is encouraged. Heckling is, in fact, not encouraged during Ragnarok Roller Derby bouts. The Pilot regrets the error....
This year's Little Norway Festival will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Norwegian Constitution on May 17, 1814. Mayfest began in Petersburg more than 50 years ago and Janet Holten, Chair of the Little Norway Festival, said it has grown ever since. "In 1958 when Alma Wallen and Bernadine Trones founded the festival, I don't know if they would have ever dreamed that it is as big as it is now," Holten said. "It was to mark the coming of spring, the sending off of the fleet,... Full story
The Petersburg roller derby team has been practicing and gearing up all winter and spring for such an event but what should derby spectators expect? “They should expect to see a bunch of women in really tight pants skating around in circles hitting each other,” said Roller’s head coach Rebecca Anderson. Anderson said roller derby bouts are similar to football games. “Take a football field and imagine both teams are lined up at one goal line,” Anderson said. “Imagine that both quarterbacks, instead of passing the ball, the quarterback... Full story
May 16, 1914 – Considerable interest has been aroused in medical circles in Germany by a man who can swallow small animals and return them alive. The doctors supposed that performances of this characters, which are frequently given at county fairs, were tricks by which the eye of the onlooker was in one way or another deceived. In this case, however, a medical practitioner of the highest standing reports that the animals were undoubtedly taken into the stomach. May 17, 1974 Celebrating the Pilot's 40th Year – The 17th annual Little Norway Fes...
May 9, 1914 – One week from tomorrow the local Norwegian people, not to be outdone by their mother country, will celebrate the one-hundredth-year since they separated from the inglorious union with Denmark and re-established the old kingdom of Norway with a constitution as democratic, if not more so perhaps, as any republican form of government now in existence. For a year or more Norway has been preparing for this celebration of national independence. Commencing on May 15 to October 15, an exposition is planned to exploit the wonderful a...
March 28, 1914 – Recently, the Postmaster General approved an amendment to the parcel post regulations under which butter, eggs, fruits, vegetables and other articles in parcels weighing from twenty to fifty pounds may be shipped in the first and second zone; in boxes or crates similar to those handled by the express companies. From Seattle, the postoffice department will have the automobile trucks recently inaugurated as the result of the investigation of the special efficiency committee which will greatly facilitate a prompt delivery. M...
Boaters mooring their vessels in Petersburg’s North Boat Harbor had to clear out by August 1 in preparation for the harbor dredging and reconstruction project. Harbormaster Glorianne Wollen says the first phase of the process will be to remove the harbor’s floats and pilings. The Army Corps of Engineers contracted out to Sitka’s S&S General Contractors to dredge the North Harbor along with the basin in front of Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Icicle Seafoods. Dredging is scheduled to begin September 1... Full story
Dean John Weeden, 82, passed away on July 17, 2013 at St. Mary's Assisted Living in Eureka, Mont. He was born on November 7, 1930 in Lynn, Mass. to Dagny Thoresen and John Sven Weeden (Widen). Age five to seventeen he lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his mother and step-father Ole Olsen. Dean hopped a train out west when he was seventeen years old launching his first job in the Forest Service doing seasonal work in Idaho. In 1951 he served in the Air Force as a Surgery Technician for the 452 Bomb...
April 5, 1966 - June 1, 2013 Remember that fellow whom you would meet on the docks or see walking on the sidewalk? Who always had a smile, a wave, or a good word for you and always had a helping hand for you? That fellow was Kevin Kivisto. He was born on the fifth of April 1966 in Upper Michigan (a genuine Yooper) to Roy and Irja Kivisto. He left us suddenly on the first of June 2013 on the boat he captained and the ocean he loved. His early years were spent in Northern Michigan growing up... Full story
Mange Tusen Takk To the Editor: Having worked on the organizational end of the Festival for many years, I understand the huge amount of year-around effort it requires to pull off a successful event like this past Little Norway Festival. Thank you so much to Holli Flint and her Festival Committee, to the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and their Director Sally Dwyer and all the organizations hosting Festival events for another job well done. Rain or shine, visitors and locals all had a great time. Congratulations to Jill Williams as the well...
