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Hailing from a small island in northern Norway, two brothers were in Petersburg last week to see where their aunt immigrated to in the 1920s and to visit her granddaughter, Irene Littleton. Karl Rasmus Dahle and Arild Jens Dahle are twins who were born on May 15, 1942. They live on an island called Andoya with an area of roughly 311 square miles. Karl lives in Stave, a small village of less than 40 inhabitants on the western side of the island, and Arild lives about 25 miles away on the other...
A new group of students began the two-year nursing program offered at Petersburg Medical Center through the University of Alaska, Anchorage last month. "We're really excited," said Jennifer Bryner, one of the instructors and a registered nurse at PMC. "It seems like a great group. They're very eager to get going, but it's a lot for anybody. They really take on a huge commitment." Like a traditional college environment, the students will have to complete four semesters of school, and enjoy...
An assessment of Mountain View Manor by the Fox Group in July found that the facility is effectively run and that there are no recommendations at this time to improve the facility's financial position. "That's a good and bad thing to hear," said Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht at an assembly meeting last month. "It's a good thing meaning it's managed very well. It's a bad thing in the sense that there's not necessarily ways to make that place break even." The borough assembly directed...
There are about 33 projects on Petersburg Indian Association's Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) four-year priority list, but high up on the list are several pedestrian trails and sidewalks. At a TTP meeting last month, Director Sue Harai said the funded projects are based on a four-year tribal transportation improvement program. A long range transportation plan spanning 20-years must be developed and updated by PIA in order to receive federal funding for the transportation needs of tribal gov...
A Petersburg High School graduate broke two 50-year-old school records at the United States Coast Guard Academy this spring. Ben Zarlengo set a new school record in the discus and hammer, throwing 49.7 meters and 56.4 meters respectively. Zarlengo said the two previous school records were about 50-years-old. Both records were broken in April when Zarlengo was competing at an invitational at Connecticut College. In February, Zarlengo broke a weight throw record with his distance of 18.71 meters....
Voters will decide if they want the borough to take out loans to fund eight utility projects totaling no more than $8 million after the assembly passed ordinance #2019-05 in its third reading last week. The loans will be through the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and will be paid back over a 20-year period at 1.5 percent interest. The responsibility of the repayment of the loans would fall on water and wastewater rate payers. The wastewater department has five projects planned...
The Petersburg School District maintains a higher percentage of students scoring proficient or higher in English language arts (ELA), math and science in statewide testing. The Performance Evaluation for Alaska's Schools test is given to students between 3rd and 10th grade each spring. The ELA and math tests are given to all students from 3rd to 9th grade, and the science test is only given to 4th, 8th and 10th graders. According to PSD Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter, the PEAKS tests are...
An ordinance that would have added language to borough code outlining a procedure for addressing the assembly by written comment was stricken down at an assembly meeting last week. Ordinance #2019-07 would have clearly stated how members of the public could submit written comment to the assembly, but in its first reading, an amendment was made that prevented assembly members from reading written statements by members of the public out loud at assembly meetings. "I think that there needs be a...
Petersburg has found its next magistrate judge and since her arrival earlier this month, she has been getting to know her job and her new home. Debra O'Gara first arrived in Petersburg on Aug. 1 and is replacing the previous magistrate judge, Desi Burrell, who retired in May. O'Gara has been practicing law for over 26 years and was previously serving as presiding judge for the Tlingit & Haida Tribal Court in Juneau. The new position has her tackling a full range of cases, such as civil and...
Petersburg Medical Center introduced the early findings of its master plan to renovate the current hospital or build a new facility at a public meeting last week. NAC Architecture was awarded the request for proposal by the PMC board of directors at a special meeting in May for a master plan proposal not to exceed $220,000. The firm's project leader, Dan Jardine, gave a presentation updating PMC and the public on their findings so far and what is to come in the future. A seismic analysis of the...
The Diocese of Juneau released a letter and report last Wednesday, Aug. 21, naming seven people with allegations of sexual misconduct against minors and/or vulnerable adults. The letter, signed by Bishop Andrew Bellisario, states that these seven names have been released upon the conclusion of an independent review of the diocese's personnel files from 1951 to the present. The Independent Commission which led this review was established last December, according to the letter, and was staffed by...
A call was placed to the Petersburg Fire Department at 7:40 P.M. Monday night after residents reported seeing dark, black smoke coming from the Public Works Department lot on 2nd St. Flames were coming from a shed that was filled with large, spare tires for the borough's vehicles. Nearby residents stated they also heard loud popping noises. The fire was contained by about 8 P.M., but firefighters didn't leave until around 9:30 P.M, said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. The cause of the fire is...
