Sorted by date Results 976 - 999 of 999
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Alaska Senate approved a budget provision Monday that would give residents a $1,000 payment as a way to blunt economic impacts from the coronavirus. The provision, an amendment to a larger state spending package, passed 12-7 after the Senate rejected a proposed $1,300 stimulus payment. The underlying budget passed 17-1 later in the day, with Republican Sen. Lora Reinbold voting in opposition. The House will have to decide whether to agree to what passed the Senate. If theHouse does not agree, differences typically a...
The Petersburg Borough as enacted a second public health mandate on Thursday afternoon that cancels certain borough boards and commission meetings through April 30 as COVID-19 worries continue. Public Health Mandate #02, which was signed by Incident Commander Karl Hagerman and is effective immediately, prevents the Petersburg Borough Planning Commission, Harbors and Ports Advisory Board, Library Advisory Board and the Public Safety Advisory Board from meeting until April 30, at which time... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved a declaration of disaster emergency at Monday's assembly meeting in response to the COVID-19 outbreak across the country and state. Additionally, the assembly approved an emergency ordinance that would allow the assembly to declare a quorum by calling into an assembly meeting instead of being present. By declaring a disaster emergency, the borough is putting itself in position to better receive state and federal emergency funding should the borough requir...
WRANGELL - The Wrangell Borough Assembly held a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, March 17. In response to the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which recently reached Alaska, the assembly decided to meet to determine how best to handle the situation, and mitigate chances of the virus spreading locally. There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wrangell as of March 17, but the assembly felt it was important to be proactive. As part of an effort to encourage social...
In just two weeks the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in which we live. Sheltering in place and social distancing are the new means of protecting us, and others, from person-to-person contact with the virus, which for the elderly could be fatal. With this in mind, we are taking action to protect our employees, and our customers from potential COVID-19 transmission. Our office supply store and newspaper office will be closed to walk-in customers effective today (Thursday) at 1 p.m. Orders for office supplies can be taken over the phone,...
Effective immediately public access to most Petersburg Borough offices will be limited, by order of Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht. A press release put out by the borough states the action is taken to keep employees safe and to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Borough offices in most cases will put in place alternate delivery of services that will eliminate or reduce direct interaction between individuals. Contact phone numbers for borough offices can be found on the borough’s website, www.ci.petersburg.ak.us Both the library and t... Full story
Services suspended To the Editor: There will be no public celebration of Mass across the Diocese of Juneau or other large gatherings effective through Friday, March 27. This includes all public Liturgies, Masses, Benedictions, Stations of the Cross, faith formation classes, and other types of church activities. Today’s directive was made for the common good and for the people of God entrusted to our care - many of whom are considered high risk and vulnerable. In light of my directive, I want to let you know that you are temporarily dispensed f...
The Lady Vikings took first place in the Regional basketball tournament last week in Juneau and brought back the Region V Championship title for division two. Petersburg was seeded third at the tournament and played against Wrangell last Wednesday for the chance to compete in the championship game. Head Coach Dino Brock said that the first game of the tournament started off strong, but the game soon became a low-scoring, defensive bout. The Lady Vikings had played the Lady Wolves in four...
The Petersburg High School boys basketball team was named Region V Champions among Southeast Alaska's 2A schools at Regionals last week after beating Wrangell and Haines in two high-energy games. The Vikings went into the tournament with the number one seeding position and didn't play until the second day of Regionals last Thursday. Their first game of the tournament was against the Wrangell Wolves who had just beaten the Craig Panthers the previous day. Head Coach Rick Brock said he...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — State museums and schools are temporarily closed; restaurants, bars and gyms in Anchorage are shuttered for the rest of March and fans are urged not to fly to Nome for the end of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. These are among the responses to concerns with the new coronavirus in Alaska. The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems. Three people have tested positive in Alaska. Here is a round up of other vir...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A drop in global oil prices will likely add $300 million to Alaska’s current year budget deficit, state officials said. A state Legislative Finance Division official told lawmakers the state could experience a $600 million revenue reduction in the 2021 fiscal year starting July 1, The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Friday. Oil price forecasts in the range of $60 per barrel now appear optimistic, officials said. Prices began falling in early February as traders reacted to lower demand forecasts from China due to...
