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The Petersburg Borough awarded a total of about $440,000 in grants last week to 50 business owners who experienced a loss in gross revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Community & Economic Development Director Liz Cabrera. Five applications are still pending but are expected to be awarded as well. The borough's economic grant program set aside $500,000 from its Coronavirus Aide, Relief, and Economic Security funds for businesses that experienced a loss in gross revenue of 20...
The Petersburg School Board held a work session on Tuesday to address some students' concerns over Petersburg High School's block classes, but ultimately, the board decided not to take any action due to the level of support of the current schedule. High school students filled out a survey put together by teachers and staff to gauge the students' thoughts and opinions on this year's schedule. The school days are split into four periods, but two of the classes are block classes, which are about...
The Borough Assembly extended a contract between the borough and the state for COVID-19 related services offered at the Petersburg Airport through Dec. 31 at their meeting on Oct. 20. Under the extension, the borough will receive $423,725 for the greeting, screening and testing services of incoming passengers from June 8 through Dec. 31, according to a memo to the Borough Assembly from Incident Commander Karl Hagerman. The extension also amended the memorandum of agreement between the borough...
Using items found in nature, over 15 local artists from a range of age groups constructed pieces of ephemeral art that were spread throughout the community to celebrate last month's Rainforest Festival. Kelly Bakos' film "Ephemeral" documents the creation and lifespan of some of those creations. Ephemeral art is a natural form of art that lasts a short period of time. The art pieces are constructed outdoors and as time progresses, they slowly become something else. Leaves change colors. Birds...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted against terminating the borough's declaration of disaster emergency, which was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, at their meeting on Tuesday. Assembly Member Taylor Norheim requested the action item be on the meeting's agenda to address the borough's declaration of disaster emergency and determine if the new assembly agreed with the declaration. Assembly Member Dave Kensinger was voted on to the assembly after the municipal election earlier this...
Petersburg High School students are struggling to keep up with their semester long block classes, and to address their difficulties, the Petersburg School Board will be holding a work session next week. Under this year's new class schedule, high school students have four periods a day, two of which are 50 and 55 minutes long and the remaining two periods are 90 minute and 85 minute-long block classes. The hour long classes span both semesters of the school year, but the block classes cover a...
The Emergency Operations Center is asking anyone who visited or worked in any of the local bars on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 to call Petersburg Medical Center's COVID-19 hotline, after an individual infected with the virus was determined to have visited a local bar last weekend, according to Incident Commander Karl Hagerman at the COVID-19 community update on Oct. 16. In prerecorded calls, text messages and emails, the EOC informed the public on Oct. 15 that one of the three residents that had...
Moose season came to a close on Oct. 15. Final harvest numbers came in on Oct. 20, according to Hilary Wood with the ADF&G Petersburg office. The communities of Wrangell and Petersburg are located within Hunt RM038. This is an area that stretches from Coronation Island in the west, to the mainland in the east, and from Meyers Chuck in the south up to Point Hobart in the north. This season saw 115 moose harvested in total. There were two bagged on Wrangell Island, and nine on Mitkof Island. Only...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly heard an appeal for an order of abatement at 410 Mitkof Highway, before their regular meeting on Tuesday, and upheld the order that was issued on Aug. 3 to Courtney Johnson for a raw sewage leak. The borough first became aware of the sewage discharge coming from Johnson's residence on July 24 when officers from the Petersburg Police Department arrived at 410 Mitkof Highway in search of an individual with a felony warrant, according to Utility Director Karl...
The Petersburg Parks and Recreation Aquatic Center suffered a catastrophic failure to its boiler breakers on Oct. 16 at approximately 8:30 P.M. that resulted in a fire and a city-wide brownout, according to a press release from borough officials. Parks and Rec. is working with Petersburg Municipal Power & Light and Mattingly Electric to determine the cause of the failure and restore power to other mechanical and lighting systems in the facility, according to the release. The borough consulted...
Dan Cardenas addressed the Harbors and Port Advisory Board at their Oct. 15 meeting to request he be allowed to dock his float house in Petersburg Harbor should he meet certain requirements. While some were against the decision, citing possible damage to the float system and municipal code, others were open to the idea of an exception. Municipal code 14.20.250 B states tying or mooring pile drivers, scows, barges, boat houses, or other similar vessels is prohibited in Petersburg Harbor....
The Harbors and Port Advisory Board discussed whether to advise the Petersburg Borough Assembly to purchase the Ocean Beauty production facility, tidelands, bunk house and warehouse at their meeting on Oct. 15, but the advisory board decided against the recommendation. Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht requested the harbor board consider the properties because Ocean Beauty Seafoods announced their warehouse, bunk house and plant facility were for sale. Giesbrecht said the prices seemed...
