Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 288
Petersburg Indian Association will close the doors of the Seaside Restaurant permanently at the end of business Thursday, Feb. 28. “This is a venture that has to be self-sustaining,” PIA Tribal Administrator Bruce Jones stated. “There are no grants out there to run restaurants.” According to Jones, January was a good month and the restaurant still came within $730 of breaking even operationally, but that amount does not cover the debt. “There were loans taken out to get it up to the way it is now and it just isn't making enough,” Jones said.... Full story
A Transportation Improvement Program, TIP, has been established for the next five years by the Petersburg Indian Association Board during its regular meeting. PIA Tribal Transportation Director Will Ware submitted a written report for the board outlining the program, a Long Range Transportation Plan, LRTP, and projects that are ongoing for PIA. Over the next five years, the PIA Transportation Department will spend $1,630,000 on maintenance for a 50 mile range area; $25,600 will be spent on the maintenance shed; $1,355,000 will go toward...
The Petersburg Indian Association re-hired Bruce Jones after letting him go in mid-October – and only two months of service to the organization. Jones has agreed to a four-year commitment with PIA after a long career in local government. “I had all intentions of continuing on with retirement,” Jones said. “I had my name out there on the Alaska Municipal League website to be available as an interim City Manager.” Jones had just been called by the City of Whittier when he met with the PIA tribal council Wednesday evening. “I put in 28 years wi... Full story
The Petersburg Indian Association held its first official meeting after the election Thursday evening and one of the first orders of business was to accept the resignation of board member Derek Lopez. Ways in which to fill the vacated seat were tossed about before taking direction from Tlingit Haida rules. “The Tlingit Haida rules state that there are two different ways in which to fill a vacant seat on the board,” PIA Election Committee Judge Fran Jones said. “The selection can come from the candidate that received the next highest numbe... Full story
The Petersburg Indian Association met Monday evening for a final election canvas and to swear in new members in attendance. The final tally for the PIA chair position was 53 votes for Tina Sakamoto and 33 for Mike Sheldon. The board positions go to Jeannette Ness with 75, Melanie Frentz-Hallingstad with 71, Skip Hallingstad with 67 and Carol Martinez and Darnell Wilton come in with 23 and 20 votes. Sakamoto, Ness and Frentz-Hallingstad are incumbents taking seats with Hallingstad taking a seat... Full story
Petersburg residents contributed a record amount to the Salvation Army Christmas programs this year, beating the 2011 donations by $5,890.94, according to Lt. Caleb Fankhauser. Giving totaled $15,618.17 in 2012 surpassing last year’s donations of $9,727.23. All funds donated to the Salvation Army Red Kettle remain in Petersburg, according to Fankhauser. Fankhauser said 77 children received Christmas gifts and 92 families were presented with Christmas meals this year. Organizations standing watch at the kettle this year helped with the record c...
The Petersburg Indian Association will hold an election for board members and chairperson Monday, Jan. 7. The tribe members will have choices on this ballot to fill the needed seats. Mike Sheldon and Tina Sakamoto are vying for the chair position on the board and Skip Hallingstad, Darnell Wilton, Melanie Frentz-Hallingstad, Jeanette Ness and Carol Martinez are going for the three board seats that are up for grabs. Mike Sheldon is a lifelong resident of Petersburg and his family goes back in the area for generations. “My idea as future chairman... Full story
January An elderly man was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street at Gjoa and Nordic Drive. The gentleman was crossing inside the crosswalk and was grazed by the vehicle’s mirror as it passed. The victim was thrown approximately 20 feet. He was on crutches at the time. Rock-N-Road Construction was granted a contract to demolish the Romiad Building to make room for the new library. The building was demolished for $22,499. The Petersburg City Council discussed condemning LeConte RV Park for s... Full story
Petersburg Public Works Department continues to replace planks on the Rasmus Enge Bridge, [Sing Lee Alley Bridge], Petersburg City Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported during his Managers Report during the regular meeting of the Petersburg City Council Monday evening. “We are replacing planks as they wear out on the bridge,” Giesbrecht said. “But we are hoping to find funding to explore options for this bridge.” Giesbrecht and Petersburg Indian Association Roads Director Will Ware discussed the pos...
The Petersburg Indian Association conference room was filled on Tuesday, Dec. 11 with tribal members to continue an ongoing debate with the board in regards to business, hiring practices and statements made at the last meeting of November 20. The meeting opened with the question of whether the press would be allowed to attend. “I believe there were a lot of incorrect statements made at the last meeting,” tribal member and PIA Roads Director, Will Ware stated. “This is a business meeting and I don't believe we have had a business meeting in a... Full story
Don’t stomp on the process Letter to the Editor: Ahhh, Mr. Will Ware…ever the silver tongued speaker. My comments are in regards to last week’s letter to the Pilot. You’re certainly a born preacher…. but, someone I feel is qualified to give me lectures on dignity, integrity, honor and respect? …not so much. Your self-appointed role as moral compass for the tribe, is really the true “foolishness”, here. My grandmother, Amy Hallingstad, was instrumental in forming the Petersburg Indian Association as well as in writing the original by-law...
