News / Petersburg


Sorted by date  Results 990 - 1014 of 5574

Page Up

  • 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...

  • 1967 Shelby GT 350: A high performance investment

    Ron Loesch Publisher|May 27, 2021

    Tim and Polly Koeneman were looking for a fun performance car, in 2003 when they decided to steer away from "traditional investments," and purchased a 1967 Shelby American GT350 from Scott Steward, Secretary/Treasurer of Auto Purchasing Agency, Inc of Pasadena, California. Tim told the Pilot, "I have been following cars for a number of years and knew that Shelbys had kept their value well through the years since Shelby American quit producing the cars after the 1967 model year. "The 1967 model w...

  • SEAPA cable to be installed in July

    May 27, 2021

    On July 1, Southeast Alaska Power Agency will begin an eight day process of removing a damaged submarine cable and replacing it with a new triple conductor cable between Woronofski and Vank islands. Site preparation is expected to begin on June 1, with the removal of the faulty cable taking place one month later on July 1, said SEAPA CEO Trey Acteson at a Borough Assembly meeting on May 17. Crews will then begin laying about 3.5 miles of new cable. The manufacturing and the installation of the...

  • Tyee, Swan lake levels in good standing

    Brian Varela|May 27, 2021

    Above average snowpacks at Tyee and Swan Lakes and a slow temperature warm up in the region will likely keep Southeast Alaska Power Agency's hydroelectric facilities adequately supplied with water through the summer months. As of the Assembly Meeting on May 17, the water level at Tyee Lake was at approximately 1,350 feet, and Swan Lake was at about 315 feet of water, said SEAPA CEO Trey Acteson. Tyee Lake can handle another 40 feet of water before SEAPA will have to begin spilling water; Swan...

  • PCF awards $24,125 in local grants

    May 27, 2021

    The Petersburg Community Foundation (PCF) has recently awarded $24,125 in grants to local nonprofit organizations through its annual grant cycle, according to a press release. The 2021 grants were awarded to eight organizations in Petersburg across four categories. The Petersburg Community Foundation is one of 11 affiliates of the Alaska Community Foundation, which works towards strengthening communities through grants each year. The Petersburg Rainforest Festival was awarded a $1,019 grant for...

  • School News

    May 27, 2021

    Shalie Dahl graduated May 8, 2021 from Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas in a joint commencement for both 2020 and 2021 graduates. Her major is Health and Physical Education Teaching PreK-12....

  • FY2022 budget goes to third reading

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    The borough's proposed fiscal year 2022 operating budget was passed in its second reading by the Borough Assembly at their meeting on Monday. The assembly didn't make any amendments to the budget on Monday, but they did discuss a previous amendment that raised KFSK's community service funding request from $32,000 to $35,000. The assembly also discussed removing $650,000 from the motor pool budget that was set aside for the purchase of a new fire engine for the Petersburg Volunteer Fire...

  • Frederick Point East boundary up to voters

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    The Borough Assembly passed an ordinance in its third reading on Monday that will give voters the final say in whether or not the Frederick Point East (FPE) Subdivision should be removed from the boundaries of Service Area One. Ordinance #2020-08 barely passed with a 4-3 vote and puts proposition #1 on the municipal election ballot in October for voters to decide whether the subdivision should be removed from service Area One. Assembly members against the ordinance cited lower assessed property...

  • Two positive Covid-19 cases in one week

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    Following the Little Norway Festival, Petersburg has reported two new cases of COVID-19, according to joint press releases from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The first positive case was reported on May 15. The individual was a non-resident who had traveled to Petersburg earlier in the week and tested positive for COVID-19 at the James A. Johnson Airport, according to a joint press release. The results of the COVID-19 test came back after the infected individual had...

  • Local youth receive Pfizer vaccine

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter said at the COVID-19 community update on May 14 that kids as young as 12 years old had received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a small vaccination clinic that same day. An advisory committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted in favor of recommending the Pfizer vaccination to children as young as 12 years old just two days before. The vaccine had previously been available for children 16 years old and older....

  • Assembly term limits fall flat

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    An ordinance that would have asked voters if they wanted to impose term limits on Borough Assembly members was struck down by the Borough Assembly at their Monday meeting in a 6-1 vote. Ordinance #2021-10 would have limited assembly members to two consecutive full terms; however, following a break in service of at least one full term, the individual could again seek reelection. Following the two full terms of service, the assembly member could also serve as mayor for one term but would have to t...

