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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...
Great emergency services team To the Editor: Years ago I was a member of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. I remember some big fires downtown where everyone in the department was on the fireline for days. Here the community jumped out to help move hoses when asked and then stepped back from the scene until their help was asked for again. (The new police chief from down south was shocked that there was no need for crowd control.) I remember stopping at the fire hall during those events to change out of my soaked bunker gear into...
March 8, 1918 Joe Hall, of the Alaska Clam Canning Company reports the new enterprise as progressing satisfactorily. Clams in fair supply and of excellent quality are now being received at the company’s cannery near Tonka. They expect to make the first shipment of four hundred cases of the canned product next week. March 5, 1943 Enjoyed alike by Elks and Emblem Club members, was the trip to Wrangell last week-end. More than 40 Petersburg people made the trip aboard the Triton, the Star and the Zarembo. Arriving at Wrangell about 5 o’clock, the...
Experience Matters To the Editor: It is my understanding that the borough assembly wants to combine PMP&L and Public Works. There is a big difference in the management of the electrical industry and the management of the public works. Both are important departments, each providing a service to the community. I agree with those who contend that experience matters when it comes to selecting a replacement for the Superintendent of PMP&L. The experience goes beyond just managing employees. That in its self is a task, especially if you don't have...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to two more boat fires this week. Two engines responded to the South Boat Harbor last Thursday, where a fire aboard the Carolyn Ann was likely ignited by an electrical mishap. “A harbor officer saw smoke in the early stages of his rounds around the harbor,” said Ed Tagaban, administrative assistant with the harbor department, adding that it was Ben Hinde. “He extinguished the flames.” Volunteer firefighters responded at 10:00 a.m. and battled the smoke and hot spots for about 30 minutes...
Burl Weller, 73, lost his fight with lung cancer on Dec. 7, 2017 in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was born in Sabina, Ohio to Orville and Juniata Weller on Feb. 1, 1944. He had four siblings, Barbra Jenstead, Orville Weller, Beverly Morlend, and Bobby Weller. Airman Weller served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963-1966. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal for working under extremely adverse conditions, sporadic sniper fire by day and hostile attack at night, to provide security for an important... Full story
Petersburg volunteer firefighters and police spent about three hours knocking down a boat fire in the South Harbor on Saturday. At about 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Petersburg police responded to an electrical fire aboard the F/V Defiant. Ryan Welde, the fire marshal, confirmed that the fire department responded at the same time. He could not confirm when the department left, but the last report for the police was about 11:50 p.m., according to police Captain John Hamilton. Harbor officials were also...
WRANGELL - Until further notice is given, the clerical offices and courtroom at the Wrangell Public Safety Building have been closed down temporarily. The closure began Monday morning, with the Alaska Court System citing air quality concerns for staff using the premises. The space is rented from the city, which maintains the entire facility and surrounding property. "We've got some water issues that need to be addressed," explained Neil Nesheim, area court administrator for the First District...
Firefighters on Tuesday responded to a distress call from a woman whose front lawn had caught fire, which burned her arm and nearly ignited the front porch, until a man who noticed the escalating blaze stopped to help. At about noon on Tuesday, the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire on Philbin Lane, where the homeowner had been injured, said David Berg, the assistant chief. The owner later said she was cooking when a grease fire ignited in her kitchen. She rushed the...
The assembly approved a stipend increase last week for 13 officers of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. Excluding the fire chief, each officer received $20 more in their monthly stipend, equaling $3,120 in additional funds a year. The officers include: two assistant fire chiefs, two fire captains, three fire lieutenants, one SAR captain, two SAR lieutenants, one EMS captain and two EMS lieutenants....
Volunteer firefighters in Petersburg received stipend hikes this week amounting to $240 each a year, a decision made unanimously by the assembly in a meeting this week. “Without these leaders in this department, we wouldn’t have a functioning unit,” said Eric Castro, an assembly member. “They should be better compensated for everything that they put forward.” The raise will apply to all volunteers besides the fire chief. There are 13 volunteers who will receive $20 more a month. This will cost...
