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August 2, 1913 – Hans Pruschoff, the most daring local hunter and trapper returned from an extended trip covering some three months or more. Hans said that he had had a hard trip, although he does not look it, but of course his friends take his word for it. He has a bear story which he promised to tell soon. However, his friends are glad that he is safe home once more. “All this fear about Hans' safety, is all nonsense” said one of his intimate friends, and he added, “They don't need to fear, Hans will never shoot at a bear unless somebod...
The Alaska Department of Transportation estimates Ocean Beauty’s insurance claim to be between $2.5 to $4 million. ADOT is still waiting to hear from Ocean Beauty Seafood’s insurance carrier regarding the final cost of dock repairs and loss of business after the Alaska Marine Highway System’s Matanuska ferry crashed into Ocean Beauty’s dock last summer on May 10. Ocean Beauty ceased fish processing last summer after the accident when its dock sustained damage. A hydraulic crane was crushed along...
ROY THEODORE SOKOL AUGUST 10, 1953 - JUNE 27, 2013 Live Life To The Fullest - Laugh Often - Love Deeply - Listen Closely - These words are how he lived his life. He had a unique gift and quality at making those around him feel so special and loved. Ted was diagnosed with skin cancer in late October of 2011, he fought the battle hard - never letting it get the best of him. He continued to live his life the way he wanted, his attitude was so admirable - always the optimist. Unfortunately his... Full story
AMHS: Thanks for celebrating To the Editor and Mayor Jensen: I would like to extend a sincere thank you for helping us make the Petersburg community celebration for our 50 Anniversary a great success. Many people came to help celebrate and it was indeed an honor to welcome a very large group of Petersburg citizens to the Malaspina to enjoy the Leikerring dancers, the beautiful handmade cookies, dignitary speeches and thank you exchanges. It was wonderful to see so many members of the community enjoying dinner in the ship's cafeteria and partici...
The Alaska Marine Highway System will celebrate with towns all along the Southeast for the 50 year anniversary of service to this area. The Motor Vessel Malaspina made its inaugural trip to Petersburg at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, 1963 and Friday, the Malaspina will make port here again at 6 p.m. “We have activities scheduled once people have boarded,” Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Director Sally Dwyer said. “That is when the Leikerring Dancers will dance being led by Heidi Lee.” Dwyer said she did not know what the ferry system had schedul... Full story
March 22, 1963, Petersburg Press Governor William A. Egan has announced the formal inaugural voyage of the M-V Malaspina, marking the start of service over the Southeastern Alaska marine highway system, will be held April 27 to May 2. The vessel will arrive in Petersburg at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, and leave 8 a.m. Monday. More than 500 travel editors for the nation’s newspapers and magazines have been invited to participate in the week-long event which will include visits to each of the stops on the ferry route. Governor Egan wrote the m...
In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Alaska Marine Highway System, we present these pages with news reports from the archives of the Petersburg Press in 1962 and 1963. The historic timeline information was provided by the AMHS. The arrival of MV Malaspina in 1963 was big news for the city, the region and the State of Alaska. The new transportation service connected Southeast communities as they had never been before, and it changed the way passengers and freight were transported to and from the towns that made up Southeast Alaska. We...
24 Alaska becomes the 49th state and M/V Chilkat becomes the first state owned ferry 1963 The Alaska Marine highway System is founded, providing many roadless communities with a way to “driove” from one town to the next. M/V Matanuska, M/V Malaspina and M/V Taku are built Service expands to Prince Rupert, British Columbia 1964 M/V Tustumena is built. March 27: Earthquake! Ports in Valdez and Cordova are damaged 1967 Service extended to Seattle, Washington. linking the system to the Lower 48 1974 M/V Columbia, the largest vessel in the fle...
The rededication ceremony of Shakes Island and the Chief Shakes Tribal House is scheduled for May 3 and 4 in Wrangell and housing is still needed for the 1,000-plus guests that are expected to attend the festivities. “This is an historical event that is happening in our neighborhood and it is a huge celebration for Wrangell,” Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Manager Sally Dwyer said. “We are attempting to help our neighbor.” Dwyer and Marilyn Menish-Meucci of the Petersburg Visitor Center have contacted the Tides Inn and Scandia House to make su... Full story
Repairs to the Ocean Beauty Seafoods processing plant are almost complete and the plant will be up and running again for the 2013 season after the Alaska Marine Highway M/V Matanuska ran into the Ocean Beauty Seafoods plant in May of 2012 and damaged the facility enough to close processing for the season. “The work is almost 100 percent complete and we are pleased with the way the repair process has gone,” Ocean Beauty Vice President of Marketing Tom Sunderland said. “The floors, walls and s...
January An elderly man was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street at Gjoa and Nordic Drive. The gentleman was crossing inside the crosswalk and was grazed by the vehicle’s mirror as it passed. The victim was thrown approximately 20 feet. He was on crutches at the time. Rock-N-Road Construction was granted a contract to demolish the Romiad Building to make room for the new library. The building was demolished for $22,499. The Petersburg City Council discussed condemning LeConte RV Park for s... Full story
Don’t stomp on the process Letter to the Editor: Ahhh, Mr. Will Ware…ever the silver tongued speaker. My comments are in regards to last week’s letter to the Pilot. You’re certainly a born preacher…. but, someone I feel is qualified to give me lectures on dignity, integrity, honor and respect? …not so much. Your self-appointed role as moral compass for the tribe, is really the true “foolishness”, here. My grandmother, Amy Hallingstad, was instrumental in forming the Petersburg Indian Association as well as in writing the original by-law...