  • DMV meets needs with two day work week

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    Although the Petersburg Division of Motor Vehicles location is only opened two days each week, and the Wrangell location is opened three days a week, Kay Hanke, a public information officer with the Alaska Department of Administration (DOA), said DMV staff are able to sufficiently meet the demand for services. In 2019, the Petersburg office processed 3,688 transactions, and the Wrangell office processed 2,608 transactions, said Hanke. In addition to in-person services, the public has access to m...

  • Rental relief payments are going out

    Larry Persily and Ron Loesch|May 20, 2021

    As of Wednesday morning, nearly half of the 118 Petersburg applications for financial help with rent and utilities had been approved or were pending a final decision, according to the state agency running the federally funded program. Stacy Barnes, AHFC Director, Governmental Relations & Public Affairs emailed the Pilot that 52 of the applications had been approved and $94,192 has been paid to Petersburg landlords and utility companies. The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. received about 30,000...

  • Pilots fly over LNF to remember Butch Williams

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    Just before the start of the Little Norway Festival parade at 4 P.M. on May 14, four pilots flew float planes over the downtown area in remembrance of aviation pioneer John "Butch" Williams, who operated Kupreanof Flying Service in Petersburg. Before Williams passed away on July 31, 2020, he entrusted his aircraft N9950N, a 1975 Cessna 180 known as "Puddle Jumper," to his longtime friend David Doyon Sr., according to David Doyon Jr. in a letter to the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. Williams...

  • 63rd Little Norway Festival

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    The winners The top Chamber of Commerce raffle winner of $1,500 was Sandy Volk. The second place prize of $500 went to Heidi Lee. Shopping cart race results: 10-13 year old bracket: Tyson Reid. 19-64 year old bracket: Alex. The 65 years and older bracket: Dave Berg. Lil' Fisk Derby: Braelyn Caulum Little Norway "Lop the Loop" Run/Walk: Biking first place: Cadence Flint. Biking second place: Ariel Tucker. Biking third place: Frey Tucker. Running first place women: Ginger Evens. Running second...

  • Graduation returns to a level of normality

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    Petersburg High School seniors will again be sitting in the back of trucks and hanging out of car windows while the public cheers them on as they make their way through town as part of this year's graduation parade, which will follow an in-person graduation event on Monday, May 24. The graduation festivities will begin on Thursday, May 20, with the virtual, local scholarship awards ceremony. Residents and businesses will record videos of themselves presenting the scholarships to the recipients...

  • PHS senior accepted to Ivy League university

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    When Lydia Martin got her admission letter from Columbia University, she didn't open it right away. She had just been turned down by two other universities and couldn't take anymore disappointment. Then the following day during first period, she decided to read the university's response which told her she got in. "It was really surprising," said Martin, who will be entering the Ivy League university in New York as an earth science major. "I had been holding out a bit of hope to get in obviously....

  • A quiet class of 28 to graduate on Monday

    Brian Varela|May 20, 2021

    The Petersburg High School Class of 2021 will be receiving their diplomas in a ceremony similar to years past. Although this class of graduating seniors is made up of just 28 students, PHS Principal Rick Dormer said they're a class that is bound to do great things in the future. In 2020, 36 seniors graduated from PHS, and about 40 graduated the year before that. The larger classes easily made their presence known in the high school. But the 2021 class is different. Dormer said this year's...

  • PMC seeks assembly support of new facility

    Brian Varela|May 13, 2021

    The Borough Assembly and Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors held a work session on May 5 to discuss the next steps in the hospital's goal of building a new facility. Following the completion of a master plan document, PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter said the project would move forward in phases as the hospital works to secure funding in the form of grants. The immediate next steps include conducting a geotechnical study, selecting a location to build the hospital and creating a shovel-ready...

  • Local mail now processed in Juneau

    Brian Varela|May 13, 2021

    Due to faulty postmark equipment at the Petersburg Post Office, local mail is now being processed in Juneau before reaching their in-town destinations, according to James Boxrud, a spokesperson with the United States Postal Service. Because the postmark equipment is so outdated, parts are no longer available to make it operational again. Boxrud said the current equipment will not be replaced, so from now on, all mail, including packages, will be postmarked in Juneau before being processed for...

Page Down