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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A COVID-19 outbreak at a high school wrestling tournament held in April is linked to more than 20 infections in five communities across southeast Alaska, according to health officials. Ketchikan High School hosted the regional wrestling tournament, an annual event that this year attracted athletes from seven different schools, Anchorage Daily News reported. Officials from the regional school activities association issued a warning to the school last week on accusations of failing to test competitors and enforce mask o...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska public health officials hope to begin vaccinating children 12 and up against COVID-19 as early as Wednesday. Parents were permitted Monday to sign up their children for appointments after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization to drug company Pfizer to provide its COVID-19 vaccine for people 12 through 15. Prior to the emergency authorization, the vaccine was approved for people 16 and older. The state was still awaiting final recommendations from the CDC, which are e...
The Borough Assembly passed an ordinance in its first reading on Monday that would adopt the borough's proposed fiscal year 2022 operating budget. The General Fund's revenues and expenditures equal $9,741,364 and is an overall increase of .39 percent from the 2021 fiscal year adopted budget. The assembly unanimously passed two amendments to the proposed budget that prevents a millage rate increase and honors KFSK's full community service funding request. The millage rate is the amount per...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department donated a total of 987 person hours during the first quarter of 2021, according to the Fire Chief Jim Stolpe at the Borough Assembly meeting on Monday. "As always, we stand ready to help the citizens in their hour of need," said Stolpe. "Whether their issue is big or small, we're still here." Between Jan. and March 31, the fire branch of PVFD donated 516 person hours, the EMS branch donated 355 person hours and the search and rescue branch donated 116...
After last year's festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 62nd annual Little Norway Festival is slated to begin May 13. "I think everyone can't wait for it to happen," said Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Administrator Mindy Lopez. "There's some excitement in the air." Prior to the festival, free transportation across the Wrangell Narrows will be provided on May 8 for the City of Kupreanof Celebration Day from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. The United States Forest Service is also hosting a...
Between Feb. 1 and March 31, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services identified 152 positive cases of COVID-19 among people in the state who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a report from DHSS. About 74 percent of the vaccine breakthrough cases, or 112 individuals, were among people who had received the Pfizer vaccine, according to the report. Thirty-eight percent of the breakthrough cases had received the Moderna vaccine, and one person had received the Johnson &...
Three cases of COVID-19 were identified within a single household over the course of two days this week, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The first two cases were identified on Tuesday by PMC within a single household. According to a joint press release, the two cases were travel related. Then on Wednesday, a third case was identified within the same household as the previous two cases. All three individuals have been directed to...
The budget for Alaska’s commercial fisheries division is facing no cuts for the upcoming fiscal year, assuming the current numbers make it through the Legislature. “The governor’s proposed budget is at about $72.8 million, which is a slight increase from the FY21 approved budget. And most of that increase is due to our personnel services, cost of living increases and things like that that are funded by the administration generally. And also from some additional federal funds for training and things like that. So we’re looking pretty good compar...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers have agreed to retroactively extend the state’s COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration as part of an effort to maintain state eligibility for food assistance benefits and other federal aid dollars. The measure, which would extend the declaration through 2021, was passed by the Senate and House Wednesday and sent to Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Adam Crum, the state health commissioner, had told legislative leaders action on the bill was needed by Friday to ensure the state could access additional food assistance be...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday ended the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration, saying the state is in such a good position he doesn’t need emergency powers bestowed by the Legislature. “Alaska is in the recovery phase where an emergency declaration is no longer necessary,’’ Dunleavy said in a statement. “Our systems are fully functioning with vaccine distribution, adequate testing, and health care capacity. It is important our focus remains on getting Alaska’s economy back on track and welcoming summer tourism...
On Tuesday, the state reported 72.94 percent of Petersburg residents had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was the second highest percentage in the state after Skagway Municipality. The Petersburg COVID-19 Dashboard reported 51 percent of Petersburg residents had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. The Petersburg Borough's COVID-19 Dashboard and the state's COVID-19 Dashboard show two different numbers for the percentage of local residents who have received at...
A story about updates to local health mandates on page two of last week’s edition of the Petersburg Pilot had a headline that implied all interstate travelers arriving into Petersburg are exempt from COVID-19 testing and isolation requirements. Only interstate travelers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are exempt from those requirements....
Since January, Petersburg Medical Center has been operating with a negative bottom line, but Controller Rocio Tejera told the PMC Board of Directors at their meeting on April 22 that it's important to look at the year-to-date bottom line. On March 31, PMC reported a negative bottom line of $676,722 for the month, according to financial documents presented to the hospital board. However, the hospital has a positive year-to-date bottom line of $540,192. The bottom line is the hospital's total...
