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An update to the Borough’s Comprehensive Plan is in full swing after consultants arrived in town last week for the first of four scheduled visits with community members and the planning team. “We are in town really kicking off the process with the community. We have a series of meetings and opportunities for the community to come talk to us,” said Shelly Wade, a consultant with Agnew Beck on hand at the community open houses held Wednesday and Thursday. The Comprehensive Plan Wade and her team will be formulating this year creates a bluep... Full story
Soon to be 17-year-old Rikke Sætermo from Alta, Norway has been adjusting to life in America, Alaska and Petersburg's Little Norway since she arrived to town in September as an exchange student with AFS USA. Sætermo hails from a small town in one of Norway's northernmost municipalities. She's used to cold weather and that's what she prepared for when packing her bags for Petersburg, based on her perception of Alaska. "I'm kind of embarrassed about this but I was thinking it was going to be i... Full story
Assembly members received a report on the Borough’s annual audit performed by BDO at last week’s regular meeting. BDO partner Michelle Drew informed the Assembly of the ins and outs of the fiscal year 2014 audit. “The audit received a clean audit opinion, an unmodified opinion, and that’s kind of the highest report card you can get from an external auditor,” Drew said. The Borough ended the fiscal year with $10.4 million in total revenues for the general fund, while total expenditures amounted to $8.9 million. Drew said that total revenues...
Petersburg Schools will be looking to replace their existing boiler rather than rehabilitate it, board member Cheryl File reported on behalf of maintenance director Dan Tate at Tuesday’s meeting. Tate was absent due to serving jury duty in Ketchikan, but sent along a report explaining that further research indicated that repair of the apparatus wasn’t feasible “We became aware that the manufacturer only recently discontinued manufacturing the seal kits needed to repair our boiler,” File read from the report. “This…necessitates the need to repla...
WRANGELL — Wrangell's advisory committee to Alaska Department of Fish and Game held the second of several public meetings at the Fire Hall Dec. 11, to discuss Board of Fisheries proposals for the 2014-15 meeting cycle. This committee provides a forum for fishing and game management issues, allowing the public to review and discuss new proposals and to provide recommendations to both state boards of Fisheries and Game. To consult with them on crab, shellfish and shrimp management policies were Joe Stratman and Troy Thynes from Petersburg's A...
Assembly members unanimously voted against a resolution to dedicate local funds to capital improvement projects pending the allocation of State funds by the Alaska legislature. Assembly member Bob Lynn had proposed the resolution at the Nov. 25 meeting because he said projects with a local match are more likely to be funded by the legislature. Rather than dedicating funds among the lengthy list of capital priorities, Assembly members said they wanted to see all monies put toward the number one... Full story
This year's Pickled Herring Contest held at the Sons of Norway Hall Wednesday evening was one of the biggest ever. Four tables showcased over a dozen entries apiece, each competing for the top prize in four categories: pickled seafood, smoked salmon, cured/smoked seafood and pickled herring. Cynthia Mathisen, the event's organizer, said there were more entries overall this year and several exciting entries in the cured category, which was new to the contest this year. "Everyone has their... Full story
The Assembly speedily approved two housekeeping matters at Monday’s regular meeting in addition to approving funds to ship a crane off for repairs after failing a recent OSHA inspection. Some $60,000 was allocated for the repairs to the small crane on the Crane Dock, which will be performed by Maximum Performance Hydraulics (MPH) in Seattle. The initial estimate from MPH was $25-30,000, though Harbormaster Glo Wollen said the estimate is based on pictures and information sent to the company, and a final estimate won’t be available until the...
Four parties expressed their opinions on the acquisition of land at Papke's Landing, which will go up for sale Dec. 15. The initial public comment period was held at Monday's regular Assembly meeting. There are three lots in particular that Borough Assembly members have said are important to the public and possible future development at Papke's. Before making a decision on whether or not to bid for the lots, the Assembly wanted to hear public input. So far public opinion is split on the land...
Petersburg resident Karen Dillman's studio is a split between a mad scientist's lab and a serious crafter's work space. There are jars filled with all manner of dried mushrooms and lichen and others filled with rich, colorful dye baths. Skeins of hand-spun yarn in a rainbow of colors line the wall and a small library of books is close at hand to look up formulas and provide inspiration. An ecologist for the U.S Forest Service by trade, Dillman combines artistry with her love of the natural...
Summer 2014 was a busy one for Petersburg, with tourists bringing more charter business to town and spending more on hotels and retail than the previous summer. This summer the Borough collected over $35,000 in sales taxes from charter businesses, almost double what was collected over the same time period in 2013. The Borough also collected about $4,000 more each in bed tax revenue and retail sales tax revenue. Marilyn Meucci of the Visitor Information Center said she thought that a rebounding economy played a large role in the increased...
With the addition of Marlene Cushing and Kris Thynes, the Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) now has a full board of seven, as well as new officers for the coming year. Tim Koeneman was named board president and cautioned the board that they would have to lean heavily on Darlene Whitethorn, elected vice-president in her absence per her prior assent to the idea and formerly secretary, during the summer months when he is away. “With kids and grandkids all in Juneau, there are vacation times when I’m simply not here,” he said. “I’ll certainly...
