Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 276
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a trailer fire at the 5.3 mile mark of Mitkof Highway just before 8 A.M. on Saturday. Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg said as of Monday afternoon, the cause of the fire was still under investigation, but the fire started in the ceiling directly above the bathroom. By the time the fire department had responded to the scene, the fire had made its way out of the bathroom, through the house and out the front door. Berg said there was also thick...
Precautions being taken To the Editor: The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department is continuing to enforce its protection measures for its members and the public at the Fire Station. This is to maintain a safe working environment during the current health concern caused by Covid-19. The public and department members have been encouraged to minimize their visitation to the station to lessen the potential spread of this virus to department employees and volunteers. An infection of a member could... Full story
We are not done To the Editor: Until there is a vaccine or solid proof of acquired immunity we are not done. Being open requires participation in community safety. One cannot happen without the other. Social distancing, hand hygiene and those crazy ingenuous masks are a part of community safety. So is staying home when sick. And employers should do the right thing for the survival of their business to not make their employees choose between a day or a week without pay versus going to work sick....
The Local Emergency Planning Committee held their second meeting in two weeks telephonically, as the borough and local businesses take further precautions to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak in Petersburg. To start off the teleconference, Petersburg Public Health Nurse Erin Michael and Petersburg Medical Center's Laurie Miller gave a brief overview of the new developments being taken by local health professions in reaction to the virus. Michael said the public health office and PMC are making...
March 4 — A disturbance was reported at a location on S. Nordic Dr. Authorities responded to a theft at a location on Chief John Lott St. Suspicious activity was observed at a location on Scow Bay Loop Rd. March 5 — Suspicious activity was reported at locations on 5th St. and on Birch St. A vehicle was damaged at 2nd St and Fram St. Authorities responded to a report of trespassing at a location on S. Nordic Dr. March 6 — A vehicle was abandoned at a location on 1st St. A vehicle was damaged at Odin St. and Rambler St. The Petersburg Volun...
A phase two environmental study revealed the presence of some contaminants in at least two locations on the Petro 49, Inc. property that the borough would gain in a possible land swap with the oil company. An area just behind the building and an area to the south of the building have contaminants present, according to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. He said next week he is going to meet with the company that conducted the testing, Shannon & Wilson, Inc. based in Anchorage, and ask more...
The Petersburg Fire Department has filled its vacant EMS coordinator position about two months after the borough assembly authorized the department to hire a third staff member following uncertainty in the borough's budget. Josh Rathmann began his first day with the department on Thursday, Jan. 16. He was stationed in Petersburg for just under three years when serving in the United States Coast Guard. During that time, he was a volunteer firefighter with the Petersburg Fire Department, but his...
January 23, 1920 The Petersburg members of the Boy Scouts of America have offered their services to the Petersburg Fire Department to assist in keeping the crowds back from any fire which might occur and to maintain the fire lines. Their offer has been accepted by the firemen and in the future the boys will be on duty maintaining fire lines for the firemen. At a regular meeting of the Fire Department, the Boy Scouts were made volunteer firemen. Also the scouts decided to observe Universal Good Turn Week February 8 to 14 1920, in honor of the te...
January Following the shutdown of the U.S. government on Dec. 22, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard stated it would continue offering essential services. The borough assembly approved $600,000 for a new baler. The USCG located debris from an overdue medivac aircraft that had three people onboard that was due to land in Kake several nights before. A decrease in air cargo coming into Petersburg affected the timely arrival of residents' packages after the retirement of Alaska Airlines' combi 737-400...
December 26, 1919 The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department has been organized with an active and an inactive list. Those members whose business takes them from town, such as fishermen etc., have been placed on the inactive list. They are still members of the department and are expected to attend drills, fires, and meetings when in town, but do not need to make excuses when absent as it is taken for granted that they are absent from the city. With the new arrangement each team captain will know that there are certain men that he can always...
Mayoral candidates Jeff Meucci General Information Age: 64 Experience: I served on the Petersburg Park & Recreation advisory board, the Petersburg City council and served two terms as the Petersburg mayor from 1995 thru 1999. I was appointed to my current Borough Assembly seat and was elected to my Assembly seat two years ago. During my time as the Petersburg Mayor I traveled extensively as the number one advocate for the City of Petersburg. Why do you seek public office? I am seeking public...
The borough assembly voted against filling a vacant EMS coordinator position last week that would free up Fire/EMS Director Sandy Dixson's time to apply for grants, while designating an individual that could train more EMS volunteers. "If people don't think that this is a big deal, you will come this winter or some late night when something is going haywire out at your house or there's a car accident and you don't have enough people, then people are going to get really upset at why we don't have...
Who benefits? To the Editor: How can it be that we are knee-deep in tourist effluent and Medicaid is being cut? Why isn't the State Treasury fat with income from the tourist industry? Southeast Alaska is being exploited by tour ships. We need to, A: set a limit on the number and size of tour ships allowed in state waters; B: issue permits with contractual obligations; C: get compensated for their use of the state resources, including monitoring costs. Is anyone in the state taking any action...
