Articles from the September 24, 2020 edition


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  • Emergency provisions pass in third reading

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    The borough assembly approved Ordinance #2020-19, which amends borough code chapter 3.72 to provide for civil emergency provisions, in its third reading on Monday after postponing the final vote by two months. The emergency ordinance transfers civil emergency provisions from the City of Petersburg Code to Petersburg Borough Code while adding language to guide local officials through an emergency. The additional language caused a division in the community and led the Borough Assembly to delay...

  • Summer crab run second largest on record

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    Although this year's Southeast Alaska salmon season produced a record low run, crabbers enjoyed the second highest summer harvest on record, according to Joe Stratman, lead crab biologist for region one with Petersburg Fish and Game. In Registration Area A, which includes all the inside waters of Southeast Alaska, 5.81 million pounds of Dungeness crab were harvested by 192 permit holders in the 2020 summer season. This year's summer season alone exceeded full season harvests for every previous...

  • COVID-19 not seen in Petersburg in over a month

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    Petersburg has gone 34 days since a case of COVID-19 was confirmed to be in the community. The last confirmed case of the virus was a non-resident who tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 14 and later recovered on Aug. 21. As of Wednesday, Sept. 23, Petersburg Medical Center reported 3,887 test samples have been collected to be tested for COVID-19 on site or at outside laboratories. Of those test samples collected, about 3,829 have returned negative and 45 are still pending. According to PMC, Ne...

  • Yesterday's News

    Sep 24, 2020

    September 24, 1920 The work of installing the new engine in the light plant is going ahead rapidly under the direction of Robert Allen, the local machinist. The engine arrived on the Admiral Rodman on Monday and was loaded onto a scow and floated to the power plant where it will be installed. On Thursday the work of dismantling the old engine was started. As soon as this engine is out of the way the concrete for the foundation of the new engine will be poured and will be allowed to set for five or six days before the new machine is put into...

  • Bow hunter eyes mountain goat record

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    For Kaleb Baird, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to hunt a billy from a secluded rocky mountain goat herd on the Cleveland Peninsula earlier this month. The hunt had been closed for about 16 years and only two tags were given out through a lottery system. About 150 people put their name in the hat for a chance to hunt the covenant herd and Baird's name was drawn. Now he is looking at a chance to set the record for the largest mountain goat taken down by a bow and arrow. "I'm...

  • To the Editor

    Sep 24, 2020

    Government money better spent To the Editor: ADF&G has crunched the numbers on the Red King Crab survey from this summer. Once again by hauling a few pots at the wrong time of year and a lot of extrapolation they came up way short of having a fishery. They do the survey every summer and rarely do we fish. Not sure what it costs for a large vessel and all the personnel that are crewing for the extra sea time pay, but it's significant. The only money made off Red Crab is by the personnel working...

  • Editorial: Emergency ordinance necessary

    Ron Loesch|Sep 24, 2020

    The Petersburg Borough Assembly acted with both courage and compassion on Monday night when they passed Ordinance 2020-19 that updated the borough's civil emergency plan. The easy decision would have been to cave to the public comments opposing the revised ordinance, but the assembly and borough officials did an excellent job of explaining how the ordinance was drafted and that wording from three other community ordinances were used to compose the Petersburg document. There was no nefarious...

  • Guest Commentary: Local emergency ordinances have been used before

    Chelsea Tremblay, Assembly member|Sep 24, 2020

    Here is some historical context for where we find ourselves, a small community responding to a global crisis and the issue of civil liberties. The Clausen Museum recently found and posted on Instagram a Petersburg newspaper clipping from November 1919, which read: "Notice: Until further orders no small boats will be allowed to leave town of Petersburg for any other town. Board of Health, by order of the Governor." In World War II civilians needed military permission to travel to and from...

  • Police report

    Sep 24, 2020

    September 15— Authorities responded to a disturbance at a location on N. Nordic Dr. A suspicious vehicle was parked at a location on Lumber St. Bears were seen on 6th St., Gjoa St. and S. 2nd St. September 16— A disturbance was reported at 108 Hungerford Hill Rd. Authorities responded to a report of suspicious activity at a location on N. Nordic Dr. Donald Fincher was arrested on charges of felony domestic violence assault. Courtney Johnson was arrested on charges of felony hindering prosecution and violation of conditions of release. A veh...

  • Vikings cross country place third in virtual race

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    The Petersburg High School boys cross country team took third place in a virtual meet on Saturday as the team ran alongside participants in this year's Rainforest Run. While both the boys and girls team ran the 10k course on Cabin Creek Rd., just their time for the first 5k was recorded and shared with other schools across the region. Haines took first place in the boys virtual meet, followed by Craig, Petersburg, Metlakatla, Klawock and Hydaburg, according to Head Coach Tom Thompson. However,...

  • 20 residents to serve as election officials

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    The Borough Assembly approved 20 members of the public to serve as election officials during the municipal election on Oct. 6. at their assembly meeting on Monday. The names of 19 election officials went before the assembly, but a 20th name, Stephanie Payne, was added to the list. Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson said with the addition of Payne, she had enough election officials to serve on Election Day. Assembly Member Jeff Meucci requested Thompson explain the process for someone to run in the...

