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With the deadline for filing for a position on the Petersburg Borough Assembly, Hospital Board, School Board and Planning Commission coming to an end, the list of candidates has grown. But all positions are still not spoken for. As of the 5 p.m. deadline Wednesday, the names of people who have filed were Mark Jensen and Don Koenigs for the Mayor seat; Susan Flint, John Havrilek, John Hoag and Nancy Strand for Assembly seats; Tom Abbott, Timothy Koeneman, Rocio Tejera and Darlene Whitethorn for Hospital Board positions. The petitions and forms... Full story
The Petersburg Borough election date is looming before the area and facts regarding this issue are in debate for all involved. The Petersburg Borough Promotion Committee met for the first time Friday morning with the tag line, Petersburg Borough. We’re stronger together. “We need to make sure that all of our promotional information is based in fact,” Petersburg City Manager Steve Giesbrecht said. “The purpose of this promotion is not to change the minds of those who have already decided, but to help those undecided know the facts.” This Boro... Full story
Seppo and Paula Koutaniemi, of Kuusamo, Finland, made their first trip to the United States and Petersburg to visit family member Sue Paulsen and fell in love with the area. “Petersburg is a beautiful place,” Seppo said. “The scenery is so different and we feel at home here.” Seppo and Paula spent about five days in the community and were able to take in many of Petersburg’s fall tourist offerings. “We were able to visit the museum and really enjoyed that,” Paula said. “It was interesting tha... Full story
The funding for the completion of the North Harbor project is a main area of concern for the Petersburg Harbor Advisory Board. The Petersburg City Council Members and Harbor Board members met Friday afternoon to try to find ways in which to complete the project with funds available. “We have $7 million and that is the amount for the base bid with two alternatives that will bring the total to $9 million,” Petersburg Harbormaster Glorianne Wollen said. “We are hoping that next year the costs...
After making an issue of the declining quality of XTRATUF boots after its manufacturer, Honeywell, moved production to China, Sen. Mark Begich may have found some common ground with the beleaguered boot-maker – both believe the U.S. corporate tax rate is too high. Begich joined with Senate colleagues Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) in the “Bipartisan Tax Fairness and Simplification Act of 2011” to cut the six existing corporate tax brackets to a flat corporate tax rate of 24 perce...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — State researchers looking for answers to Alaska's diminishing king salmon returns were urged Tuesday to take a look at the critical days after smolt leave fresh water and to closely examine how humans may affect salmon in marine waters. “The two leading hypotheses for things that might cause declines of chinook salmon in the ocean are climate change and fishing,” said retired University of Washington fisheries biologist Kate Myers. She was part of a panel that spoke at the state's two-day Alaska Chinook Salmon Symposium, organ...
Petersburg will be a winter home for the 46-foot vessel, Polar Bound, while owner, David Cowper awaits the opportunity to take her out again. The vessel can be recognized easily by the bright yellow color. “The color is for easy identification by the icebreakers,” Cowper said. “The boat is so small, if it was a darker color, it wouldn’t be seen.” Cowper, whose home is near Newcastle, England, has completed six circumnavigations of the Northwest Passage and three of the trips included the Arcti...
Petersburg City Councilors Mark Jensen and Don Koenigs have filed with the Division of Elections to run for the position of Borough Assembly Mayor. “This is my sixth year on the council and I’ve been mayor pro-tem for most of those years and I’d just like to see the transition process through,” Jensen said. “It will all depend on the vote, but I believe I can help it go smoothly.” Koenigs, who briefly worked as Petersburg’s City Manager in the early 90s and was Petersburg’s Mayor in the early 80... Full story
The Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a renewal contract for Petersburg City Manager, Steve Giesbrecht, during its regular meeting Monday evening. The current contract held an annual salary of $105,000 and with the renewal, Giesbrecht’s salary would increase to $108,675 with a 3.5 percent salary increase. Another change proposed by the renewal is a severance package increasing from six to nine months of salary should Giesbrecht be terminated from his position with the City. This renewal will also provide an annual family m... Full story
The possibility of streamlining the operations of Thomas Bay Power Authority and Ketchikan Power Utility into a single operator was brought before the Petersburg City Council Monday evening. “The operations and management report was commissioned by SEAPA to see how we are doing with our business,” Trey Acteson said. “We are hoping to see if there are any opportunities for savings in the near future.” Acteson also explained that with the addition of the Swan Lake and Tyee intertie, the dynamics have changed as to the management of the power r...
Using a $245,000 grant from the Alaska Energy Authority, the City of Petersburg improved the energy efficiency of their city shop building, harbor office, Scow Bay fire hall and the community gym. According to Community Development Director Leo Luczak, the city kicked in an additional $50,000 from the city’s building maintenance fund to complete additional work on some of their buildings. Luczak said $85,000 of the funds were used for weatherization and insulation upgrades to buildings and the balance went to upgrading light fixtures in each o...
John Hoag was appointed to the recently vacated seat of John Jensen during the regular meeting of the Petersburg City Council Monday evening and immediately took his position. Appointments of vice mayor and committee members were taken care of at this meeting as well. Mark Jensen will remain as Petersburg Vice-Mayor and will also continue in his role as liaison to the Harbor and Port Advisory Board and Motor Pool Funding Committee. Hoag will take the liaison position on the Public Safety Advisory Board and Sue Flint, Nancy Strand and Rick...
