Week of April 24, 2025
Week of April 24, 2025
Kinder Skog mentor and Mitkof Dance Troupe teacher Kaili Watkins has been named an Alaska Afterschool Superhero, one of five educators recognized across the state this year by the Alaska Afterschool Network. The press release on Monday described the recognition as "a highly competitive, statewide award that recognizes spectacular afterschool professionals ... Kaili has gone above and beyond in her role, building relationships and learning about the individual needs of youth." Watkins was...
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The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted Monday to direct Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht to enter into negotiations with Greg and Heidi Johnson for the sale of nine borough-owned lots intended for residential property development, effectively overriding a recommendation from the Petersburg Planning Commission. The properties in question include lots six through ten in block 255 of the Northeast Subdivision and lots two through five of the unrecorded Scenic View Subdivision. The Johnsons...
The Alaska Legislature has voted to uphold Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of a bill that would have significantly increased the funding formula for Alaska’s K-12 public schools. Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 69 last week, citing cost concerns and the lack of policy measures he endorsed. With the House and Senate meeting in joint session, the vote to override Dunleavy was 33-27, sustaining the veto. Forty of the Legislature’s 60 members were needed for an override. In its final version, HB 69... Full story
The Petersburg Borough is the closest it's been in years to owning a well-used portion of tidelands south of town. The State of Alaska is considering giving the borough ownership over specific tidelands on Mitkof Island, located dockside of the Papke's Landing neighborhood. The local borough has plans to develop the waterfront area and improve the infrastructure there for mariners. "We've got lots of ideas," said Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. "But it's just a matter of trying to make some...
WRANGELL — More than five dozen high school students from around Southeast, along with their art teachers, will be busy painting, inking, printing, beading, knitting and more during Artfest, a four-day series of workshops in Wrangell this week. Artfest will run Thursday through Sunday, April 24-27, at the high school, with an art show open to the public from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, said Tawney Crowley, the Wrangell School District’s art teacher. The festival for Southeast students started in...
Three sets of stairs have provided access from North Nordic Drive down to the beach near Hungry Point. A few years ago, the wooden stairs closest to town were replaced with new treated lumber. The middle set of stairs was blocked off to discourage use. And the third set of stairs, closest to Hungry Point, was determined to be hazardous and in need of removal or replacement. "We decided to do both!" Aaron Marohl, Petersburg's Assistant Public Works Director told the Pilot. The existing concrete...
Several shooting sports participants from Petersburg's Devil Thumb Shooters headed to Las Vegas March 21 through March 23 to compete in the Western Regionals. The tournament consisted of about 500 athletes, ranging from novice to collegiate shooters. Petersburg junior Serena Helms shot 90 in Trap. "A lot of it is a mental game so just trying to stay focused and when you miss one, don't focus on that, focus on shooting the next one," Helms said. "Have the same repetitive motion because the mount...
If you support To the Editor: Everyday we are barraged with the chaos that is the current administration. Take a hard look at how current policies are impacting most Americans. While some promises may sound appealing on the surface, the actual policies from this administration tell a different story. If you support lowering the deficit, know that this administration’s tax policies mostly benefit the wealthy and corporations, while adding trillions to the national debt. If you feel like waste, fraud and abuse should be addressed in our...
Fiscal conservatives like to say that Alaska has a spending problem. Solve it, cut programs, and the good tax-free life can continue — along with a fat Permanent Fund dividend every fall. The other side in the budget debate says the state has a revenue problem. They cite the political refusal to consider changes in oil taxes, mining taxes or corporate taxes, the rejection of a return to the pre-oil-days personal income tax, even the denial of an increase in the lowest-in-the-nation motor fuel tax rate. They say raise new revenues and a good...
April 24, 1925 – A number of property owners along the Scow Bay Road desire annexation to the city. This shows they are progressive and want to share in the benefits and also assume their share of the burden towards a greater Petersburg. It is the old story all over again – when a city is progressive and goes ahead, people can afford to pay taxes. Everything they own and possess increases proportionally in value. A residence or a piece of property without taxable value is of little benefit to the owner or anyone else. Petersburg is going...
More than 60 Petersburg community members gathered at Buschmann Park in the rain on Saturday, April 19 to participate in a nationwide "No Kings" day of action. Signs at the rally denounced the Trump administration's defiance of court orders regarding the illegal deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Supreme Court of the United States, in a decision earlier this month, described as having "been improperly sent to El Salvador." The Supreme Court ruling states, "to this day, the Government...
Friends gather for a photo after completing the 26th annual Beat the Odds – A Race Against Cancer 5K on Saturday at Sandy Beach. Proceeds from registration and donations all go to support Beat the Odds' local cancer related programs including treatment travel, equipment training, and other support for patients and their families. This year, Petersburg Mental Health Services provided a matching grant of $10,000 to encourage and amplify local giving. Over the 26 years that the Beat the Odds...
This vibrant rainbow spanning the mouth of Petersburg Creek was captured last Tuesday through the window of Scott Newman's Petersburg Flying Service...
April 16 - Suspicious activity was reported on Cornelius Road. The matter turned out to be civil. A report of fraud was taken by an officer. Suspicious activity was reported on S 3rd St. April 17 - Papers were served. Gwynne Jones, 55, was charged with alleged DUI. A welfare check was conducted on 2nd St. An officer assisted another agency in confirming an individual’s identity. An officer requested a registration check. A minor vehicle accident was reported. Parties will work it out amongst themselves. A dangerous driver was reported. The...
Petersburg Pilot... Full story
Petersburg Pilot... Full story
