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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A rift developed Thursday between Alaska's two U.S. senators when lawyers for Republican Lisa Murkowski demanded the campaign for her Democratic counterpart pull ads that touts their cooperation in Washington for the benefit of Alaskans. The ad in question is titled, ``Great Team.'' It's a 30-second spot that features a man, named Skip Nelson, claiming to be a lifelong Republican who has supported Murkowski in the past and intends to vote for Begich this year. ``The advertisement is factually incorrect,'' wrote l...
The Sitka District Ranger, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is taking action to close the watersheds of Blue Lake, Medvejie Lake and the southern half of the Katlian River to the harvest of mountain goats. The closure took effect Monday, Aug. 11 and will remain in effect through the remainder of the 2014 season which ends Dec. 31. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued a closure in the same watersheds, effective Aug. 1, 2014 to the close of the season on Dec. 31, 2014. Continued mountain goat harvest in...
There is currently a need in Southeast Alaska for licensed foster homes for children of all ages. If you have room in your heart and home to care for a child, please consider becoming a foster parent. You can be single, married, or in a partnership. If you want to learn more about how to become a foster parent, please contact the Alaska Center for Resource Families at 907-790-4246 or toll free 1-800-478-7307. Your call today could change a child’s life....
Representatives from the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) visited Petersburg last weekend, toured local art-related businesses and organizations and met with stakeholders about the role of the arts in the local community and economy. Laura Forbes, ASCA's art education program director, and Shannon Daut, the executive director, were on hand Sunday for their first meeting in Petersburg to discuss the programs and support ASCA has to offer as well as to learn more about the needs of the community. “We at the state arts council are e...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved, on second reading, an ordinance that increases electric rates during the next two years. Before assembly members voted on the ordinance, Patrick Wilson, Petersburg Fisheries (PFI) plant manager, spoke before the assembly to request that the electric rates stay consistent with past year's schedules. Wilson said that even though the percent increase represents a small dollar amount, the increased cost will make PFI less competitive in an increasingly competitive industry. "It (the new rate... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed six measures related to proposed sales tax changes which will appear on the Oct. 7 ballot. Four of the measures relate to the senior sales tax exemption, which exempts local residents more than 65 years old from paying the borough's six percent sales tax. One measure would establish December 31, 2019, as a sunset date when the exemption card would no longer be issued. However, those who already receive the exemption would continue to do so. As in past readings of the ordinance, assembly members Cindi Lagou... Full story
Members of the Petersburg Borough Assembly voted unanimously to write a letter of support for the North End Ferry Authority to use the Banana Point launch ramp as an interim ferry terminal. The North End Ferry Authority is proceeding with plans to restore passenger and vehicle ferry service between Coffman Cove, Wrangell and South Mitkof to begin in spring 2015. Previously, North End Ferry Authority officials were working with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities... Full story
Musicians and singers, ages 8 to 18, attending the second annual Bluegrass Camp have been practicing at the middle school all week for performances today and Friday. Camp Organizer Dan Sullivan and several out-of town music teachers have been working with students in intensive music lessons since Monday. Performances include busking-street performances- around town at 3 p.m. today. Small bands will play for change in front of Inga's Galley, Coastal Cold Storage, the Fabric Basket and other...
New Strata, a solo show by Petersburg artist Polly Lee opened Friday, Aug. 1 at the Clausen Museum with an artist reception that included about 100 attendees. "These aren't your usual flowers and landscapes," Lee said of her paintings. The show features several new oil paintings and ten pastels that are a part of a body of work called "Passages," said the 91-year-old artist. Each bold piece features an earth-tone palette and a bold "V" shape. "Several years ago on a road trip in the Southwest,...
The Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell (KSM) Mine being proposed in Canada's British Columbia province is nearing its final stages, with the fourth and final comment period on the project's environmental assessment coming to a close Aug. 20. The first of five major mining sites planned for development along transboundary waters, the sheer scale of the KSM and the rapidity of development in the region have been causing consternation among Alaska's Native communities, fishing and travel industry associations, and environmental groups. The British Columbia... Full story
ANCHORAGE (AP) — In the secluded island village of Angoon in Southeast Alaska, a long-talked-about airport is still in the works. Planning for the Angoon airport -- which in rural Alaska means a single runway and access road — began a decade ago, and despite community support, transportation planners say it will be many more years before small airplanes can land on the island. ``Will I still be alive by the time it actually goes in?'' Sue Bates, co-owner of the Angoon Trading Company, asked jokingly in a recent interview. ``Honestly, I thi...
A partnership between Petersburg Mental Health and W.A.V.E. (Working Against Violence for Everyone) is sponsoring a trauma support group for survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence, which uses an online video program that is specially designed for “telemedicine.” The support group began in July and uses VSee, a free app available on tablets or home computers, which allows those logged on to see each other yet maintains the privacy of a visit to a doctor or therapist’s office. VSee was designed specifically for people in remote locat...
