Articles from the March 2, 2023 edition


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  • Columbia weathers the storm

    Mar 2, 2023

  • PMC Board recommends site for future hospital

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    The Petersburg Medical Center Board voted unanimously to pursue a final site plan for the new hospital facility based on the Knob Hill and Creek View conceptual designs during its meeting last Thursday. The Knob Hill and Creek View concepts are both located at a site along Haugen Drive and behind the Elizabeth Peratrovich building. The decision to continue designing the new facility based on the Knob Hill and Creek View concepts was also unanimously recommended by the project's steering... Full story

  • Ferry system lacks crew to operate the Kennicott this summer

    Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel Writer|Mar 2, 2023

    In a change of plans from just a few weeks ago, the Alaska Marine Highway System reports it lacks enough crew to operate the Kennicott this summer. The loss of the Kennicott from the schedule likely would mean dropping service to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and the loss of two additional port calls in Petersburg each month, May through September. It also could jeopardize state ferry service to Yakutat on the cross-gulf route, and abandoning plans to run the Kennicott to Bellingham, Washington, once a month to help move the heavy load of su...

  • Long-Term Care recovers from COVID-19 outbreak

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    COVID-19 cases have dropped at the Petersburg Medical Center's Long-Term Care facility after it faced its biggest outbreak of the pandemic last week. During the PMC Board meeting on Feb. 23, LTC Manager Helen Boggs reported that the facility had seen eight positive cases among residents as well as a few staff members. She also said residents had all been treated prophylactically with either Paxlovid or Remdesivir and were doing fairly well. On Wednesday, Boggs wrote that all of the COVID...

  • Yesterday's News

    Mar 2, 2023

    March 2, 1923 – Our small but busy little town is some burg. We own our own water works and light plant. We have one of the largest salmon canneries in Southeastern Alaska. This cannery has for the past five years had an average pack of 100,000 cases. We also have two shrimp canneries, employing six boats and 120 people. We have one crab cannery employing six boats and about 20 people. We have three machine shops and two public docks. The Standard Oil Company has one of its largest stations here with a dock of their own. We have three large m...

  • Snowy Landing

    Mar 2, 2023

  • Assembly approves comments on land selections

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved comments for decisions on land selections that could be conveyed to the borough during its meeting on Feb. 21. The comments were for a modified final decision regarding conveyance of lands at Thomas Bay and a preliminary decision on 3,283 acres of municipal selections across the borough, both issued by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. The Thomas Bay selections would see approximately 550 acres of state-owned land be conveyed to the borough....

  • Correction to last week's Trading Union headline

    Mar 2, 2023

    Part of last week's cover story headline was changed for the online edition of the Pilot to correct an oversimplification. The first line "Trading Union sold" was changed to "Petersburg IGA replaces Trading Union grocery operation." This clarification was called for because, at the time of this correction, "Trading Union, Inc," the company which owns the buildings and formerly operated the grocery store on North Nordic Drive, is still owned by its current shareholders. The newly formed...

  • School board sets 2023-24 calendar

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    The Petersburg School District Board approved the calendar for the 2023-24 school year during its February meeting. Though some draft calendars that had been presented at a previous board meeting saw some significant shakeups in the schedule, the calendar that ultimately passed is generally similar to previous years. The school year will start on Aug. 29 and finish on May 30 and will have 172 student days. Some of the changes to next year's calendar include giving students Nov. 1 off instead of...

  • To the Editor

    Mar 2, 2023

    Management failure of the Golden King Crab fishery To the Editor: I am one of 24 golden king crabbers in Petersburg. Our Petersburg fleet dominates the fishery and has relied heavily upon the golden crab resource in times of abundance. As the 2023 golden crab season comes to an end, Petersburg needs to know what really happened. The 2023 golden king crab GHL (Guideline Harvest Level) for Frederick Sound was set at 13,255 pounds by ADFG several months ago. Your fleet was very disappointed with the historically low number as we saw large numbers...

  • Guest Editorial Sen. Murkowski is in the right lane

    Larry Persily|Mar 2, 2023

    Alaska’s senior U.S. senator — and former state legislator — Lisa Murkowski addressed a joint session of the Legislature last week, covering the usual issues of oil and gas, economic development and lots of federal dollars for local projects. Her remarks were pretty routine for anyone who has listened to the annual speeches at the Capitol by Alaska’s two senators over the decades. That’s the comforting thing about Alaska politics — the issues don’t change much. We’re like an old TV sitcom where the characters don’t age and the same problems...

