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The results of an audit conducted on the Petersburg Medical Center were presented at a board meeting last week showing that a high standard of internal control of financial reporting and compliance to laws and regulations were being kept. “That’s really a testament to everyone in the hospital,” said PMC CFO Doran Hammett at a hospital board meeting on Oct. 24. “There’s nobody in the hospital that doesn't affect the finance in some way. Either you’re in the revenue generating department or you’re in the department that spends money. There...
The Petersburg Medical Center has invested just under $1.5 million in three United States Treasury Bills with a yield rate of over 2 percent after board approval was given at last month’s hospital board meeting. The treasury bills will each mature throughout 2019 and reach $500,000 each. Those with a later mature date cost the hospital less, said PMC CFO Doran Hammett at the hospital board meeting on Oct. 24. All of the hospitals investments have a combined total annual interest of $51,853.21, which Hammett said could cover most of the cost o...
Sealaska and Petersburg Indian Association are holding a sea otter skin sewing class from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 to give native Alaskans the opportunity to become closer to their roots. "Alaskan natives have been working with marine mammal fur since time immemorial," said Marcus Gho, a contractor with Sealaska who will be teaching the class. "It's a good opportunity to learn a little more and strengthen our identity." Participants in the class will work with the pelts to sew items like hats and...
Petersburg, and the rest of House District 35, which encompasses central Southeast Alaska, will be voting on candidates for United States representatives, State Representatives, governor and one ballot measure in Alaska’s general election on Nov. 6. Alyse S. Galvin (U) is running for Alaska’s United State representative as the Alaska Democratic Party nominee even though she has not declared an affiliation with a political party and is running undeclared. Running against her as the Alaska Republic Party nominee is incumbent Don Young (R). For...
(Sitka) – Due to concerns about low elk numbers, from 2008-2012 the elk hunting season on Zarembo Island was closed by emergency order. In 2013, following several consecutive years of emergency closures, the board took similar regulatory action, closing Zarembo Island to elk hunting. In a related action, and due to concerns about hunters "bootlegging" elk off of Zarembo and claiming to have harvested them elsewhere in Unit 3 during the General Season elk hunt (Aug. 1−Dec. 31, one elk), the boa...
WRANGELL — The Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors met on Oct. 17 for their last meeting before the long-planned transition of authority to SEARHC. This comes after the successful passing of a ballot measure on Oct. 2 allowing SEARHC to take charge of the medical center. Senior Executive Vice President of SEARHC Dan Neumeister attended the meeting to give the board an update on the transition, which is scheduled to officially take place in early November. The Wrangell Medical Center will keep the same name after SEARHC takes over operati...
WRANGELL — The cruise ship season closed in Wrangell earlier this month. The Oceania Regatta was the last cruise ship that pulled into the city dock in 2018. According to a draft schedule from the chamber of commerce, the season will reopen in May of 2019. For Wrangell, and Southeast Alaska in general, tourism is an important aspect of life. Stephanie Cook, with the chamber of commerce, said that 75 cruise ships visited Wrangell in the 2018 season, ranging from small size to large ships with about 1,500 passengers. This influx of people is v...
During the summer months of June through September, the Petersburg area experienced below normal accumulated rainfall for each month and temperatures above the normal temperature range, according to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Warm days will continue into the winter, but above average rainfall is expected, according to NOAA. June began with a normal temperature range of 60 and 44 degrees, according to NOAA. The month ended with a normal t...
Participants in the fifth annual Annabelle Baker Poker Tournament raised $1,500 on Sunday for the Beat the Odds organization, which raises money for support groups and services for local cancer patients. The tournament was established by Jeigh Stanton Gregor as a way to remember the late Annabelle Baker, who was a competitive poker player. "Annabelle was a competitor," said Stanton Gregor. "We thought it would be a fun thing to do to remember her." There were 20 participants total raising $1,500...
The borough assembly met with the Petersburg Medical Center board of directors to discuss the feasibility of a new facility or a remodel to the current facility last week. “I think it would be great if we could all agree that we need something new, different than what we have now,” said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. At the meeting the PMC board and staff spoke to assembly members about some of the challenges the current hospital is facing. The number one issue was being able to avoid an event that would cause the hospital to shut down. A shut dow...
WRANGELL - Beyond giving students as good an education as possible, one of the highest priorities for many schools is safety. This is especially true at the Wrangell Public School District, where a new crisis strategy is being prepared for implementation. According to Superintendent Debbe Lancaster, preparing students and teachers for an emergency is the best way to keep everyone safe. "The committee has gone over the crisis plan that's in place and made some changes," she said. The school...
Long time Petersburg resident Patti Norheim celebrated her 90th birthday with two birthday parties earlier this month alongside family and friends. On her birthday Oct. 4, she held a small party at Mountain View Manor where friends from the manor, church and around town wished her a happy birthday and gave her flowers and balloons. They were treated to birthday cake and a small concert featuring Norheim on the washboard with thimbles, which she said is one of her favorite things to do. The next...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Anchorage police mishandled an investigation into drug dealing by recruiters with the Alaska National Guard, a recently unsealed report claims. A federal judge unsealed a redacted version of the confidential city-funded investigative report last week after the Anchorage Daily News and KTUU argued the public should have access to allegations of wrongdoing by high-ranking public officials. The report completed in March 2015 by retired Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. Rick Brown portrays a close relationship between s...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — The body of a woman has been recovered from waters off Ketchikan. Alaska State Troopers say 66-year-old Doretta Dowhitt died Wednesday near Hole-In-The-Wall Harbor, a boat launch about 8 miles (13 kilometers) south of Ketchikan. A neighbor at 6:30 a.m. spotted Dowhitt in the water and pulled her out. The neighbor attempted life-saving measures while calling for help. Troopers say Dowhitt appeared to have fallen near her home down a steep embankment and into the water. Investigators say alcohol may be been a factor in t...