Parks and Recreation will be taking into consideration community feedback on changes to the department, including an increased age requirement for unattended children, as it moves forward following public outcry about the changes. At the Aug. 16 assembly meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Chandra Thornburg answered questions and took comments from assembly members about the community's concerns over proposed changes to the community center. Over 15 letters from residents were submitted to th...
A fully automated camera would allow Petersburg School District to broadcast sporting events and other activities in the gymnasium through the National Federation of State High School Associations. The cameras can be programmed to turn on at specific times and begin streaming on the online NFHS Network. PSD can purchase two cameras for a one-time fee of $5,000, plus an additional $1,000 for shipping, said Activity Director Jaime Cabral. One camera would be placed in the gymnasium and the other...
In the past year, at least four citizens from Petersburg and Wrangell have sought and gained their U.S. citizenship to be with their families and for peace of mind. Elisa Teodori originates from Italy, but moved to Petersburg after she met her husband, Tor Benson, while working in Ecuador. Laura Davies first came to the US from Canada to work as a recreation therapist in Georgia, but eventually moved to Wrangell to take a job working with Alaska Crossings and met her husband. Gilda Barkfelt...
A new ordinance would prevent assembly members and the borough clerk from reading letters submitted to the borough assembly out loud during assembly meetings. Ordinance #2019-07 was passed as amended in its first reading at an assembly meeting on Friday. It adds language to the borough's code regarding the procedure for addressing the assembly by written comment at a public meeting. The new wording states that a person can submit a letter to the borough clerk to be transferred to the borough...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will hold their second meeting of August tonight at 6 P.M. to vote on four ordinances, two of which are in their final reading, and the Kiseno St. sewer replacement project. If Ordinance #2019-05 passes in its third reading, then voters in the 2019 municipal election will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to allow the water and wastewater departments to take out loans not to exceed a total of $8 million for capital improvement projects. Ordinance...
Petersburg will hold its annual municipal election on Oct. 1 from 8 A.M. through 8 P.M. in the activity room of the community center. Residents will vote on who will fill 17 public office seats up for reelection, including the mayor's seat, as well as one proposition. The first day that residents could apply for candidacy was July 23, and the last day to file was Aug. 20. The borough will submit voter registration forms to the Alaska Division of Elections for community members up until the...
Ongoing concern about cruise ships dumping their grey water and sewage into Petersburg's harbors and nearby waters caused assembly members to agree on Friday that the borough needs to take some form of action. "I was at the harbor on Tuesday and that was all I could think about," said Assembly Member Jeff Meucci. "'Oh that's great. There's stuff in there.' I think we need to sort it out with [the cruise ship industry] and let them know it's not acceptable here." At the start of the assembly...
The city of Haines hosted the 51st annual Southeast Alaska State Fair earlier this summer. Communities from all across Southeast Alaska attend the event, and also enter into various contests and exhibits. From baked goods to woodworking, the fair gives people the opportunity to show off their talents in a wide variety of areas. These departments are further divided into separate divisions, explained Wrangell resident and artist Michael Bania. Within the "crochet arts" department, she gave as an...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will hold their first meeting of the month on Friday, Aug. 16 at 9 A.M., to vote on three ordinances and discuss raising the minimum age to enter the Parks and Recreation Center without a parent or guardian. Ordinance #2019-05 will go up before the borough assembly in its second reading. If passed in all three readings, voters will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to allow the water and wastewater departments to take out loans not to exceed a total...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced, that the nonresident king salmon closure will be rescinded on August 16. Nonresident anglers may again retain king salmon in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat marine waters. These regulations will be effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 16, 2019 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 31, 2019. King salmon regulations for Alaska residents remain unchanged. The regulations are: Nonresident • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 2...
Last week’s story about revisions proposed for Parks and Rec operations incorrectly stated that Steve Giesbrecht and Director Chandra Thornburg reached out to Kellii Wood to schedule the Aug. 2 meeting. Wood states, “I have been the one to initiate all contact with them, including that meeting so that the community could ask questions.” Wood proposed the meeting to talk about the specifics of these changes and hope to brainstorm about how to lessen the blow to the kids that are in need of the facility....
Organizers working towards recalling Gov. Mike Dunleavy have collected over 18,000 signatures statewide, and as of Tuesday, 427 signatures have been gathered in Petersburg. The effort to recall the governor began on August 1, and since then, the Alaskans for Recalling Gov. Mike Dunleavy group has nearly collected three-fourths of the 28,501 needed for the first round of signatures. After the signatures are reviewed, the recall Dunleavy group can move on to the second round of signatures and...
MV Columbia was traveling through the Wrangell Narrows Sunday when its wake caused a nearby skiff to capsize. "All indications support that this was a random freak thing," said United States Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Melissa McKenzie. "There was no specific cause for it." There were three people onboard the 16-foot skiff when it capsized near Blind Point. All three of the passengers went into the water, but were rescued by good Samaritans, said McKenzie. No injuries were reported....
