Sorted by date Results 4995 - 5019 of 5587
JUNEAU (AP) — The state of Alaska on Tuesday proposed an exploration plan aimed at determining the oil and gas potential in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It comes just over a week after Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, in a letter to Gov. Sean Parnell, said a seismic exploration proposal suggested by the state in May is prohibited under federal law and would require congressional authorization. She also reiterated the Obama administration's opposition to allowing drilling on the coastal plain of the refuge. State Natural Resources C...
The Tongass National Forest issued its Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Big Thorne Project last week. The decision allows for the harvest of 148.9 million board feet from approximately 6,186 acres of old-growth and 2,299 acres of young-growth near Thorne Bay and Coffman Cove on Prince of Wales Island within the Thorne Bay Ranger District. According to Tongass National Forest Supervisor Forrest Cole, the U.S. Forest Service believes the action could help stabilize the timber industry in Southeast Alaska as the...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting the disposal of fish scraps in the harbors during its regular meeting Monday afternoon. This ordinance is only in its first reading and there will be two other opportunities to amend or reject it in the future. This ordinance reflects the Borough's Transition Plan requirement for harbor and port services to be provided on an area wide basis. The ordinance is a rewrite of the current City of Petersburg ordinance. The new ordinance sets forth sections of the ordinance... Full story
On Tuesday, June 4 a Pacific Wings deHavilland Beaver crashed into mountainous, tree-covered terrain about 14 miles east of Petersburg resulting in the death of one of the passengers. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have been investigating the crash but are unable to continue at this time until the aircraft is recovered. “We are at a standstill right now,” NTSB Chief Clint Johnson said. “We have conditionally released the wreckage to the insurance company in order for it to be removed.” According to Johnson, a helic...
JUNEAU (AP) — The National Weather Service says temperatures across Alaska last month were among the warmest in decades. Barrow and King Salmon saw their warmest June since 1940, while it was the second warmest June since 1940 in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Kodiak. Several communities broke record highs for June 16, with the temp as high as 96 degrees in Talkeetna that day. Rick Thoman is the climate science and services manager for the weather service in Alaska. He says it's unusual for so much of Alaska to be affected by the same w...
Former Petersburg resident, Boaz Johnson, last spoke with his family Monday, May 27 and has not been heard from since. Johnson's girlfriend Brittany Royal was found strangled off the lower coastline of Puna by fishermen. Hilo Criminal Investigations Lt. Greg Esteban stated that they are pursuing leads in the case but have not found Bo Johnson. The couple had been camping the day before Royal was found. “Photos and evidence of the campsite have been sent to a forensic lab,” Esteban said. “As a result of the investigation so far, he is still...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — A former bookkeeper who embezzled about $500,000 from a Kodiak seafood plant will serve 46 months in a federal prison and make restitution. The U.S. attorney's office says in a release that 33-year-old Isairis Wolfe of Kodiak was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Anchorage on Monday. Officials say she wrote about 52 checks on a Trident Seafoods account to four associates, who would share in the profits after cashing the checks. Prosecutors said Wolfe claimed methamphetamine use clouded her judgment. Officials said she used h...
ANCHORAGE (AP) — The Alaska Redistricting Board will consider seven possible political district configurations it created on its own, plus five others submitted by groups or individuals, as it begins hearings to draw up new boundary lines. The board also will welcome more proposals at hearings in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, the Anchorage Daily News reported. “They just really wanted to make sure that they looked at all different options, see what people can do,” said board attorney Michael White. “The idea behind public input is, somebod...
A Canadian parliamentarian has submitted a bill in the legislature of British Columbia seeking to protect the Stikine, Nass and Skeena rivers Nathan Cullen, Minister of Parliament for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley of Northwestern B.C. has introduced a member’s bill that he says will put the protection back into what he calls a government-gutted Canadian Navigable Waters Protection Act. Cullen said he submitted the bill believing that the Conservative government of Canada has removed what he calls “9...
The Petersburg Chamber of Commerce will kick off the 2013 Fourth of July events from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday with a retirement party for Judy Forgey, who is also this year’s parade Grand Marshal. There will be open swim ages and a pie eating contest for all ages. In the Community Gym there will be games and ice cream sundaes for grades 1-8. Events scheduled for Wednesday begin at 10 a.m. with a free scrap fish derby in the North Harbor from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Anyone participating must bring their own bucket and personal flotation device. Bait a... Full story
The Petersburg School District Board approved a policy allowing home school students to participate in activities at the high school without being enrolled in classes. This policy has come about by a change in state law mandating this allowance. “The students will have to fill out quite a bit of paperwork,” Petersburg School District Athletic Director Jaime Cabral said. “There is a long checklist that will have to be gone over with the student and their parents in order to make sure the information is correct.” Each of the students wishing... Full story
David Gill, of Staveley in Cumbria, United Kingdom, made a stop in Petersburg as he rides his bicycle around the country. The 24 year old Brit has already ridden half of the 12,000 miles that it will take him to complete his journey. “I finished school and had been working for a couple of years,” Gill said. “I was sitting behind a desk and found myself looking out the window a lot.” Gill spent the two years prior to this trek making television commercials. “I would have about two really go... Full story
The seven new redistricting plans which were developed by the Redistricting board and four plans developed by independent entities can be viewed in the office of Petersburg Borough Clerk Kathy O'Rear. “Option A is still the preferred plan for Petersburg in Southeast,” O'Rear stated. “It meets Hickle requirements and Petersburg will have someone speak to the support of Option A at one or two of the three upcoming public hearings.” The Federal Supreme Court determined that section four of the Vot...
