Articles written by aiden luhr


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  • PHS swim enters 2024 season with championship aspirations

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Sep 5, 2024

    The 2024 Petersburg high school swim season is now underway. Coming off a season in 2023 where they made the state championships, the Vikings are looking to return to the championship meet in Anchorage, Alaska. In 2023, there were only two members of the team, now junior swimmers- Brooklyn Whitethorn and Logan Tow. This year, the Vikings have eight total members on the team. What I'm most excited about is "having relays because I have four boys and four girls now," this year is going to be way m...

  • PHS cross country starts the season fast in the Petersburg XC Invitational

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 29, 2024

    Petersburg High School's cross country team raced out to a strong start to the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 24, in Petersburg. In a meet that included Sitka, Wrangell, Ketchikan, Juneau-Douglas, Skagway and Craig, the boys placed fourth out of seven teams. The girls placed second out of four teams. Head coach Casey Gates was very pleased with his team's performance during the first meet of the season. "I'm very excited and happy with how today went and also with the outlook of the season, I...

  • Uke'a Ladies bring sweet sounds to Saturday market

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 22, 2024

    The sound of plucked strings and women's voices singing in unison could be heard at the outdoor Market in Petersburg on Sat. Aug. 17. The performers were a six-person ensemble known as the Uke'a Ladies. The group formed last summer thanks to music lessons offered at Petersburg's music store Bearing Song and Gifts. "I was advertising that I wanted to do a ukulele drop-in group, and [Danielle MacPhee] was my first person to come in for the ukulele class," said Sarah Hofstetter, owner of Bearing...

  • Capitol Christmas tree will come from the Tongass

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 22, 2024

    A sitka spruce from the Wrangell Ranger District was selected to represent Alaska as the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas tree. "This is the first time the Capitol Christmas tree has come from the Tongass National Forest," Public Affairs and Partnerships staff officer Paul Robbins Jr. told the Pilot in an email. According to Robbins Jr., the tree will be transported over 900 miles by sea and 2,899-mile cross country to Washington D.C. Alaskans have been asked to provide over 10,000 handmade...

  • Contaminating recycling bins with garbage causes whole bales of recyclables to end up in landfill

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 15, 2024

    Fish and deer carcasses, propane bottles, and glass, all of these nonrecyclable items have shown up in the Petersburg Borough Sanitation Department's comingled recycling bins. Commingled means customers' recyclable materials don't need to be sorted into plastic, aluminum, paper, etc. However, the recycling must be clean and free of food and debris. Glass is not recyclable in Petersburg. But there are glass drop-off locations for the public at the baler and at Public Works. "At 303 South 2nd Stre...

  • Wrangell's Rally for Cancer fundraiser generates over $20,000 to provide cancer care travel grants

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 15, 2024

    ​​The annual Rally for Cancer Care Golf tournament, also known as Fun and Frolic, was held Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Muskeg Meadows, in Wrangell.​​ This year Desi Burrell and 39 other women from Petersburg went to Wrangell to participate in the annual event. This isn't your normal golf tournament; no score is kept and no skill is required by participants. "It keeps getting better every year," Burrell said. "If you've never golfed in your life, you could still have a really good time. There w...

  • Beth Flor: Petersburg's painter of light and shadows

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 8, 2024

    Beth Flor took her first ever drawing class during her sophomore year of college. She had enrolled in the class because she needed one more credit and she had enjoyed drawing when she was little. That first art class made such an impression on her, she considered changing her major from social work to art. Her art teacher from that class confronted Flor with some tough advice that has stuck with her all these years. She remembers him saying, "You'll never be great, but if you work hard, you'll...

  • With high expectations set, the Vikings set their eyes on claiming two Division III titles

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Aug 8, 2024

    The 2024 Cross Country season has officially begun. Coming off of his first season as a head coach, Casey Gates believes this year's team could do something special. "I think the sky's the limit for us, I think we can have a very successful season," Gates said. Gates is eager to see what the talented newcomers increasing the roster on the girls team might mean for this year. "I'm excited about our girls' team this season, mostly because we're bringing in some talented freshmen and we're going...

  • Triathlete completes a personal best during the 2024 Summer Sprint Triathlon

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 25, 2024

    Triathlete Dustin Barber competed in Petersburg's Summer Sprint Triathlon last Saturday, running a personal best for himself, finishing with a time of 69 minutes and 18 seconds – an improvement from 2023 when Barber completed the triathlon in 71 minutes and 46 seconds. The summer triathlon consisted of a 500-yard pool swim, then a 10-mile bike ride and a 5k run to finish everything off. Unfortunately, Barber was the only competitor in this year's race. "I expected eight," Aquatic Supervisor S...

