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In June of 1947, after graduating from Stillwater High School in Minnesota, Roxane Lillian Swenson boarded a westbound train in Saint Paul with the ultimate destination of Petersburg, Alaska. Her aunt, Lillian L. Swanson had surprised Roxy with a graduation present of two suitcases and a ticket to Alaska. She arrived in Petersburg on the SS Alaska and that was the start of a glorious lifelong adventure. Roxy worked summers in her aunt's store, The Lillian Shop, and studied in the winters at the... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly adopted a few ordinances on Monday - one of which will increase and establish certain charges for residents of Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility, and another that clarifies the process of selling borough-owned tidelands. ORDINANCE #2024-20 Beginning in 2025, new residents moving into the Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility will pay a one-time Community Facility Fee of $2,000. Proceeds will go toward maintenance and repair of the facility. If a...
Faced with increased operational costs from inflation and higher utility expenses, paired with rates that are several years out-of-date, the financial sustainability of Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility is under review. A new ordinance brought before the Petersburg Borough Assembly this week would increase and establish certain charges for residents. Among the changes, the ordinance would install a one-time "Community Facility Fee" of $2,000 for new residents moving into the facility...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved an ordinance in its first reading on Monday that would amend the charter to allow borough employees, including those at the school and the hospital, to serve on certain borough boards. The ordinance proposes allowing borough staff to serve on boards and commissions except for those that directly administer their employment. For instance, under the new ordinance a Petersburg Medical Center employee could run for the borough assembly or the school board...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a resolution supporting the Southeast commercial Chinook troll fishery during Monday's meeting. The resolution of support comes in the wake of a judge's recommendation to suspend the fishery as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC), a Washington-based nonprofit conservation organization. Western District of Washington Magistrate Judge Michelle Peterson's report and recommendation concluded that the National Marine...
The Petersburg Borough is pursuing the possibility of constructing a new float and dock at Papke's Landing with the help of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to keep the facility operational while the borough pursues full ownership. The Petersburg Borough Assembly has approved conceptual plans for an eventual major improvement project, but the rapidly declining state of the facility and delays to obtaining ownership have users of the facility questioning if it will...
During its Jan. 3 meeting, the Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved an ordinance in its first reading that would tie the service rates for self-pay residents at Mountain View Manor Assisted Living to the maximum service rates allowed for the facility under Medicaid. Medicaid raises per day services rates for Medicaid Residential Supported Living annually, but those increases have not been adopted by the borough. That is because the service rates charged for Medicaid RSL cannot...
January Petersburg experienced record snowfall on New Year's Day with 17.5 inches of new snow on the day, bringing the total snow depth to 40 inches according to the National Weather Service. The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed a resolution requesting a discussion with the U.S. Postal Service about providing additional services in Petersburg following continued issues with staffing, irregular hours, and long lines. All-purpose vehicles became legal to drive on roads in Alaska, including in...
Volunteers rallied at the Community Cold Storage on Nov. 21 to distribute 1,748 pounds of moose burger meat to local organizations. According to Desi Burrell, recipients of the meat included the Petersburg Indian Association, Alaska Native Brotherhood/Alaska Native Sisterhood, Petersburg School District, the Catholic Church soup kitchen, the Baptist Church Wednesday night meals, Monday night meals, Humanity In Progress, Petersburg Children's Center, Mountain View Manor Assisted Living, Mountain...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously voted to appoint 14 people to the Housing Task Force during Monday's meeting. Members of the task force include Gary Aulbach, Jay Barnard, Annette Bennett, Joyce Cummings, Darcie Ewert, Larry Hofstad, Sarah Holmgrain, Ashley Kawashima, David Kensinger, Malena Marvin, Jeff Meucci, Erin Michael, Jalyn Pomrenke, and Jeigh Stanton Gregor. The assembly also chose Stanton Gregor to act as the group's facilitator after a unanimous vote. The group was...
With plans on the horizon for the Petersburg Medical Center to assume control of Assisted Living at Mountain View Manor, the Petersburg Borough Assembly has recently taken steps toward separating the Assisted Living and Elderly Housing departments. During its meeting on Sept. 6, the assembly voted unanimously to hire Michelle Lopez as Elderly Housing Director, a new position, with a salary of $62,000. Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said the borough and PMC have had multiple meetings on the...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved the hiring of Derrick Casey as the new director of Mountain View Manor during Monday's meeting. Casey, who grew up in Petersburg, visited last week to interview for the position and tour the facility. "He's really excited about coming back to Petersburg," Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said. "I think it's kind of a great find, finding a Petersburg person that wants to come back and he definitely fills a need so I think he'll do a good job...