July 3rd Winners Scrapfish Derby - Alicia Kittams with a three pound flounder BBQ Wing Challenge Ages 4-8 - Thomas Slaven Ages 9-12 - Blaze Cowan Ages 13-17 - Jozef Myrick Ages 18 & Up - Andy Krause Cup Challenge - Matthew Birch Bail-A-Boat - Ellexis Tracy Survival Suit Challenge - Harley Ethelbah Herring Challenge - Ellexis Tracy Watermelon Eating Contest Ages 4-8 - Wesley Durst Ages 9-12 - LeLe Rucker Ages 13-17 - Matthew Birch Ages 18 & Up - Janine Gibbons The Arena Ages 4-8 - Zeus Damm Ages...
Doug Welde joined the Petersburg Fire Department in 1969 as a fire fighter and over the years he rose through the ranks and became fire chief in 2013. In February, Welde retired from the department at the age of 75 after 50 years of service, and was replaced by Jim Stolpe. When he got out of the United States Air Force in 1969, he joined the department at their next meeting. His father, Ken Welde, was chief at the time, and back then, Welde said that everyone volunteered at the fire department....
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed an ordinance adopting the borough's fiscal year 2020 operating budget after making several amendments to it at an assembly meeting last week. The proposed budget was first presented to the assembly in mid-April. Expenditures in the general fund total $9,567,149 for the 2020 budget, but it is balanced out by $9,571,545 in revenues. The total amount of excess of revenues over expenditures is $4,396. The current 2019 fiscal year budget has a total of...
Parks and Rec groundkeeper Jesse O'Connor dumps a load of rock underneath a newly built kiosk at Sandy Beach on Wednesday. The kiosk was designed by the United States Forest Service, paid for by the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Association and constructed by volunteer firefighter Logan Canton and about a dozen other volunteer firefighters, with help from Parks and Rec, according to assistant fire chief Dave Berg. The kiosk will feature information on the Raven Trail from the USFS, Sandy...
Mayor Mark Jensen, left, presents a Proclamation of Appreciation to retired fire chief Doug Welde for his dedication to the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department and Petersburg for over the past 50 years at Monday's borough assembly meeting....
During Monday's borough assembly meeting, assistant fire chief Dave Berg presented a petition to the assembly requesting that they fill the vacant emergency medical services coordinator position. The petition had over 25 signatures from members of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. If the borough were to fill the vacant position, then the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department would have a designated person available to train EMS volunteers and free up Fire/EMS director Sandy Dixson's time...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Association elected Jim Stolpe as its new fire chief on Thursday following the retirement of the previous fire chief, Doug Welde. Assistant fire chief Dave Berg took on the responsibilities of fire chief until a new fire chief was elected when Welde retired after 50 years with the department. Both Berg and Stolpe were candidates for fire chief position, but the department ultimately elected Stolpe. Berg has since resumed his position as assistant fire chi...
Borough manager Stephen Giesbrecht submitted a list of potential budget discussion items to the borough assembly on Monday that outlines possible cuts in funding to services as the assembly begins talks on the 2020 fiscal year budget. “The direction that I’ve heard from the assembly prior to today via informal conversations and various meetings is not that we don’t want to consider cuts if the budget’s balanced. What I was hearing from the assembly is we need to reduce the size of the borough government,” said Giesbrecht. One suggestio...
January The borough assembly received a proposed update to its zoning code that would introduce a new form of affordable housing, an expansion of the historical and industrial districts and the end of a requirement for businesses to include parking downtown. The borough assembly held a work session to discuss a plan to impose restrictions on the senior tax exemption. A possible annual fee to sales tax exemption card holders was agreed upon ranging between $50 and $60. Police Chief Kelly Swihart...
We all too often make the mistake of only focusing on our challenges rather than all the good things going on in our Community. In this vein, I asked the Department Heads to give me two statements each for this last meeting in 2018: “Your work-related accomplishment you are the proudest of this year,” and “Your work-related thing you are the most thankful for.” Starting with mine: I am the proudest of our Department Heads who are new or who have taken on new challenges; Chief James Kerr, Karl Hagerman, Chris Cotta and Deputy Clerk Daniell...
November 15, 1918 War is over. With the signing of the armistice by the Germans the world war was terminated. Hostilities have ceased and under the terms it will be impossible for their resumption. The former government has been overthrown and a number of independent states have been formed. Germany has been given 24 hours to evacuate all invaded territory and to withdraw all troops across the Rhine. This does not stop the registration of all men between the ages of 18 and 45 years old in Alaska. The registration will continue just the same...
Many new events and activities, along with old favorites, will be featured during this year's 60th celebration of Petersburg's Little Norway Festival. At 4 p.m. Thursday at the public library, the Storyteller Pole Unveiling will be celebrated. Master Tlingit carver Tommy Joseph, from Sitka, created the work for the library. The Mitkof Mummer's play "Bigfoot," featuring a cast of zany characters guarantees a laugh a minute. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the Wright Auditorium on Thursday, Friday and...
