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The National Ocean Science Bowl Team traveled to Sitka last weekend for a scrimmage, including trivia and presentations about whales, past, present and future. It was the 20th anniversary of Sitka's Whalefest and four students made the trip. "The presentations were quite interesting," said junior Joey Giesbrecht. "The skirmishes were interesting, even though they were first years." PHS competed against inexperienced Ketchikan and Sitka squads, and Petersburg won every match. Anders Christensen...
Over a thousand Petersburg voters made their voices heard regarding national and local politics in the 2016 election that wrapped up Tuesday night. Petersburg Borough voters supported the president-elect Donald Trump who will be the 45th President of the United States of America. The Republican candidate received over 575 votes, amounting to about 55 percent of local voters. Democrat Hillary Clinton earned just over 30 percent on Petersburg and Kupreanof ballots at almost 335 votes. Local...
The Community Advisory Board (CAB) of American Seafoods Company, one of the nation’s largest seafood harvesters and processors, is now accepting applications for its Alaska community grant program. The deadline to submit applications is Nov. 16, 2016. A total of $38,000 will be allocated by the American Seafoods CAB to community projects addressing issues such as hunger, housing, safety, education, research, natural resources and cultural activities. CAB evaluates each proposal based on the following criteria; the need in the community, p...
The borough assembly had over 20 people attend its Monday meeting this week. Many of the people in attendance were there to talk about the dock issue, and it seemed like the other half were there for the controversial proposal for the borough to sell Lot 10 in the 900 block of Sandy Beach Road. The borough would have to vacate a portion of a public easement to sell the land in question, 919 Sandy Beach Road. Vacation of the easement would mean adjacent property owner Kris Norosz would be unable...
The local airport is one of two locations collecting rainfall and other forecast information on Mitkof Island. The airport readings are unofficial, but figures for October look to be record setting with only 3.07 inches of precipitation, according to NOAA meteorologist Pete Boyd. “This October was an incredibly dry month due to the setup of high pressure systems that were mostly over the Yukon and western Canada,” he says. “Which kept us with the offshore flow, thus keeping the sunny weather throughout the entire timeframe.” The officia...
Over 20 people assembled at the SONS last Thursday evening for a presentation and Q&A with representatives of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office (TLO). The representatives stressed their desire for a land exchange to pass via federal legislation as it would allow the Trust to bypass logging on contentious land in Petersburg and Ketchikan. Residents who attended were more concerned about what would happen if the land exchange does not go through and the TLO moves forward with plans to log areas in close proximity to residences on Mitkof...
Petersburg is among the top 30 fishing ports in the United States according to the annual Fisheries of the US report for 2015 released this week by NOAA Fisheries. Petersburg is ranked 26 on the list with 69.6 million pounds of seafood delivered with a value of $39.3 million. Among Alaskan ports, Petersburg placed 11th. Last year, Petersburg ranked 24th on the list with a reported 64.7 million pounds of product bringing in $50.9 million. The ranking is determined by value of the seafood products. Topping the list for Alaska were: Port Pounds...
Fifteen PHS students qualified to participate in the SE Honor Music Festival in Haines last month. There were eight band members and seven choir members and music teacher Matt Lenhard says that is probably the most musicians Petersburg has ever sent to the festival. “It was a wonderful, wonderful festival,” he says. “We were really contributing to the quality of the festival, especially with the kids on first chair.” Lenhard says seeing four first chairs in the honor band was by far one of his best days with PHS. In the last 18 years, he’s on...
Fees for the state’s sport fishing, hunting and trapping licenses, and tags will increase at the start of the new year. The Department of Fish and Game made the announcement last week in a media release, citing approval of House Bill 137 by the Alaska State Legislature last session as cause for the changes. It notes the hike came with the approval of user groups, and marks the first time in 24 years that hunting license and tag fees have increased. Sport fishing licenses last increased a decade ago. “Alaska’s new prices are in line with other...
U.S. House Representative candidate Steve Lindbeck made his first visit to Little Norway last Friday to meet with residents and try to convince local voters to cast their ballots in his favor. Lindbeck is a newcomer to politics. He retired a year ago after working, most recently, for 8.5 years as the general manager for Alaska Public Media based in Anchorage. "I'm not a career politician by any means. But I have been in public service my whole career and so it feels like a natural thing," he...
WRANGELL - Two license applications for a prospective marijuana retailer have been submitted to the state Marijuana Control Board for consideration. The applications – for retail and cultivation – were submitted October 24 on behalf of Happy Cannabis, a business being developed by Wrangell restaurateur Kelsey Martinsen. Renovating the former Thunderbird Hotel, the business will feature a retail area and a separate grow and process facility. Martinsen expects the business should not produce much additional traffic flow, or at least not more tha...
FAIRBANKS – Students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are questioning how school officials have responded to reports of sexual assault. They voiced their concerns Sunday at a forum hosted by interim Chancellor Dana Thomas, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported. Students criticized university policies that allow those accused of sexual assault to return to campus before the case is closed. They also said the university has been lagging in its effort to fill open positions in the Title IX office, which is responsible for investigating s...
On Sunday, Oct. 30 at approximately 8:55 p.m. Alaska State Troopers received a report of a Search & Rescue for a hiker who was lost on Raven’s Roost Trail in Petersburg. Investigation revealed Dwight Carlson, age 46 of Indiana, had lost the trail while attempting to hike back to Petersburg and called 911 from his cell phone. Carlson was uninjured but not prepared to spend the night in the cold. Petersburg Search & Rescue responded and located Carlson just after midnight. No injuries were reported and Carlson was escorted safely off the t...
