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Strict new rules are now in place for Alaska fishermen and their vessels to protect against and prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the 2020 salmon season. Effective April 24, Governor Dunleavy provided 11 pages of mandates that specifically apply to those who have not “agreed to operate under a fleet-wide plan submitted by a company, association or entity” representing them. Among other things, each independent skipper must sign a “Health Mandate Acknowledgement Form” prior to going fishing. They are required to maintain a written or time...
The family of Pete Erickson Jr. wave to him as he travels northbound onboard his tugboat near Hungry Point. Erickson's father, Delbert (Pete) Erickson, passed away on March 16 due to COVID-19 in Washington. Pete also contracted the virus and spent six weeks recovering, according to his wife Kris Erickson in an email to the Pilot. Sunday was his first time back in Petersburg, but he was unable to leave the boat, not even to hug his mother, said Kris. The community got together to wave to him and...
A public health mandate requiring residents to wear face coverings in public when social distancing requirements can't be met was passed by the borough assembly at their meeting on Monday. Public health mandate #4 requires all persons to wear some form of covering over their nose and mouth in certain social situations to help prevent the spread of droplets that could infect others with COVID-19, according to the health mandate. A face covering does not have to be a medical face mask, but...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly held a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss a list of questions from Gov. Mike Dunleavy on the state's decision to reopen the state and local economies; however, the assembly's discussion on those questions was scrapped, because the governor would only be taking feedback from smaller communities to be used when creating a plan to reopen the economy. During a teleconference between Dunleavy and other state officials with Alaska's municipal mayors and managers...
Last week, the Petersburg School District distributed 3,946 meals to 310 kids in the district as students continue to attend class remotely. The district's food service department first began delivering meals on March 23. That was the day students were supposed to return from spring break, but they were given an extra week off while staff prepared for distance learning. Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued his first state health mandate on March 13, which required public schools statewide to make school da...
The Petersburg Borough confirmed the second positive result for COVID-19 in the community on Saturday in a joint statement with Petersburg Medical Center. While this is the second case to officially appear in the community, it is the only active case of COVID-19 present at this time. The first individual who tested positive for the virus has since recovered. Another local resident, Delbert (Pete) Erickson, passed away from the virus in Washington last month, but the Alaska Department of Health...
The borough assembly approved an emergency ordinance to amend the fiscal year 2020 budget to appropriate $100,000 from the Economic Development Fund to the Petersburg Economic Development Council to offset financial impacts to the local community caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. "As our state and community work towards opening up our economy and getting businesses back online, this can offer hopefully a small bridge to help some of those small businesses during this time," said Vice Mayor Jeigh...
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is developing a reduced service operating plan for spring and early summer to provide an appropriate level of service based on passenger demand, crew availability, and state and federal guidelines for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mainline vessel service will be delayed until such time travel restrictions are relaxed and demand returns for passenger service. COVID-19 related travel restrictions have drastically reduced passenger demand. The M/V...
The borough assembly approved two health mandates at their assembly meeting on Monday regarding the use of the borough's harbor facilities by cruise ships and the submission of essential workers' travel plans in the borough. Public health mandate #5 prevents cruise ships from using the borough's harbor facilities and passengers and crew members from disembarking onto borough docks or floats without prior written approval of Borough Public Health Officer Mark Tuccillo. Approval will be given to...
This week with the Petersburg Borough announced Public Health Mandate #4; All community member are required to wear homemade masks, scarfs, buffs, bandanas, or handkerchiefs when inside buildings and even outside of any building in situations where social distancing requirements cannot be met. Masks have become even more important in our community then they were even last week. Liz Bacom's title with the Petersburg Medical Center is Infection Prevention and Quality Manager, with her work on the...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Initial unemployment claims in Alaska are down slightly from a historic high, but they are about 12 times what is typical for this time of year amid the economic fallout from coronavirus concerns, according to a state official and government figures Thursday. Initial claims for the most recent reporting week totaled 12,007, said Lennon Weller, actuary for the state’s unemployment insurance system. That compares with 14,590 claims the prior week, which the state labor department said far exceeded anything in Alaska’s histor...
Alaska’s total salmon catch for 2020 is projected to be down 36 percent from last year’s haul of 207 million fish, the eighth largest on record that was valued at nearly $658 million at the docks. In the Run Forecasts and Harvest Projections and Review of the 2019 Season just released by the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, managers are calling for a harvest of just under 133 million salmon across Alaska. The decline is driven by a much lower forecast for those hard to predict pink salmon of just over 60 million fish, down nearly 53 percent. Her...