Enrollment in the Petersburg School District was at 429 students as of last week, but Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter said at a Petersburg School Board meeting on Oct. 13 that the district had originally budgeted for about 471 students this year. The lower than anticipated enrollment is a result of students opting for homeschool programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and some students moving out of town, said Kludt-Painter. She said 39 students are currently enrolled in homeschool programs,...
Two cases of COVID-19 have been identified within the same household Tuesday evening, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. One of the two individuals was showing symptoms of the virus and called PMC's COVID-19 hotline, according to the press release. The individual that was asymptomatic has underlying health issues and was also tested for COVID-19 out of caution, according to the press release. Both individuals tested positive on Oct. 27... Full story
A positive case of COVID-19 was identified this morning in Mrs. Potrzuski's fifth grade classroom at Rae C. Stedman Elementary School, resulting in a district-wide school closure, according to a statement on Petersburg School District's Facebook page. Both the student and their parent tested positive for the virus, according to a joint-statement between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The student recently traveled to Juneau on a non-school related trip and is symptomatic,... Full story
The Muskeg Maleriers are pressing forward with the 44th annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 24, though this year's event will look a little bit different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents will still be able to browse from over 30 different vendors, but they will have to wear a face covering, said Sally Dwyer, secretary of the Muskeg Maleriers. Because the group is renting the space from the borough, they can require attendants to wear masks. Dwyer said face coverings are required to enter the...
The Planning Commission approved a parking agreement with Valhalla Place, LLC at their regular meeting on Tuesday on the condition that any overflow parking from its future 15 unit affording housing complex on Excel St. be directed to a vacant lot several blocks away. Valhalla Place, LLC submitted a request to utilize an exception in current municipal code that allows them to make a payment in lieu of providing sufficient off-street parking for future tenants. According to Joe Bertagnoli, a...
Three cases of COVID-19 were confirmed within a single household Wednesday evening, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The individuals were showing symptoms and have been told to isolate themselves. According to the release, one member of the family recently traveled in the state, and the positive test result is likely related to their travel. PMC reported on Wednesday morning that 4,460 test samples have been collected to be tested for...
The Borough Assembly certified the results of the Oct. 6 municipal election on Oct. 9. No significant changes were made to the outcome of the election. After the election was certified, David Kensinger began a 3-year term on the Borough Assembly, and Jeff Meucci was reelected for another three years. The other contested race in this year's election was for a 3-year seat on the Petersburg School Board. Katherine Holmlund beat Craig Anderson with a final tally of 616 to Anderson's 299 votes....
You can find the full story here. Total ballots cast - 1,001 Winners are marked by * Borough Assembly Two 3-year terms David Kensinger - 576* Marc Martinsen - 343 Jeff Meucci - 499* Brandi Thynes - 482 School Board One 3-year term Craig Anderson - 299 Katherine Holmlund - 616* School Board One 2-year term Megan Litster - 840* Hospital Board Two 3-year terms Jerod Cook - 685* Marlene Cushing - 807* Planning Commission Three 3-year terms Chris Fry - 687 Heather O'Neil - 771 Planning Commission...
In a story on page 4 of last week’s edition of the Petersburg Pilot, the Pilot incorrectly stated the Petersburg Borough had a non-congregate sheltering agreement with the Tides Inn. The agreement is between the borough and the Narrows Inn....
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium has begun free asymptomatic testing of Petersburg residents and others throughout the region. Testing is offered from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. every Saturday and Sunday at the SEARHC parking lot at 202 Gjoa St. Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter said at the COVID-19 community update on Oct. 9 that SEARHC is sending their test samples to Sitka and is seeing a four day or less turnaround time on results. Residents will receive their results via...
Dr. Kayla Luhrs began working full time at Petersburg Medical Center as its fifth doctor in August. Luhrs had been working with PMC since 2018 as a locum physician, traveling back and forth between Juneau and Petersburg to fill in as needed. Then in March of this year, she came back to PMC, but decided to stay as the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect Alaska. "With the whole pandemic thing, we thought it would be easier if I just stayed instead of traveling," said Luhrs. She then signed a...
The Alaska School Activities Association announced on Tuesday the cancellation of all 2020 fall state championship events due to the increasing case counts of COVID-19 in Anchorage and around the state. Activities that are currently in season will still be able to finish their season and participate in their regional championships, but only if Regionals can be held before Nov. 22, according to an ASAA press release. At Petersburg High School, volleyball and swim and dive will be affected by the...
Brian and Ola Richards were awakened early Wednesday morning by loud barking and growling coming from their dog Roxy. Ola restrained the pet and through the opened door saw a sow standing near their trash container, which was lying on the ground. The couple made repeated attempts to scare off the bear by making loud noises, but the sow held her ground and rebuffed the homeowners with growls and hisses. Lacking anything but dog toys, Brian chucked toys at the sow until she eventually retreated...