Outgoing Petersburg Vessel Owners Association executive director Julianne Curry approached the Petersburg City Council with the possibility of putting commercial fishing projects at the top of the capital improvement projects list in the future. “I have been the executive director of the PVOA for six and a half years,” Curry said. “I would like to explain what the commercial fishing industry does in Petersburg.” Recent fact sheets, put out by the United Fishermen of Alaska, were made available to the council Monday evening. “Petersburg is the n...
Moose Hunt Results (End of Season) Mitkof 4 Thomas Bay 4 Stikine River 16 (2) Kake 20 (2) Kupreanof 5 Farragut Bay 5 (1) Etolin Is. 1 Kuiu 1 Port Houghton 2 Wrangell 1 Bradfield Canal 2 Zarembo 1 Total Moose 67 Elk 3 (Arch.) 5 (Rifle) (Illegal Kills)...
Alaska Island Community Services teamed up with Petersburg Mental Health Services to perform a study regarding underage drinking and adult heavy and binge drinking. Alaska Island Community Services program evaluator Desiree Shepler, relayed results of the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant to the Petersburg City Council during its regular meeting Monday evening. The Strategic Prevention Framework Incentive Grant is a federally funded program that is awarded to different states. “Each state takes the grant and performs the s...
JUNEAU (AP) — Gov. Sean Parnell has proclaimed October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Alaska. Since taking office, combatting domestic violence and sexual assault has been a part of Parnell's legislative agenda. He has called the violence a scourge, and in his proclamation, says violence within the home and within relationships “breaks the core of the human spirit and jeopardizes the humanity that exists in every community.” He says everyone has the right to live without harm or fear of harm. Parnell asks all Alaskans to “Choo...
City official continue to handle questions regarding the borough election issues. These issues are being forwarded to the two State agencies involved in the election, the Election Division and Alaska Public Officials Office, APOC. “The State is running this election,” Petersburg City Manager Steve Giesbrecht said. “We can answer some of the less confusing issues, but most of the questions need to be taken to the election officials.” The Borough Promotion Committee will hold its first official meeting at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19. “We will be g...
The Petersburg Road Improvement Project continues along Nordic Drive and Dolphin Street. Construction progress to date includes all phase one drain pipes and storm drain structures on Dolphin Street and Nordic Drive, including the Dolphin Street outfall. “All of the pipe work has been done,” Dowl HKM Project Engineer Matt McGuan said. “We will not be putting any more pipe in the ground.” The Nordic Drive pavement, curb and gutter and sidewalk has been demolished and the D-1 base course has been placed and graded on Dolphin Street East and the...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Human remains found ravaged by one or more brown bears on a southeast Alaska island are likely from a Sitka man overdue on a boating trip, Sitka police said Monday. Police confirmed the death Sunday and said remains found on Chichagof Island were likely that of Tomas Puerta, 54, who left Sitka in a skiff Thursday on his way to a forestry job site near Peril Strait. The death was first reported by KCAW-FM. Sitka is a community of about 9,000 on Baranof Island. Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof islands together are known as the ...
Dan Tate, father and employee of Petersburg City Schools spoke with the Petersburg City Schools Board to add athletic programs to the middle school. “I had the opportunity to chaperone 19 middle school students from the running club to Ketchikan,” Tate said. “They are a remarkable group of young people.” According to Tate, most kids do better in school as well as in life in general, if they have some type of physical activity. “I would like you, the Board, to consider implementing a more active athletic program for the middle school students,...
Just after 7 p.m. Thursday, Petersburg Police responded to a report of a suicidal individual armed with an assault weapon on Frederick Point North. Petersburg officers and dispatchers made contact with Jace Cunningham, 30, by cell phone. “We get these types of calls all the time,” Petersburg Police Chief Jim Agner said. “It was just a little more stressful this time.” According to Agner these situations usually end with the individual receiving the help they need from mental health professionals and the information goes no further. “This t... Full story
After only 2-1/2 months on the job, Bruce Jones, Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Administrator was fired by a 4-2 vote of the tribal council on Tuesday night. Jones was hired on August 1 of this year. Jones did not give a reason for his firing and referred questions to his attorney John Hoag. Tribal member Ronelle Beardslee told the Pilot she and other tribal members will be seeking legal council to determine their next move. “I’m very disappointed the board didn’t support their triba... Full story
Volunteer firefighters and EMS responded to a report of smoke coming from the eaves of a home owned by Beulah Luhr at 1.8 Mile Mitkof Highway on Sunday night. Smoke alarms were also activated inside the structure. According to department spokesperson Dave Berg, the fire was called in by Janet Seaman who was walking by the home at about 6 p.m. Sunday. Berg, one of the first on the scene, found smoke venting from the upper levels of the home. Upon gaining entry to the home, fire fighters found... Full story
The Petersburg Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional use permit for Ocean Beauty Seafoods to place container bunkhouses at the site of the old bunkhouse at 15 Harbor Way Tuesday evening during their regular meeting. “The purpose of this move is for the bunkhouses to be more convenient for our workers,” Ocean Beauty Plant Manager Cheryl Romeo said. “They will be closer to work and closer to town, which will be good for the City as well.” Six, 8 by 40-foot container buildings will take the place of the old building. One of the...
The Petersburg City Council met Friday to finalize the results of Tuesday’s municipal election. The question to raise the sales tax cap in Petersburg from $1,200 to $1,700, failed by six votes. Petersburg Mayor Al Dwyer and council tallied the votes of three questioned ballots and two absentee ballots that were received through the mail. These votes did not change the outcome on proposition two. After the election, this measure was failing by only two votes and another four votes from the remaining ballots were all opposed to the increase. The...