We're getting closer to achieving the required herd immunity levels needed to abate the spread of COVID -19 and the expanding variants as the virus mutates across the worlds' populations. According to the State of Alaska, Petersburg is second from the top (behind Skagway) in attaining the most vaccinations. Petersburg's rate stands at 72.94 percent as of Wednesday. Vaccine hesitancy is the major roadblock to the U.S. achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe...
The Petersburg High School track and field team participated in their first meet of the season on April 23 and 24, which saw several of the Vikings take top spots in their events. PHS senior Aiden Luhr had the best showing among the Vikings at the Ketchikan Invitational. He took first place in the mens 100 meter sprint, the 200 meter sprint and the high jump. His performances in the preliminaries saw him set new records. His preliminary performance in the 100 meter sprint was a new season...
The Borough Assembly approved an amendment to the interstate and international travel mandate on Monday to allow anyone coming into the community from outside of the state who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to forego testing and isolation requirements. The Emergency Operations Center recommended that Public Health Mandate #10 stay in place due to slow vaccination rates in other parts of the country but be amended to do away with testing and isolation requirements for incoming travelers...
Five cases of COVID-19 were reported in the community in the last seven days, one of which has been removed from the active local case count, according to the Petersburg Borough's COVID-19 Dashboard. The first four cases were reported on April 15. Three of the cases were limited to one household and were travel related, according to a joint press release between the borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The fourth case and fifth case, which was reported on April 16, are thought to have been...
Petersburg Medical Center Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the COVID-19 community update on April 16 that the hospital will continue to vaccinate residents with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is under review. PMC will likely receive more information this week about whether it can resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Bryner said PMC currently has 120 doses of the vaccine. "For those people that have recently received the Johnson &...
Anyone arriving in Petersburg from another Alaskan community are no longer mandated to test for COVID-19 before and after their arrival in town after the Borough Assembly voted in favor of terminating Public Health Mandate #9 at their meeting on Monday. Instead, the assembly approved Public Health Alert #4. The health alert includes most of the same language as Public Health Mandate #9, but it recommends, not mandates, all intrastate travelers arriving at the James A. Johnson Airport and at the...
A deep dive To the Editor: The author of the Letter to The Editor entitled “Regulatory malfeasance” in the April 15 edition of The Pilot appears to be following her unfortunate practice of citing scientific studies, historical facts, or analogies that do not actually support her positions on issues ranging from fluoride in our drinking water, to face coverings to vaccines. In this letter, the author cited the thalidomide debacle for the reason to be distrustful of regulatory agencies such as the FDA, that “failed the public they are suppo... Full story
The Petersburg High School baseball team played their first games of the year in a preseason jamboree in Sitka last week. Although the Vikings lost the three games, Coach Jim Engell said the team had a strong showing in their first outing of the season. In Sitka, the Vikings were able to play on a ball field for the first time in almost two years. Last year's season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the weather this year prevented the team from practice on the Petersburg ball...
The Petersburg Borough will have to wait until June 2 to see its first cruise ship of the season following a change to the local tour ship schedule. In December, eight ships were expected to make a combined 85 stops in Petersburg. As of April 10, seven ships will be making a total of 66 stops. The Alaskan Dream will be the first cruise ship to stop in Petersburg on June 2. Previously, National Geographic's Venture was going to dock in town and kick off the local cruise ship season on May 11....
OBI Seafoods employed about 90 local residents for the 2021 tanner crab season in an effort to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in the community, according to Plant Manager Nikolai Wendel. Additionally, the production season lasted just 10 days. Any employees who would have been brought into town from outside of the community would have had to arrive two weeks prior to the season to quarantine themselves. "To bring a crew up this early and quarantine them for two weeks for ten days worth...
The local Emergency Operations Center will be presenting the Borough Assembly with recommendations to change some local health mandates at their meeting on Monday. Incident Commander Karl Hagerman said the EOC's recommendations tie into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention move towards loosening COVID-19 protocols for Americans who are fully vaccinated against the virus. The recommendations also come at a time when Petersburg is reporting zero active cases of COVID-19 for the first tim...
Alaska fishermen displaced by the Covid pandemic are being recruited for seafaring jobs aboard U.S. cargo barges, tankers, towboats, military support vessels, research and cruise ships and more. The Seafarers International Union (SIU) is searching nationally for 300 apprentice workers on the vessels they are contracted to crew. Recruiters tout Alaskans as being at the top of their list. “The reason for that is people from Alaska come with a work ethic already. They've been working since they could stand up. And that's why they're so good,” sai...
