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  • Sandy Beach playground gets long awaited upgrade

    Brian Varela|Jun 17, 2021

    A week after the Sandy Beach Playground was installed, organizers said the playground has enhanced the park and gotten nonstop attention from the younger members of the community. The new playground replaced a 25-year-old playground that consisted of some digging equipment, a swing set and a slide. Desi Burrell, one of three organizers of the project, said auditors recommended the replacement of the aging playground several years ago. Because the Petersburg Rotary Club had installed the original...

  • SB sets 2022 operating budget

    Brian Varela|Jun 17, 2021

    The Petersburg School Board adopted the fiscal year 2022 operating budget at their meeting on June 8 that has a total revenue that is below the school district's expenditures for the year. According to budget documents presented to the school board, the fiscal year 2022 operating budget is based on a total of $8,043,406 in revenue. Because the school district is anticipating an enrollment of 415 students this fall, the school district will see a drop in state funding of $696,443 over last year...

  • Community shifts to life after COVID-19

    Brian Varela|Jun 17, 2021

    As the Petersburg Borough prepares to end its Local Disaster Emergency Declaration and disband the Emergency Operations Center at the end of the month, Incident Commander Karl Hagerman said during the COVID-19 community update on June 11 the local COVID-19 Dashboard would continue to be a local resource of all things COVID-19 related. "It's been quite a long haul, very rewarding," said Hagerman. "But I'm ready to get back to my normal job for sure." With the end of the Local Disaster Emergency...

  • Petersburg medical center to continue with vaccine distribution

    Brian Varela|Jun 17, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center will keep offering COVID-19 vaccines past the expiration of the Local Disaster Emergency Declaration at the end of the month. PMC Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the COVID-19 community update on June 11 that the hospital's efforts to vaccinate the community against COVID-19 have remained unchanged. While the hospital isn't anticipating large vaccine clinics in the future, like the ones held at the beginning of the year, smaller vaccination clinics are still...

  • Local kids share their excitement over new playground

    Brian Varela|Jun 17, 2021

    For the kids enrolled in Kinder Skog's summer program, all they wanted to do on Wednesday was go to Sandy Beach Park to play on the new playground. "The kids wanted to come down, so that's where we ended up," said Kinder Skog Mentor Rickki Malone. Katherine Pilcher, 10, Luci Maldonado, 8, Cali Compton, 8, Rebel McGrath, 9, and Kade Norheim, 8, spent their time at Sandy Beach enjoying the new playground equipment, but spent most of their time on a large circular swing that resembles a tire...

  • Assembly, public weigh in on landless legislation

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    The Borough Assembly held a work session with staff from Alaska's federal delegation to discuss Alaska Natives Without Land legislation that will be introduced to the United States Senate in the coming weeks. The meeting is part of a series of work sessions the delegation is hosting throughout the region to gather feedback regarding the latest version of the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act. Sen. Lisa Murkowski originally introduced the act in...

  • SEARHC discusses possible partnership with borough

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium spoke about the possibility of collaborating with the Petersburg Borough, taking over the Petersburg Medical Center and building a new hospital facility during a Borough Assembly meeting on Monday. SEARHC Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elliot J. Bruhl gave the presentation at the request of Mayor Mark Jensen. He explained the details about a possible partnership with the borough and addressed concerns about SEARHC taking over a...

  • Assembly ends three more health mandates

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    The Borough Assembly repealed three local health mandates and one public health alert and amended Health Mandate #5 at an assembly meeting on Monday. The changes to the local health mandates and alert were presented to the assembly as recommendations from the Emergency Operations Center. The assembly had the option to discuss and vote on each health mandate and the alert individually, but instead voted to approve the EOC's recommendations in one unanimous vote. At a special meeting on May 1,...

  • SEARHC now offering behavioral health, dentistry

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium has expanded its services in Petersburg and taken over two locally operated health providers in the past three months. After a series of funding cuts, Susan Ohmer, executive director and founder of Petersburg Mental Health Services, decided to transfer PMHS' services and offices over to SEARHC, she said in a letter to the public in March. "I am pleased with how SEARHC has worked collaboratively to keep our wonderful PMHS team in place as they expand...

  • Teachers to get 3% raise over three years

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    The Associated Teachers of Petersburg (ATP) will receive a one percent raise each year for the next three years as part of a new labor agreement between the teachers union and the Petersburg School District. "I think we have a really good contract moving forward, so we're pretty happy with it," said Ginger Evens, ATP's representative during negotiations with the school district. The new contract will take effect in the fall of 2021 and span three school years through spring 2024. With each schoo...

  • Assembly adopts FY 2022 budget

    Brian Varela|Jun 10, 2021

    The Borough Assembly made five more amendments to the Petersburg Borough's fiscal year 2022 operating budget at their meeting on Monday before passing it in its third reading. The General Fund's revenues and expenditures equal $9,741,364 and is an overall increase of .39 percent from the 2021 fiscal year adopted budget. The recent amendments to the budget addressed a one time bonus to Emergency Operations Center staff, upgrades to two borough marine facilities, a funding source for the maintenan...

  • School News

    Jun 10, 2021

    Abbey Hardie was named to the Chancellor’s List attaining a grade point average of 4.0 during the Spring 2021 semester at the University of Alaska Southeast. Andrea Burt was named to the Dean’s List for the 2021 spring semester at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Gillian Wittstock was named to the Dean’s List at Gonzaga University for the 2021 spring semester....

