Articles from the January 23, 2014 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 24 of 24

  • More than 600 residents sign up for recycling

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    With less than two weeks to go before the borough’s recycling program begins, more than half of residential customers have signed up. As of Tuesday morning, 630 people signed up for the program, roughly 57 percent of total residential customers. According to a report Public Works Director Karl Hagerman presented to the borough assembly in October, the community needs to increase its recycling rate to at least 30 percent—roughly 760 tons of material—to pay for the program. The more the community recycles, the less the borough has to pay for s...

  • Winter moonrise

    Jan 23, 2014

  • Hawai'i Police discover body of missing Petersburg resident

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    The Hawai’i Police Department announced yesterday that a body found January 2 in Kalapana is that of missing Petersburg man Boaz Johnson. A Hawai’i police media release states police determined Johnson ended his own life after he strangled his girlfriend, Brittany-Jane Royal, whose body was discovered last May by fishermen in line along waters off the coast of Kalapana. “A composition book was found near Johnson’s body,” the media release states. “In three handwritten pages, the writer—who identified himself as Boaz Johnson—confe... Full story

  • Locals speak up in defense of commercial salvaging

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Full story

  • Yesterday's News

    Jan 23, 2014

    January 24, 1914 – The Firemen's Athletic Club completed its organization this week, leased the Enge Hall and started to install the paraphernalia for almost a complete gymnasium. The large hall-skating rink-is well proportioned in many respects, specially for basket, indoor foot-ball and hand-ball. An occasional dance shall be given, the revenues of which shall be applied to the payment of hall rental and other expenses. The members of the club, at their last meeting elected the following named officers: Martin Kildall, Pres., J. Brennan, V...

  • Petersburg hosts first ever derby scrimmage

    Orin Pierson|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg's Ragnarøk Rollers hosted the Wrangell's Garnet Grit Betties and Ketchikan's Rainforest Rollergirls for a big roller derby weekend in Petersburg; consisting of skills workshops, referee training, and a two-hour scrimmage in front of a packed house of fans cheering for their favorite roller girls. The event was a milestone for the new derby squad, most of whom donned skates for the first time in October 2012 when they travelled to Wrangell for their first derby boot camp. Building... Full story

  • Parks and recreation director seeks public assistance to curb vandalism

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg Parks and Recreation staff is reaching out to the community for information related to recent vandalism at the Mort Fryer Sports Park. Donnie Hayes, parks and rec director, said the most recent bout of vandalism will cost more than $500 and eat up valuable staff time. "For us in parks and recreation it (the ball field) is the facility that gets vandalized the most," Hayes said. "There's a lot of use out of these facilities but when we're spending hours and hours trying to fix the...

  • Editorial: Local superintendent search effort breaks the mold

    Ron Loesch Publisher|Jan 23, 2014

    Too often elected officials are turning their administrative hiring duties over to corporate head-hunter organizations which advertise and screen candidates to fill positions for city managers, hospital administrators, police chiefs and school superintendents. We applaud the Petersburg school board for breaking the mold, by conducting the hiring process in-house. Their current superintendent Rob Thomason will write and publish the advertisements, screen resumes, post the hiring timeline, schedule telephone and in-person interviews and then...

  • Community discussion website launched

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg Borough has launched a new comprehensive community engagement website (http://petersburgborough.mindmixer.com), developed by MindMixer, where citizens can engage, communicate and collaborate with community decision makers and other residents on the future of our community. The goal is to get the community involved in the upcoming planning process. Along the way, this will be used as an online tool to generate new ideas and feedback from citizens using this interactive and accessible new platform. Feedback from the engagement website...

  • Police reports

    Jan 23, 2014

    January 15 A caller reported an individual taking property from location. January 16 A caller reported concern for an intoxicated individual. An officer responded to report of an inebriated individual. January 17 A caller reported fraudulent use on their credit card. A caller reported a dog continually barking. Officers received a report of a vehicle speeding up a hill almost hitting a car. January 18 A caller reported a loud commotion going on. An officer responded to report of suspicious activity on Sandy Beach Road. A caller reported...

  • Spelling Bee champs

    Jan 23, 2014

  • Courts

    Jan 23, 2014

    January 21 Clifton Gudgle appeared telephonically before Superior Court Judge Carey on a charge of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree. The court entered a not-guilty plea on the defendant’s behalf. Gudgle was excused upon conditions of release. Ayla Haerling appeared telephonically before Superior Court Judge Carey on a charge of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree. The court entered a not-guilty plea on the defendant’s behalf. The defendant was excused upon conditions of release. Wil...

  • Citizen tip aids police in apprehending man who escaped from custody

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg police apprehended Chase Martin, 19, last Friday evening from a residence on Lumber Street after he escaped custody earlier in the week. Chief Kelly Swihart said an officer originally arrested Martin Tuesday evening on charges of Theft and Violating Conditions of Release. He later complained of a medical issue so the officer escorted Martin to Petersburg Medical Center where he then fled and escaped at about 10:30 p.m. Swihart said police issued a $25,000 outstanding arrest warrant. Officers also became aware that local residents...

