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  • Borough to begin budget talks on Monday

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    On Monday, a budget policy document will be presented to the borough assembly at their first meeting of the month for the 2020 fiscal year. The document is a general outline of the structure that the assembly wants borough department heads to create their budget around, according to borough manager Stephen Giesbrecht. It will be the first step towards creating next year’s budget and give a hint at what decisions the borough assembly is going to make to balancing the budget. “I hate to sound mysterious, but it’s kind of one of those thing...

  • PMC approves to tear down abandoned house

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    Petersburg Medical Center approved $11,660 to Rock-N-Road Construction, Inc. at a board meeting last week to demolish an abandoned house on hospital property to free up more room for parking. "We're asking to clear the lot, to remove that house," said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. "It's an abandoned building. It's a liability. It's an eye sore. I feel likes it's in the best interest of PMC to clear that lot. Also, we can have parking lot space if we clear that, which is a big need as the winter...

  • PMC approves $20,000 to work with project management firm

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    At a board meeting last week, the Petersburg Medical Center board of directors approved $20,000 to work with DOWL, a project management firm, on the facility project. DOWL will be looking at space requirements and the possible location for a new or remodeled PMC facility. They will also build off existing work and progress that has been made towards the project to avoid repeating work that has already been done. “They can have a product to us in about six weeks to really kind of determine those kinds of aspects,” said PMC CEO Phil Hof...

  • Gillnet task force shows 2018 salmon run below 10-year average

    Nov 29, 2018

    At a Southeast Alaska Drift Gillnet Task Force meeting on Tuesday, members from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game gave a detailed run down of the gillnet harvest from the 2018 season showing a below average year in the sections and districts surrounding Mitkof Island. A salmon return summary for 2018 and return forecast for 2019 was also given by Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Inc. In district six, the area between Mitkof Island and Wrangell Island and the Stikine River, the sockeye and Coho salmon harvest was below the 10 year average,...

  • Women's Health Clinic

    Nov 29, 2018

    Women, 29 years old and under, with limited or no access to health care can get exams and reproductive health services on a sliding scale at the Petersburg Public Health Center’s Women’s Health Clinic Dec. 17-18. The clinic will offer exams and reproductive health services, as well as STD testing. All services will be provided by a nurse practitioner with Public Health Nursing, the Alaska Division of Public Health. Appointments are required. No one will be refused service if unable to pay. All testing is confidential. To schedule app...

  • Brew and Stew Festival: best in show soup and wine

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    On Friday, the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and the Petersburg Ragnarök Rollers hosted the annual Brew and Stew Festival at the Sons of Norway. The festival, which has been an annual event for over 14 years, featured 21 different submissions by contestants who made soups, chilis, beers, wines and cordials. Participants in the festival sampled each submission and voted for their favorite in several categories: four categories for stew and three categories for brew. Each stew had a variety of to...

  • Tom Lewis honored as tree lighter

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    Long time Petersburg resident Tom Lewis was this year's tree lighter for the community Christmas tree. Growing up in Foster, Oregon, Lewis took on a variety of jobs from working on a hay baler to falling timber. Almost on a whim, Lewis and some of the men that he felled timber with made the decision on a Monday in 1942 to join the navy. After he was discharged from the Navy he began working in Oregon again. "Then I got curious about Alaska," said Lewis. He came to Alaska in the early 1950s and...

  • Team frees entangled humpback near POW Island

    Nov 29, 2018

    Members of NOAA's North Pacific Large Whale Entanglement Response Team freed an entangled humpback whale in Sarkar Cove, north of Naukati on Prince of Wales Island on Wed., Nov. 21. NOAA received word of the possibly life-threatening entanglement on Tues., Nov. 20. Dr. Fred Sharpe, an experienced member of the team and research biologist was flown to the scene Wednesday morning to assess options for response. He consulted with NOAA's lead large whale entanglement response expert Ed Lyman on...

