Sorted by date Results 1 - 22 of 22
The Biden administration will ban new logging roads and most development in much of Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The decision, which repeals a 2020 USDA action under the Trump administration, continues a quarter-century of action and counter-action over development in the region, which contains the world’s largest temperate coastal rainforest and is home to more than 72,000 people. “As our nation’s largest national forest and the largest intact temperate rainforest in the... Full story
The Petersburg Police Department released its annual report last week, which includes an array of statistics that give insight into slowing local crime rates. The total dispatch center calls for service, which includes calls for police, fire, and EMS, saw its lowest activity in five years with 3,356 calls-down almost 400 from 2021. That number only includes calls for service and does not represent the total number of calls dispatchers receive, which Petersburg Police Department Chief Jim Kerr...
The South Harbor dredging is continuing to make progress as crews dig their way to the shore, having removed approximately 13,000 cubic yards of material as of Monday according to Harbormaster Glo Wollen. Western Marine is undertaking the project, which is being overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and plans to dredge a total of 83,000 cubic yards of material from the harbor. Crews are working 12-14 hours a day scooping out blue clay using a grab dredger on the dry cargo deck barge...
January 26, 1923 – There is every indication that actual work will start on the big paper plant at Thomas Bay as early as this spring as weather conditions will allow. Two crews are now engaged in cruising the timber in the Rocky Pass section and the Forestry officials at Ketchikan are rushing work on one of their boats so that another crew can be sent out at once. Those who are backing the plant have applied for a final permit to develop the water power there and this will be granted as soon as the Forest Service has set aside thirty years s...
SITKA – After hearing comments Tuesday night on the “existential threat” facing the Southeast troll fishing industry, the Sitka Assembly gave unanimous approval to a resolution and a financial contribution to help the Alaska Trollers Association fight a lawsuit by a conservation group against a federal fisheries agency. “I hope we have a unanimous decision because if the resolution is going to have any effect, we have to have real solidarity,” Assembly member Thor Christianson said prior to the vote. ATA Request and Resolution The resolutio...
Washington, DC — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, announced Wednesday that the Federal Transit Administration is awarding more than $285 million of investments to improve the reliability and service of Alaska’s ferry system, which serves more than 30 communities across 3,500 miles of coastline. The funding, all awarded to the Alaska Marine Highway System, is designated to replacing an aging vessel, upgrading ferry dock infrastructure in rural communities, modernizing four vessels, procuring an electric ferry, des...
Thank you, thank you, thank you To the Editor: Mike and I are so incredibly humbled by and grateful for the outpouring of support, generosity, thoughts, and prayers after our house fire. It has been said many times that this community rises to the occasion to help each other, but to be the recipient of such support and generosity—there are not enough words to express how much we appreciate everyone and everything that has been done for us. Although our home and possessions are a total loss, we are extremely lucky to live in such an amazing c...
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Petersburg and across Southeast. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has already been announced for Alaska. Those dollars are helping us build, expand, and...
January 18 – An officer responded to a report of a possible garage fire on Wrangell Avenue and found that the smoke was coming from a pellet stove. An officer conducted a welfare check on Harbor Way. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a dead eagle on 8th Street. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) was notified and responded. A driver at South Nordic Drive and Tango Street was issued a warning for headlight requirements. A driver on Chief John Lott Street was issued a warning for signal requirements. A driver at F...
Petersburg High School Cheer Squad's new coach, Andrea Weathers, is on a mission to bring cheer off the sidelines and into the community. Weathers' main goal this year is "...to bridge the gap between the players, the cheerleaders and the spectators - to really create a strong trifecta of community and to strengthen school spirit. I think that it's a great time for that, coming out of a pandemic. I really want to have that full-circle connection." Weathers is finding creative ways to cheer off...
The Petersburg High School boys basketball team ended the Wrangell Wolves' prowl last weekend, celebrating homecoming with two victories over their local rivals. The Vikings dug in on Friday to claim the first game 53-40 after struggling to find their feet. Petersburg trailed the Wolves in each of the first two quarters and were behind 23-19 at the half. Rik Cumps went down early in the first quarter, but Kieran Cabral came in to run point in his stead and scored nine in the second half. "Being...
The Petersburg High School girls basketball team is still seeking its first win of the season after suffering two losses to Wrangell during last weekend's homecoming games. The team fell last Friday 39-15 as Kiara Harrison led the visiting Lady Wolves with 21 points. Petersburg scored nine in the first half, courtesy of Iris Case, Adara Curtiss, and Bryana Ratliff, but a shaky defensive performance saw the hosts behind by 14 going into the half. The Lady Vikings shored up their guarding in the...
The Alaska Rural Water Association (ARWA) has named Petersburg Alaska's Wastewater System of the Year for 2022. "Petersburg stays on top of routine maintenance and keeps their certifications up to date. Not everyone does that," said Mark Wuitschick, who nominated Petersburg and works at ARWA as the Wastewater Training and Technical Assistance Specialist. Petersburg also goes beyond the minimum requirements, and the award highlighted efforts at composting removed solids, which the Petersburg...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is currently seeking public comment on the draft of its 2023 Statewide Sport Fish Stocking Plan, which includes two programs affecting the Petersburg area-the Southern Southeast Chinook Salmon Enhancement and the Blind Slough Coho Salmon Enhancement. According to the stocking plan, Fish and Game is looking to release approximately seven million fish in hundreds of locations across the state annually over the next five years. Matt Catterson, a fishery biolog...
Other than still needing crew if it is to put the Hubbard into service for the first time since it was built a few years ago, the Alaska Marine Highway System believes it has enough staff to operate the confirmed runs of its proposed summer schedule this year. The state ferry system has been plagued by staffing shortages the past couple of years due to retirements, resignations and hiring efforts coming up short, temporarily sidelining vessels on occasion. “We’re still really pushing hard on recruitment,” Shannon McCarthy, communications direc...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Summer Myomick bundled her baby against the freezing winds whipping off the Bering Sea and stepped outside into a blur of blowing snow. It was a short walk from the school where she had visited relatives to the health clinic about 150 yards (137 meters) away, but the young mother could hardly have seen where she was going _ or the terror that was approaching. Myomick, 24, and her son, 1-year-old Clyde Ongtowasruk, made it just beyond the front of the Kingikmiut School in Wales, Alaska, just below the Arctic Circle, w...
Robert George Olsen (Bob Sr.) was born January 7, 1954 to Ray and Gladys Olsen in Arlington, Washington. He was their fourth son, joining older brothers John, Jim, and Ray Jr. Soon to follow was the youngest brother of the bunch, Mike. In 1967 the family moved from their cattle ranch in Washington to pursue logging opportunities in Alaska, which landed them in Petersburg. It was a family business and every one of the Olsens had a hand in the operation. By the time he was fourteen Bob was...