The borough assembly unanimously passed an emergency ordinance at a special meeting on Friday, March 20, that would allow the assembly and certain staff members of the borough to put civil emergency provisions in place in the event of a civil emergency. Ordinance #2020-08 authorizes Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht, Incident Commander Karl Hagerman and the Petersburg Borough Assembly to issue any or all orders laid out in the ordinance deemed necessary to preserve public health, safety and... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly approved public health alert #01 at a special meeting on Sunday, March 22, which strongly urges the public to "shelter in place" to prepare for and mitigate the severity of a possible COVID-19 outbreak. The health alert does not mandate that resident shelter in place, it only encourages the public to do so. The borough assembly received about 40 letters from the public requesting the assembly support the health alert, but a majority of the letters also requested... Full story
Longtime Petersburg resident Delbert (Pete) Erickson, 77, died on March 16 in Federal Way, Washington. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 near the time of his death. His was the first recorded death from COVID-19 in Alaska. An obituary will follow in the coming weeks.... Full story
Members of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, as well as community leaders and local business representatives, got together last Thursday to discuss the COVID-19 virus and how entities throughout the community have been taking precautions against it. "There's a bunch of information going around," said Sandy Dixson, chairperson of the Local Emergency Planning Committee. "We just want to make sure we're all on the same page ... It's not if, it's when it gets to our community, and we do not...
The borough's sales tax has brought in $2,362,621 for the 2020 fiscal year so far, which is about $90,000 higher than what was brought in this time last year, according to Finance Director Jody Tow. Some businesses in town have been seeing the increase in spending, showing that the borough is in for a prosperous calendar year. The Petersburg Borough has seen a slight upward trend in the amount of money it has been collecting through sales tax since the 2016 fiscal year; however, the sales tax...
The Petersburg School Board adopted a policy on Tuesday in its second and final reading that addresses the Petersburg School District's pandemic and epidemic emergency readiness. Board policy 6114.4 was recommended to the school board by the Association of Alaska School Boards. Since its first reading in February, School Board Vice President Sarah Holmgrain said parents have had some concerns over the extent that the district would be able to quarantine students; as a result, language within...
The Alaska School Activities Association announced on Wednesday that Alaska’s state high school basketball and cheer championships have been postponed until further notice due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus, according to a statement from ASAA. The decision on whether or not to cancel the basketball and cheer championships will be made sometime in the future, according to the statement. The State of Alaska has also issued an advisory to those planning on attending ASAA regional basketball tournaments this week. Anyone with underlying m...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy is freezing the hiring of state workers not essential to health or safety as oil markets roil, and state lawmakers are making plans to prepare for how they will handle their work should there be a confirmed case of the new coronavirus in the capital city. Restrictions also have been ordered on state employee and legislative travel. Sen. Gary Stevens, chair of the Legislative Council, said some things that could be looked at as part of the Legislature’s preparations include whether to close the Cap...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has suspended out-of-state travel for state employees, with his chief of staff citing a need to control spending amid oil market volatility. Concerns with the new coronavirus have roiled markets along with a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia over oil. Alaska relies on oil revenue and earnings from its oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund, to help pay for government expenses. Dunleavy Chief of Staff Ben Stevens, in a memo dated Monday, said a hiring freeze also will be in effect b...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A funding injection to prepare for a new virus cannot erase years of budget cuts in Alaska, officials and legislators familiar with the state’s public health system said. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed $13 million in new spending this week to monitor and prevent the spread of the virus that causes the disease called COVID-19, The Anchorage Daily News reported Thursday. No virus cases have been found in Alaska, but Dunleavy asked the Alaska Legislature for the expenditure that includes $4 million in state fun...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A cruise ship turned away from ports in Asia over fears of a new virus will be cleaned to federal standards and carry a different crew when the vessel docks in Alaska, officials said. The MS Westerdam is expected to undergo a cleaning protocol approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before arriving in Juneau, The Juneau Empire reported Sunday. The ship is scheduled to dock in the port around March 22 after being denied permission to enter five ports over concerns about the virus that causes the d...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, seeking to assert calm concerning the new coronavirus threat, said Monday he sees the fall in oil prices as a “momentary issue’’ that with the stock market will work itself out. The virus has affected global energy prices, with North Slope oil prices around $45 a barrel at the end of last week. The state, which has struggled with a long-running deficit, relies on oil revenue and earnings from its oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund, to help pay for government. Alaska Permanent Fund Co...
The Local Emergency Planning Committee is holding a meeting on Thursday, March 5 at 12 P.M. at the Petersburg Fire Station to discuss a possible response to a confirmed case of the COVID-19 virus in Petersburg. Petersburg Public Health Nurse Erin Michael said the meeting will focus on preparation for the COVID-19 virus, also known as the Coronavirus. The goal is to put a plan in place should the virus make its way to Petersburg. Community leaders, medical professionals and business owners are...