  • Capitol Updates

    Mar 2, 2023

    ­Dear Friends and Neighbors: The House Education Committee heard an introduction of HB 65, INCREASE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION on Monday, February 20th. The hearing was the first, of what I hope will be many, hearings on this critical piece of legislation. I will be sure to let you know when there is an opportunity for public testimony on this bill. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me regarding this bill or any other bills we are considering in committee. On February 22, 2023, the Senate joined the House for a Joint Session for the pur...

  • Vehicle crashes into snow off Mitkof Highway

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    A car crashed off an embankment near 210 Mitkof Highway at around 5:50 p.m. on Monday, according to Assistant Fire Chief Dave Berg. The lone occupant in the vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was uninjured in the crash but was taken to the Petersburg Medical Center for observation. According to Berg, the woman lost control on a straight stretch of road while driving her SUV northbound on Mitkof Highway. The car went off the road onto a snow-covered embankment, which gradually sloped down about 15...

  • Police report

    Mar 2, 2023

    February 22 – Robert Brooks was issued a citation for no vehicle insurance. Found property was turned over to the Petersburg Police Department (PPD). A driver at Haugen Drive and the airport access road was issued a warning for failure to yield. February 23 – An officer provided after hours lock-out service on Odin Street. An officer provided after hours lock-out service on Skylark Way. A driver on North 1st Street was issued a warning for license and insurance requirements. An officer responded to a report of a dangerous driver on South 4.5...

  • Court report

    Mar 2, 2023

    February 8, 2023 In State of Alaska v Wayne Collins, the defendant failed to appear at a readiness hearing. A $1,000 bench warrant was issued. February 17, 2023 Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand presided over the status hearing in State of Alaska v Aaron Bradford. Probation was revoked and reimposed with the additional requirement to obtain a Behavioral Health Assessment and follow all recommendations at the direction of the probation officer. Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand presided over further proceedings in State of Alaska’s p...

  • Reduced ferry service leads to uptick in water taxi business

    Marc Lutz, Wrangell Sentinel Writer|Mar 2, 2023

    WRANGELL - Ferry service resumed mid February, with the Columbia pulling in on its northbound run. But it had been over a month with no service, and during that month privately operated water taxis have been filling even more than before, responding to an increased need for passengers and cargo looking to get to Banana Point at the southern end of Mitkof Island, or all the way into Petersburg or to Coffman Cove and the road system on Prince of Wales Island. Not only have companies like Muddy...

  • Community unites to support Churchill family after fatal accident

    Caroleine James|Mar 2, 2023

    WRANGELL – Wrangell community members showed their support for the Churchill family last week after Randy Churchill Jr., 39, was killed by a falling tree in an accident Feb. 22. Parks and Recreation Coordinator Lucy Robinson organized a community walk last Sunday to raise money for the family and about 50 people showed up. “There were a few really close family members there that joined us,” said Robinson. “There were good conversations.” She planned the walk to create an outlet for community members to express their support in-person and provid...

  • Vikings trade wins in Wrangell

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    The Petersburg High School boys basketball team faced the Wrangell Wolves on the road last weekend, taking one win and one loss from the trip. "Anytime you can walk away with a split on the road that's a good thing," Head Coach Rick Brock said. The Vikings were beaten 52-49 after pushing the game into overtime on Friday night. Daniel Harrison led Wrangell's scoring with 15 points while Jack Engell made 22 and Kyle Biggers put up 19 for Petersburg. The Vikings took an early lead but followed...

  • Lady Vikings fall in Wrangell

    Chris Basinger|Mar 2, 2023

    The Petersburg High School girls basketball team closed its regular season in the rowdy atmosphere of Wrangell's homecoming games last weekend. Wrangell won the first game 38-13 as Kiara Harrison led the Lady Wolves with 25 points. Petersburg struggled from the offset and were held to just two points in the first half, but the Lady Vikings' full court pressure helped keep them in the game. The Lady Wolves stamped their name on the game in the third quarter with 17 points, bringing the score up t...

  • Petersburg Pride

    Mar 2, 2023

  • Spelling Bee

    Mar 2, 2023