Sorted by date Results 4691 - 4715 of 5571
wrangell — Patients in local hospitals could face new limitations on how physical therapy can be paid for in Southeast Alaska hospitals. Annual caps for the amount of physical therapy have, in past years, been restricted only to hospitals that did not receive the critical care designation from the federal government. However, for the first time this year, Medicare will apply reimbursement caps – the limit is $1,920 – to physical therapy patients receiving physical therapy even at critical access facilities, like the Petersburg and Wrang...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — A strong earthquake near Alaska's Aleutian Islands triggered a tsunami warning Monday, but only small waves measuring several inches hit coastal communities. The National Tsunami Warning Center canceled all tsunami warnings late Monday afternoon, about four hours after the earthquake struck. The magnitude-7.9 earthquake was centered about 13 miles southeast of Little Sitkin Island, or about 1,400 miles southwest of Anchorage. There were no reports of damage, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of H...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Acting courteous, even when arresting someone, has paid dividends for the Alaska State Troopers. KTVA reports a 49-year-old Anchorage man wanted on several felony warrants decided to turn himself in to troopers Friday after watching an episode of the reality show “Alaska State Troopers” on the National Geographic Channel. Brian John Fahey approached two troopers in the parking lot of the Anchorage headquarters late Friday afternoon. According to troopers, Fahey said he believed they “were more professional and courteo...
JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska authorities say they have shot and killed a black bear that lumbered through the front door of a home in the state's capital while people were inside. Juneau police say in statement Saturday that the residents were on the first floor, the same level where officers spotted the bear in the two-story home in the city's downtown. Police say the bear appeared briefly in a doorway, and an officer fired a shotgun twice at the animal. It ran behind the home and was later found dead. Investigators determined the animal came in thr...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a letter to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and a union representing ferry service employees to settle a labor contract dispute in a timely manor so as to not disrupt ferry service by the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), which has already decreased in Petersburg during the past several years. “We, of the Petersburg Borough, encourage a timely and equitable settlement of this dispute,” the letters states. “In addition, we continue to suggest to AMHS, and their...
Alaska’s largest air medevac provider Guardian Flight bought ApolloMT, the state’s largest membership program. Guardian Flight transports urgent and non-urgent patients from rural healthcare facilities to tertiary care facilities across Alaska. In a press release, Guardian Flight stated current ApolloMT policyholders’ accounts will not change or be disrupted. “Moving forward, customers can purchase the new program, AppolloMT by Guardian Flight, and receive the same peace of mind knowing that their remaining balances will be forgiven if transpo...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted against a funding request from the Petersburg Medical Center Hospital Board. The board requested $21,900 to repair a leaking exhaust stack in the building. PMC CEO Liz Woodyard made the request to the assembly on behalf of the hospital board and the conversation soon turned to the relationship between PMC and the borough—a discussion that hasn’t resolved since last summer. “We are an essential service to the community just like the police, fire and schools,” Woodyard said. “Many local communities in Alaska... Full story
The Crystal Lake Hatchery reconstruction project has one less hurdle to jump through after Kim Rice, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities deputy commissioner, delegated authority to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) in order to expedite project completion. “(DOT&PF) generally oversees state facility projects such as the Crystal Lake Hatchery,” Rice wrote in a letter to Petersburg Mayor Mark Jensen. “However, because DOT&PF is aware of the critical nature of this facility to the community of Petersburg, my staff... Full story
Petersburg Borough Parks and Recreation staff member Dave Nauman responded during the last borough assembly meeting to complaints some members of the public have lodged about the length of time it's taking to build the new log shelter at Sandy Beach Park. "It's been a privilege to work on that project, show it the respect that it deserves, and it continues to be a privilege," Nauman said. "That being said, we all know that it's gone past the date that we initially said that it would be done."... Full story
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story ran in the Wrangell Sentinel on May 6 and was omitted from publication in the Petersburg Pilot the same week. Since Brock pleaded not guilty to the specified charges, it was important that we print a story about the dismissal of charges against Brock in a timely manner, in both publications. That did not happen. The Pilot regrets the error and apologizes for the oversight. WRANGELL — The State of Alaska dismissed charges against Lavina “Lovey” Brock April 22. Brock, 67, of Wrangell, had faced four Class A...
A hook setter was killed last Thursday at the South Mitkof timber sale site near Banana Point. Mark Debates, 51, had just finished hooking cables onto logs near the camp at 28 mile when a tree fell onto him after the helicopter transferring the logs to a barge flew away. “He was there with a partner who witnessed it,” said Beth Ipsen, Alaska State Trooper spokesperson. “The helicopter was flying off when the top of a tree broke off and fell on him. His partner said he heard a crack and saw the treetop fall.” Ipsen said there’s no indicatio...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved a letter to Alaska Department of Transportation Commissioner Pat Kemp in support of establishing a permanent Road Weather Information System (RWIS) at Blaquerie Point on South Mitkof Island. The system would allow current weather information data from the site to be accessed via the Internet. The current site, on the south end of Mitkof Island, was established more than ten years ago and is currently in disrepair and difficult to access for maintenance. The proposed site would be more conveniently...
