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Coast Guard Sector Southeast received a call Tuesday morning, shortly before 10:00 a.m., that the Petersburg-based seiner the Pamela Rae was taking on water in Anita Bay, located on Etolin Island near Wrangell. The call came from the F/V Confidence, relaying a call from their sister fishing vessel Barbara which was on the scene and providing samaritan support, U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Matt Naylor told the Pilot. The Pamela Rae was taking on water fast and was rolling over. They had...
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The Norwegian Resistance during World War II was a dark time for Norway. From 1940 to 1945, thousands of Norwegians fought in this movement against Nazi Germany. The Norwegians gained independence in 1905, but when Nazi Germany invaded, the Norwegians had to do everything they could to maintain their national identity and solidarity. On Thursday, June 27, at the Petersburg Public Library, there will be an opportunity to learn and discuss the Norwegian Resistance when Don Pugnetti Jr. talks...
A ballot proposition on this October municipal ballot will put the question to Petersburg voters whether to increase the amount of sales tax that can be collected on a single purchase from $72.00 to $300.00. At their regular meeting on June 17 the Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously passed Ordinance 24-10 in its third and final reading to propose the municipal code amendment for this sales tax exemption change to borough voters. Currently in the borough, sales tax liability for any single...
Petersburg School District is the sole recipient in Alaska of a new grant designed to help schools source more food locally - in this case, through a partnership with Farragut Farm. PSD's food service program offers school breakfast and lunch, a fresh fruits and vegetable snack program in the grade school, an after school at-risk youth program, and also the summer food program; currently, the entire food service program is self-funded, according to PSD Food Service Program Director Carlee...
Compass Cookery launched on May 17, 2024, striving to bring global flavors to Petersburg, Alaska. For Jessica Hawley, owner of Compass Cookery, her new food venture has been a long time coming as Hawley has been wanting to start her own business but found the right opportunity just now. "There's not as much competition so people are excited about new food in town," Hawley said. Compass Cookery brings a unique twist to Petersburg...the twist being that each month has its food theme. "I like varie...
If you're looking for a place to conduct research or write and are curious to learn more about family history, look no further than the research and communication room at the Clausen Memorial Museum. "This year we've had four different families come in and use [the research and communication center]. We're very excited about that," Director of Clausen Memorial Museum Maureen Floyd told the Pilot. The public had been searching for a place to research, write, look up history. So, Floyd and...
In the middle of her voyage from Sitka to Pelican, Alaska State Rep. Rebecca Himschoot called into the Pilot from West Chichagof Island to talk about her first term and her upcoming repeat bid where she is running unopposed. With the weight of the campaign off her shoulders, while the legislature is out of session, Himschoot is boating through the district – visiting each of the 21 communities she represents in the State House including Petersburg – with fresh eyes, as she reflects on the hig...
Dozens of black and white photos showcasing familiar faces in local commercial fishing have long adorned the walls of Common Grounds, a coffee shop in downtown Petersburg, and recently a very large, brightly colorful photo print – one that has special meaning for many in town – has joined the photos on the wall specifically dedicated those who were lost too soon. After a five-year journey, this 1987 photo print featuring the late Petersburg fisherman Kevin Kivisto has made its way from the Sea...
In the past week, four informational signs were installed on a newly constructed plaza at Sandy Beach Park - bringing to life the first phase of the Hutli Project. The Hutli Project -a collaboration between the Petersburg Indian Association and an advisory committee including members from PIA, the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition, Petersburg Parks & Recreation, the US Forest Service, and others- aims to tell the story of Petersburg's Indigenous population through the further development of...
Alaska State Troopers have identified the person who died in a boating accident near Petersburg last week as Susan Paul, age 73 of California. She was in a 20-foot Hewescraft skiff that sank after a collision with a larger seine boat. A spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is leading the investigation, says it's unclear what led to the accident. A second person on board the skiff - 71-year-old Gordon Paul also of California - survived. He was taken to a local hospital after the two...
Petersburg School Board unanimously passed the district's FY25 budget at their regular meeting on Tuesday. This year, more of the budget is going to instruction and less to operations and maintenance, summarized PSD Finance Director Shannon Baird. The budget estimates 450 students will be enrolled in the school district in the 2024/2025 school year. That number is around 19 students fewer than the school year which has just ended. Because the base student allocation has remained flat for yet...
While Petersburg residents are hoping to trade rainy days for sun, the public library is encouraging kids and readers of all ages to trade in pages for prizes with their annual summer reading programs. Baby Shrimp - the library's playful parenting program for kids ages 0-3 - and Summer Stream - their flagship program for kids ages 3-12 - have both gone through major restructuring this year, while the Go Wild program is continuing to invite teens and adults to join in on the activities. "There's...