  • Twister Ginger show features local, handmade jewelry

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    On Friday, Erin Watkins Kandoll handmade jewelry line Twisted Ginger was featured at a show at FireLight Gallery & Framing. Made from sterling silver, copper and stones, the jewelry on display were all handmade by Kandoll over the last two months. A majority of the work was done in the last two weeks in her own shop set up with table saws, drill presses, rolling mills and other equipment she acquired over the years. "I have a studio full of all kinds of fun tools," said Kandoll. She began making...

  • District 8 shrimp quota reached

    Nov 29, 2018

    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announces that the District 8 commercial beam trawl shrimp fishery bycatch limit of 6,000 whole pounds of spot shrimp has been reached effective 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, November 27, 2018. Pursuant to 5 AAC 31.116(d) all permit holders fishing in District 8 must retain, weigh, sell, and report on a fish ticket all harvest of spot shrimp taken that are less than 60 count per pound. The permit holder must then surrender all proceeds from the sale of this bycatch overage to the State....

  • PIA members caught in Anchorage earthquake

    Brian Varela|Nov 29, 2018

    Although this morning's earthquake in Anchorage was too far away to be felt in Petersburg, members of the Petersburg Indian Association were getting ready to leave Anchorage after attending a Bureau of Indian Affairs conference when the ground began to shake at about 8:30 A.M. "Oh my gosh, it was just really scary because it just kept going," said Jeanette Ness, a social worker with PIA who was in the airport waiting for the number 64 jet when the earthquake started. Ness said that ceiling... Full story

  • ESSA designation shows PSD above state average

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    The Petersburg School District received its first score from Alaska’s system of school success, as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act, which shows all three schools scoring above the state average. “We are above average, which is often where we are,” said Superintendent Eric Kludt-Painter at a school board meeting last week. “We are not in any sort of targeted assistance or comprehensive assistance.” Rae C. Steman Elementary scored an overall school index value of 62.48, Mitkof Middle School scored an overall school index value of...

  • Borough holds second public meeting for updated development code

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    The borough assembly held a second public hearing on Monday to allow the community to share feedback on Ordinance #2018-18, which will provide an updated development code for the borough. Two community members were present to give their opinions on the ordinance. Tor Benson expressed confusion with square feet requirements in certain parts of the code. In one instance, he said the code could be simplified to have a 800 sq. ft. accessory dwelling with the opportunity to build a primary dwelling later that is larger than 800 sq. ft. “A lot of t...

  • Groups protest plans for possible lease sale in Beaufort sea

    Nov 22, 2018

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Federal regulators are preparing an environmental review for a possible offshore lease sale in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea and environmental groups are calling foul. The legality of Arctic Ocean offshore lease sales is the subject of a federal lawsuit. Environmental groups say it’s irresponsible to plan lease sales ahead of a ruling. “Rather than moving ahead with expending large amounts of governmental resources for analyses and holding public hearings for a lease sale the court may decide is illegal, the Trump Adminis...

  • Assembly awards local company with dock project bid

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    At the recommendation of Harbormaster Glo Wollen, the borough assembly awarded Tamico, Inc. a bid amount not to exceed $188,500 for the demolition and the reconstruction of the timber dock adjacent to the Harbor Office. The base bid is $187,500 and includes the demolition and reconstruction of the dock. Materials for the dock will be made up of recycled construction material furnished by the borough's harbor department and new material furnished by Tamico, Inc. An additive alternate of $1,000...

  • Borough assembly blocks ordinance to clarify Marine Passenger fee

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    The borough assembly vote unanimously not to pass an ordinance that would clarify language in the Marine Passenger Fee at an assembly meeting on Monday. "At this point, I'd like to just kind of see it go away," said assembly member Jeff Meucci. "Right now we have a sales tax ordinance in place, we have the Marine Passenger Fee in place. The Marine Passenger Fee goes into effect in 2019. It just seems like at one time or another we just get caught up in the minute details of this ordinance that...

  • Hospital board approves strategic plan for the next five years

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors passed its strategic plan for the 2019-2023 fiscal years at a board meeting on Tuesday after the document failed to pass at last month's meeting due to clarity issues. The strategic plan had been updated since the previous meeting to reflect the concerns with more clarity, but issues were still found with the current version. "It needs some work," said board member Jim Roberts to PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. "You made changes, but there's places where...

