Articles written by Mary Koppes
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 304
By 
Residents voice concerns about land exchange
Over 20 people assembled at the SONS last Thursday evening for a presentation and Q&A with representatives of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office (TLO). The representatives stressed their desire for a land exchange to pass via federal legislat...
U.S. House Rep challenger visits Petersburg
U.S. House Representative candidate Steve Lindbeck made his first visit to Little Norway last Friday to meet with residents and try to convince local voters to cast their ballots in his favor....
Students and staff work on dress code
A group of students at Petersburg High School have proposed wording changes to the school’s dress code policy related to yoga pants and leggings. Principal Rick Dormer presented the proposal to the school board at its Oct. 11 meeting alongside... Full story
Battle over Borough land sale continues in meeting
The Planning and Zoning Commission spent a significant amount of time at their Oct. 25 meeting on the issue of the Borough’s proposed land sale of Lot 10 in the 900 block of Sandy Beach Road. Votes to vacate a portion of a public easement on the... Full story
Proposed PIA trail goes back to drawing board
Susan Harai, engineer for Petersburg Indian Association (PIA), informed the Planning Commission at their Tuesday meeting that a previously proposed trail to connect the Severson subdivision to the...
Oktoberfest celebrates 40 years of community
The community gym was bustling for the better part of Saturday as over 50 food, art and craft vendors set up booths and sold their wares at the 40th annual Oktoberfest Art Share. The event is coordina...
Lady Vikings go 4-1 in Klawock seeding tourney
Petersburg’s volleyball team traveled to Klawock last Wednesday, facing off against six 2A teams in three days as part of the first regional seeding tournament of the season. Head Coach Jaime Cabral said despite some players dealing with injuries...
This year's $2,072 PFD is highest ever
This year's Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) will be $2,072. That's the highest on record not adjusting for inflation, though qualified residents received a $2,069 PFD in 2008 alongside a $1,200... Full story
SEC to push for independent marine transportation board
Following their annual meeting last week in Prince Rupert, the Southeast Conference (SEC) will be going back to their transportation lobbying roots. The organization was formed in 1958 to lobby for a regional transportation system—now known as the...
Freeze it, dry it, can it:
Preserving the local bounty harvested from the sea or the land, from the wild or from one's garden, is a great way to ensure you eat well over the winter months when markedly less is growing and the...
Nostalgia meets efficiency in Knight's design
Upon entering Casey Knight's newly built home, visitors are greeted with a flood of natural light entering from a wall of west-facing windows and a sense of spaciousness created by high vaulted...
Beyond cats and dogs:
Many are familiar with the image of a homeowner being greeted by their dog's wagging tail or their feline's purr upon arriving home, but increasingly people are being greeted by feathered friends as...
Locals express frustration with Kake Road project development
About 15 Petersburg and Kupreanof residents attended a meeting last Thursday night to hear about and voice their opinions on recent developments on the Kake Access road project. Meeting attendees... Full story
Assembly apprised of liability coverage, gaps for harbor use
Sue Erickson of Petersburg-Wrangell Insurance gave an overview of the Borough’s liability insurance coverage at Thursday’s regular Assembly meeting. The Borough’s insurance has been provided by Alaska Public Entities Insurance for over a... Full story
Brazilian exchange student experiences life in small-town Alaska
Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil-the largest city in the Americas with a population of almost 12 million-Carolina Macluf is settling into life in small town Alaska as this year's in-bound Rotary...
Resolution to address 'Roadless' ruling fails to get needed Assembly support
Three concerned Petersburg and Kupreanof residents spoke out against a resolution being considered as part of last Thursday’s Borough Assembly agenda. Though three Assembly members—Mayor Mark Jensen, Bob Lynn, Nancy Strand—voted in fav or of...
Cemetery fee increase advances; Assembly considers accessible fishing dock project
The Borough Assembly voted unanimously to approve new columbarium fees and increases to other cemetery fees as part of an ordinance passed on its first reading last Thursday. The ordinance includes language changes to reflect Borough incorporation...
Icicle Seafoods sale cancelled
Icicle Seafoods owner Paine & Partners announced Sept. 4 that the sale of the company to buyers Dominion Catchers, LLC and Convergence Holdings, Inc. has been cancelled. The sale was anticipated to close in August and was announced in late June.... Full story
Swan Lake roof bid awarded by SEAPA board
In a special meeting on July 7, board members of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) met to discuss two items. The board voted to award a bid not to exceed $396,080 for the Swan Lake Powerhouse Roof Membrane Project to the Sitka-based company... Full story
Assembly to consider cemetery fee increases
An ordinance changing the language and fee structure of cemetery services will go before the Assembly at today’s regular meeting. The changes are both to reflect Borough incorporation and to establish fees to place an urn in one of the 320 burial...
One arrested, three suspected, in conjunction with local psilocybin grow operation
Petersburg police have been investigating a local commercial psilocybin—hallucinogenic mushroom—grow operation. So far one of three suspects, 19-year-old Anthony Curtiss, has been arrested and indicted on charges related to the case. Curtiss was...
Former PFI worker sentenced for disorderly conduct
Former PFI worker Mark Diega, 50, of Chula Vista, Calif., pled guilty to an amended, misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct on Aug. 28 at a proceeding before Superior Court Judge William Carey. He... Full story
Late August rains break records
Heavy rains last Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29, broke precipitation records for those respective days, according to National Weather Service data. Residents braved a rainy Friday which saw... Full story
Medical center shower room project progress with Paddle Battle funds
Construction on a new tub and shower room in the Long Term Care unit at Petersburg Medical Center will begin this month. “We’ve had our contractor and architect look at the project,” said Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner. “We’re...
Voters to consider financial disclosure for a second time
The Petersburg Borough Assembly met on Thursday, Aug. 20, instead of their regularly Monday meeting, and took on a light agenda. An ordinance to create a local exemption to the state’s financial disclosure requirement for some public officials pass... Full story