Carey Case, of Wild Iris Photography, held a reception to display her photos taken throughout 2018 on Friday at Firelight Gallery & Framing. At the end of each year, Case identifies themes in her photography that interests her and holds a reception. This year's themes included mist in trees, landscapes surrounding Petersburg and the Stikine Flats. "I love Southeast [Alaska]," said Case. "That's basically my inspiration." She is a self taught photographer who has been interested in photography...
This year’s moose season finished with a final count of 106 animals, down from last year’s unit record breaking 117, according to Petersburg Fish & Game. Moose season began on Sept. 15 and ended Oct. 15. The final number of moose brought in during this year’s moose season was 106. Although the season ended Monday Oct. 15, hunters had five days to report their kill to fish and game. If a hunter shot a moose on that Monday, then they would have until Saturday to report it to fish and game; as a result, that final number wasn’t available until t...
Since the cost to ship recyclables is lower than the price to ship municipal solid waste, Public Works Director Chris Cotta recommended that the borough continue operating its recycling program during an assembly meeting on Monday evening. “Although the recycling markets continue to be unpredictable, the costs of our program have been reduced to the point where they can be accommodated within the current operating budget,” said Cotta. Although the value of recyclables has continued to remain low, mixed paper, which makes up 1/3 of Pet...
This year's moose season finished with a preliminary count of 105 animals, down from last year's unit record breaking 117. Moose season began on Sept. 15 and ended Oct. 15. As of Wednesday afternoon, the final number of moose brought in during this year's moose season was 105. Hunters have five days to report their kill to fish and game. If a hunter shot a moose on Monday, then they would have until Saturday to report it to fish and game; as a result, that final number could change, according to...
For the past few weeks a bear has been seen near Mountain View Manor, Serendipity Childcare Center and the surrounding neighborhood going through garbage cans. After attempts to secure garbage cans failed to keep the bear out of the trash, the bear was trapped on Friday and euthanized by wildlife troopers, according to Police Chief Jim Kerr. “It seems like every year we’ve had a few [bears] towards the end of the year,” said Kerr. “Hopefully, they should be going into hibernation.” The bear was small to medium sized, said Kerr. The trap was...
The borough assembly passed ordinance #2018-18, which will provide an updated development code for the borough, in its first reading on Monday. On Nov. 5, the ordinance will receive a second reading and the assembly will hold a public hearing to receive feedback. Another public hearing will be held by the assembly on Nov. 19. Community and economic development director Liz Cabrera encourages the public to submit their comments on the updated development code by the Dec. 3 assembly meeting; although, public comments will still be accepted...
A resolution to request the USDA’s inspector general conduct an audit of the Tonka and Big Thorne Integrated Resource timber contracts to determine if Petersburg is owed monies failed in a 2-4 vote by the borough assembly at a meeting on Monday. “This is just my attempt to make sure that specifically Petersburg has all the funds coming to them from these timber sales, and if not, let’s go to the next step and see how we’re going to find out,” said assembly member Jeff Meucci, who request the resolution be put on the agenda. The Washingto...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) –Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott resigned Tuesday over unspecified inappropriate comments, complicating what was already a difficult re-election fight for Gov. Bill Walker. Mallott, in his resignation letter, said his decision was “compelled by inappropriate comments I made that placed a person whom I respect and revere in a position of vulnerability.’’ He apologized and acknowledged that his actions had compromised Walker’s ability to lead the state. The nature of the comments remained unclear, though Walker described...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP)– The construction of the second of two new Alaska state ferries is nearing completion. The 280-foot (85-meter) ferry Hubbard was lowered into the water for the first time at the Ketchikan Shipyard last week and checked for possible leaks, the Ketchikan Daily News reported Saturday. The vessel is being built by Vigor Alaska, which also constructed its sister ship Tazlina. The ferry Tazlina launched in May and was christened in August. The remainder of work on the Hubbard consists of interior outfitting and finishing. T...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – President Donald Trump recently signed into law a bill that lawmakers have called a point of unity among Republicans and Democrats. The Ketchikan Daily News reports the Save our Seas Act, which Trump signed Thursday, reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program through 2022. The program works to reduce debris through research, prevention and reduction. The Save our Seas legislation keeps the program going by continuing to authorize $10 million per year for the next five yea...
In the recent municipal election, Proposition 1 failed to pass, which would have replaced the senior sales tax exemption with a rebate for qualified senior citizens and bring an influx of money to the borough’s budget from having additional seniors paying sales tax. “We’ll just continue to give a tax exemption,” said assembly member Jeff Meucci. “We’ll have to sort out where we’re going to come up with the money that isn’t generated from that sales tax component. I think we’re going to have to look at all the departments and see if we can eithe...