  • $10,000 in cash for vaccinated residents

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    The Petersburg Borough is offering $10,000 in prizes to be distributed throughout the month of June as part of a program to encourage local residents who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 to get the shot. The Sleeves Up Petersburg drawing is sponsored by the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, though the funds were distributed through the Alaska Chamber. The program is part of a statewide campaign to increase the state's vaccination rate by 25 percent. The drawing is open...

  • Emergency declaration to end on June 30

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    The Borough Assembly passed a resolution at a special meeting on Tuesday that will terminate the local Disaster Emergency Declaration at 11:59 P.M. on June 30, which will also bring an end to all the local health mandates and orders and disband the Emergency Operations Center. "The whole purpose of the emergency declaration and the standing up of the EOC was to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and protect Petersburg residents," said Incident Commander Karl Hagerman. "At this point in time, I...

  • PMC hits highest revenue this year in April

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center had the highest gross patient revenue for a single month this fiscal year in April, according to financial statements presented at the PMC Board of Directors meeting May 27. "I'm going to hope that it's an upward trend that continues, but I think it's something to celebrate that the volumes in April and the gross revenue was at the highest we had this fiscal year," said Cynthia Brandt, a financial consultant for PMC. According to the financial data, which presents PMC...

  • Social studies teacher retires

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    Following a 26-year teaching career with the Petersburg School District, Ginger Evens turned in her keys to Petersburg High School on Tuesday, which marked the official start of her retirement. Evens, 49, first joined the school district in the fall of 1995, teaching geography and language arts at Mitkof Middle School. Eleven years later, she made the transition to the high school, but she did it alongside the class of 2010. Evens said it was a unique experience to be able to watch that class...

  • Call if you can, text if you can't; some residents can now text 911

    Jun 3, 2021

    Petersburg residents who have AT&T cell phones can text message local law enforcement in an emergency situation when they can't call 911, according to a press release from the Petersburg Police Department. The Text-to-911 program was created as a way to enhance the way residents reach out to law enforcement during an emergency. The service was part of a new E911 system that was purchased in November for a total of $372,454. A grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security covered...

  • Petersburg at one active case of COVID-19

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    One new case of COVID-19 was reported by Petersburg Medical Center on May 30 and is related to recent travel, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and PMC. The individual infected with the virus has been directed to isolate themselves. Public health officials are also expected to conduct contract tracing. Petersburg is currently reporting one active case of COVID-19, which is the case that was reported over the weekend. No other cases have been reported in the last week...

  • School News

    Jun 3, 2021

    Nathaniel Lenhard and Brynn Lister were named to the Dean’s List for spring semester at Montana State University....

  • Fallen soldiers remembered on Memorial Day

    Brian Varela|Jun 3, 2021

    About 50 people gathered together at the Petersburg Cemetery on Monday for the annual Memorial Day ceremony to honor the approximately 224 local veterans who have been laid to rest in the cemetery, according to local veteran Paul Anderson. The proceedings began with an opening prayer and was followed by a rendition of "America the Beautiful" lead by Pastor Nathan Lopez. He also led the crowd in singing "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)" at the end of the ceremony. Members of the Petersburg...

  • Class of 2021 graduates in traditional ceremony

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    The Petersburg High School Class of 2021 graduated on Monday, May 24 in an in-person ceremony before family and friends that was broadcast online in an event that was a return to tradition. Twenty-eight seniors received their diplomas on Monday, 20 of whom have plans to attend college immediately after high school or in the coming years. Jaden Perry and Mattias Volk will be enrolling in a trade school, and six other graduates have other plans or are undecided on what they will do next in life. I...

  • Kake Access road to be finished in October

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    Construction is underway on the Kake Access Road project, and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities estimates it will be completed by this fall. Project Manager Garrett Paul, with DOT, said contractors Kiewit Infrastructure West began mobilizing in Portage Bay on Kupreanof Island last summer. After breaking for winter, construction of the new roads began in April of this year. The project aims to establish a 39 mile roadway from Kake to Twelvemile Creek by connecting 21.6...

  • No sign of major outbreak due to LNF

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    Two new cases of COVID-19 were identified by Petersburg Medical Center this week, according to joint press releasees from the Petersburg Borough and PMC. The first case was identified on Monday. The individual was symptomatic at the time of testing and has been directed by public health officials to isolate themselves. The second cases was reported on Tuesday and is travel related. The individual tested positive for the virus upon arriving at the Petersburg Airport. Public heath officials have...

  • Assembly backs first steps of new hospital

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    The Borough Assembly passed a resolution at their May 17 meeting that supports Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors and PMC staff as they take a phased approach to planning and building a new hospital facility. PMC CEO Phill Hofstetter said potential funders of the new facility would be more likely to award grants and other financial support to PMC if the borough backed the project. In addition to the Borough Assembly officially supporting PMC's first phase of building a new facility,...

  • Assembly to consider ending local disaster declaration

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    The Borough Assembly will convene at a special meeting on Tuesday, June 1 to discuss whether or not to terminate the Local Disaster Emergency Declaration, which was activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If passed, resolution #2021-05 would end the Local Disaster Emergency Declaration at 11:59 P.M. on June 30. According to the resolution, any local health mandates and orders would also be terminated. The resolution directs the Emergency Operations Center to begin the process of...

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