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The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors approved the hospital's fiscal year 2021 operating budget last Thursday that has a bottom line of $24,592. "We have come up with a very conservative, break even budget," said PMC Controller Rocio Tejera. PMC is expecting the hospital's total operating revenue to be $18,865,470 in the upcoming fiscal year, though that number will likely change as the year progresses. The budget also recognizes $3.8 million in government relief under operating...
Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter gave an executive report to the PMC Board of Directors at their meeting last Thursday, and noted that while most services offered by the hospital have decreased by 35 to 50 percent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, home health has seen an increase in patients. In his report to the board, Hofstetter said that service volumes increased slightly in May, but have remained flat in June, but home health was able to increase its number of patients up...
The biggest red salmon run in the world is building at Bristol Bay. Up to 50 million fish could surge into its eight river systems in coming weeks, on par with past seasons. When it's all done, the fishery will provide nearly half the global supply of wild sockeye salmon. But this summer is different. Not only due to the restrictions and fears and economic chaos caused by Covid-19. At the height of the fishery, fishermen will learn if a massive gold and copper mine that's been hanging over...
Turbulent Times To the Editor: We live in turbulent times. Everywhere in the lower 48 it seems monuments and statues are being toppled. Even in Alaska I've heard talk of removing certain statues of historical figures, and many worry that vandalism or some form of statuary dismemberment may be perpetrated I hope our local constabulary is keeping close watch on our own local statue, that bronze likeness of Bojer Wikan that dominates the Memorial Park. In his lifetime he frequently expressed his...
While the Petersburg Covid-19 infection count remains at 4, the statewide count continues to increase. Alaskan resident cases increased by 38 yesterday, a new daily high. Statewide the cumulative count to-date is 978. While Petersburg residents continue to grumble about Petersburg's mandates and the power the Petersburg Borough Assembly confers to the Emergency Operations Center officials, our infection rate remains flat. To us it means we are lucky. It also means that enough of us are...
With the second positive test result for COVID-19 in two days and a lack of participation, this year's Fourth of July parade has been cancelled, according to a joint statement between the Petersburg Borough and the Petersburg Medical Center released Friday, July 3. The most recent case of the virus was confirmed Thursday evening. According to a separate joint statement between the borough and PMC, the person had developed symptoms and was evaluated by Petersburg Medical Center. A test was perfor... Full story
After seeing some lodges drop off their customers at the hardware, grocery store or the liquor store before taking them to the lodge, local residents have been concerned that lodges aren't following interstate travel protocols laid out in state health mandate #10. Borough Incident Commander Karl Hagerman said at the COVID-19 community update on Friday that the Emergency Operations Center is aware of concerns regarding visitors to local lodges. When an individual arrives at the Petersburg...
On June 18, a positive case of COVID-19 was detected among Trident Seafoods employees, according to a press release from the EOC, and as of Wednesday, the case is still active. All Trident Seafoods employees that travel to Petersburg are tested for COVID-19 prior to arriving in town and are quarantined in a bunkhouse upon arrival, according to the press release. The workers are then tested again on the tenth day of a 14 day quarantine. It was on the individual's 10th day in quarantine when the...
An employee with Trident Seafoods has tested positive for COVID-19 on the individual’s tenth day of quarantine after arriving to the community, according to a press release from the Petersburg Emergency Operations Center. All Trident Seafoods employees that travel to Petersburg are tested for the virus prior to arriving in town and are quarantined in a bunkhouse upon arrival, according to the press release. The workers are then tested again on the tenth day of a 14 day quarantine. The individual’s roommate was also tested on the tenth day of...
The borough assembly held a special meeting on Friday to enter into a contract with the state of Alaska to receive payment for the borough's greeting, screening and testing services currently in place at the Petersburg Airport. As per the updated state health mandate #10, those coming into the state will either have to show proof that they received a negative COVID-19 test result three days before arriving in Alaska, receive a negative test result upon entering Alaska or quarantine for 14 days...
The COVID-19 pandemic was able to cancel this year's Little Norway Festival, but the community is still going to host the Fourth of July Festival, though it will look different from past years. This year's theme will be Stay Strong Together to remind families they can persevere through the pandemic together. The games and events that usually take place on July 3 on main st. will now be held virtually from the Lighthouse Assembly of God parking lot. The harbor games have been cancelled, but the f...
Twenty-one paddlers competed in Petersburg Medical Center's Paddle Battle on Saturday as a way to exercise while social distancing and raise money for PMC staff education. Participants began leaving Papke's Landing in groups on Saturday afternoon and continued on a 7.3 mile trip north to Scow Bay. Previous year's Paddle Battles ended at Sandy Beach, but this year PMC Public Relations Coordinator Kelsey Lambe said the hospital wanted to try something different. By traveling in groups, the safety...
