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The amount of mature sockeye salmon present in the waters of Southeast Alaska and other areas of the Pacific Northwest has been on a downward spiral recently according to a study published last week in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. The study states that the, “widespread decrease in productivity has important implications for management of salmon stocks and requires research into its potential causes to help determine future management strategies.” Dr. Randall Peterman, a professor in fishery science and management at...
JUNEAU (AP) — Fifteen daily rainfall records were broken Monday in southeast Alaska, and five records were set for the coldest highs. Not all those records were in different communities; for example, the National Weather Service says Haines and Juneau had several reporting stations posting new records in both categories. Two sites in Sitka broke rain records. Rainfall totals ranged from 2.02 inches at Snettisham to 0.6 inches at the Skagway Power Station. The high temperature only managed to reach 52 degrees at Point Baker and the weather s...
WRANGELL — For patrons of Muskeg Meadows golf course, at least three fairways are interfering in their game – courtesy of the ubiquitous ravens seen throughout Wrangell Island. According to course co-manager Shannon Booker, flocks of up to 50 ravens at one time have been digging into the fairway looking for grubs and other insects on which to feed. The result has been a tremendous upheaval of grass leading to No. 3, 4 and 5 holes, as well as minor damage to every other hole except Nos. 1 and...
Fourth of July activities brought out visitors and residents alike. Semi-clear skies and no rain made for great times for all. Festivities began in earnest Tuesday, with competitors hitting the water for the Blindfold Row Boat Races, the two person Tote Race, the four person Tote Race and the Herring Toss. After several boats got hung up in the pilings, the winners of the Blindfold Row Boat Race were Brian Pike with child navigator Kobuk VanHouten. As the Tote Races began, the tide ran stronger... Full story
Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Jerod Cook gave rebuttal to accusations put before the Public Safety Advisory Board during the Monday night’s City Council Meeting. “After accusations made by the Chief of Police before the PSAB and being aired over radio and written in the local paper, I felt compelled to respond to those accusations,” Cook said. Cook went on to state that he was sure Chief Agner was given information but he failed to check for accuracy. “Had Chief Agner taken the time to investigate the matter or even talk to me... Full story
Ordinances 963, 964 and 965 were amended during the Petersburg City Council meeting Monday night. The City of Petersburg Ordinance #963 has the purpose of adjusting the rates for providing safe potable water to residents and businesses. “The water rate for the City will see two percent increases per year through the year 2018,” Petersburg Public Works Assistant Director Chris Cotta said. The main concern for this amendment for the council was determining if, in the near future, the rate increase wasn't enough. “I believe it would be impor... Full story
The Petersburg City Council voted to accept $7.39 million in legislative grants for fiscal year 2013 during Monday night’s City Council Meeting. A grant in the amount of $250,000 is awarded for the Sons of Norway Hall; $275,000 is awarded for the Hospital Roof Replacement Project; $350,000 will go to the Petersburg Police Department Design, Planning and Pre-Construction Project; $800,000 is earmarked for the crane dock upgrade; The Commercial Dock Drive-Down Facility is awarded $5.6 million; $...
Petersburg City Manager Stephen Giesbrecht summarized the activities taking place for the city during the Petersburg City Council Meeting Monday, July 2. The Corps of Engineers opened up the bid period for the North Harbor Dredge Project Friday, June 22 with bids due by Tuesday, July 24 at 2 p.m. “The bid will be awarded by the end of August in order to satisfy federal funding regulations,” Giesbrecht said. “We have a tentative start date of August 2013.” The contractor for the Mountain View Manor roof replacement has submitted materia...
Rep. Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka in May wrapped up the 27th legislative session, including a 30-day special session. They passed several pieces of legislation that benefit the Southeast region, and passed a capital budget that includes projects to benefit both Wrangell and Petersburg. “For the region itself, I thought we did very well,” Wilson said. “Basically the capital budget, we came out really good with the capital budget for the region. I made several trips...
Members of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department brought proposed fire department Ordinance 961 before the Petersburg Public Safety Advisory Board Wednesday, June 20. Department member William Bergmann reviewed the proposed ordinance. At the insistence of the City Manager, five senior members of the Fire Department have rewritten the draft ordinance provided by the City Manager. This ordinance governs how the department functions. The City Manager’s basic desire is to give the department head the authority over the fire chief. “This is a v... Full story
The Humpy 500 go-kart race held the first weekend of October to celebrate the end of the salmon canning season will not take place as it has in past years. “Due to road construction that will be taking place on PFI Hill at this time, we will not be having the street race this year,” Petersburg Fisheries Plant Manager Patrick Wilson said. The event will still take place with the costume contest, theme contest and picnic. “I know this is disappointing to the participants that work so hard all s... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Petition was approved by a 4 to 1 vote Friday, June 1. Many residents of the proposed borough area are wondering, what happens now? There are many steps that have to be made in this process before the City of Petersburg is dissolved and the Petersburg Borough is formed. “Right now we are in a holding pattern,” Petersburg City Clerk Kathy O'Rear said. “We are waiting now for the Local Boundary Commission to determine the precise boundaries.” In the approved borough area, the recommendation was to include the Endicot... Full story
Petersburg Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Woodyard will remain in Petersburg after being offered the CEO position at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau. “I applied for the position because professionally it was an opportunity too good to pass up,” Woodyard said. “But my heart is here in Petersburg.” Woodyard was offered the position in Juneau but turned it down. “I talked it over with the Hospital Board Chair and my husband and decided to stay,” Woodyard said. She explained t...