A candidate up for Mountain View Manor director visited Petersburg this week and held a meet and greet at the assisted living facility on Tuesday. Derrick Casey, who grew up in Petersburg and is a Petersburg High School graduate, interviewed for the position and toured around the facility during his visit. Casey has been in management for over 20 years and got his start in retail before eventually deciding to try something different and begin working as a caregiver for people with dementia and...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht and the boroughs attorney are set to begin discussions with the Petersburg Medical Center on the possibility of transferring management of the Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility to the PMC following unanimous approval from the Petersburg Borough Assembly. The borough has struggled to hire staff including resident assistants and registered nurses at the manor and sees the transfer of management as one solution to relieve staffing challenges. The manor...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted unanimously to appoint 11 people to the Early Childhood Education Task Force during Monday’s meeting. The task force will be made up of Jessica Doril, Hannah Flor, Denise Gubernick, Katie Holmlund, Sharlay Mamoe, Jeff Meucci, Stephanie Payne, Chelsea Tremblay, Becky Turland, Glo Wollen, and Chad Wright. The assembly also voted unanimously to appoint Tremblay as the chair of the task force. The task force was created following multiple public meetings and work sessions which identified problems with r...
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
The Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility is reporting one active case of COVID-19 as of Wednesday according to Mountain View Manor administrator Shelyn Bell. Since February 10, 14 cases have been identified at the manor, two of which were in the past week, and there has been one fatality where COVID-19 may have been a contributing factor. Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht briefed the Petersburg Borough Assembly on the state of the outbreak during Tuesday night’s assembly meeting According to Giesbrecht, all staff are wearing full PPE i...
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility has resulted in at least 12 positive cases as of Wednesday afternoon according to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. Of the 12 cases, four are unvaccinated and eight are vaccinated according to Mountain View Manor administrator Shelyn Bell. There has also been one fatality where COVID-19 may have been a contributing factor. The large outbreak, which has affected both residents and staff, has prompted testing and other...
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Mountain View Manor Assisted Living Facility has resulted in at least 10 positive cases and one fatality that had COVID-19 as a contributing factor as of Monday evening according to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. The large outbreak, which has affected both residents and staff, has prompted testing and other mitigation protocols as well as a suspension of all congregate gatherings until further notice. According to Giesbrecht, Administrator Shelyn Bell and the staff... Full story
Breakthrough COVID-19 cases found in Alaska April 30 Between Feb. 1 and March 31, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services identified 152 positive cases of COVID-19 among people in the state who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a report from DHSS. About 74 percent of the vaccine breakthrough cases, or 112 individuals, were among people who had received the Pfizer vaccine, according to the report. Thirty-eight percent of the breakthrough cases had received the Moderna... Full story
The Borough Assembly on Monday determined that two parcels on Kupreanof Island obtained by the Petersburg Borough through tax foreclosure proceedings will be sold. Ordinance #2021-06 determines that parcel number 03-213-040 on Kupreanof Island is not needed by the borough for public purposes and shall be sold. Similarly, Ordinance #2021-07 identifies parcel number 03-210-310 on Kupreanof Island as not being needed by the borough and shall also be sold. Both properties were acquired by the boroug...
The Borough Assembly approved the purchase of a $54,952.47 mobile vehicle lift for the Motor Pool Department at their meeting on Monday. The four-column, mobile vehicle lift system will be purchased with funds from the Public Works Department, Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department and Petersburg Municipal Power & Light motor pool balances, according to Public Work Director Chris Cotta. In the 2021 fiscal year budget, the borough had allocated $54,000 for a vehicle lift. Cotta said the additional...
The Borough Assembly approved an ordinance in its third reading on Monday that reinstates user fees at the Parks and Recreation Center and makes changes to the fee structure. Ordinance #2021-03 reestablishes user fees at the Parks and Recreation Center. The facility had been waiving user fees since the facility reopened in August after it closed its doors at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance also groups all users into two categories and establishes three types of fees. Those...
Barbara Martin Short, 89 died of natural causes, while eating her favorite ice cream with Wayne's help on January 17, 2021 in their apartment at Mountain View Manor in Petersburg, Alaska. She was born in Waterloo, Iowa on November 4, 1931 and after high school she went to college in Minnesota and graduated with a degree in nursing. She moved to San Francisco, California and immediately started work at Southern Pacific Railroad Hospital, located near Golden Gate Park. She worked in the cardiac... Full story
Petersburg Medical Center has administered about 150 COVID-19 vaccines as of Dec. 31 to local residents as the town and state move through the early stages of the vaccine distribution process, according to a joint press release between the Petersburg Borough and PMC. The vaccine has been made available to residents and staff at both PMC Long Term Care facility and Mountain View Manor Assisted Living, according to the joint press release. Critical frontline healthcare works, including EMS, have...
