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The Petersburg Indian Association is looking to complete two projects next year which would increase public access to parks according to Tribal Administrator Chad Wright. PIA has entered an agreement with the Petersburg Borough to provide design and construction for the replacement of the staircase at Eagle's Roost Park after discussions with Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Payne. The approximately 60-foot wooden staircase allowed beach access until it was removed because of its poor con...
Assembly Member Chelsea Tremblay gave a report to the Petersburg Borough Assembly on March 21 about a meeting which discussed housing needs in Petersburg and what organizations are doing to support those experiencing homelessness. Representatives from the borough, Humanity In Progress, Working Against Violence for Everyone, the Petersburg Medical Center, the Petersburg Indian Association, and other local organizations were in attendance at the March 10 meeting. "The goal of these meetings is to...
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium leadership will give a presentation at the next Petersburg Medical Center Hospital Board meeting on March 24 according to PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. The board voted in September to invite SEARHC leadership to speak at a future meeting to give the public an opportunity to hear more information on SEARHC's vision for local health care and discuss Petersburg's need for a new medical facility. Questions from board members and staff at the hospital were...
Parks and Recreation has distributed community center membership passes to borough board members and to the staff of nonprofit child care providers as a way to thank them for their service to the community. The idea to give passes to board members was suggested to Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Payne who said it could serve as a way for the borough to show its appreciation for the service people provide by serving on those boards. She discussed it with Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht w...
Attendees to the upcoming Séet Ká Festival in town should leave with a wealth of knowledge because the goal of the event is to increase cultural awareness for, and uplift, the Indigenous people of Séet Ká Kwáan. The event spans five days, Feb. 10-14, and the idea for it came largely from Avery Sakamoto, a busy, local Lingít advocate. Last spring, Sakamoto was invited to join the Rainforest Festival Committee, and it only took a couple days after the first meeting for inspiration to strik...
Chad Wright is set to become the new tribal administrator of the Petersburg Indian Association next week according to PIA Council President Cris Morrison. His hiring follows Tracy Welch's departure from the position after two and a half years to become the executive director of the United Fishermen of Alaska. "He possesses the necessary skills as outlined in the job description, and he has a breadth of experience that we feel he would be able to perform the essential job functions as the tribal...
Leaving his warm house and family behind at 2:30 a.m., during winter months in order to plow snow can be downright taxing for Martin Odegaard. The Public Works (PW) foreman lives out on Cabin Creek, and he's no stranger to putting chains on his pickup just to make it to work. Recently, it took him a half hour to complete the three-mile drive, no joke. "I know the road pretty well, know what to look for, and I've always got it figured out how I'm gonna make it in," Odegaard says. "Always made... Full story
The Petersburg Indian Association held its annual election Monday which saw four incumbents reelected and one former PIA Tribal Council member return according to the unofficial results. Cris Morrison was reelected to a one-year term as council president, winning the race unopposed with 15 votes. Five people ran for the three two-year seats up for election on the PIA Tribal Council. Incumbents Mary Ann Rainey, who has served on the council for over 10 years, and Heather Conn, who has served for three years, received the most votes with 16...
The Petersburg Indian Association has started a new program to help tribal households whose subsistence harvests have been impacted by COVID-19. According to Tribal Administrator Tracy Welch, the subsistence impact program was made possible through funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 which she said was a follow up to the Cares Act passed by the federal government in 2020. Through the act, Congress designated $30 million for federally recognized tribes in coastal or Great...
The Petersburg Indian Association is making progress on constructing the Mountain View Manor boardwalk trail and now has a 2022 estimated completion date according to Tribal Administrator Tracy Welch. The Tribal Transportation Program works on projects such as trails, sidewalks, and street construction that are included in PIA's long range transportation plan which is updated every year. Members of the public can give feedback on future projects and the council makes a priority list of projects...
The Petersburg Medical Center is continuing to seek grant funding with its plan for a phased approach to build a new medical facility in Petersburg according to PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. PMC sent a letter to Congressman Don Young in February detailing the master planning of the facility with the hope of obtaining $14 million for the next steps of the projects. That value was based off an estimate drawn up by their grant writer and other consultants. The same letter was sent to Senator Lisa...
