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The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved at its Nov. 2 meeting a resolution that urges the state of Alaska to amend the Mariculture Revolving Loan Fund to allow non-profit shellfish hatcheries to apply for loans with the state. The state’s revolving loan fund provides long term loans for Alaska owned mariculture operations. According to the resolution, the Petersburg Borough Assembly “believes that it is in the best interest of the State of Alaska and the mariculture industry that non-profit shellfish hatcheries be eligible to utilize the fun...
The Alaska State Historical Society awarded the Petersburg Public Library and the Petersburg Pilot certificates of excellence last month for its archival and digitization of Petersburg’s historical newspapers. Petersburg Public Library Director Tara Alcock said the certificate of excellence came as a surprise, and the library finished up the process in 2013 after a contractor scanned newspaper microfilm and converted the files into PDFs. “It’s exciting to see how many people use it,” Alcock said. “We’re dealing with someone in Norway usin...
Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, Inc., (NSRAA) will hold its Fall Board of Directors meeting at 9 am on Nov. 12 – 13 in the NSRAA conference room at 1308 Sawmill Creek Rd., Sitka. Meetings are open to the public. Copies of the agenda will be available in the NSRAA office....
The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted 5-1 during a public hearing to affirm an appealed nuisance abatement order issued by the borough’s building official against property owners who store commercial fishing gear on their residential lot. Oct. 26’s hearing landed on a long list of interactions between Aaron and Katrina Miller and borough staff and officials dating back to 2006 when the Millers first purchased the lot at 107 Arness Heights Drive where they began storing commercial fishing gear. According to borough zoning regulations, storing co... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly sent a letter to Lt. Governor Byron Mallott requesting state support in asking the International Joint Commission (ICJ) to get involved in mining activity in the Alaska-British Columbia Transboundary Region. The Borough Assembly passed a resolution last October supporting the same thing along with municipalities in Wrangell, Sitka and Juneau. “The transboundary rivers that empty into our region provide the life-blood to our economies and quality of life,” the letter states. “The extensive and somewhat risky... Full story
United Fisherman of Alaska members gather in the Sons of Norway hall this week as it conducts its 2015 Fall Board Meeting. Board members representing 35 Alaska commercial fishing organizations began their meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27 where representatives of Lt. Governor Mallott, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, University of Alaska Anchorage and other independent commercial fishing agencies gave presentations to the board. Much of the time was devoted to internal discussion regarding seafood...
The 39th Annual Oktoberfest Artshare was held last weekend, and the theme this year was "Christmas Magic." Around 54 vendors participated in the event, and event coordinators Naomi Welde and Cathy Harris dressed up in costumes for the 14th year in a row. The two dressed as the "Christmas Magic Grandmas," which delighted many youngsters and garnered a couple laughs and looks from adults, too. The two are members of the Muskeg Maleriers, an art based non-profit group in Petersburg. "I think...
Alaska author and historian James Mackovjak's latest book, "Alaska Salmon Traps" details the sordid history of salmon traps, and the lasting impression they left within the state. This week, Mackovjak traveled to Petersburg to give a presentation about his book to over 20 locals at the Public Library, and then took time for a book signing and reception hosted by the Clausen Museum. In 1889, Congress outlawed barricades as a means for catching fish, but salmon traps slipped through the cracks...
A new support group for mothers of young children met for the first time this month. Mothers with children ranging from birth to five-years-old are encouraged to attend, and any expecting mothers are also more than welcome to join the group. Petersburg Mom's Support Group held their first meeting on Oct. 9, and the second meeting for the month was held last week. The group will continue to meet for an hour, twice a month for the foreseeable future to gauge local interest and find out if the...
WRANGELL — Two Wrangell fishermen have pleaded guilty to charges related to falsified commercial catch reports. In documentation submitted to the U.S. District Court in Juneau on Oct. 19, federal prosecutors alleged Charles Petticrew Sr. and Charles Petticrew Jr. conspired together to submit falsified Individual Fishing Quota records over a three-year period. Petticrew Jr. was alleged to have knowingly submitted IFQ reports that falsely specified the Gulf of Alaska statistical areas where around 3,977 pounds of halibut were caught, valued in a...
Over a dozen volunteers showed up two weekends ago to help Petersburg Parks and Recreation and Petersburg's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints finish a trail improvement project in the Borough. This was the second weekend volunteers from the church and individuals from the Borough worked alongside each other on the William Musson Memorial Pathway, and community support was noticeable. Volunteers formed a "wheel barrow brigade" in order to finish the portion of the trail ending just...