WRANGEL - Several local fishermen have been volunteering their time and energy, more so than usual, at Wrangell's sole operating seafood processor. With the decision by Trident Seafoods to not operate this summer, Sea Level Seafoods has been the only local option available for fishermen to process their catches. However, thanks to a number of factors brought on by COVID-19, Sea Level has been shorthanded. This has led to a number of fishermen volunteering to help process crab, as well as catch...
WRANGELL - The number of COVID-19 cases in Wrangell has increased since last week's edition of the Wrangell Sentinel. As of Tuesday, June 23, there are eight total cases of the virus in town. The fourth case was announced on Wednesday, June 17. According to a joint press release from the city and SEARHC, the patient was an unnamed traveller. He was identified through the airport testing program and is currently in quarantine. "So far, the State's airport testing program has proven to be...
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – A person who didn’t follow quarantine procedures after arriving in Alaska has created the possibility of broad community spread of the coronavirus after going to social gatherings and public places in Ketchikan while awaiting results of a COVID-19 test that turned out positive, officials said. The person arrived in Ketchikan Saturday and underwent testing for COVID-19. The state says anyone tested on arrival is to quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Under the state rules, one is not to leave a quaranti...
Unexpected upheavals stemming from the coronavirus have slowed the process of getting relief payments into the hands of fishermen and communities hurt by the 2018 Gulf of Alaska cod crash. In late February, the Secretary of Commerce cut loose $24,416,440 for affected stakeholders. Then in late March, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang proposed a written timeline for developing a distribution plan and also called for input from communities and fishing groups. A draft of the initial plan was intended to compile...
Public health mandate #3, which suspends in person participation of public meetings, was amended by the borough assembly at their meeting Monday to allow assembly, board and commission members the opportunity to hold a quorum in person. The health mandate was issued on April 3 and was extended on June 1 and will be in effect until terminated. While assembly, board and commission members would be allowed to meet in person during meetings, the public and department heads would not be allowed to...
On Tuesday, Petersburg Medical Center staff were ready to start collecting test samples from passengers flying into town as of the afternoon jet to be tested for COVID-19, said PMC Director of Patient Care Services Angela Menish. As passengers get off the plane and exit the tarmac, they are greeted by borough employees. If an individual is arriving from another part of Alaska, then they can enter the community. If the individual is arriving from outside of the state or country, then they are dir...
The borough assembly approved resolution #2020-10 at their meeting on Monday, which approves the purchase of two handicap accessible restroom trailers for a total of $92,870. The purchase of the trailers from Comforts of Home Services, Inc. will be covered by the funding the borough received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, according to the resolution. The borough is able to purchase the restrooms with CARES Act funding because they have hand washing capabilities...
The Petersburg School Board reviewed a guidance document released by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development at their school board meeting last week that lays out a framework on planning and strategies for reopening schools in the fall. The Alaska Smart Start 2020 document uses a three tiered risk/color system to allow each school district to react to the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in their municipality. The framework provided by the Alaska Smart Start 2020 document is not m...
The borough assembly revised and extended public health mandate #5 at an assembly meeting on Monday, which now requires all vessels arriving in Petersburg harbor to meet requirements for out of state passengers as laid forth in state health mandate #10. On May 18, the assembly extended the deadline of public health mandate #5 through June 30, but on Monday it was extended through Aug. 31 to correspond with state health mandate #10. The state health mandate affects intrastate and interstate...
King Salmon As of June 15, fishing for king salmon is now open in the majority of our local waters. Due to reduced nonresident harvest in the sport fishery related to COVID-19, the Southeast Alaska regional king salmon bag, possession, and annual limits were increased last week. Updated king salmon regulations as of June 15th are listed below: Alaska resident: • Daily bag and possession limit of 3 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. Nonresident: • Daily bag and possession limit of 1 k...
WRANGELL - After last week's announcement of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Wrangell, two other cases were confirmed shortly after. Wrangell now has three total cases of the virus. One case has been declared recovered. However, there is some question about the source of the third case. Public Health officials state that Wrangell's third case was a contact with the first case, but the first case said she does not know how that could be. The first case was announced on Sunday evening,...
All systems are go for keeping close tabs on fish and crab stocks in waters managed by the state, meaning out to three miles. While constraints from the coronavirus resulted in nearly all annual stock surveys being cut in deeper waters overseen by the federal government, it’s “closer to normal” closer to shore. “While it’s not business as usual, we are conducting business in as close to normal fashion as we can,” said Forrest Bowers, deputy director of the commercial fisheries division of the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. “We have kept all...
An employee with Trident Seafoods has tested positive for COVID-19 on the individual's tenth day of quarantine after arriving to the community, according to a press release from the Petersburg Emergency Operations Center. All Trident Seafoods employees that travel to Petersburg are tested for the virus prior to arriving in town and are quarantined in a bunkhouse upon arrival, according to the press release. The workers are then tested again on the tenth day of a 14 day quarantine. The... Full story
