Articles from the February 23, 2023 edition


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  • Petersburg IGA replaces Trading Union grocery operation

    Chris Basinger|Feb 23, 2023

    It has been a week of dramatic change for the hundred-year-old Petersburg institution-on Monday the Trading Union was officially renamed Petersburg IGA and by the end of the week new owners Mike Ward, his daughter Caroline Bangs, and her husband Travis Bangs hope to have the grocery store's shelves fully restocked with fresh product. "I got crew over from Wrangell, crew over from Haines, and we're power stocking this place," Ward said. Ward, who is in his 44th year actively managing grocery... Full story

  • Three conceptual designs presented for new PMC facility

    Chris Basinger|Feb 23, 2023

    The Petersburg Medical Center Board held a work session with the Petersburg Borough Assembly last Friday where three proposed concepts for the location and design of a new hospital building were discussed. Members from the hospital board and the assembly along with borough and PMC staff heard from Bettisworth North architects who detailed the three site plans. The Excel Site, the Knob Hill Site, and the Creek View Site have some major differences but all feature a two-story hospital with...

  • Night vision

    Feb 23, 2023

  • PIA moving forward with ARPA-funded capital projects

    Chris Basinger|Feb 23, 2023

    The Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Council approved a motion during its meeting on Tuesday to pursue three projects that would open commercial and residential revenue streams for PIA using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. PIA has almost $3.9 million in ARPA funds, of which $3 million is budgeted for capital projects, that they now plan to put toward remodeling part of the PIA building, constructing a new building and parking lot on a PIA-owned lot, and buying two parcels of land...

  • Yesterday's News

    Feb 23, 2023

    February 23, 1923 – Once heroine of the Polar seas whose daring exploits thrilled an applauding world, the Seattle pilot boat, King and Winge, brave rescuer of the ill-fated Steffansson Artic exploration expedition of 1914, has been sold again and has, it is reported, fallen into the hands of rum runners. Her new owners, former Lieutenant Roy Olmstead and former Sargent Thomas J. Clark, reputed whiskey smugglers extraordinaire, like their sturdy ship were one time famed for valor. Both were then officers in the Seattle police department. The K...

  • Peratrovich parade

    Feb 23, 2023

  • Guest Editorial: Governor's wise move to help fill vacant state jobs

    Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel Publisher|Feb 23, 2023

    Gov. Mike Dunleavy made a smart decision last week when he issued an administrative order directing state personnel officials to review and change job requirements where appropriate so that applicants could more easily substitute “practical experience” for a college degree. Almost one in six state government jobs were vacant in December, according to the governor’s Office of Management and Budget. The most empty desks were at one of the most important agencies: Almost one in four positions at the Department of Natural Resources were vacan...

  • Moose meat distribution

    Feb 23, 2023

  • Police report

    Feb 23, 2023

    February 15 – A driver at Haugen and 3rd Streets was issued a warning for a stop sign violation. An officer responded to a noise complaint on South 3rd Street and mediated a resolution. An officer conducted a welfare check on South Nordic Drive. February 16 – An officer responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Scow Bay Loop Road and determined it was non-criminal. An officer provided after hours lock-out assistance to a citizen on Rambler Street. An officer responded to a report of a vehicle blocking driveway access on Mitkof Hig...

  • Vikings dominate on their home court

    Chris Basinger, Pilot writer|Feb 23, 2023

    The Petersburg High School boys basketball team claimed three victories at home last weekend. The Vikings outscored their opponents in every quarter as they looked to close out their final home games of the season strong. "I thought our kids did a great job of being ready at the beginning of each of the three games to play the way we wanted to play and take away the other team's strengths," Head Coach Rick Brock said. The Vikings started the action Thursday night against Juneau-Douglas' junior...

  • Lady Vikings compete in Petersburg round robin

    Chris Basinger|Feb 23, 2023

    The Petersburg High School girls basketball team played in their final home series last weekend in preparation for the regional tournament but fell short in each of their three games. The Lady Vikings were missing a few players due to travel and illness but despite their challenges Head Coach Dino Brock said he was pleased with the weekend's action. "I was really happy with how hard we played and the way we battled and I thought...we definitely got better over the weekend," Brock said....

  • Senior Appreciation

    Feb 23, 2023

  • SE Alaska Farmers Summit comes home to Petersburg

    Jake Clemens|Feb 23, 2023

    The Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit is back in Petersburg this week for the first time since it began in 2015. It will take place at the Holy Cross House of the Lutheran Church, and Friday's presentations are free and open to the public. Attendees are just asked to sign in at the entrance, as attendance numbers will help with future funding. Bo Varsano and Marja Smets of Farragut Farm founded the summit as a way for Southeast farmers to connect and learn from one another about producing local...

  • Crew shortage continues to plague state ferry system

    Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel writer|Feb 23, 2023

    An ongoing shortage of crew is the “No. 1 risk factor” for the Alaska Marine Highway System, Transportation Department Deputy Commissioner Katherine Keith told legislators. As of a Feb. 2 presentation to the Senate Transportation Committee, the ferry system was short just over 100 crew for full staffing to efficiently operate the winter schedule, about a 20% vacancy factor for onboard employees. The ferry system, however, is able to run its schedule with crew members picking up extra shifts and overtime to cover the work, and with man...

  • Alaska governor proposes funding boost for public defender

    BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press|Feb 23, 2023

    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday said he is proposing an additional $8.3 million over two years to help address caseload and staffing concerns for the state Public Defender Agency and Office of Public Advocacy. Budget amendments outlined by Dunleavy in a news conference Wednesday also include funding for positions to help address a backlog in applications for food stamp benefits and to prepare for Medicaid eligibility determinations. In December, Dunleavy released his budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, and h...

  • Alaska sends food aid to Ukraine, but state declines to act on investments

    James Brooks, Alaska Beacon|Feb 23, 2023

    More than 90,000 pounds of canned Alaska pink salmon purchased and donated by the state of Alaska is being distributed as wartime relief in Ukraine. The cans were donated to the nonprofit World Central Kitchen and arrived in Ukraine this month after months of shipping and customs delays. They are the state's biggest contribution to Ukraine's defense against a Russian invasion that's now almost a year old. Though Alaska borders one of the combatants, the war has remained a back-burner issue in...

  • Artifact Archive

    Feb 23, 2023