  • Rainforest run raises $225 for PHS cross country

    Brian Varela|Sep 24, 2020

    Petersburg Medical Center's sixth annual Rainforest Run raised $225 for the Petersburg High School cross country team on Saturday, according to PMC Public Relations Coordinator Kelsey Lambe. The course began at Sandy Beach and continued down Cabin Creek Rd. Runners and walkers continued on to their turnaround point and then headed back to Sandy Beach. Participants had the choice of running or walking a 10k or half marathon. While the race was free to participants, donations were accepted on beha...

  • Meet the Candidates: Assembly

    Sep 24, 2020

    Name: Brandi Thynes Age: 38 Experience: 3 yr term borough assembly 1 yr appointed school board Why do you seek public office? I enjoyed being on the assembly this last term and would like to continue to be an advocate for our community, especially in these odd and trying times. ​I understand the importance and privilege that comes with being a voice for my fellow constituents. Would you support a borough-wide face masking mandate? No. This has been strongly opposed by the community. The c...

  • Meet the Candidates: School Board

    Sep 24, 2020

    Name: Craig Anderson Age: 49 Experience: I have a bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho, and I worked on a master's degree in forestry at Umea University in north central Sweden. I have experience managing meetings, working on budgets and responding to public comments. I have been a federal employee for about 18 years. Why do you seek public office? My family and I moved to Petersburg almost 9 1/2 years ago. My two sons started elementary school at Stedman in Kindergarten and 1st...

  • More young bears, less food send them to Juneau's garbage

    Sep 24, 2020

    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A larger than normal number of young bears and dwindling natural food supply for them are forcing the animals to head for Juneau's garbage with unusual frequency, a wildlife official said. A poor berry crop and lackluster salmon runs this year mean more bears are looking for food among the city's trash, KTOO Public Media in Juneau reported. Conditions have made bears desperate to fatten themselves before they hibernate for the winter, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game...

  • Alaska allows online sales of raffle tickets due to virus

    Sep 24, 2020

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska plans to allow the online sale of raffle tickets for the first time to help nonprofit organizations faced with limited fundraising opportunities because of coronavirus restrictions. The state Department of Revenue approved the temporary change over the summer allowing organizations holding charitable gaming permits to sell raffle tickets and draw winners online, Alaska Public Media reported Monday. State Gaming Unit Director Katrina Mitchell said this is the only instance in which any online gaming has been p...

  • Fish Factor: Fishermen's relief funds welcomed as unfair trade deals drag on

    Laine Welch|Sep 24, 2020

    Alaska fishermen can increase their federal trade relief funds by adding higher poundage prices for 15 fish and shellfish species. While it's welcomed, the payouts are a band-aid on a bigger and ongoing problem. Through December 14, fishermen can apply to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP) if their bottom line has been hurt by the Trump Administration's ongoing trade standoffs, primarily with China. "STRP is part of a federal relief strategy to support fisherm...

  • Kinder Skog ♥ PVFD

    Sep 24, 2020

    On Monday, the kids at Kinder Skog showed their love for the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department and EMS by decorating the sidewalk in front of the fire station with chalk drawings and words of thanks....

  • Alaska unemployment numbers improve, still historically high

    Sep 24, 2020

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s unemployment numbers improved in August but still remains historically high amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state’s labor agency reported. In August, the state reported 37,000 fewer jobs than in the same month in 2019 for a 10.5% drop, said the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. That’s an improvement on numbers from July, when the state had 39,900 fewer jobs than it did in the same month last year — a roughly 11.2% decrease. Still, more than 43,000 people are collecting unemployment benefi...

  • Artifact Archive: Local Artist

    Sep 24, 2020

    Local artist Born in Seattle in 1917, Josephine Crumrine was raised by her artist mother in various Alaskan locales including Southeast Alaska. After studying art down south, she returned to Alaska. In the 1940s the Alaska Steamship Company commissioned Josephine to create portraits of famous Alaskan sled dogs which were used as menu covers in their dining rooms. This one is "Rye," who was given to the Army at Chilkoot Barracks in Haines by adventurer Mary Joyce after a 1,000 mile sled trip...

  • Smoke and ice

    Sep 24, 2020

    Smoke from the recent fires could be seen over Thomas Bay from flight 65 on September 17....

  • Trooper report

    Sep 24, 2020

    On Sept. 19, AWT conducted a patrol of Blind River Rapids. Investigation revealed that Jacob Estenson, age 24 of Juneau, did not have a valid 2020 sport fish license in his possession. Etenson was issued a citation with a fine set at $220. On Sept. 21, Jared M. Bright, age 46 of Petersburg, was cited by Wildlife Troopers for unlawful storage of commercial Dungeness crab gear. The gear was located during a routine patrol by state aircraft. Bright was given an arraignment date of Oct. 28 in the Juneau district court....