Thank you from VSC To the Editor: A big heartfelt thank you to the community of Petersburg for helping celebrate Viking Swim Club’s 40th Anniversary at the annual auction on Saturday. Viking Swim Club truly is blessed with an amazing community of supporters through donations, well wishes, and encouragement of swimmers in all of their endeavors. Over 40 years as a club, Viking Swim Club has seen hundreds of swimmers take their first dip in the pool and has encouraged their growth as athletes. Viking Swim Club swimmers have achieved personal b...
November 10, 1982: As dredging and parking lot construction for the new small boat harbor nears completion, Department of Transportation Project engineer John Edwards says the harbor may be operational by next fall. The dredging, which began in mid-August, is about 50-60 percent complete. As of Monday night, 288,150 cubic yards will have been removed. DOT is now estimating that 485,000 cubic yards will still have to be removed because the contractor, as allowed in contract provisions, is digging...
Let’s Talk continues To the Editor: Imagine a community where your viewpoint is heard and where a variety of different opinions are valued and respected. Last Wednesday nearly 60 people took part in “Let’s Talk Petersburg: A Community Conversation”. The event, hosted by the Petersburg Public Library and the Petersburg Community Foundation, focused on having respectful, open conversations and sparking discussion about the issues that are important to our community. We tackled some difficult issues. Small towns can be cliquish and gossip oriente...
Sing Lee Alley bridge work needed To the Editor: If the city feels they can afford to spend 1.4 million dollars on property and take it off the tax rolls, then they should consider re-planking the Sing Lee Alley Bridge (or Indian Street bridge) before someone goes through it. Many of the planks are rotten and have holes, and it also would be easy to trip on some of the bent over spikes. As for the borough, it will cost more money and we all will end up paying more taxes. The people that live in the outlying areas probably spend as much money...
JUNEAU (AP) — The Coast Guard will host a southeast Alaska petroleum spill exercise Wednesday at the Ted Ferry Civic Center in Ketchikan. The exercise will be a tabletop oil spill response based on a scenario of a vessel collision near Sitka. The Coast Guard says the exercise is designed to test the Southeast Subarea Contingency Plan. The document was written for the planning of responses to large oil or hazardous substance releases. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Alaska Marine Highway System, Kirby Offshore Marine, S...
Job well done To the Editor: Thanks to Jesse O Connor, our local gardener who does all the hanging baskets and who cares for the little parks we have downtown. Also who has a more beautiful cemetery then Petersburg? I think we do. I’ve been to most of them in Alaska and we out shine them all. Great job Jesse. Hope we don’t ever lose you. Patty Simpson Do your own research To the Editor: I admire and respect those who have been advocating for the formation of a Petersburg Borough. I know that they are good people who have worked hard for the...
Erik Borgen, 73 of Sitka, Alaska passed away at home on September 7, 2012 after a long illness with his wife by his side. Erik was born on September 12, 1938 to John and Elisabeth Borgen in Bergen, Norway. Erik came to Seattle, Wash. in 1958 after working as a Merchant Marine from Norway. In 1965, he became an American Citizen. He owned two businesses including a Brick Masonry Company for over 20 years in Seattle. He then worked for the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry on the Wickersham. His next... Full story
July 21, 1982 - The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and The Boeing Company have announced the schedule for the forthcoming free demonstration of the Boeing Jetfoil in eleven Southeast Alaska communities. The Jetfoil built by Boeing Marine Systems, is the boat that flies like an airplane on underwater “wings” or foils. The demonstration came about in response to legislation introduced in the recent legislative session by Sen. Bill Ray of Juneau. The $1.2 million pro...
Investigation ensued after the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska crashed into the Ocean Beauty Seafoods dock Monday, May 7, but the cause of the accident has yet to be determined. “A report has been submitted for internal review,” Alaska Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Jeremy Woodrow stated. “There are several things that need clarification before any news can be released.” As reported in the May 10 issue of the Petersburg Pilot, the M/V Matanuska was negotiating a turn in Wrangell Narrows prior to the acciden...
June 30, 1982 - A spokesperson for Cablevision and the deputy commissioner of Administration say they are nearing an agreement that will allow for the broadcast of instructional television here that could expand high school and elementary curriculums, as well as provide college credit and how-to instruction for adults. Learn Alaska Instructional Telecommunications Network, co-directed by the University of Alaska and Department of Education, was scheduled to go on the air last fall in 115 communi...
Governor Sean Parnell was welcomed to town by Petersburg Mayor Al Dwyer Thursday afternoon at a reception in the City Council chambers. “We are happy to welcome you to Petersburg,” Dwyer said. “This is the man that has made it possible to have funding of over $11 million this year alone.” The governor was presented gifts from the Sons of Norway, the Petersburg Parks and Recreation Department and others. “I am a son of Norway,” Parnell said. “I am happy to make myself available to you.” “I want... Full story
Ocean Beauty officials say the fish processing plant took such a hard hit last month that it will not be in full operation this summer. The plant, situated at the end of a 1,500 ft. pier between the North and Middle harbors, was struck on May 7 by the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry the M/V Matanuska. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. According to Tom Sunderland, vice president of marketing for Ocean Beauty the plant will still be running its normal ice delivery service... Full story
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) said that its Port Efficiency Policy will go in effect June 1. The new policy states that an AMHS ferry will bypass a port call if there is no scheduled traffic destined into or out of that particular port. Scheduled traffic is defined as a reservation in place 24 hours in advance of the scheduled departure time from the port in question. Travelers are encouraged to make reservations in advance....