Petersburg recyclers must exclude glass from their comingled bags beginning November 1 after the Petersburg Borough’s recycling vendor found an excess of glass, along with blue recycling bags in the co-mingled stream. Petersburg Public Works Director Karl Hagerman said earlier this year the borough’s recycling vendor Republic Services broke apart a recycling bale to determine a breakdown percentage of each recyclable material. “When we have a large percentage of the blue plastic which is not a... Full story
A team of scientists is analyzing samples from a dead orca whale to determine the cause of death after a moose hunter reported the freshly dead animal beached near Portage Bay on Kupreanof Island last week. Scientists were able to reach the orca Monday between storms where they found evidence of infection in its jaw, but no external injuries, said NOAA Fisheries spokesperson Julie Speegle. The scientists aren't certain the infection was a cause in the whale's death. "The teeth were flattened to... Full story
Public Works Director Karl Hagerman reported the following information to the Petersburg Borough Assembly in lieu of Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht’s absence: The underground cable connecting the Blind Slough hydro plant to our distribution system failed, and that portion from the plant to the hatchery had to be replaced. Harbor staff continues to remind people to give them a call so they can keep an eye on your boat when owners leave town. It is also important for folks to check their skiffs during our very wet weather. The Public Works c...
The Petersburg School Board voted in its first reading a district memorial policy last week—the lack of which caused some confusion and conflict between district staff and members of the public two years ago. The policy would, in part, limit the display of student memorials for a two-week period. Petersburg School District Superintendent Erika Kludt-Painter said her predecessor, along with district staff, removed a memorial to Jake Madsen, a Petersburg High School student athlete who died in a... Full story
Regional hunters brought home 103 bulls this season, but set a new record of highest number of illegally harvested moose as well. Thirteen of the 103 moose failed to comply with local antler restrictions and had ADFG considering whether or not to close the hunt in the third week of the season. No illegal moose were reported to ADFG after the third week. ADFG Wildlife Biologist Rich Lowell said the majority of moose legal and illegal were hunted on Kupreanof Island—a continuing trend from past y...
Petersburg Medical Center staff and board members are trying to decide whether or not to extensively renovate the facility or build a new hospital after an architectural firm presented a draft assessment showing that much of PMC’s architecture and mechanical and electrical equipment are well beyond their lifespan. Representatives from Jensen Yorba Lott Architects presented the draft plan to the PMC Board two weeks ago after it hired the firm to complete the condition assessment last July. “We’re looking at a subtotal of about $16 million to br... Full story
Petersburg saw more weather records broken this year as Hurricane Oho brought warmer tropical weather to the region. October 8 and 9 saw record highs and warmest lows. October 8 the record setting high was 60 F and October 9 was 61 F. The previous record was set in 1993, with temperatures of 59 F and 57 F respectively. High lows also broke records on the same days. October 8 saw 53 F and October 9 saw 50 F beating 1976s 48 F and 49 F on the same two days. Juneau’s National Weather Service Meteorologist Geri Swanson said Oho originated n... Full story
The radiology department at Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) recently purchased a new x-ray machine in order to continue offering reliable service for patients. Liz Bacom, PMC Laboratory/Imaging Director says the old machine was obsolete after being used for about 15 years. Finding replacement parts started to become difficult, in addition to time spent servicing the machine which created problems for some patients. PMC purchased the new machine for $100,000. They were able to secure a lease... Full story
The Petersburg office of Alaska's Department of Fish and Game reported an additional 25 moose were harvested during the third week of this year's season for Petersburg, Wrangell and Kake, bringing the total to 81. ADFG wildlife biologist Rich Lowell noted the figure represented the highest third-week harvest total in the RM038-area moose hunt's history. The ongoing tally included 91 moose harvested by Tuesday, and by the season's end this evening the full figure could be in the mid- to upper-90s. That would put this season's count just shy of...
Petersburg played host to the 16th annual Beat the Odds race last weekend and raised just over $15,000 to assist those affected locally and regionally by cancer. There were 230 people registered for the event and 175 participants ran or walked the 2.5-mile course to show support in the fight against breast cancer. "It is always such an overwhelming feeling to see all the people gather together," says race organizer Michele Parker. "The event provides everyone with a time to grieve, find...
There are a couple of rules anyone living under Marketa Ith's roof must follow, and one at the top of the list is–you must play a sport or be in an activity. David Chytil, 16, found this out when he moved in, but instead of getting upset, he jumped at the opportunity and began running cross country. Chytil is currently attending Petersburg High School on a 90-day student visa and living with Ith and her daughter Izabelle, until he returns home in mid-November. "It's quite short, maybe half a y...
Jeff Meucci wasn't the only Petersburg resident to see a brown bear recently. Jane Fuqua, her husband Dylan Durst and their two children Wes, 5, and Sage, 1, had a run in with a brown bear near the Blind River Rapids boardwalk area late last month while they visited the new picnic area and picked cranberries. Fuqua and Wes were on their knees in the muskeg looking for berries when Durst saw a small cow moose running along the tree line. About a minute later a bear was trailing the moose's path,...
Skate of Gear moving closer to downtown is definitely helping year-round business. The family owned and operated store doesn’t focus on tourism. Any summer dollars from out of town guests is just a bonus. “I find that we don’t really carry or buy things that I would consider a tourist type of product,” says Lisa Nilsen. “We buy more for local customers.” Tourists will stop in to buy jewelry and cards, but that’s about it. The fact that Skate of Gear lacks large display windows is not helping business a bunch, but Nilsen likes the new location....