Former Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) Commission President James Stough resigned last Thursday-the same day the TBPA Commission questioned his lack of communication and participation at commission meetings. Stough didn't attend the most recent meeting held in Petersburg last Thursday. "This is the second meeting he has chosen not to attend," TBPA Commissioner Joe Nelson said at last Thursday's meeting. "He has chosen not to communicate with us. We have no idea what his thoughts are." Stough...
WRANGELL — Officials this week tried to make the best of last week’s postponement of the Salty Dog Rally. Among the officials who expressed disappointment was Leslie Cummings, a Wrangell Convention and Visitors Bureau board member who played a large role in facilitating Wrangell’s participation as the end point of a long-distance yachting rally. Cummings made the initial connection with Salty Dog Rally ALASKA organizer Dawny Pack and said, while local organizations who contributed were upset about the plan, they looked forward to Rally...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — State biologists are reminding people not to touch moose calves or try to take them home as pets following a string of incidents involving people handling the animals, including one household that had a calf in the living room “as if it was a puppy.” Moose are being born in Alaska this time of year, and biologists say people should leave the calves alone — even if they seem to have been abandoned by their mothers. Most of the time, the mothers eventually return to their young. In one recent case in Willow, a calf was put in...
Residents of Petersburg can participate in the 46th Annual Southeast Alaska State Fair by sending in items for exhibition. Entry and shipping is free of charge for all Southeast Alaska State Fair exhibits sent through the Fair's representative, Josef Quitslund. Petersburg entries for the Fair are due July 11 and will be shipped via Alaska Marine Lines to Haines. The 2014 Fair is July 21-Aug. 3; exhibit judging will be conducted July 26. Southeast Alaska State Fair will ship Division Champions, Department Champions, and exceptional Best of...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced this summer’s first Southeast Alaska purse seine fishery opener. Areas in District 2 and District 12 will be open 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Sunday, June 15 through Wednesday, June 18. An ADFG press release states the 2104 chum salmon return to Hidden Falls Terminal Harvest Area (THA) is 1,072,000. “Of this return, 180,000 are needed for brood stock leaving 892,000 available for common property harvest,” the press release states. King salmon landing restrictions for Kendrick Bay state fish great... Full story
The Salty Dog yacht rally scheduled to stop through Petersburg and Wrangell this month has been canceled, and Chamber of Commerce officials in both communities are hoping to get the money back they paid to the rally’s organizers. The boat rally consists of groups of boaters that signed up to visit various towns across Alaska this summer with Wrangell being the last stop. Salty Dog founder Dawny Pack emailed the communities to let them know the event would be postponed until next year. Petersburg and Wrangell chambers each paid Salty Dog o... Full story
Ferry schedules are continuing to be revised after the M/V Columbia experienced mechanical issues on its way from Portland to Bellingham. According to an Alaska Department of Transportation (ADOT) press release, “The MV Columbia experienced an unexpected mechanical issue with its port engine prior to returning to service. Technicians are onboard assessing the situation and developing a repair plan. The MV Columbia has been rescheduled to return to service Wednesday, June 18, departing Ketchikan en route to Bellingham, Wash.” ADOT spokesperson J... Full story
Petersburg Mental Health Service's Pedometer Challenge wrapped up this week with the winner logging more than 1 million steps during the seven-week challenge that allowed community members to compete as individuals and teams to see who could take the most steps. "It was amazing to see the results," said PMHS senior clinician Kim Kilkenny. "I'm so impressed that someone got over a million steps." Justin Haley was the big winner. He walked from his house in the Severson Subdivision to work at the...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Seismologists say a moderate earthquake was felt throughout southeast Alaska. The Alaska Earthquake Center says there are no immediate reports of damage from the 5.7 magnitude quake, which occurred at 3:58 a.m. Wednesday June 4. The earthquake was centered 96 miles northwest of Juneau....
Last week, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators released a report of the likely cause of last summer's Pacific Wings sightseeing floatplane crash. The flight for cruise ship passengers crashed into a mountain about 14 miles east of Petersburg last June. Of the seven passengers, four, including the pilot, sustained minor injuries, two sustained serious injuries and one passenger was fatally injured. A report on the NTSB website states the pilot, 39, failed to maintain...
Two student interns are in Petersburg this summer to lead the nine-week Big Viking Day Camp. Natalie Behl and Kendal Smith are working with the Petersburg Borough Parks and Recreation department to fulfill degree requirements in recreation management. Behl graduated last month from Utah State University and will receive her diploma upon completion of this internship. Smith will begin her junior year at Brigham Young University in Idaho in the fall. The girls have been in town for about three...
A committee made up of local citizens who collaborate with and recommend projects to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) might disappear if new members don’t apply to fill current vacancies on the committee. The Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is made up of 15 voting members who choose where to direct Secure Rural Schools Act Title II federal funding. “As far as being a member of this federal advisory committee, you get to make a direct recommendation to the federal government on how to spend appropriated dollars,” said Jason Anderson, USFS Peter...
WRANGELL — Thomas Bay Power commissioners voted 5-0 to support the handover of Tyee Lake to the Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA). The special meeting, held June 5, was the commission’s first in at least two months and drew Petersburg commissioners as well as the Petersburg mayor to the borough assembly chambers. Critics of the transfer have said the handover would essentially put borough resources in the hands of an unelected bureaucracy. Supporters generally say the transfer will limit the liability Wrangell faces in connection with Tye...