The Petersburg Public Safety Advisory Board heard from Petersburg Police Chief Jim Agner on the subject of raising parking fines in the near future. “The fines for parking haven't been raised in approximately 30 years,” Agner said. “In communities that have parking fines, we are the lowest in the southeast area.” In the beginning, parking fines at the rate of $7 to $10 was equivalent to one to one and a half hours of salary. “The salary for the parking attendant has increased over the years,” Agner said. “More hours are involved in the positi...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — State health officials have issued a warning against harvesting shellfish in southeast Alaska, citing the presence of a toxic algae bloom called a “red tide.” Officials say water samples from around Etolin Island show increasing levels of Alexandrium algae. The algae cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in shellfish. According to officials, tests also show extremely high levels of the algae around Juneau and a slight increase in levels on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island. Officials say paralytic shellfish poiso...
wrangell — In what was their final meeting as an elected quorum, the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors terminated the contract of WMC CEO Noel Rea on Wednesday, June 20. The dismissal came in a 6-1 vote, with board member Dorothy Hunt-Sweat voting against the termination, and members Jake Harris and Delores Norman not present. Eight members of the board; Mark Robinson, Jake Harris, Linda Bjorge, Lurine McGee, Delores Norman, Jim Nelson, Sylvia Ettefagh and Leann Rinehart were r... Full story
Randy Holmgrain, a longtime Petersburg resident returns home to his family and the Petersburg Police Department. Holmgrain was sworn in as the new police officer Wednesday, June 20. “My family and I moved to Petersburg in the fall of 2001 and I worked with the police department until 2004,” Holmgrain said. “I took a job with the Department of Defense and spent a year and a half in Iraq doing police training among other things.” Holmgrain also ran a camp for the North Atlantic Treaty Organiz... Full story
The Petersburg Public Schools wrapped up the year with the last board meeting of 2011-12 on Tuesday. “We have great kids, a great staff and everything is moving to a positive future for us,” Petersburg City School Superintendent Rob Thomason said. “Our library renovation is underway and the No Child Left Behind Grant has been submitted.” Thomason explained there are a few minor edits to be made to the grant but otherwise it is in great shape. The summer lunch program, which provides free lunch for kids up to 18 years of age, is in progres...
The United States Coast Guard Cutter Elderberry came out of dry dock May 7 after 12 weeks of scheduled maintenance. This maintenance was performed at the Base Support Unit Ketchikan Marine Ways. USCGC Elderberry is a 65 foot buoy tender that goes into dry dock every two years. “We always have a long-range maintenance plan in place,” Engineering Petty Officer Cameron Peterson said. “We replaced about 60 square foot of hull this time.” Approximately four years ago there were several small hull ero...
The Crystal Lake Hatchery began operation in Petersburg in 1973 and is one of the oldest operating hatcheries in southeast Alaska. “This hatchery was started as a sport fish hatchery,” Crystal Lake Hatchery Manager Loren Thompson explained. “It still is, it’s the only one in southeast Alaska.” According to the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, the facility was first stocked with Chinook from the Columbia River. Andrews Creek fish were used at the hatchery and spread from ther...
JUNEAU (AP) — The process for filing complaints with the state Office of Children's Services, or OCS, is cumbersome and ineffective and should be rewritten, an investigative arm of the Alaska Legislature has found. The state Ombudsman, in a report released Monday, determined that “convoluted” and difficult-to-apply regulations are the root of the problems with the OCS grievance process. The ombudsman recommends that OCS repeal and replace its regulations and policies and procedures for grievances, and provide employee training on the new regul...
WRANGELL — In the end, the special election to recall 8 members of the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors accomplished what it set out to do – removal of all those facing recall. The recall, which evolved from an effort spearheaded by Wrangell residents Gary Allen, Sr., and Mike Otteson, Sr., asked voters in the borough to remove board president Mark Robinson, and board members Jake Harris, Linda Bjorge, Lurine McGee, Delores Norman, Jim Nelson, Sylvia Ettefagh and Leanne Rinehart. Board member Dorothy Hunt-Sweat was the sole mem...
Governor Sean Parnell was welcomed to town by Petersburg Mayor Al Dwyer Thursday afternoon at a reception in the City Council chambers. “We are happy to welcome you to Petersburg,” Dwyer said. “This is the man that has made it possible to have funding of over $11 million this year alone.” The governor was presented gifts from the Sons of Norway, the Petersburg Parks and Recreation Department and others. “I am a son of Norway,” Parnell said. “I am happy to make myself available to you.” “I want... Full story
Petersburg City Council amended a contract between the city and R & M Engineering to complete the Water and Sewer Reconstruction Project with an addition of funds not to exceed $37,000 to be paid. A change order for the Water and Sewer Reconstruction was also on the agenda in order to add $6,335.70 to the initial construction contract to add a fabric mesh layer to Odin Street to help support the road bed and keep it from sinking into the muskeg. The cost of paving N. Second Street in the amount of $154,294.10 and surfacing Odin Street with... Full story
The Local Boundary Commission voted 4 to 1 Friday, June 1, that the City of Petersburg petition for borough formation met all standards for incorporation and authorized that a community wide election be held. The election date has yet to be determined, but is expected to be sometime this fall. The election will be conducted by the State of Alaska and will be a mail-in election. In addition to voting for borough formation, the ballot will also consist of candidates for the position of borough assembly members; borough school board members;... Full story