  • PMC holds forum to receive community feedback

    Brian Varela|Nov 22, 2018

    On Thursday, the Petersburg Medical Center held the first in a series of “community cafes” to inform residents on trends affecting the hospital with residents giving feedback on what they expect from PMC. At the beginning of the forum, PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter made it clear that the day’s meeting was to receive feedback from the community and not talk about the idea of a new facility or remodel of the current one, which is something Hofstetter has been working towards since his arrival over the summer. “It’s very easy to go down rabbit ho...

  • Alaska nets $28M at annual oil, gas lease sale

    Nov 22, 2018

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska netted $28.1 million from its oil and gas lease sales in the North Slope and Beaufort Sea. The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports the state received bids on 133 tracts in the North Slope covering about 350 square miles (906 square kilometers). State Division of Oil and Gas Director Chantal Walsh says the winning bids Thursday for the North Slope accounted for about $27.3 million, the third highest amount since 1998. Winning bidders paid about $848,000 for the eight near shore tracts covering about 32 square m...

  • UAS literary journal calls for submissions from Southeast Alaskans

    Caleb Vierkant|Nov 22, 2018

    The University of Alaska Southeast has called for all residents of Southeast Alaska to submit their creative talents to this year’s edition of “Tidal Echoes,” the college’s literary and art journal. The journal seeks to showcase and support the diverse creative talents of Southeast Alaskans, according to the UAS website. A portion of the journal has been reserved for UAS students, but anybody in the region with literary or artistic talent is invited to submit their work. Emily Wall, faculty advisor with UAS, said that “Tidal Echoes” h...

  • Governor's Christmas tree coming from Wrangell

    Caleb Vierkant|Nov 22, 2018

    WRANGELL - Students at Evergreen Elementary School have spent the past few days making Christmas ornaments. Some students drew pictures of Alaskan wildlife, others made miniature wreaths, and another class made poinsettias. All these ornaments are not only fun projects for students to work on. They will be travelling up to Juneau in the coming weeks to hang on the governor's Christmas tree. Tory Houser, with the Forest Service, said that the Wrangell district of the Tongass National Forest has...

  • Dungie fishing closes

    Nov 22, 2018

    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces that the season for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in Registration Area A (Southeast) will close in most areas by regulation at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 30, 2018, consistent with 5 AAC 32.110. Districts 1 and 2, and Section 13-B outside of the Sitka Sound Special Use Area [5 AAC 32.150(10)] will remain open until February 28, 2019. For those areas that close at 11:59 p.m. on November 30, all Dungeness pots must be removed from the water except that pots may be stored on the grounds...

  • Local veteran remembers time in Vietnam War

    Brian Varela|Nov 15, 2018

    It was clear to Sam Bunge that he was going to Vietnam after he graduated from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1967. He participated in the university's Reserve Officer Training Corps in preparation because he didn't want to join the United States Army as a private. "I wanted to have a little bit of control of what happened," said Bunge. His first year in the army was spent training. He completed his basic training in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Since he was entering the army as...

  • Ronald Rose found dead aboard boat

    Nov 15, 2018

    The Petersburg Police Department received a report on Nov. 10 at 8 a.m. of a deceased male onboard a sailboat anchored in Ideal Cove, approximately 12 miles southeast of Petersburg. Ronald Rose, age 68 of Petersburg, was found deceased onboard his sailboat, the Tehonini. There was no sign of foul play and the State Medical Examiner did not request an autopsy of the body. Rose’s next of kin was notified....

  • Elks lodge honors veterans with remembrance dinner

    Brian Varela|Nov 15, 2018

    The Petersburg Elks Lodge hosted their annual Veterans Day dinner, which has been held for over 40 years, for veterans and their spouses, widows of veterans, active duty military and the National Guard. Veterans Day, once known as Armistice Day, is celebrated yearly to mark the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. "This evening allows us to come together and pay tribute to all those men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces," said exalted ruler David Israelson who...

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