Sorted by date Results 5288 - 5312 of 5553
Occupants of an inflatable skiff escaped serious injury or more likely, death, by just minutes on Sunday morning. While on a morning excursion to LeConte Glacier, a customer with Whale Song Cruises said they thought they saw a pod of killer whales at the face of the glacier. The whales it turned out were passengers aboard an inflatable skiff navigating within a few yards of the glacier face explained skipper Ron Loesch. After nearly 20 minutes with only a couple of minor calving incidents,...
The local ballot is now set for the Petersburg elections. There is no contest for the City Council, for the second year in a row with one council seat with no candidates. Petersburg Mayor Al Dwyer states he will not seek office again and may resign after this October's city election. Dwyer is half-way through his third two-year term as mayor. He says he has no plans to run for mayor of the Petersburg Borough if the borough is voted in this fall or winter. “This is going to be a contentious coming year,” Dwyer said. “I just don't have the energ... Full story
Members of the Local Boundary Commission finalized their decision that Petersburg's Borough plan meets state requirements. Voters in the proposed borough area will have the final say. The LBC approved its final decision on this matter in a teleconferenced meeting Wednesday, Aug. 22. “I will mail the document tomorrow,” Commission staff member Brent Williams said. “This mailing will begin the reconsideration period which is 18 days for the public and 30 days for the commission.” No comments were made by the public during this confere... Full story
Water streams off this humpback’s tail as it dives on a recent sunny day in Frederick Sound....
Former Petersburg Council member Bill Tremblay addressed the Petersburg School Board to possibly rename the Syd Wright Auditorium. “It has been brought to my attention several times regarding the name for the Syd Wright Auditorium,” Tremblay said. “It's easy to understand considering there is only one picture there.” During a meeting of the Petersburg City Council Dec. 1, 1999, Tremblay explained that the initial resolution asked that the auditorium be named for Syd Wright but that original resolution was amended to include Vara, Wright'...
The possible results of the new Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) program were discussed by the Petersburg City School Board. “This is not a canned program,” Erica Kludt-Painter said. “We as a district and community will create this program to fit our needs.” PBIS is a process for creating school environments that are more predictable and effective for achieving academic and social goals. For some schools, PBIS will enhance their current systems and practices, for others it will radically change the culture for the better....
Petersburg City Schools Superintendent Rob Thomason explained to the Petersburg School Board last year's test scores from the district's three schools at the first school board meeting of the year Tuesday, Aug. 21. The tests conducted last year for grades 3 – 10 in writing, reading, mathematics and science were above state averages in most categories, however some areas will need to be addressed in the future. Each school also exceeded or met statewide Average Yearly Progress level r...
A new state prosecutor has found a place in Petersburg. The Department of Law has assigned Assistant District Attorney Nick Polasky, who works out of Juneau to this position. Polasky will also cover Kake, as well as statewide extradition cases. Polasky was formerly one of the three prosecutors in Ketchikan. This summer the Department announced that it would be adding a fourth attorney to the District Attorney's office in Juneau. This decision came after Petersburg officials raised concerns about short staffing in the D.A.'s office, the local...
The November general election contests for Alaska are set, barring any significant changes from absentee or questioned ballots. The results of this election are not official until those are counted. Congressman Don Young took a little over 78 percent of the vote in the Republican U.S. House primary, while Democratic state Representative Sharon Cissna took the majority of votes against her four opponents. Wrangell Representative Peggy Wilson knocked out two Ketchikan opponents to win the...
Work so far on the new Petersburg Public Library....
The hour-long, region-wide power outage experienced Sunday, Aug. 19 in both Wrangell and Petersburg was due to rifle shots into an insulator on one of the main power delivery towers on Wrangell’s backchannel. According to Thomas Bay Power Authority General Manager Paul Southland, the rifle shots into the insulator core were no accident. “The SEAPA helicopter crew found the fault early Monday morning,” Southland said. “The insulator on the tower had been shot multiple times, so it wasn't an acci... Full story
Petersburg students will have four new teachers to learn from for the 2012-13 school year. James Rodgers, a 25-year teaching veteran, comes to Petersburg by way of Utah and New Mexico. Rodgers will teach middle school and high school special education. “Special education is like a new frontier,” Rodgers said. “You can bring your imagination and novel ideas to this program and someone will learn.” This is Rodgers first year to teach in Petersburg, but he has had Petersburg classroom experie... Full story
August 25, 1982- General Construction not only is dredging the new small boat harbor for almost $1 million less than the state had anticipated; but it expects to complete the dredging and construction of the parking lot in December-six months before deadline. Work began Monday morning on the first phase of the new small boat harbor construction. Approximately 420,000 cubic yards of material will be dredged from the Narrows in between Alaska Island Air’s float and the new boat harbor, then transported to Frederick Sound for disposal. General C...