Despite the rain and cold, the 55th Little Norway Festival was well attended and quite a success. There was a break in the rain for the Annual Festival Parade. The Style Show and Luncheon, the Mitkof Mummers Musical Melodrama, “Way Out West in a Dress or Life's a Hurdle When You're Wearing a Girdle,” the Little Norway Festival Pageant, art receptions and all of the various events that were on the agenda were well attended. The Clausen Memorial Museum saw hundreds of visitors for the festival and the winners of the Little Norway Art Show hav...
The 55th Little Norway Festival begins today and Petersburg is ready to celebrate. This festival celebrates Syttende Mai or May 17, the signing of Norway's Constitution in 1814. Over the more than 50 years since its beginning, the Little Norway Festival has expanded to celebrate, not only, Norway's Constitution but also U.S. Armed Forces Day and the coming of spring and the beginning of the fishing season. The activities for this celebration run from Thursday to Sunday. The Little Norway... Full story
Wednesday May 15th 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm $ The Little Norway Festival Paddle Battle - Sons of Norway Hall. Join in this ping pong battle for the coveted Purple Paddle. Single Elimination Bracket Play. Youth ages 12-20 will play from 4 pm - 6 pm and Adults 21+ will play from 6 pm - 9 pm. Cash bar will be open! Brought to you by the Sons of Norway, Kito’s Kave and Petersburg Parks & Recreation. Thursday, May 16th 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Visitor Information Center Open - 1st and Fram 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Clausen Memorial Museum: Little Norway Art Show open (... Full story
April 19, 1913 – Alaska as we know it: Alaska, the land of the midnight sun. That is true. Alaska, the country where snow and ice—in the minds of a great many easterners—is believed to be the only solid formation under foot, nine months of the year. That is not true. No mis-representation of fact is more repulsive to an Alaskan than such. Year after year, facts have been brought out disproving such falacious thoughts, still it is one of the prevalent ideas entertained by some down east people. Such ideas are only attributable to ignorance of th...
Made me feel welcome To the Editor: I want to thank everyone who helped make my first formal visit to Petersburg as your representative successful. I was lucky to be able to spend a long weekend in Petersburg March 7-10 while the Legislature took a break. On Friday, about 50 people came to a pizza party at the Legislative Information Office on Gjoa Street. I was also able to meet with various groups around town, including the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association and Petersburg Economic Development Corporation. I also spent time at some of the...
The rededication ceremony of Shakes Island and the Chief Shakes Tribal House is scheduled for May 3 and 4 in Wrangell and housing is still needed for the 1,000-plus guests that are expected to attend the festivities. “This is an historical event that is happening in our neighborhood and it is a huge celebration for Wrangell,” Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Manager Sally Dwyer said. “We are attempting to help our neighbor.” Dwyer and Marilyn Menish-Meucci of the Petersburg Visitor Center have contacted the Tides Inn and Scandia House to make su... Full story
Community members flocked on Saturday to the grand opening of the new fire hall. The recently completed volunteer fire department Station One was a $6.7 million Capital Fund project. The new facility replaces the older, smaller downtown location. “I was reflecting on the dreams we've had about having a facility that met the needs of the volunteer fire department here. I think it started in the 60s or something,” said Mayor Al Dwyer. “They even had a drawing, an artist rendering in 1978, when I s...
The Petersburg Community Foundation on Saturday awarded $7,000 in competitive grants to local organizations and a $5,000 discretionary grant to the new City Library. The announcements were made at a donor event held at Glorianne Wollen's home, amidst the busy Little Norway Festival weekend. Foundation board member Liz Cabrera made the announcements and handed out the checks for the third cycle of grant fund bequeathments. The recipients of the competitive grants include: $2,500 to the Clausen...