A Petersburg jury has found residents Julie Ruhle and Jim Vick liable for defaming a former police officer. Two years ago, the couple pled guilty in a criminal court to falsely accusing Louis Waechter of sexually assaulting Ruhle during a traffic stop. Now, the couple is obligated to pay over $1.5 million in damages. The jury handed down their first verdict on May 22, after less than a day of deliberation. Their second verdict, determining punitive damages, came the following day. According to...
Alaskans, including many in Petersburg, have experienced heightened food insecurity for the past several years - ever since the Dunleavy administration cut more than 100 jobs from the state's Division of Public Assistance in 2021, which left offices understaffed and led to a severe, multiyear backlog of applications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Thousands of Alaskans were left without the food aid they needed. To combat the backlogs Gov. Dunleavy added millions...
On a much needed sunny Saturday last weekend, the Petersburg Market – an outdoor market for homegrown and handmade local goods - kicked off its summer season, welcoming shoppers in a new location and under new leadership. With several new changes in the works by freshly appointed market manager Rebekah Gumz, the 2024 market is slowly growing into its new location between Kito's Kave and The Salty Pantry, as both new and old stalls, vendors, and attractions pop up to serve the public every other...
After a six hour search, divers recovered the body of a woman who perished due to a boat collision between a 20-foot Hewescraft skiff and a 58-foot commercial fishing vessel in the Wrangell Narrows near the mouth of Blind Slough on Wednesday morning. A second individual, thrown from the skiff into the water, was rescued by a good samaritan on-scene, according to a USCG press release. "We offer our sincerest condolences to those affected by this terrible tragedy," said Coast Guard Lt. Katy...
The next Petersburg Borough budget was passed by the assembly on Monday after amending it three times in its final reading. This approved budget for fiscal year 2025 will start at the top of July and includes maximum funding for Petersburg School District to the tune of $3.4 million. Several speakers from PSD testified their gratitude to the borough for supporting the so-called "to-the-cap" funding in the borough's FY25 budget. "Inconsistent and unreliable state funding has created instability...
For the next few years, school meals will be free to all students enrolled in Petersburg School District. All three school sites in PSD now qualify for the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to student families because the meals are ultimately reimbursed by money from the federal government. PSD Food Program Director Carlee Johnson McIntosh managed the administrative push for getting the CEP. "It's such a great need ... I've seen it...
Later this month, the Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Council will have every seat occupied after swearing in Christine Yatchmenoff as a newly appointed Councilmember. The council filled one vacant seat in March, swearing in Brandon Ware, and sought to fill another vacancy left by Everett Bennett, who was elected to the council in January but later resigned to pursue the PIA tribal administrator position left by Chad Wright and started the job May 20. Yatchmenoff will be sworn in to fill Be...
Through recent surveys, Kinder Skog families and Petersburg Medical Center employees showed interest for more summer enrichment options for youth, and the Community Wellness program of PMC has worked to meet that demand. More camps will be offered through the ORCA (Outdoor Recreation Creation Adventure) program in Petersburg this summer, including a kayaking expedition, fly-fishing, and an extra session of theater. The POD (Play Outside Days) programs will include running and basketball again,...
After twenty three years working for the Petersburg School District, Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter will retire on June 30. In early 2001, Kludt-Painter's dad told her there was a job opening for a principal in Petersburg, Alaska, and said he thought she'd like Petersburg, a town about the same size as her hometown of Orofino in rural northern Idaho. She jumped at the opportunity. Barb Marifern, who was on the hiring committee, said that after a series of phone interviews with each...
About 1,758 acres of state land on Mitkof Island is in process to be conveyed to the Petersburg Borough - a fraction of the total 14,666 acres that the borough is entitled to be granted by the state since becoming a borough a decade ago. The lands are Summit Island, Wilson Islands, 480 acres by Blind Slough on the southern part of Mitkof Island, about 157 acres selected that include part of Woodpecker Road, about 80 acres at Blind Point including the gun range area, and approximately 1,012...
The multi-million dollar funding request for the Petersburg hospital replacement project was not included in the most recent state FY2025 capital budget, despite being the Petersburg Borough's top priority capital project and months of advocacy to the legislature. In January, the borough assembly unanimously approved a capital projects list that ranked the Petersburg Medical Center replacement project as the very top priority for funding. In February, individuals from the borough, board and...
Silversmith Erin Kandoll has always considered herself an artist. When the Pilot visited Kandoll's studio, her ginger-color hair sat atop her head in a hair bun while she sorted out dozens of turquoise stones. Twisted Ginger, the name of Kandoll's silver-and-stone jewelry business, was born from a creative pastime. "Started from a state room on the Kestrel with my tackle box ... then to the garage ... to selling everything, to quitting, and then to this," Kandoll recalled. "Now, I'm just ... liv... Full story