The Borough Assembly discussed a resolution during their October 19 meeting which seeks to protect transboundary salmon rivers between Alaska and British Columbia. Resolution #2021-11 asks for a permanent ban on tailings dams and a temporary pause in activities relating to Canadian mines along the border. The resolution references the United States-Canada Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which support the need to maintain the...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly candidates took part in a virtual forum Monday night hosted by KFSK and the Petersburg Pilot. The candidates were asked about a range of topics including the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of a new hospital, and projects the candidates want to see completed. Paul Anderson, Lars Christensen, Thomas Fine-Walsh, Bob Lynn, Marc Martinsen, Brandi Thynes and Dana Thynes each gave an opening statement after which, each candidate began answering quest...
Heather Conn Age: 43 What experience do you have? When you look at board experience I have sat on three boards and one council. The experience I have had has been with the Petersburg Little League from 2002-2005, Early Childhood Education Board 2005 to 2009, The Viking Swim Club 2013-2016, and the Petersburg Indian Association Council 2017 to present. I have also been an involved community member with my presence during our local assembly and school board. Why do you seek public office? I...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board unanimously approved a motion Thursday to have PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter extend an invitation to Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium leadership to give a presentation at a future meeting. The aim of the motion was to hear what SEARHC’s vision for the future of health care in Petersburg is and their ideas regarding a new facility. “We need to get ahead of this and have that discussion with them, get that communication out there so that the public can hear some of that presentation and try to work thr...
Comments from Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht's performance evaluation reflects strong support from the assembly. The ratings on the evaluation suggest some of Giesbrecht strongest skills are managing resources and problem solving. Assembly Member Dave Kensinger said Giesbrecht has done an excellent job with the borough's budget. Vice Mayor Jeigh Stanton Gregor said his Parks and Recreation fee schedule was a great idea that allows children to access all the facilities. Assembly Member Jeff...
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 last Outdoor Recreation Creation Adventure (ORCA) camp of the summer finished at Sandy Beach on Friday, focusing on educating kids about eating healthy foods and staying active. The camp was a collaboration between Kinder Skog and the Petersburg Medical Center along with help from many local businesses and organizations. "It's all focused on super foods, super activities, super kids and just trying to get them out and being healthy, moving their bodies, eating the right kinds of foods,"...
The Borough Assembly discussed the need for more affordable housing to attract young people to Petersburg during Monday's meeting. Assembly Member Jeff Meucci requested the discussion item in an effort to focus the assembly's attention on attracting younger families by having affordable housing and dependable childcare available. "Bottom line is we need more affordable housing in Petersburg," Meucci said. "How can young people move into Petersburg if there's no places to buy or no lots...
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium yards signs have begun appearing around town, sparking discussions within the community about the future of healthcare in Petersburg. The prospect of SEARHC coming to Petersburg has been a topic of the community for a while now as residents look to hospitals that SEARHC operates in neighboring cities as examples for what could happen in Petersburg. Members of the community hope that these yard signs, which have been distributed by the Petersburg...
Petersburg Indian Association recently completed construction of a 2,190 square foot duplex the organization plans on renting to low and middle income native families this month. "It's small, but it fits the purposes, and it meets the needs that our clientele are looking for right now," said PIA Tribal Administrator Tracy Welch. "We're seeing a huge demand for one and two bedroom [apartments]." The duplex sits at the corner of S. 8th St. and Ira II St. Both units are mirror images of each other...
Deck Out Our Deck organizers broke ground on the site of Mountain View Manor's covered deck on Tuesday after two years of planning with help from general contractor Ty Cummins and Reid Brothers Construction. "This has been a long project," said Sally Dwyer, one of the organizers. The group has only raised $78,000 of their goal of $112,000 needed to complete the project. However, with the funds they have now, the group can lay the foundation for the deck, install support beams and build the...
SEARHC or not to SEARHC To the Editor: I listened to the representative from SEARHC at Monday's Assembly meeting. It was really nice of him to come and give an overview of SEARHC to the Assembly. I have only lived in Petersburg for 25 years. I am a firm supporter of the hospital and Phil the present director. In the 25 years I have lived here this is the first time we have had not only a good administrator, but an excellent hospital administrator. It had been pretty dismal for several of the...
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...
The Deck Out Our Deck organizers just raised $5,374 through a raffle fundraiser on Feb. 14, which brings the project closer to the approximately $112,000 needed to build a covered deck at Mountain View Manor. A thousand tickets were sold to raffle off nine handmade quilts. As each ticket was drawn, each winner was able to take their pick of the quilts that had not yet been chosen. Sally Dwyer, the organizer of the fundraiser, said all the funds will go towards the Deck Out Our Deck project. The...
