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Empowerment Through Education To the Editor: This past weekend, 11 determined women gathered with certified handgun instructors Cheryl and Dave from Citizens Firearms of Haines for a powerful and inspiring experience in firearm safety and self-defense. The training began Friday evening with an engaging classroom session focused on the fundamentals of handgun safety. Early Saturday morning, despite pouring rain and overcast skies, the group reunited at the Petersburg Rod and Gun Club for a full...
Barbara Jean Dunbar was born on January 19, 1934, in Utica, New York, to George and Mary Dunbar. Growing up in the majestic foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Barb's early years were filled with cheerful family gatherings and time spent with friends exploring the many mountain lakes dotting the forests around Inlet and Old Forge, where the fall colors are like no place else on earth. In high school she waved her pom-poms cheerleading, marched in the Syracuse drum band and volunteered as a... Full story
Education Funding To the Editor: Article VII of the Alaska Constitution requires the Legislature to “maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State.” Alaska Statute (Alaska Students’ Educational Bill of Rights (3)) states “A quality education for students of all ages is a concrete investment that vastly improves the future prosperity, welfare, productivity, and vitality of society.” The indisputable, mathematical fact is that at least for the last 10 years (years in which I served in the Alaska State House), the Legis...
February 13, 1925 – At the meeting of the chamber of commerce last evening a resolution was adopted calling on the government to make use of its boats in Alaskan waters hereafter to feed deer every winter. For practically no cost to the government it is estimated that thousands of deer can be saved every winter from starving. The Seattle Times wired to the chamber here for information and were informed that it was estimated there were some 3,000 deer in this region needing attention and that at least 35 tons of hay would be needed for t...
January 2024 A prized Mental Health Trust lot by Blind River Rapids, a popular recreation site for sport fishing, was sold at auction to a USCG family. Toler and Jessie Alexander are eager to return to Petersburg after retiring from the Coast Guard in a few years. The borough listed its top priority capital projects, and the Petersburg Medical Center replacement was first and second on the list – for the main hospital construction and the main hospital interior build out. Petersburg Indian A...
A proposal coming before the Board of Fish in January, if adopted, would make it almost impossible under the current management plan to ever reopen the Southeast Alaska commercial red king crab fishery. Proposal 242 - put forward by Territorial Sportsmen, Inc of Juneau - seeks to allocate 100% of the red king crab available for harvest in Section 11-A to the personal use fishery. Section 11-A accounts for around a quarter of all the mature red king crab biomass available in Southeast Alaska acco...
December 12, 1924 – Oscar Sather, of the Shields-Sather Lumber & Box Company, is figuring on plans for six cottages for rent or sale, which, if the plans materialize, will somewhat relieve the present famine in lack of houses. At the present time in Petersburg it is impossible to get either houses or apartments or any business location. The new business block being built by Andrew Wikan and John Hammer has the roof on and is nearing completion, and the entire space on both floors could have been rented a dozen times over, owing to demand. In fa...
October 31, 1924 – Thursday evening, November 6, in the schoolhouse, the Petersburg Parent-Teacher Association will once again convene. There is to be a business meeting which will likely not be long. The following program will be rendered for the pleasure of those present: piano solo, Miss Reep; reading, “Maggie Clancy has her say,” Lanore Martin; vocal solo, “The Hour of Memory,” Mrs. Martin Enge; and a reading by Miss Thorp. Refreshments are promised. So bring yourself, a friend and lots of pep and interest! October 28, 1949 – The ski tow...
To register a new student, please stop by the office at 303 Dolphin Street by August 22. You will need to bring a current immunization record and birth certificate – a legible copy is okay. For questions, please call or text the office at 907-302-2385 or 877-526-7656, ext. 400 Mrs. Willis, Kindergarten: Julie Baguley, Levi Bateman, Mia Carr, Levi Clemens, Esmae Corrao, William Hussey, Jackson Josey, Kaylee Lenihan, Tora Marohl, Harlan McKay, Knox Mendoza-Einerson, Ca’Nay Mitchell, Sophie Morin, Chloe Morrison, Lydia Padgett, Henry Paul, Kno...
A power outage affected downtown Petersburg on Wed., July 10 from around 10:30 a.m. until around noon. The outage was caused by a transformer failing in its vault located in the sidewalk on Excel Street near the Hammer & Wikan Hardware store, Petersburg Utility Director Karl Hagerman told the Pilot. Smoke was observed coming out of the sidewalk vault after the transformer's failure, causing some concern to bystanders. The power went out when the transformer fault tripped the breaker for the...
April 25, 1924 – There is no settlement in sight for the strike of the Alaska fishermen. Alarm is expressed that if the strike is not ended soon it will be too late to send boats North for the best of the fishing season. The Alaska Packers Association and Alaska Fishermen’s Union have been deadlocked some time over the matter of wages for the coming season. The packers declare several boats have been sent South with mixed labor outfits and that one ship was sent with a full non-union crew. Peter Olson, secretary of the Union, said that if the...
Bud was born on February 13, 1947, to Gainhart Samuelson, Senior, and Mildred (Massey) Samuelson. A lifelong resident of Petersburg, he grew up living with his mother and siblings on Hammer Slough. Summers were spent with his father at Portage Bay, where he loved fishing and hunting and grew determined to one day run a commercial fishing vessel of his own and to be a good provider for his family. After graduating from Petersburg High School in 1965, Bud landed a job on Andy Wikan's boat,... Full story
The Petersburg Indian Association is currently exploring several opportunities to potentially grow housing in Petersburg. PIA is looking at and gathering information on potentially expanding the Airport Subdivision -also known in the community as the Tlingit and Haida subdivision- which is located past Hammer and Wikan grocery in a loop off Howkan Street. Similar to when the Airport Subdivision was first developed, PIA partnered with Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority and are "in talks"...