The United States Forest Service will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, July 1 to discuss a request by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to change subsistence hunting regulations for deer on a portion of Unit 3. The request is to reduce the Federal subsistence deer season and harvest limit on the Lindenburg Penisula portion of Kupreanof Island for the 2013 season. The proposed action is to reduce the current four month, August through November season to a two week Oct. 15 through Oct. 31 season and to reduce the harvest limit from...
In a victory for the Native cultures of Interior Alaska, a U.S. Senate committee voted last week to rename the tallest peak in North America, Mount McKinley, to its original Koyukon-Athabaskan name of “Denali.” The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill by voice vote on Tuesday, June 18, allowing the proposed legislation to go to a vote before the full body of the Senate. Senate Bill 155 would officially rename the mountain, stating, “The mountain located … in the Sta...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) _ The owner and operator of an Alaska charter vessel was considering whether to appeal after being fined for getting too close to whales. Administrative law judge Susan Biro last week fined Geoffrey Wilson and Alaska Yacht Charters $5,000 in connection with the July 2010 incident on the western side of Admiralty Island in southeast Alaska. Wilson, in an interview Thursday, said he has been out to sea and unable to download the decision. He said he respects what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is trying...
JUNEAU (AP) — A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday narrowly agreed to add to a spending bill language that would require that genetically modified salmon be labeled. The amendment was offered during a Senate Appropriations meeting by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. It passed on a 15-14 vote. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, was a co-sponsor and also voted in support. Members of Alaska's congressional delegation, as well as the state Legislature, have opposed any effort by the Food and Drug Administration that would clear the way for the approval of a...
The Petersburg Indian Association has been working hard to expand its recycling program and has unveiled a few new services recently. PIA Tribal Resource Director Jason Wilson has implemented new programs beginning with recycling services for big events. “We started this service during Mayfest,” Wilson stated. “We will offer it again for the July 4th event as well as any event in the community.” For this service, anyone planning events in the community such as weddings, reunions, dances, etc. will be able to call PIA and order bins to be plac... Full story
The new Petersburg Public Library construction work is entering its final chapter. “Work on the building is going as scheduled,” Petersburg Borough Construction Administrator Dan LaForce stated. “Everything should be finished by mid July.” All work on the inside of the building is scheduled to be completed by July 15. “At this time we can finish up any punch items that need to be taken care of before everything starts being moved in,” LaForce said. “We want to make sure there are no problems t... Full story
Petersburg resident Barry Bracken, brought a problem to the Petersburg Borough Assembly regarding the spraying of herbicides and pesticides on public borough lands during the June 3 regular meeting and this discussion continued during the regular Monday evening meeting. A letter was drafted by Bracken, with the assistance of the Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht, for Assembly approval opposing this issue. The letter outlined all points that Bracken discussed at the June 3 meeting and also states that the Borough should a plan to adopt... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Public Works Department recommended the bid for a crushed rock contract be awarded to Rock-n-Road Construction. The Public Works Department solicited bids for 3,000 tons of leveling course and 1,000 tons of Type II-A to supply the department for gravel street resurfacing. Two bids were received. The first bid was from Reid Brothers Construction totaling $55,200 and the other from Rock-n-Road Construction totaling $48,800. This bid was unanimously awarded to Rock-n-Road for an amount not to exceed $48,800 by the...
Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported to the Petersburg Borough Assembly at its regular meeting Monday evening on several topics including the trial commingled recycling program. “This program is off to a great start,” Giesbrecht said. “Over 1,100 pounds of recycling was picked up by Petersburg Indian Association in the first week.” The program is in the second week of a six week trial and it is already off to a good start. According to Petersburg Borough Public Works Director Karl Hagerman, he is hoping to offset some of the...
The Alaska Redistricting Board voted unanimously to solicit public input and approve a schedule to work toward the adoption of a new Hickel Plan. During the time period of June 13 - 20, Board members and staff will hold daily work sessions at the Alaska Redistricting Office in Anchorage. The purpose of the work sessions will be to create draft Hickel Plans for the Board to consider, in accordance with the recent Superior Court directive. Any individual, group or organization wishing to submit a proposed Hickel Plan for the Board to consider...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting time will change for the noon July 1 meeting to 1 p.m. that afternoon due to the change of command ceremony for the United States Coast Guard at the Sons of Norway Hall. “We have all been invited to share in the ceremony for the USCG Change of Command Ceremony at noon July 1,” Petersburg Borough Assembly Vice Mayor Sue Flint said. “We are looking forward to being a part of this ceremony to celebrate our USCG personnel here in Petersburg.” The meeting...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously voted to send a letter to the Alaska Redistricting Board requesting consideration of Option A during its regular meeting Monday evening. “We are asking that the Alaska Redistricting Board retain in its districting plan for the 2014 elections the districting for Southeast Alaska, Option A, that the Board unanimously adopted May 14, 2012,” Petersburg Borough Assembly Vice Mayor Sue Flint read. The Alaska Supreme Court ordered the Board to redraw the four House districts in Southeast Alaska to comply sol...
