Sorted by date Results 676 - 700 of 851
And the contract goes to . . . Viking Lumber. Hoooooray! It’s wonderful to witness in this day and age a Prince of Wales Island sawmill win the Big Thorne stewardship contract. The mill has survived the industry’s ups and downs, and with a continuing supply of timber, will continue to process logs in southern Southeast Alaska. The sale is designed to provide timber as soon as possible to the mill. The initial small volume of timber will be followed by two smaller volumes to be announced later. This contract should help to secure the mil...
Seniors not wanted To the Editor: The upcoming election contains a number of tax propositions directed at our elderly population. The harshest most egregious of these is proposition 4. This tax law is not a law recommended by the tax committee. I repeat “not’’. It is to all appearances, a law made up by the three people that were recently on the radio, promoting it. By the way not one advocate for the elderly was on this program and the entire law was not put before the public. Kudos to our Mayor the only Assembly member to call in (He is vo...
In addition to selecting members for the Borough Assembly, school board, hospital board and other boards and commissions, voters will determine the fate of six ballot propositions. We encourage the passage of proposition 1 which exempts municipal officers and elected officials from the State financial disclosure law. While some borough elected officials found the law easy to comply with, others refused to file for elective office because of the requirement. Petersburg has been exempt from the law’s requirements for decades and it has caused n...
Study finds youth who have used e-cigarettes are likely to smoke conventional cigarettes To the Editor: More than a quarter of a million youth who had never smoked a cigarette used electronic cigarettes in 2013, according to a CDC study published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. This number reflects a three-fold increase, from about 79,000 in 2011, to more than 263,000 in 2013. The increasing number of young people who use e-cigarettes should be a concern for parents and the public health community, especially since youth e-cigaret...
Trimming trees would improve outdoor experience To the Editor: I like trees but I think its time to start thinning out some of the jungle that is now covering Mitkof Island. We used to have a beautiful cemetery that was such a scenic spot to view from boats going by. Because of high trees blocking sunlight the once beautiful lawn is now never dry and moss has taken over. One now cannot use the benches for taking in the spectacular views because of the advancing jungle. Wrangell Narrows is one of the most scenic waterways on earth but unless you...
Let your voice be hard To the Editor: I’m writing to remind people who are concerned about the proposed Kake-to-Petersburg road that the comments deadline for this stage of the process is September 30th. There are a number of reasons City of Kupreanof residents don’t want a road that might actually violate our local ordinance and ingress into our community, but we believe residents on the other side of the Narrows ought to be concerned, too. The waterfront opposite Petersburg would be forever altered. State roads are not skinny little tra...
To the Editor: True Tongass ‘transition’ would increase local jobs per log cut. In its latest statement on the direction of the much-awaited Tongass transition, the Forest Service says the future is now for the Tongass National Forest. We couldn’t agree more, and we’re happy to see the agency working with local people to chart a course toward a more prosperous and sustainable future for Southeast Alaskan communities. But if local stakeholder consensus is the goal, the Forest Service’s decision to include industrial-scale old-growth timber sa...
Leikarring dance performance To the Editor: Thursday, July 31, as a passenger aboard the American Spirit at the Petro Dock, I was privileged to enjoy a performance by your Leikarring Dancers. As a retired educator from Florida, I have seen "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Thursday, I saw only the good of these wonderful kids. I said that night, and I say it here, again: "If these kids are the future of Petersburg, then the future of Petersburg is as bright as the sun that shown down on us that day." Tom Welsh Salisbury, Md....
Library Programming To the Editor: Thank you to everyone for your support and understanding as we continue to grow into our new facility and redesign our community programming. There seem to be a few misperceptions about the age ranges for some of the programs that we would like to clarify. The Amazing Rainforest Race is actually open to all ages, and everyone is encouraged to sign up. The Children's Storytime on Thursdays at 2 pm is for all children ages 3 to 7, and the science classes are open for kids grades 1-8 (2014-15). The Reading...
Ravens Roost Trail opens To the Editor: On Monday evening my dogs and I were able to enjoy our first “official” walk up the completed first leg of Petersburg’s brand new Raven Trail, located between Sandy Beach Park and Ravens Roost Trail. As luck would have it we bumped into the project’s manager Brad Hunter, USFS Petersburg Ranger District Recreation /Wilderness Staff Officer, as he and his wife Sharon made his final inspection and had the opportunity to personally thank him for a job well done. Most of us realize it takes years of dedicat...
Disappointed with Borough Assembly To the Editor: I am very disappointed in the Petersburg Borough Assembly's decision making. Our hospital is as important to us as the fire department and the library and not asking for near as much support. Being the hospital landlord, it just stands to reason that the Borough is responsible for the upkeep when the hospital needs help. I think some of the assembly members are confused about senior citizens, too. Some of us are dependent on Social Security and not of the independent wealthy group. Maybe some...
The Petersburg Medical Center board and their hospital administrator continue their push to have their cake and eat it too. While they want to maintain their autonomy from borough oversight, they want the borough assembly to open the purse strings and fund capital projects for the facility. We don’t think that’s going to happen and we side with the assembly majority who denied PMC’s funding assistance at the most recent assembly meeting. The PMC board had requested $21,900 to repair a leaking exhaust stack. Up to this point, PMC has paid for r...