  • Borough appeals stay of demolition for Wrangell Avenue home

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg Public Works staff is delaying the demolition of the building owned by Fred Triem and Karen Ellingstad on 1011 Wrangell Ave., pending a recommendation from the borough attorney. The building’s foundation failed in September 2009. In June of 2012, Community Development Director Leo Luczak sent notice to Karen Ellingstad that the structure had been deemed a dangerous building—a designation the borough assembly agreed with after a non-compliance hearing and subsequently December 2 issued a 30-day order mandating the owners repair the...

  • Borough manager's report

    Jan 23, 2014

    The borough manager reported the following during this week’s assembly meeting: The Sales Tax Committee meetings are scheduled for February 4 and February 25. It hopes to formulate a recommendation to the assembly at its February 25 meeting. The January 16 Transient Room Tax meeting to review outstanding grants wasn’t completed. Notices have been sent out to community service organizations that their request for budgeted funds is due by March 15. Annual DARE classes have kicked off. Officer Jared Popp will be administering the program to 5th gr...

  • Native non-profit seeks space to hold convention

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    The Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood is requesting donated space in the parks and rec community gym to host its Grand Camp convention in early October. Ross Nannauck III, ANB Camp 16 president, said between 200 to 400 people will attend, including delegates from Oregon to Anchorage. “It’s a very big thing,” Nannauck said. “The last time we had a convention here was in 1971…it’s been awhile and something we’ve been working towards for a long time.” In a letter to assembly members ANB and ANS officials wrote, “We plan to wor...

  • Rosemaling in the library

    Jan 23, 2014

  • Tongass Democrats accepting nominees for Kerttula seat

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    The Tongass Democrats announced yesterday its process for selecting three nominees to fill the Juneau House District 32 seat vacated by Rep. Beth Kerttula. Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to tongassdemocrats@gmail.com no later than January 27, according to a Tongass Democrat press release. The organization has elected a committee that will review the prospective candidates. It will then send Gov. Sean Parnell a list of three candidates by February 4. Parnell will select one of the three individuals proposed by the...

  • PIA experiments with 'sludge' composting

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    The stuff you flush down the toilet might spruce up town if Petersburg Indian Association's new compost plan works out. "It's a lot less gross than you think," said Jason Wilson, PIA tribal resource director. Justin Haley, wastewater-operating supervisor, and his staff calls it sludge and Wilson took a tour of the facility earlier this week. "Sludge is what we refer to it as until we take the water out," Haley said. Haley said an average of 400,000 gallons of sludge per day flows from...

  • Erin Michael hired as public health nurse

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Erin Michael is now Petersburg's official public health nurse after the regional nurse manager out of Juneau offered her the job last week. Michael has been the acting public health nurse since she arrived in town last September. "I'm very excited," Michael said. "It's a big relief. I really like the community so I was hoping to get to stay." Michael says now that she knows she will be sticking around for a while she will start thinking about future plans for the community. She said she'd like...

  • Sunk tug at mill property no longer leaking diesel

    Brian O Connor|Jan 23, 2014

    Wrangell - A 60-foot tug that sank in 80 to 85 feet of water Jan. 14 was capped Friday and is no longer leaking fuel into Shoemaker Bay, authorities said. Assessment divers from Ketchikan-based Alaska Commercial Divers dove on the wreck Friday and were able to cap both diesel tanks and a hydraulic tank, and close a valve linking hydraulic equipment on board to the tank said Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Wakefield. Divers had been delayed from diving on the wreck until Friday evening because...

  • Fish Factor: Treadwell looks to unseat Senator Begich using science credentials

    Laine Welch|Jan 23, 2014

    Good science should drive all fisheries decisions, and Lite Guv Mead Treadwell says he has the chops to maintain a true course. Treadwell, a Republican who hopes to unseat Democratic US Senator Mark Begich in November’s election, paid a recent visit to Kodiak and “talked fish” in a brief interview. Few can claim Treadwell’s experience and understanding of the Arctic, where he has represented Alaska on U.S. Delegations in three circumpolar government groups, and been a director of the Institute of the North. He said he “doesn’t expect any...

  • Vikings lose narrow game to Ketchikan

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    The Petersburg Vikings lost in the 4th quarter to the Ketchikan Kings last Thursday. The Vikings held the Kings to 27 points and the lead throughout most of the game. "We started off playing probably some of our best half court defense that we've played all year," Head Coach Rick Brock said. "We were quick to the ball, not letting them get into the spaces they wanted to." Michael Brock dropped seven points in the first quarter and the squad led the game 22-13 at the half. "In the third quarter...

  • New restaurant with a southern twist opens in Kito's Kave

    Kyle Clayton|Jan 23, 2014

    Petersburg residents can eat out a little later now that a new restaurant has opened at Kito's Kave. Shelly Pope, who hails from Texas, opened up the "Southern Belle Eatery" last weekend. "Anything I'm cooking, I'm putting a southern twist on it," Pope said. Burgers, chicken wings, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans and soups are currently on the menu for the eatery's initial soft openings. "The first weekend went better than I expected," Pope said. "It's fun, I'm having a good time and it's...