Petersburg Mayor Mark Jensen brought his fisheries knowledge to bear as a chosen member for new Governor Bill Walker and Lt. Governor Byron Mallott's transition team. The team met Nov. 21-23 at a three-day conference to identify key issues to be addressed by the new administration. "I was very honored to get picked to participate," Jensen said in a phone interview. He was one of 246 Alaskans comprising the transition team, which was sub-divided into 17 groups covering topics from education and... Full story
The Southeast Alaska Drift Gillnet and Purse Seine task forces met in Petersburg on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, to review the 2014 season and discuss the 2015 season. On Tuesday, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) biologists from districts around Southeast presented a review of the 2014 season for various salmon species harvested by gillnetters. Justin Breese, ADFG biologist from Ketchikan, reported District 1, Tree Point, had an above average harvest for cohos and pink salmon and a below average harvest for sockeyes and chums.... Full story
The fridge is full of leftovers and downtown is bright with Christmas lights and decorations, two sure signs the holiday season is underway in Petersburg. Friday evening kicked off with two Petersburg traditions, the parade of lights and the tree lighting ceremony. Gloria Ohmer and Don Koenigs were named as the honorary tree lighters for this year's ceremony. Ohmer has been in Petersburg since 1949 when she arrived for a two-week visit from Washington state but never left. "She's gone on to... Full story
The first pieces of the floats have arrived for the Drive Down Dock project, though complete installation is still to come as the modular sections are linked, only slightly impeded by the sudden surplus of snow. Currently, three pieces have arrived, Harbormaster Glo Wollen reported on Monday. “Tamico (Construction) splashed at (Alaska Marine Lines) last night and towed them over to the Martinsen Dock where they are working (on Monday) to bolt them together.” Another 10 sections are to come, with semi-regular deliveries “every couple of weeks...
Some contestants might be in a bit of a pickle as last minute changes are announced to the annual Pickled Herring Contest, to be held this coming Wednesday at the Sons of Norway Hall. “What we’re changing this year is we’re asking people to bring their entries a bit earlier, so we can get the judging going faster so people can eat quicker,” Sons of Norway President Sally Dwyer said. The Sons doors will be open for entrants from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with judging immediately following and the public tasting at 7 p.m. — Dwyer added that contestan...
The ninth annual Devil's Thumb Brewfest and Chili Cookoff was a huge success under different management this year, after the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce passed the mantle for the community event. "They were hoping to be able to find somebody else to take up the torch, and Angela (Christensen) found it in herself to be able to keep it alive," said Eric Castro, who also volunteered to help put on the event. "The community does not want to see this event die." The Petersburg Ski Club also threw...
Tongass Advisory Committee (TAC) members compiled work-group draft recommendations for the Tongass National Forest’s timber management plan amendment at their Nov. 19-21 meeting in Sitka. Present at the recent meeting was USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Bonnie; Beth Pendelton, the U.S. Forest Service Alaska regional forester; and Forrest Cole, the Tongass National Forest supervisor. Bonnie emphasized the importance of TAC’s opportunity “to find a solution that works for everybody [so] we ca...
The Nov. 20 edition of the Petersburg Pilot incorrectly identified Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Elders Kettle and Lofton as members of the Salvation Army. The Pilot regrets the error....
Parks and Recreation Director Donn Hayes believes Petersburg should be at its brightest as the year spins towards its darkest day, looking to launch the first of what he hopes will be an annual celebration of light amidst the bleak and black. The Light Bright Dash and Bash will begin at 7 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 20, one day before the winter solstice, he said. Registration is an hour earlier. “We just want it to be fun — we’re having this in the middle of winter,” he said. “We just want people to say, ‘the darkness is not going to affect me;...
The trapping season for marten, river otter, mink and weasel opened December 1 on Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof islands (Unit 4). Unit 4 beaver season opened November 10. The trapping season runs through February 15, 2015 for most species in Unit 4. Exceptions are the marten, mink, and weasel season closure on December 31, 2014 in the north Chichagof Island area and the beaver season which remains open until April 30, 2015. In addition to obtaining a trapping license, trappers must have marten, river otter, and beaver hides sealed within...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ The world's most acidic ocean waters are found during the cold winter months in the Bering Sea, according to a new study. Researchers at Columbia University released a series of maps tracking changes in global marine activity, The Alaska Dispatch News reported The new maps, based on 40 years' worth of measurements, show how acidity in marine waters around the globe changes with the seasons. The Bering Sea has shallow waters, a broad continental shelf and ocean currents that deposit nutrients from around the world....
Petersburg schools will be testing out the idea that less is more when it comes to lighting — and not simply saving a bit on the budget, though that remains a major selling point. “What got me thinking about this was a maintenance directors’ conference I attended up in Anchorage,” Maintenance Director Dan Tate said. “It was environmental design loss prevention, and they showed, very clearly, that you can have a lot of lights on to produce a lot of glare that defeats a security officer’s nighttime vision.” Tate consulted with Petersburg Po...
The Borough Assembly will be taking public comment on whether or not the Borough should bid on three land parcels near Papke’s Landing that will go up for public auction next month by the Alaska Mental Health Trust. The Assembly wrote a letter to Mental Health in August asking them to suspend the sale of three lots at Papke’s Landing because of their importance for public access to the dock and parking area and the possible future expansion of Petersburg’s harbors. At Monday’s regular meeting... Full story
