Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 157
Raymond Leon Olsen, Senior was born on January 25, 1926 to Oscar and Olga (Kvende) Olsen in Stanwood, Washington. He was their only child. As a young man he joined the Navy, holding the position of machinist's mate until 1946 on the USS South Dakota, one of the most decorated ships in World War II. After the military he wed Gladys Olsen (Jensen). They were the proud parents of five boys, John, Jim, Ray Junior, Bob, and Mike. They lived in Arlington, Washington, where they had a farm and raised... Full story
Petersburg's Rainforest Festival has two seasons under their belt now working in their new year-round format. Since their start on Earth Day, they've hosted six events, including guided walks, art workshops and a solstice ephemeral art show. "I think it's going pretty well," said festival organizer Sunny Rice. "We've been able to spread out the work a little bit and take advantage of people coming through town that we otherwise would have missed." As they move into the season when the festival w...
The popular custom benches began years ago, when Karen Hofstad and Sue Paulson approached Josef Quitslund with the idea of creating something that could be at the center of Cannery Park. The women both had an interest in establishing the space to showcase the local history of the town and pay tribute to their loved ones that had a hand in that history, Quitslund says. "A memorial bench is a nice way to honor someone's memory," he says. "It's a place for the ones left behind to reflect and other...
Property Development To the Editor: I would like to encourage the borough to proceed with developing building lots on borough land, much of which happens to already be subdivided and adjacent to borough utility services. The lack of available and affordable building lots is slowing growth through the lack of housing. The community is unable to provide housing for necessary workers for the school and hospital as well as the fishing and fish processing industry. Another aspect of borough involvement in supplying building lots is the fact that,...
Memorial Day Ceremony 2022 To the Editor: I may be stepping into a hornets’ nest here; but nobody ever accused me of knowing when to keep my mouth shut. The day was sunny and cool; there were flags and flowers everywhere; the cemetery was well-tended - the perfect setting for the ceremony. Then the orations began. To me, Memorial Day is a civic occasion which should be for everybody in our pluralistic society. But the preachers saw a captive audience. Too many sermons and prayers were made for Christians and “in Jesus’ name.” One reading...
Our mother, Lois Ellen was born on August 26th, 1935 in Mandan, North Dakota to Alice and Carl Schiller. Growing up on a family farm, following the Great Depression, were challenging times in the rural Midwest: no electricity, running water or phone service. Mom could recall meager living with no money for holiday celebrations or frivolous gifts. A favorite memory was a ballpoint pen given to her when she was learning to write. Education was extremely important to her father, and he impressed... Full story
This Friday, April 22, is Earth Day and the Rainforest Festival is celebrating the day by inviting everyone along for a field trip. The group will meet at the ballfield at 3 pm for a hike on Hungry Point Trail. Raingear and boots are recommended. The guided hike will provide a closer look at the trees and shrubs of this area, and their unique features and uses will be discussed. The event is part of the Rainforest Festival which is transforming itself this year. In 2008, the weekend after Labor...
April 7, 1922 The gas boat Progress, in charge of ‘Spanish Joe’ was captured recently at Ketchikan with the entire crew aboardt. When taken into custody she had some 65 cases of imported wet goods on board. Sometime before midnight officers Moyer Halllson and Van-Zandt took up a position near the roadhouse on the Wards Cove road and acting under instructions from Deputy Marshal Handy kept a sharp lookout for the expected booze runners. Their vigil lasted till shortly after midnight when a boat landed and the crew began unloading the cargo on...
A note of thanks To the Editor: We’d like to recognize everybody who contributed to the Welcome Back Vietnam Warriors: starting out with Home Health, Petersburg Medical Center for putting on the breakfast on the morning of the 29th. The Moose got into it by doing hamburger night for all veterans. Then after the ceremony the Elks put out finger foods for all the Vietnam Vets. Also thank you to the Petersburg School District for the use of the gym, and Jamie Cabral, Dino Brock, Jim Engell and the baseball team for helping set up the gym and t...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Sarah Palin on Friday shook up an already unpredictable race for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, joining a field of 50 other candidates seeking to fill the seat held for decades by the late-U.S. Rep. Don Young, who died last month. Palin filed paperwork Friday with a state Division of Elections office in Wasilla, said Tiffany Montemayor, a division spokesperson. Palin, a former Alaska governor who was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, has the biggest national political profile in the packed field that includes c...
