Sorted by date Results 78 - 102 of 117
With less than an inch of rain, May of 2015 is officially the driest on record. Meteorologist Richard Lam, with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Juneau, said Petersburg only recorded 0.26 inches of rain last month. The former record was set in 1996, when there was 1.15 inches of precipitation, according to NWS data. This May set a second record in the longest stretch of consecutive days without measurable precipitation at 22, Lam added, beating the 20 day record set in 1958. The reason was a broad high pressure system that kept storm... Full story
Petersburg has moved from its wettest April on record to what’s looking to be its driest May. Despite rain Wednesday and more precipitation forecasted for today (Thursday), this May is “definitely still looking like it’ll be the driest,” said meteorologist Geri Swanson with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Juneau. Petersburg still had less than 0.3 inches of rain Wednesday afternoon, and was expecting less than a 10th of an inch with the day and Thursday’s forecast — the area’s “best chances” for rain before moving back into a high pressur...
Petersburg High School shop teacher Nick Popp took eight students to Sitka for a three-day welding performance exam April 15-17. All eight students passed at least two of three positions tested as part of the American Welding Society's steel plate credential. "It's a real-world test that a welder would take if they're going to work in a shipyard or work construction," Popp said. "It's not a written test, it's all just welding skills." Students were assessed on flat, vertical and overhead steel... Full story
This year’s baseball team at Petersburg High School has nearly doubled in size from last year. Head Coach Jim Engell took just nine players to the regional tournament last year, the exact amount needed for a complete team. He said this year’s larger roster will bring more opportunities for the team to develop a relief pitching staff, among other things. Engell said this year’s team includes players with different levels of experience with the sport. Returning juniors and seniors include Ethan Bryner, Kjell Wittstock, Chauncey Sandhofer and l...
Last week’s article about the Petersburg Borough Assembly passing an amended resolution allowing for the Southeast Alaska Power Agency’s (SEAPA) bond refinancing and new bond sale incorrectly stated that all member utilities, including Wrangell and Ketchikan, will have to vote on the revised resolution for the bond sale to proceed. The Pilot regrets the error.... Full story
Petersburg Borough Assembly members passed an amended resolution to allow Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) to move forward with refinancing of existing 2009 bonds and a proposed $7 million bond sale to fund an expansion of the Swan Lake facility northeast of Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island. Though Petersburg and Wrangell municipal attorneys have vetted the paperwork for the bond sale, Peterburg's Vice Mayor Cindi Lagoudakis said she had some concerns about the resolution's wording. “My concern with this resolution is that it doesn't i...
The first-ever Southeast Commercial Growers Conference will be held in Petersburg Feb. 27 - March 1. The event will bring together commercial food and flower growers from across the region to swap ideas and information about how to run a successful venture in a tricky microclimate. Marja Smets and Bo Varsano, owners of Farragut Farm, are organizing the event. Smets said one of the reasons she wanted to put on a conference was to spread local farming knowledge that's not available in other forms....
On Jan. 16, Superior Court Judge Philip M. Pallenberg issued his decision affirming the Borough’s determination that a Wrangell Ave. home owned by Karen Ellingstad and Fred Triem is a “dangerous building” according to municipal code. The ruling comes after more than two years of back-and-forth about the structure’s fate between the owners and the Borough culminating in the homeowner’s filing a notice of appeal in Superior Court on Jan. 2, 2014. The appeal was in response to a non-compliance hearing held Dec. 2, 2013 in which the Borough A... Full story
The Price Comparison chart on page 16 of last week’s paper referred to Petro and reflected pricing offered by Petro Express for gasoline and diesel fuels. Heating oil prices for Petersburg are labeled as Petro and reflects prices listed by Petro Marine. The Pilot regrets the error....
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the following information concerning the preseason forecast for king salmon returning to the Stikine and Taku Rivers in 2015. The 2015 preseason terminal run size forecast for large Stikine River king salmon is 30,200 fish. The resulting U.S. Allowable Catch (AC) is 210 large Stikine Kings. An AC of 210 fish is not large enough to allow for directed commercial fisheries. Inseason terminal run size estimates will be produced starting late May of 2015. Inseason estimates may result in a higher AC...
The Nov. 20 edition of the Petersburg Pilot incorrectly identified Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Elders Kettle and Lofton as members of the Salvation Army. The Pilot regrets the error....
Petersburg schools had, overall, a clean audit on a good fiscal year, which ended June 30. The school was able to set aside a healthy amount, budgeting for future maintenance around a law that capped reserve limits at 10 percent of schools’ expenses. “In our opinion, the financial statements are fairly stated in all material respects,” said Eric Campbell, a partner in the international services firm BDO, which completed the school’s audit. “That’s a clean or unmodified opinion. That’s what you want. (Finance Director Karen Quitslund) does a gre...
Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht presented his report to the assembly at Monday's meeting. Replacement lighting at the South Harbor is finally nearing completion. We plan to remove the last of the old fixtures during the high tide on August 13. The old fixtures are mounted on the pilings, which makes them difficult to access except at a high tide. Power and Light is ordering material and getting ready for the new line extension for the Drive Down facility. The borough is preparing to do a significant amount of right-of-way clearing t...