Mission of court system hasn't changed To the Editor: On behalf of the Alaska Court System, and particularly those of us working in the First Judicial District (Southeast), I want to extend to the people of Petersburg, Kake and the surrounding area our appreciation for your patience and consideration as we work through the challenges to our judicial process brought on by the current pandemic. As most of you are aware, we have had to suspend jury trials and most other in-person court... Full story
Petersburg Medical Center has sent out a total of 71 samples to be tested for COVID-19 at state and commercial laboratories as of April 15, said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter at Wednesday's daily COVID-19 community update. Sixty-three tests have returned negative, seven are still pending and one test has returned positive, but the individual has since recovered. On Wednesday, the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services reported 293 cases of COVID-19 in the state. Of the positive cases, 106...
There was a time when masks were associated with Halloween, horror movies, dances, and merrymaking. In today's current environment they've been elevated to a new status; as a way to protect and stop the spread of COVID-19. In Petersburg specifically the making of masks has become a cottage industry, helping to encourage good mental health and as a way to reach out and help others, while practicing social distancing. Back in mid-March Erica Kludt-Painter, School Superintendent and Heather Conn,...
During a virtual Petersburg School Board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter recommended that the board postpone talks on the Alaska Reads Act, which is a senate bill being put forth by Alaska legislators to address early childhood education. If passed, Senate Bill 6 would mandate school districts offer a preschool program and ensure students are reading proficiently by third grade. Kludt-Painter recommended further discussions on the topic be postponed because of local and...
Utility Director Karl Hagerman and Public Works Director Chris Cotta submitted a letter to the borough assembly at their meeting last week recommending the borough postpone discussions on rate increases and bond issuances due to financial uncertainties in the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We were attempting to answer a question that hadn't been asked yet and to put the community at ease that rates are still under consideration for projects that need to be completed, but that rate increa...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A state forecast released Monday shows projected revenues down sharply from an estimate issued several months ago, with low oil prices and economic impacts from the COVID-19 outbreak cited as factors. The state Revenue Department projects unrestricted general fund revenue of $1.6 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, and $1.2 billion for the year starting July 1, excluding scheduled transfers from earnings of the state’s oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund. That is down from projections of $2.1 billion and...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the state will work with communities, industry leaders and others as it makes decisions on how to proceed in reopening sectors of the economy impacted by the coronavirus. Dunleavy said key to this will be monitoring case numbers. As of Tuesday, Alaska had reported 285 total cases of COVID-19, and nine deaths related to the coronavirus. The health of Alaskans will be a top consideration, Dunleavy said, adding he doesn’t “want anyone to get the wrong idea that we’re going to put the economy ahe...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) —Four employees at a state-run prison in Juneau have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Monday. No staff at other Department of Corrections facilities have tested positive, and no inmates within the system have tested positive, department spokeswoman Sarah Gallagher said by email. Three recent cases in Juneau have involved staff from the Lemon Creek Correctional Center. Results from a fourth case came in as positive but given reporting protocols will show up in the state’s count Tuesday, according to the state hea...
How can fishermen be sure their vessels are clean of coronavirus contamination? Where can they find out about relief funds that are newly available for fishermen? COVID-19 has Alaska’s seafood industry traveling in uncharted waters as more fisheries continue and get underway, and fishermen and processors prepare for a salmon season that’s just a month away. Information in an upside down world changes daily, making it tough to plot a course. United Fishermen of Alaska has crafted a “one stop shop” for the latest fishing-related COVID-19 updates...
As of April 7, the Petersburg Medical Center has sent out 62 test samples to be tested for COVID-19 at state and commercial laboratories, according to PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter at Wednesday's daily COVID-19 update. Fifty-one tests have returned negative, ten are still pending and one test has returned positive. The borough was first made aware of the confirmed case of COVID-19 in the community on Sunday. The borough was notified by the hospital and immediately sent out a press release and a code...
Several hand washing stations have been set up throughout town to provide residents with basic hygiene needs at a time when the public is urged to wash their hands regularly to prevent the transmission and contraction of COVID-19. Ashley Kawashima, of the borough's incident command team, said the stations were set up for the growing local population of individuals who don't have access to running water. They would use the Parks and Recreation Center and Petersburg Public Library, for their...
Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan held an electronic town hall meeting last week to talk about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and what kind of aid it provides to small businesses. In their town hall meeting, the senators focused on several key provisions. One was the Paycheck Protection Program. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the program offers a loan designed to provide an incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll in...
The borough assembly established a local emergency disaster fund in response to the COVID-19 outbreak at their meeting on Monday and moved funds to the Petersburg Economic development Council to help businesses who have been financially affected by the virus. The local emergency disaster fund was created by an emergency ordinance, which requires only one reading to be passed and lasts for 60 days. Because the borough anticipates the local emergency disaster fund being needed past the 60 days,...