Patti was presented as a Christmas gift to her three brothers Bob, Dave and Jim. She was born in Vancouver, B.C. and came home to Petersburg in December with her parents Loyla and Earl Ohmer. Her childhood was a happy one. She traveled to many states visiting family and friends with her mother. Summers were spent at Bum's Retreat near Green Rocks. Her father Earl would join the family there on weekends bringing the mail and groceries from town. Her first business venture at age 12 involved... Full story
WASHINGTON - Alaska Rep. Don Young, the longest-serving Republican in U.S. House history, will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 29, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday. Young, 88, a blunt-speaking politician known for his brusque style, died last Friday. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1973 He was reelected in 2020 to serve his 25th term and was running this year for another term. A special election will be held this summer to fill the seat. Pelosi's office...
January The assembly approved of a COVID-19 dashboard which tracked cases in the community. Local businesses received a total of $15.08 million in aid in the first round of COVID-19 aid released through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. PMC vaccinated approximately 350 residents aged 65 or older at a vaccine drive in the community gym. PMC was given permission by the borough to apply for a second PPP loan totaling $1.8 million. PMC applied and received a loan of...
You may have seen these anchors around town without knowing exactly what they were used for. In 1880, the salmon canning industry expanded their floating fish traps to Southeast Alaska, though indigenous stationary traps had been in use long before that time. Strong tidal currents and rocky, deep locations required good anchors to hold floating traps in place, as well as a watchman to keep an eye on the trap 24 hours a day. Floating fish traps were controversial because of their efficiency and...
First responders, veterans, and members of the community memorialized the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Friday and Saturday. The events commemorated the 2,977 innocent lives that were lost on September 11, 2001 when planes hijacked by members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. A fire truck was parked outside the school with a flag of the United States draped across...
James "Jim" Albert Bodding joined his parents on July 29, 2021 after a valiant battle with lung cancer. He was born in Ketchikan, Alaska on August 8th,1948 to Gerald A. "Bud" Bodding and Dorothy E. "Betty" Bodding (Hofstad). His first love was the sea where he spent much of his life searching for the next productive fishing grounds. The sea was in Jim's veins from the age of 5 when he became hopelessly addicted after catching his first coho salmon on a baitless treble hook while boating with his... Full story
MacKechnie cabin at Blind Slough This photo is of the MacKechnie cabin at Blind Slough--the site of many gatherings and hunting parties. J.L. MachKechnie was a City Councilman, forest ranger and also City Electrician for Petersburg. The cabin's log book contains many enthusiastic notations about the pleasant times had there. Comments such as "I will gladly wash dishes, carry water or chop wood any time I have the good fortune to spend a day as fine as this," were typical impressions. The final...
A new outdoor shelter was completed at the Clausen Memorial Museum with the help of a community challenge grant from AARP. The Clausen Museum applied for the grant after AARP representatives came to the Petersburg Medical Center before the COVID-19 pandemic said Museum Director Cindi Lagoudakis. "I looked at some of the grant opportunities and I put in a request and it was not originally granted, but they contacted us and they were interested in the bench shelter idea," Lagoudakis said. The...
Petersburg will be kicking off three days of festivities on Friday in celebration of the Fourth of July. The Parks and Recreation Center, Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Petersburg Lighthouse Church will be hosting over 20 activities in the downtown area and Middle Harbor, similar to years past. Last year's Fourth of July festival was scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year's festival is a return tradition. The fun begins at 6 P.M. on Friday when the Parks and Recreation...
About 50 people gathered together at the Petersburg Cemetery on Monday for the annual Memorial Day ceremony to honor the approximately 224 local veterans who have been laid to rest in the cemetery, according to local veteran Paul Anderson. The proceedings began with an opening prayer and was followed by a rendition of "America the Beautiful" lead by Pastor Nathan Lopez. He also led the crowd in singing "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)" at the end of the ceremony. Members of the Petersburg...
After last year's festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 62nd annual Little Norway Festival is slated to begin May 13. "I think everyone can't wait for it to happen," said Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Administrator Mindy Lopez. "There's some excitement in the air." Prior to the festival, free transportation across the Wrangell Narrows will be provided on May 8 for the City of Kupreanof Celebration Day from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. The United States Forest Service is also hosting a...