Fierce Allegiance officially bought the Ocean Beauty bunkhouse at 18 Harbor Way on Friday, March 15. Owner Andrew Mazzella, 37, confirmed that he is set to buy all property Ocean Beauty has in Petersburg. "Friday was a huge day," he said. "I closed on [the bunkhouse property] and the stipulation to close on this ... was that I wanted to buy everything Ocean Beauty has in Petersburg." Mazzella negotiated with Ocean Beauty for eight months and now has entered into a contract to purchase all of...
IGA President John Ross presents Hammer & Wikan General Manager and CEO Jim Floyd with the USA Retailers of the Year award in Hammer & Wikan grocery store on Feb. 8, as board members and staff look on proudly. Pictured, left to right, are Jennifer Toyomura, Terri Faulter, Bruce Westre, Laron Martin, Sharon Wikan, Gainhart Samuelson, Katrina Miller, Audrey Samuelson, Jim Floyd and John Ross....
The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) named Hammer and Wikan Grocery - represented by CEO General Manager Jim Floyd, Board President Gainhart Samuelson and Vice President Bruce Westre - 2023 USA Retailers of the Year. Representatives from nine stores were chosen for the honor. Nominations were made by their wholesalers "for providing leadership and excellence in their community," out of a network of 30,000 independent grocers in the U.S, according to a press release sent out by IGA. "It was a...
Sandy Beach will be fired up for the holidays this Saturday, Dec. 16, when the first ever Jingle & Mingle event —facilitated through the Parks & Recreation department— will take place at shelters one and two from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Several Petersburg Borough departments will pitch in for an evening of s’mores, music, good company and a special appearance from a certain jolly someone. Attendees from the Petersburg community can look forward to “the camaraderie” of gathering together around the various fires during the event, “seeing people just c...
Thank you To the Editor: Thank you to Hammer & Wikan for re-establishing the footpath from the grocery store to the post office. Right now, the path is better than it ever was. Good job!, Sam Bunge Change the ferry LeConte’s name To the Editor: Do you believe in equality? Do you believe in human rights? Please sign the petition in the link below asking the Alaska Marine Highway System to change the name of the ferry LeConte. Joseph Leconte was a slave owning Georgian who believed in racial superiority and never once stepped foot in the state of...
Negative stereotype To the Editor: In the spirit of free enterprise, Sig and Ambre Burrell are trying to address the demand for affordable housing in our community by developing a manufactured home neighborhood on their privately-owned land. Some people argue that Petersburg should not give up this beautiful open space; they also complain about ugliness and lack of cleanliness in mobile home parks and of prevalent crime in these neighborhoods. One individual believes that people who live in trailer homes neglect their pets and are outsiders,...
Moose hunting aims to begin on September 15. For this hunt, Alaska Wildlife Troopers Sgt. Cody Litster says hunters should acquire a RM038 permit, verse themselves thoroughly on what distinguishes legal game, submit their hunting reports and report their mistakes without hesitation. As far as antler configuration goes, Sgt. Litster says "it's the same as it has been." According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), antler restrictions protect a portion of the bull population by...
*To register a new student, please stop by the office at 303 Dolphin Street by August 25th *You will need to bring current immunization record and birth certificate (legible copy ok) *If you have any questions, please call the office at 907-302-2385 or 877-526-7656 ext. 400 Mrs. Willis Kindergarten Adalynd Birchell, Talon Caulum, Konrad Connor, Tess Crump, Kaeson Doril, Everly Gacchina, Raymond Gillen, Charlie Gudgel, Jon Hammer, Emily Martin, Isabelle Martin, Branson McIntosh, Ryland Newman, Elliott Popp, David Randrup, Oliver Reid, Kai...
Beulah Eleanor Luhr passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at her home in Petersburg surrounded by her children. Beulah was born in Chester, Montana on October 12, 1934, to Robert T. Reid and Vena (Ward) Reid. Her family moved to Petersburg, Alaska in 1939 and she resided there for the last 84 years. Beulah grew up in Scow Bay, graduated from Petersburg High School and married the love of her life, Donald Luhr, on May 31, 1952. In high school Beulah worked for the telephone company, back in the... Full story
Trail nix To the Editor: The site preparation work for the expansion of the Hammer & Wikan grocery store is eating the wildly popular crushed rock trail between the store and the U.S. Post Office. I hope the construction plans include replacing that trail. Sam Bunge...
Art Hammer was born on July 7, 1921 to John and Marie Hammer in Petersburg, Alaska. He was born at the family's house on Lumber Street, where he joined siblings Jennie, Agnes, and Norman. His brother James joined the family five years later. As a child Art could be found helping his Dad work on the house they were building on Hammer's Slough, rowing up Petersburg Creek, or fishing with friends. All of Art's educational years were completed in Petersburg. He was a member of the Petersburg High... Full story
We are in need of a neutral third party To the Editor: I am writing today in response to last week’s Guest Editorial, a report submitted by Assembly Member Fine-Walsh on Petersburg Borough Human Resources Practices and Procedures, and to underscore the need to employ a neutral third party to daylight gaps in our Borough’s policies and protocols in regard to human resource management, safety, and communications. I appreciate the effort taken to review what actions the Borough of Petersburg has made since the crash that killed Molly Parks and...
