Sorted by date Results 1705 - 1729 of 5553
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....
The Petersburg Indian Association will begin offering a paratransit service to all seniors and those with disabilities to fill a need in the community starting this fall. "I'm excited because Petersburg doesn't have this kind of service," said Tribal Council President Cris Morrison. "This will be new and open for everybody." The details of the paratransit service are still in the preliminary stage, but the free door-to-door program is expected to start off with a service area spanning between...
Two adventurers were dropped off in Thomas Bay with their gear, two kayaks and a pack raft, which they carried through the terminal moraine to the terminal lake of Baird Glacier. From the glacier, their journey to climb Devil's Thumb began. It would take Patrick Fowler and Alex Jahn just about a week to reach the 9,078-foot summit once they left Thomas Bay on Sunday, July 28. "Every day there was some sort of challenge that we had to overcome," said Fowler. "It all came together. The weather...
PETERSBURG - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced that the summer season for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in Registration Area A (Southeast) will close by regulation at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2019, consistent with 5 AAC 32.110. Reporting of lost pots, or pots left in a closed area in fishing condition, should be directed to Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) offices in Juneau or Ketchikan....
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... Full story
There was tension in the room Friday afternoon, August 2 as around 20 Petersburg Parks and Recreation (P&R) users and parents met with Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht, newly hired Facilities Supervisor Stephanie Payne and Parks and Rec. Director Chandra Thornburg regarding some of the proposed changes to the P&R operating rules. The meeting came about after Kellii Schurb Wood posted online about the changes P&R is thinking of adopting at the start of the new school year. The number one concern...
As the dry weather persists though the summer, Tyee Lake water levels continue to be below the normal levels for early August. As part of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, Tyee Lake dedicates its power to Petersburg and Wrangell, while Swan Lake produces power for Ketchikan. Water in Tyee Lake reached 1,313 feet Monday morning. The water level is lower than the norm for Tyee Lake this time of year, but it is higher than the water level this time last year, said Utility Director Karl Hagerman....
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration held an online press conference last Friday, Aug. 2, to announce the release of their annual report to Congress on the state of the country's fisheries. This report, for the year 2018, looks at 479 federally managed fish stocks across the United States. Alan Risenhoover, director of the office of sustainable fisheries, said that the report was designed to give Congressmen and the wider public more insight into the state of American fish stocks....
This week, nine Mitkof Middle School students are participating in a summer science camp through the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center that introduces them to science related jobs in the community, while getting them to experience the outdoors. Monday began with an introduction to the camp and safety procedures. Bjorn Stolpe with Petersburg Search and Rescue spoke to the students on how to prevent getting lost in the forest and what to do if they should get lost. A wildlife biologist with the...
With approximately 400 members of the Inlandboatmen's Union going on strike last Wednesday, July 24, operations of the Alaska Marine Highway System have come to a halt. Without ferry services, many people across the state, especially in Southeast Alaska, found themselves stranded. In the communities of Wrangell and Petersburg, many people are facing disruptions to their schedules, families, and work. WRANGELL: Several of Wrangell's children and adults attending a church camp in Juneau were...