The Petersburg and Wrangell Boroughs are a few steps closer to completing the transfer of Operations and Maintenance of the Tyee Lake hydroelectric facility from Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) to Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) after a meeting last Thursday. Thursday's regular session meeting brought representatives from the Thomas Bay Power Commission (TBPC) and the Petersburg and Wrangell Boroughs together to elect a new commission chair and secretary, work towards finalizing the SEAPA transition document and discuss the future role... Full story
Two dozen daring dancers braved torrential rains to participate in National Dance Day on Saturday at the ball field. The pitching mound may have been soaked, but the dancers scored a home run with their interpretation of this year's advanced dance routine set to Mark Ballas' single "Get My Name." This is the third non-consecutive year Petersburg dancers have participated in the national event. The videos of this and past years' routine can be viewed on YouTube. This year's event was organized... Full story
After 14 years on the Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors, Tom Abbott tendered his resignation, saying that the hospital was "in a good place" and that he was ready to leave. Abbott, who has served as board president, an elected position, notified Borough Clerk Kathy O'Rear in a letter stating, "The community has an excellent medical center with a professional staff providing quality healthcare to all in our community. The integrity of the staff ensures the public will be treated with... Full story
A pair of mid-sized earthquakes occurred offshore in Palma Bay early Friday morning, about 49 miles west of Gustavus near Glacier Bay National Park. The Alaska Earthquake Information Center recorded a 5.29 local magnitude (ML) quake at 2:54 a.m., immediately followed by a 5.89 ML quake. Further quakes and tremors continued throughout the morning with diminishing intensity, with a 3.92 ML quake recorded at 8 a.m., followed by multiple aftershocks. No tsunami was expected. "Everybody camping in our backcountry have reported that they're all...
The Physical Therapy department at the Petersburg Medical Center has recently ordered new equipment that will assist in helping clients. An anatomical model of a shoulder was purchased with funds from the Petersburg Community Foundation. The fully flexible model shows the scapula, clavicle, and a portion of humerus and joint ligaments. Models of knee and hip joints are on order, Ellie van Swearingen, department head, told the PMC board during a meeting July 24. The models make it easier for...
WRANGELL — This year's Bearfest attracted a number of bear-knowledgable brainboxes, from biologists and behaviorists to wilderness managers, guides and artists. Over the course of the five-day event, experts shared their knowledge in a series of workshops, demonstrations, and lectures with the public. "It's a great opportunity for Wrangell residents and visitors alike to hear from some of the best bear experts in the world," explained Lance Craighead, conservation director at the Craighead Institute in Montana. A lot of what was discussed w...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say they are investigating an assault aboard a fishing vessel in Petersburg. Troopers say they responded Wednesday to a report that the 28-year-old captain of the vessel Favorite grabbed a 31-year-old crew member around the throat. Troopers say the crew member has left the vessel....
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Gov. Sean Parnell has asked a federal agency to buy about 1 million cases of canned pink salmon to ease a glut that has weighed down prices for Alaska fishermen this year. Parnell made the request in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week. He wants the USDA to purchase $37 million worth of canned pink salmon under a federal law that allows for buying surplus food from farmers and donating it to food banks or other programs. USDA purchased $20 million worth of salmon earlier this year, which Parnell c...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — A $20 million loan has been approved for a new hydropower project on Prince of Wales Island. KRBD reports that the Alaska Energy Authority approved the loan to Haida Energy Inc. for construction of the Reynolds Creek project, about 10 miles east of Hydaburg. The loan was approved in June. The project could supply power to all of the island's residents, who currently depend on diesel-generated power during some parts of the year. Haida Energy Inc. is a joint venture of the Haida Corp. and Alaska Power and Telephone C...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ A vintage rail company that transports hundreds of thousands of tourists a year along the route of the historic Klondike Gold Rush was expected to resume operations last Friday, two days after a derailment left 23 people with minor injuries, officials said. Two vintage locomotives and four passenger rail cars were involved in the derailment Wednesday during a run of the White Pass & Yukon Route tourist train from Skagway to Canada, the company said in a statement. “We heard a bang, then another bang, then there was s...
Dozens of youngster challenged themselves to read books this summer. Dozens of local businesses donated prizes, and it all concluded at a big pool party at the community gym on Tuesday. More than 40 children participated in the public library’s Summer Reading Challenge, competing for 64 prizes from local donors. The challenge began on May 29 and ended July 19. Participants earned points by reading books and testing their comprehension of the themes, characters and plot of the story. This year's participants earned between ten and almost 200 p...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved an updated electric ordinance that increases rates by four percent during the next two years. The current declining block rate structure was established more than two decades ago to encourage electric usage—the more a customer uses, the less they pay on a kilowatt per hour basis. The declining block rate, combined with the rise of oil prices, contributed to a large conversion from oil to electric heating. Beginning around 2012, that conversion began to level out. During discussions last December over a... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly authorized Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht to sign off on the agreement between the Petersburg Borough, the City and Borough of Wrangell and the Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) that transitions operation and maintenance of the Tyee Hydro Lake facility to Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA). The four bodies have been negotiating the agreement since last year when the Petersburg assembly voted not to fund its share of a portion of the TBPA budget labeled non-net billable—a bill Petersburg and Wrangell have t... Full story