Keep moving, Petersburg To the Editor: Petersburg Mental Health staff is grateful for the generous people that made the second annual Pedometer Challenge happen. We couldn't have done it without Mark Kubo’s amazing tracking skills, Erin Michael and Colleen Jaeger at Public Health serving as the distribution center, local businesses (Hammer and Wikan and Skate of Gear) for their contribution, and the Petersburg Indian Association for providing amazing grand prizes. Thanks to you and to all the participants. Petersburg's entire step count during...
Recently, a reader suggested we should just print news about Petersburg in this newspaper. He was concerned about coverage of a court case that was published in both the Petersburg Pilot and the Wrangell Sentinel. Both newspapers printed several reports of the incident as charges were filed and the case moved through the judicial system. The writer suggested that we participated in mudslinging. We printed the public record that came from prosecutors and the court system. Both newspapers print the court news regularly. We never considered those...
Look at the facts To the Editor: Papac Alaska Logging, Inc. (PAL) worked on Kupreanof Island, Lindenberg Peninsula, from April through November last year, on the U.S. Forest Service Tonka Timber Sale and is currently working this site. It has been brought to our attention that there is a misconception that we are not supporting local business or contributing positively to the Petersburg community. Our company, as well as the timber fallers of Timberwolf Cutting, is based out of Craig, on Prince of Wales Island, only a short distance south of...
Hats off to Stan Hjort To the Editor: I would like to recognize Stan Hjort who escorted three Petersburg WWII veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that were built in their honor. Stan called me and inquired about the trip, and after explaining to him how it all worked, he recruited and signed up the three guys and worked hard with us to schedule and coordinate it all, which was not an easy task. The community should be proud to have someone like Stan among them. We take our hat off to Stan and thank him for his service and...
Shortly after Glo Wollen was named harbormaster, she stood before the city council and advised them that the North Boat Harbor was one storm away from breaking loose and floating into Wrangell Narrows. That body took her seriously. Today, the 56-year old harbor is history. The new harbor features roomier berths, better fire protection, upgraded water and power services and is a facility worthy of Petersburg’s hard-working fleet. With the opening of the brand new North Harbor, we take note that this was one of the smoothest construction p...
Vision for the Petersburg Borough To the Editor: I see a diverse population living in relative harmony, made up of people who respect the opinions and beliefs of others even if they disagree with a viewpoint or don’t share the belief. A community where cooperation and compromise for the common good is the norm. I see a borough that lives in harmony with its environment. One that uses resources in a sustainable way to allow its residents to make a reasonable and fulfilling living. Supporting, but not subsidizing, fishing, timber harvest, r...
Operation Cup of Cheer Letter to the Editor: Thank you to everyone who donated to the Operation Cup of Cheer effort this winter. Over 150 mugs and over 500 coffee, cocoa, and cider packets were sent to Afghanistan to show Petersburg's support of our troops. Gabe reports that the cups of cheer are still in use and greatly appreciated. This small request for 18 mugs turned into something amazing because of the generosity of so many. Another effort for Operation Cup of Cheer (for those serving in a different location) is currently under way. If...
The Thomas Bay Power Authority needs to censure its president, James Stough, for his action two weeks ago that ordered, via letter, the end of negotiations to allow the Southeast Alaska Power Agency to take over operations at the Tyee Lake Hydroelectric Project. Stough took the action without the approval and in some cases without the knowledge of his fellow commission members. It was an irresponsible move and he had no authority to carry it out without the joint approval of his fellow TBPA commissioners. Again, without the support of fellow...
Aluminum and Petersburg Scout Programs To the Editor: The Cub, Boy and Girl Scout programs of Petersburg would like to thank all those individuals who have supported these programs through the years by recycling their aluminum. With the start of the new Petersburg Borough co-mingling of all recyclable materials, we have noticed a significant drop in the amount of aluminum being recycled for the Petersburg scout programs at our bins located at the baler facility. I realize it is far, far easier to just dump everything into one bag and set it...
National Volunteer Appreciation Week To the Editor: This week, April 6-12, is National Volunteer Appreciation Week. There can't be many people in our little town who don't know someone who gives freely of his or her time and talents to make someone else's life brighter. Petersburg Medical Center alone has thirteen people who have gone through the extra training and screening to become "official" volunteers, and more than 60 others who have helped out in Long Term Care to brighten the lives of our residents. And that is just here in the...
The purchase of the state’s largest daily newspaper by an on-line only publication, Alaska Dispatch proves that print is not dead. Newspapers and other publications have value and they drive sales for brick and mortar stores and for on-line enterprises. An Alaska Dispatch editor said the purchase of the Anchorage Daily News would give the Dispatch, “a chance for us to get even more reporters on the ground and do more journalism.” They could hire a lot of reporters for the ADN purchase price of $34 million, so it appears the revenue gener...
Thank you Petersburg Indian Association To the Editor: Without the foresight and initiative to begin a voluntary curbside recycling program many years ago, many things would not have happened in Petersburg. Many different tribal members would not have had jobs over the years, faithfully picking up recycling from environmentally aware volunteer recyclers on a weekly basis. As the Borough introduces and welcomes Wes and Angie Davis, owners of Ruger’s Trucking, as our new recycling collection contractor I want to recognize and thank PIA, and t...