  • Artist residing in Long Term Care spreads joy through colorful paintings

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 18, 2024

    Former photographer and current sketcher and painter Ron Hall is having his first big art show called "Colors Speak To Me," on display July 22 through July 31 at the Clausen Memorial Museum. Ron began his art career as an aerial photographer. "I took aerial photos for the Forest Service in Southeast Alaska, California and Florida," said Hall. After moving into Petersburg Medical Center's Long Term Care several years ago, Hall took up sketching and eventually painting as a hobby. Hall has been...

  • Rebecca Fisher wins gold at the 2024 Indigenous Summer Games

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 11, 2024

    Petersburg's Rebecca Fisher, a 17-year old competitor in Native Youth Olympics, brought home a gold medal this month from the 2024 Indigenous Summer Games in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. In addition to winning gold, Fisher also claimed two silver and two bronze medals. To qualify for the Summer Games in Canada, Fisher first competed at the Traditional Games in Juneau, Alaska. When Fisher found out she qualified, she thought she was being pranked. "I was getting ready for my...

  • Pedal/Paddle Battle aims to raise $24,000 to support local education and medical employees

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 11, 2024

    The Pedal/Paddle battle will be returning for its 10th year in Petersburg, Alaska. After raising $20,400 for education in 2023, the Petersburg Medical Center is aiming higher this time. "Our goal this year is $24,000 because it's 2024, we're shooting big," Community Wellness Manager Julie Walker said. In 2023, PMC gave out four scholarships, three to Petersburg High School graduates and one to a PMC nursing student. However, there's more to these scholarships. "We can offer a lot of money to...

  • Oregon State University researchers bring Petersburg's seventh grade students to LeConte Glacier

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 11, 2024

    Located midway down the Southeast panhandle is LeConte Glacier. Since the 1980s, Petersburg has sent high school students to LeConte Glacier to measure how it has shifted over time. The late Paul Bowen conducted the first survey in 1983 and it has been a community-driven science study since. On June 14, 2024, a group of 7th-grade students got to go out to LeConte Glacier with Oregon State University scientists. This was somewhat of a rare occurrence as Glaciologist Erin Pettit and Oceanographer...

  • The Hospital Guild Charity Box:

    Aiden Luhr|Jul 4, 2024

    The Petersburg Hospital Guild is a non-profit organization that was established in 1937. Since the beginning, the Hospital Guild has operated the Charity Box thrift shop – currently located on First Street behind the visitor center and open on Mondays all summer. “We only use it in the summer because it has no heat,” Hospital Guild President Tekla Israelson said. “You couldn’t comfortably work here during the winter.” Every person who works at the thrift store is a volunteer and a member of t...

  • Norwegians resisted the Nazis

    Aiden Luhr|Jun 27, 2024

    The Norwegian Resistance during World War II was a dark time for Norway. From 1940 to 1945, thousands of Norwegians fought in this movement against Nazi Germany. The Norwegians gained independence in 1905, but when Nazi Germany invaded, the Norwegians had to do everything they could to maintain their national identity and solidarity. On Thursday, June 27, at the Petersburg Public Library, there will be an opportunity to learn and discuss the Norwegian Resistance when Don Pugnetti Jr. talks...

  • Compass Cookery: Petersburg newest food vendor

    Aiden Luhr|Jun 27, 2024

    Compass Cookery launched on May 17, 2024, striving to bring global flavors to Petersburg, Alaska. For Jessica Hawley, owner of Compass Cookery, her new food venture has been a long time coming as Hawley has been wanting to start her own business but found the right opportunity just now. "There's not as much competition so people are excited about new food in town," Hawley said. Compass Cookery brings a unique twist to Petersburg...the twist being that each month has its food theme. "I like varie...

  • The history of Petersburg is printed in the newspapers

    Aiden Luhr|Jun 27, 2024

    If you're looking for a place to conduct research or write and are curious to learn more about family history, look no further than the research and communication room at the Clausen Memorial Museum. "This year we've had four different families come in and use [the research and communication center]. We're very excited about that," Director of Clausen Memorial Museum Maureen Floyd told the Pilot. The public had been searching for a place to research, write, look up history. So, Floyd and...

  • Summertime Fun:

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot writer|Jun 20, 2024

    Clausen Museum is set to unveil their inaugural summer-themed exhibit called "Summertime Fun," on Mon., June 25. "It's basically how people in Petersburg enjoy the summer over the years," Director of Clausen Memorial Museum Maureen Floyd said. The summer exhibit will include artifacts such as an old ice cream maker, wedding dress, fishing rod, an old backpack and more. In addition, the exhibit will include historic photos and articles of people having fun during the summer in Petersburg. Floyd...