Nowhere in the world do people have more say in shaping fisheries policy than in Alaska. While the outcomes might get mixed rants and reviews, no one is ever denied the chance to state ideas, concerns and gripes to decision makers. Several opportunities are available right now. First off, a revised draft of the Magnuson-Stevens Act was just released for public review and comment. The MSA is the primary federal law that governs all fisheries management in U.S. waters; it is undergoing...
Monthly Enhanced 911 (E911) surcharges will increase to $2 a month for Petersburg Borough cellphone users if the Borough Assembly approves the rate increase as an ordinance during the next assembly meeting. The funds will help finance maintenance on the E911 Emergency Communications Fund, an anticipated cost of $500,000 during the next several years. Every municipality across Alaska sets a similar charge, which helps install and maintain emergency communication systems. In Petersburg, there is only $29,700 currently available in the fund due... Full story
Hammer and Wrangell Clerk Kim Lane, accompanied by Wrangell Police Chief Doug McCloskey arrived at the TBPA office headquarters about 3 p.m., when a Wrangell Sentinel reporter was interviewing Nicholls. The interview was the first notification of the imposition of administrative leave, Nicholls and Christian said. Nicholls disputed claims by the Thomas Bay Power Commission that there had been a lack of communication between commissioners and staff prior to the June 6 special meeting. "At that time, both Robert (Larson) and James (Stough) said...
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story ran in the Wrangell Sentinel on May 6 and was omitted from publication in the Petersburg Pilot the same week. Since Brock pleaded not guilty to the specified charges, it was important that we print a story about the dismissal of charges against Brock in a timely manner, in both publications. That did not happen. The Pilot regrets the error and apologizes for the oversight. WRANGELL — The State of Alaska dismissed charges against Lavina “Lovey” Brock April 22. Brock, 67, of Wrangell, had faced four Class A...
In last weeks story entitled “Ragnarok Rollers host first official bout during Little Norway Festival”, it was stated that heckling is encouraged. Heckling is, in fact, not encouraged during Ragnarok Roller Derby bouts. The Pilot regrets the error....
A front-page story index stated: “Petersen pleads guilty” in reference to a story appearing on page 5. Petersen in fact intends to enter a guilty plea as a part of a plea agreement that has to be accepted by the court this summer. The story and headline are accurate as they appear on the inside page. The Pilot regrets the error....
Petersburg High School Junior River Quitslund, returned this summer from a ten-month student exchange program in Thailand. After applying for and being accepted by the Petersburg Rotary Club's Youth Exchange Program, Quitslund departed for Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, in August of 2012. "It was really different than Petersburg," Quitslund said. "I don't know where to start." Quitslund began his 80-degree days, like most people, with breakfast. But, bacon and eggs or a bowl cereal...
Will Alaska’s halibut catches be cut again next year? That’s the big question as the industry braces for the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s interim meeting this week in Seattle. By all accounts, there appear to be lots of halibut in Alaska waters, but their unusually slow growth rates have forced a downward press on catches for nearly a decade. The Alaska catch total this year was about 22 million pounds. Also up for review – 22 fishermen from remote communities in the mid-Aleutians (4A) are requesting an increase in their halibut...
Alaska’s 2013 salmon season has yielded the largest catch ever, and the value of the fishery is also headed for the record books. The statewide catch on Sept. 6 was nearing 265 million fish – the old record was 222 million in 2005. A bumper run of pink salmon is behind the big harvest - the mindboggling catch was approaching 213 million fish. The previous record was 161 million pinks, also in 2005. Some boats are still out on the water, but the big pink catches have gone by, said Geron Bruce, Assistant Director for the state commercial fisherie...
WRANGELL — Youth baseball came to Wrangell in a big way last weekend as the 2013 All-Stars tournament for Southeast Alaska kicked off at the diamonds near the Nature Trail. The competition featured teams from Wrangell, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Sitka, Prince of Wales Island and Juneau. Coach Glenn Smith said hosting the tournament in Wrangell was good for the nearly 100 players, visiting families, and the local community. “One of the things I like about the tournament being here in Wrangell is tha... Full story
Local preference To the Editor: I attended the Borough Council Meeting on July 1, 2013. I was disappointed to see attendance was so low but maybe the listening audience was large. Other than Department Heads, Councilpersons, me, Joe Viechnicki and the new police chief, there was only one other person present. Acting Mayor Sue Flint conducted a short, sweet, and to the point meeting that everyone appreciated. Bravo. There were two things that bothered me. The first was personal in that they are going to enter into a contract with Mike Renfro...
The public deserves a complete and candid explanation from the Petersburg Medical Center administrative staff concerning the allegations and information presented at the May meeting of the board by Ramona Thompson, an employee of PMC just prior to her termination before the board meeting on May 23. At that meeting, Thompson presented a long list of problems at the facility that have resulted in billing errors, loss of billable income, a warning from Medicare and other concerns. Thompson charged that department heads are not working with the...