A group of students at Petersburg High School have proposed wording changes to the school’s dress code policy related to yoga pants and leggings. Principal Rick Dormer presented the proposal to the school board at its Oct. 11 meeting alongside staff’s suggested changes to the policy. “Most of the young ladies in the high school came forward and talked about that our dress code may be a little archaic and that people are wearing leggings and that it can be a professional type of outfit or dress code,” said Dormer at the board meeting. Those s... Full story
October 28, 1916 – A local business man suggests that, in anticipation of probable spells of cold, dry weather during the nearing winter season, with consequent increase of danger from fires, now would be a very proper time for some preparedness. While the present members of Petersburg’s volunteer fire department have proven their efficiency in the handling of firefighting apparatus, and have thereby on numerous occasions prevented serious property loss, a strengthening of the organization at this time through the acquisition of and dri... Full story
The Planning and Zoning Commission spent a significant amount of time at their Oct. 25 meeting on the issue of the Borough’s proposed land sale of Lot 10 in the 900 block of Sandy Beach Road. Votes to vacate a portion of a public easement on the property and to rezone it from public use to single-family residential both failed, largely because several on the commission had concerns about the sale itself which has drawn criticism from many local residents. Though the land sale has already been approved by the Assembly, commissioner Dave K... Full story
The Alaska Mental Health and Trust Authority will hold a community meeting at the Sons of Norway Hall tonight, October 27 from 7-9 p.m. to talk about their hope to exchange land with the US Forest Service and the potential for selective helicopter logging on land they own near Petersburg. AMHTA has been working towards a land exchange deal for 10 years and in September announced they would move ahead with selective logging on their land in both Petersburg and on Deer Mountain in Ketchikan if Congress failed to approve the land exchange by Jan....
Susan Harai, engineer for Petersburg Indian Association (PIA), informed the Planning Commission at their Tuesday meeting that a previously proposed trail to connect the Severson subdivision to the fire station was found to be unviable, aside from a 1,400 foot portion that would connect Possum to Queen Street via a raised boardwalk. The trail was part of PIA's long-range transportation plan which includes more portions of trails in neighborhoods in town to supplement the variety of trails built...
ANCHORAGE – Night-drop kennels give stray animals a warm place to spend the night in Anchorage. People who find animals after hours but cannot take them home can leave them in heated kennels behind Anchorage Animal Care and Control, reported KTVA-TV. The kennels have water access and the doors lock behind the animals. Shelter workers check the kennels every morning. Animal Care and Control spokeswoman Laura Atwood said shelter staffers feel for animals left outside despite the availability of kennels. “Somebody was trying to get the dog in the...
Three people were displaced from a trailer fire Friday night at about 11:58 p.m. on South 41/2 Street. The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene with two engines and an ambulance and found the structure fully engulfed. A neighboring trailer had also caught fire and suffered slight exterior damage. According to Dave Berg, PVFD spokesperson, it took the department 10-15 minutes to knock down the blaze and another two-hours to extinguish hot spots. Cause of the fire is...
ANCHORAGE – Biologist Colleen Handel saw her first black-capped chickadee with the heartrending disorder in 1998. The tiny birds showed up at birdfeeders in Alaska's largest city with freakishly long beaks. Some beaks looked like sprung scissors, unable to come together at the tips. Others curved up or down like crossed sickles. Handel, a U.S. Geological Survey bird specialist, was sure the cause of avian keratin disorder would be found quickly: contaminated birdseed, a poison targeting s...
BETHEL – Bethel has collected over a quarter of a million dollars in alcohol sales taxes since a pizza shop sold the city’s first beer in more than four decades earlier this year. Fili’s Pizza and AC Quick Stop have paid Bethel more than $277,000 this year in alcohol taxes, with the liquor store contributing the majority of the funds. Another liquor store recently opened, but its sales weren’t included, KYUK-AM reported AC Quick Stop opened in May and has paid nearly $272,000 in alcohol taxes. The pizza shop has paid about $5,000 under the 12...
The community gym was bustling for the better part of Saturday as over 50 food, art and craft vendors set up booths and sold their wares at the 40th annual Oktoberfest Art Share. The event is coordinated by the Muskeg Maleriers and this year Jean Curry, Sally Dwyer and Polly Koeneman were the lead organizers. "It went well," Curry said. "It was busy almost the entire time." Shoppers had access to everything from pottery and jewelry to beeswax candles and handcrafted textiles. As tradition goes,...
HOMER – Homer Folk School is here to stay and provide intergenerational learning of folk arts from homesteading to maritime skills to Homer and the surrounding areas, said folk school board member, as well as organic farmer and herbalist, Robin McAllistar. “I am such a fan. I am so excited about this amazing thing that is being created. We’re hitting the ground running. We’ve got classes up. Our first year anniversary is going to be really telling,” McAllistar said. “I have full faith that this is the first day of Homer Folk School and i...
FAIRBANKS – This summer’s discovery of dinosaur bones in Denali National Park has opened the door for more remains to be found, researchers say. Paleontologists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the National Park Service uncovered the bones during a July expedition. The trip also turned up new dinosaur trackways, fossilized impressions the animals left by walking through mud that later hardened into stone. Pat Druckenmiller, curator of earth sciences at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, said the discovery marks the beg...