Stars of “Dangerous Waters”, a reality TV show focusing on six individuals riding jet skis around the world, were detained by Russian authorities after crossing the Bering Strait. “Our goal is to go around the world,” Charles Davis of Petersburg Bottled Gas and Dangerous Waters mechanic said. “We tried to go from Seattle to Russia last year and fell short.” This year the crew planned to travel from Nome to Russia and down through Japan but were held in Russia and not allowed to continue. ... Full story
Petersburg City Council has come to a consensus regarding the purchase of the Reid Marine Property. Based on that consensus, a funding proposal has been prepared that will be submitted to the voters at the Oct. 2 municipal election. The funding proposal provides for $250,000 from the Property Development Fund; $200,000 from the General Fund; $400,000 from the Economic Fund and financing the balance of the purchase, not to exceed $550,000, over a 15 year period payable from increased harbor moorage and upland outdoor storage rates. Taking...
Petersburg City Council voted to send an ordinance increasing the sales tax exemption rate from $1,200 to $1,700 to the voters for the Oct. 2 election. Before discussion opened for this item, Council member Nancy Strand amended the ordinance to increase the amount to $2,400. “I think it should be doubled in order to accrue some money,” Strand said. “I also think with the big over run in the North Harbor project we are going to need to do some belt tightening and this is a good place to start.” This amendment was not met with much support and ma...
The City of Petersburg awarded Northwood Sand and Gravel the bid for an amount not to exceed $51,000 and Rock N Road Construction of Petersburg was awarded a bid in an amount not to exceed $24,780. Petersburg Public Works Department recently solicited bids for 1,500 tons of winter maintenance sand with 500 tons additional sand to be awarded as an optional item. This material is used by Public Works for traction control in the winter months. Three bids were received for this project. Rock N Road came in with a bid of $61,835 and Ketchikan Ready...
Petersburg City Manager Stephen Giesbrecht, along with Parks and Recreation Director Donn Hayes are researching renewable energy grants to lower utility costs for community buildings including the hospital, schools and municipal buildings. “Donnie has taken the lead on this project,” Giesbrecht said. “We are encouraged that this will help save the city money in the long run.” The Petersburg Harbor Advisory Board and PND met recently to discuss the details on the North Harbor project with the group giving direction to PND for the preferred alter...
Seabirds take flight as ice calves off the face of LeConte Glacier last week....
7 Elected positions will expire this year and will be voted on at the regular municipal election Oct. 2. There are three positions of the Petersburg City Council held by Susan Flint, Nancy Strand and John Jensen that are up for grabs in October. Two positions on the School Board held by Jim Schwartz and Sarah Holmgrain, which are three year terms are open for candidates. The Petersburg Hospital Board has three positions held by Timothy Koeneman and Jeanette Ness which are three year terms and Rocia Tejera will give up a one year term, that... Full story
The Petersburg Harbor Board held a work session Friday afternoon in order to discuss options for reducing costs regarding the reconstruction of the North Harbor. PND Project Engineer, Dick Somerville, provided the board with five options to possibly decrease the $2.2 million overage in the $7 million budget. “Many of the cost increases are due to time,” Somerville said. “When the project was originally budgeted, costs for electrical supplies were 40 percent lower.” Somerville explained that there are approximately three miles of 2 ¼ inch dia... Full story
Two well-fed Stellar Sea Lions hauled out on the seaplane float and sparred for a while as boats passed by headed for the fuel dock....
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Alaskan temperatures have been cooler and wetter than average for the first six months of the year. The entire state has had its 15th coolest January to June on record with temperatures 3.2 degrees below average. The Alaska Climate Research Center notes that May in the Southeast Region had a temperature 3.9 degrees below the long-term mean and monthly precipitation was high with 19.25 inches, more than doubling the long term mean of 8.20 inches. It rained 29 of the 31 days... Full story
Owners of Crystal Bay Lodge, Nick and Amy Ausman, donated a five day fishing trip for raffle to Oceanside Senior Anglers, a California based chapter of Wounded Warriors. “This is the first year we have donated,” Amy Ausman said. “But we are looking forward to repeating this next year with another chapter.” The winner of the donated trip was Gary Thompson. “I was lucky enough to win the trip and I am accompanying four of our paying club members,” Thompson said. Oceanside Senior Anglers have appro...
The City of Petersburg awarded Jensen, Yorba and Lott, Inc. with the bid for the design and plan development of the Petersburg Police Department and Jail Facility at a cost of $465,000. Proposals were received from Jensen, Yorba and Lott, Inc. (JYL) of Juneau and Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, Inc. (BNAP) of Anchorage. Public Works Director, Karl Hagerman detailed in a letter to Petersburg City Manager, Stephen Giesbrecht that both proposals were very good at detailing the experience levels of the Project Manager, project team... Full story