The Petersburg Indian Association has been the object of controversy in the past year due to the recent termination of the tribal administrator, the hiring practices of the board and the tribal members want to know why. A letter from a tribal member was read into the record during the PIA regular board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 20. “I received this letter and want to have it read into the record,” newly appointed board member Jeannette Ness stated. The letter stated that there was a job opening for a PIA roads director and an applicant was cho... Full story
A skull found near the mouth of the Stikine River in October may require radiocarbon date testing to determine if it came from a Native Alaskan. The skull, which was discovered by Wrangellite Vena Stough while hunting near Government Slough on Oct. 5, was first turned over to the Wrangell Police Department, who then handed it over to the Tongass National Forest supervisor’s office in Petersburg. According to Forest Service anthropologist Jane L. Smith, the office of the Alaska State Medical Exam...
At the Oct. 23 meeting of the Petersburg Indian Association Board, Jeanette Ness was appointed to the vacant seat on the board. Ronelle Beardsly, who stepped down from the board seven months ago due to health reasons, formerly held the position. According to PIA board mandate, the open slot should have been filled at the meeting following Beardsly’s departure. “I received the next highest number of votes at the last election,” Ness said. “I should have been appointed seven months ago.” N... Full story
It’s no wonder borough formation efforts have taken more than 10 years to culminate in a determining vote in December. Initial council discussions over borough formation began about 2002 as the body debated whether to annex land into the city’s corporate limits or to establish borough boundaries. This week a letter writer charges that this newspaper and the city failed to correct information that was printed, challenged and corrected over two years ago. There is certainly enough information in the city’s borough petition that provides fodde...
More borough government To the Editor: Is now the time for more government? It sounds like the City of Petersburg is having trouble rounding up candidates for the proposed borough Assembly. Who would be foolish enough to sit on an Assembly that is dead set on more purchases and more spending? That person would be eaten alive if he or she tried to stop the spending. Why extend this kind of government to a huge borough area that will require more government? Extra staff will be needed for such a large area. That will only be the beginning; there...
After only 2-1/2 months on the job, Bruce Jones, Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Administrator was fired by a 4-2 vote of the tribal council on Tuesday night. Jones was hired on August 1 of this year. Jones did not give a reason for his firing and referred questions to his attorney John Hoag. Tribal member Ronelle Beardslee told the Pilot she and other tribal members will be seeking legal council to determine their next move. “I’m very disappointed the board didn’t support their triba... Full story
Mayor Al Dwyer read the Petersburg City Managers report into the record during the Petersburg City Council regular meeting Monday evening. The City has issued a request for proposals for Radio Narrow Band Conversion. According to City Manager Stephen Giesbrecht, the Fire, Police, Electric and Public Works Departments formulated the RFP. These proposals are due to the City by 5 p.m. Sept. 21 and the conversion must be completed by Jan. 1, 2013. Council member Mark Jensen questioned the deadline. “We will absolutely have problems meeting the d...
North Nordic Petersburg Indian Association will be conducting sidewalk improvement work along North Nordic Drive starting at the First Street entrance heading north to Fourteenth Street along Sandy Beach Road. Expect the northbound lane to be closed for traffic 7 am through 5 pm Monday thru Friday and Saturday if needed. The southbound lane will remain open for traffic and will be controlled by flaggers. Traffic may be delayed up to 10 minutes. Call Connie Bisson at Petersburg Indian Association at 772-3636 with questions. Greens Camp...
The Petersburg Indian Association, PIA, has hired former Petersburg City Manager, Bruce Jones, as their new Administrator and he began working Wednesday. “I am looking forward to getting to work with a group of talented people,” Jones said. Jones served 28 years with the City of Petersburg with his last six as City Manager. He retired from the City in 2007 and went to work for the Inter-island Ferry Authority. PIA is a federally recognized tribe that works with money from grants through the Bur... Full story
Several road projects are happening this summer around Petersburg. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has budgeted a total of $13 million for road repair, as well as other road reconstruction projects. According to Chuck Correa, regional preconstruction engineer for DOT&PF, the state maintenance chip seal crew will be stabilizing the existing road surface and chip sealing from mile point 27.8 to 30.0 near the end of Mitkof Highway. “The crews will also be doing ditch work and brush cutting in the same area. The chip s...
Seats of the Petersburg High School gym filled with family and friends last Wednesday to say goodbye to another school year and another class of graduates. The 2012 graduating class of PHS proceeded into the room with the band playing in the background and to begin the event Elinor Robinson sang the “Star Spangled Banner”. PHS Principal Rick Dormer welcomed the graduates and reflected on the past year. “I want to thank each of you seniors,” Dormer said. “You have brought color and delight t...
Let your inner-Norwegian out. The Little Norway Festival begins today. The annual event celebrates Syttende Mai, or May 17, the signing of Norway's Constitution in 1814. Petersburg has been formally celebrating the occasion since 1958. The celebration includes live music, food, traditional dance, art receptions, softball and the return of the Viking/Valkyrie jail. Activities run from Thursday to Sunday. “We are bringing back the classics,” said Little Norway Chair Holli Flint. “The Style Show,...
Tribal Administrator Will Ware handed in a letter of resignation this weekend after two years of service at the Petersburg Indian Association. The 38-year-old father of four boys, was unavailable for comment, but he did offer an explanation to the Pilot via email. “After ten years of work within the Tribe, in a variety of different capacities, I have decided to move on to a new chapter in my life. In Tribal governments, as there is in any government, there is the element of politics that must b...
PIA changes To the Editor: Out of respect to the many relationships that the Petersburg Indian Association (PIA) provides to the Petersburg School District, City of Petersburg, Roads Programs, and businesses in the community, the PIA Board of Directors would like to reassure the community of the strength and stability of our organization. PIA has undergone many organizational changes within the last year with the addition of new board members and changes in leadership. Change is always a challenge however be reassured that PIA is moving...
