Sorted by date Results 401 - 425 of 1602
January The assembly approved of a COVID-19 dashboard which tracked cases in the community. Local businesses received a total of $15.08 million in aid in the first round of COVID-19 aid released through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. PMC vaccinated approximately 350 residents aged 65 or older at a vaccine drive in the community gym. PMC was given permission by the borough to apply for a second PPP loan totaling $1.8 million. PMC applied and received a loan of...
December 16 — An officer and the PVFD responded to a report of a power pole having exploded. Power & Light were notified and responded. Suspicious activity was reported on Mitkof Hwy. An officer responded and determined the complaint was unfounded. A citizen reported a possible phone scam. December 17 — A disturbance was reported on Fram Street. An officer responded. An officer provided a courtesy transport from South Boat Harbor to the hospital. A citizen complained of abdominal pain on Skylark Lane. An officer assisted EMS. Lost property was...
During Monday's assembly meeting the Petersburg Borough Assembly voted against Resolution #2021-17 which would have requested the option of home mail delivery by the United States Postal Service. The resolution was presented as a possible solution to ongoing issues at the short-staffed post office which has seen long wait times for package pickup and decreased window hours. Assembly Member Dave Kensinger said he brought forward the resolution because of the time people and businesses are having...
Plows and shovels became commonplace in Petersburg last week after record-breaking snowfall covered the town while Public Works, the Alaska Department of Transportation, businesses, homeowners, and everyone in between cleared roads and paths to keep the snow at bay. Last year only a total of 9.1 inches of accumulated snowfall had been seen by this time-a drastic contrast to this winter which, according to the National Weather Service in Juneau, has seen the third-highest snowfall on record in Pe...
December 9, 1921 The Sons of Norway appointed a committee of three to have charge of their hall and to see that a dance is given there every Saturday night during the season. The first of the series was given last Saturday night and was enjoyed by all those present. The Petersburg Orchestra has been secured to furnish the music for the dances. December 13, 1946 LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! It begins to look as though this will be remembered as the “winter of the big snow.” Total fall to 10 o’clock this morning is 65.1 inches, and that makes well...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht presented the assembly with a list of capital projects to consider for FY23 during Monday's meeting in hopes of obtaining funding through the state and federal sources. The list grouped projects by their associated departments such as Harbor, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works and prioritized them within each grouping. It also included some projects associated with the Petersburg Medical Center and the Petersburg School District. The priority list,...
December 2, 1921 A rutabaga weighing 27½ pounds, was raised by D.W. Kirk of Wrangell and is on exhibit in that city. Mr. Kirk had one weighing 56 pounds, but a horse discovered it and sampled it, making it unfit for exhibition. Several 35 pound rutabagas have been raised by him. December 6, 1946 The High School Athletic Department has purchased an all-electric scoreboard with the proceeds of the Athletic Benefit Dance which netted the $450 necessary. Ten turkeys were taken away to grace Thanksgiving tables. Gill Joynt made a score of 15 out of...
An unexpected, strong weather system sent high winds tearing through Wrangell, snapping three Southeast Alaska Power Agency poles which blocked the highway at City Park and knocked out power to most of Wrangell for much of Tuesday and Wednesday. Petersburg buildings, businesses, and homes also went dark Tuesday afternoon from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. At 2:19 p.m., Utility Director Karl Hagerman reported that Petersburg was running on diesel generators while awaiting a report from...
Though the call for adventure never ceases, even the crew of the Endeavour needs to take time to rest and take stock of the year's expeditions. Captain Bill Urschel, his wife Patsy, and their dog Bella live aboard the ship in North Harbor and are wintering in Petersburg for their second year in a row. The Endeavour, named for the ship Captain James Cook commanded on his first voyage of discovery, is a 72-foot U.S. Army T-Boat built in 1954 that has seen many names and many places over her...
The Borough Assembly voted to approve the first reading of Ordinance #2021-18 which aims to cover the utility revenue requirements and update language in the borough code during its November 17 meeting. The increase to electric rates is based on the results of a rate study conducted by D. Hittle & Associates. The rate study concluded that an increase in revenues is required to make up for the debt services associated with the Blind Slough Hydroelectric Refurbishment and the Scow Bay Standby...
The Borough Assembly passed Ordinance #2021-20 during Wednesday's meeting which amended the previous emergency masking ordinance brought about by the increase of COVID-19 cases in Petersburg. The language of the new ordinance was heavily changed during its discussion so that it would not require businesses to deny admittance to offenders of the ordinance and would not introduce a fine structure for violators. The new ordinance only added a requirement for masking in communal spaces such as...
WRANGELL —The port and harbors department is Marie Kondo-ing the boatyard. But when tossing out what doesn’t bring joy consists of 10 derelict vessels that include steel, wood and fiberglass boats, the scrapping is a multi-step process. The Island Belle, Bonnie Jean, Tres Suertes and Parakeet have been through a vetting process that consists of trying to find the original owner to claim the vessel, followed by a borough auction. No one claimed the vessels. The Parakeet is already gone. It’s an old seiner that Juneau-based Channel Const...
November 3 — An officer responded to a noise complaint near Ira II St. Officers received a call regarding a deer with a possible broken leg near Aaslaug St. but were unable to locate it. Officers received to a call about a lost dog near Howkan St. but were unable to locate it. Ongoing investigation of harassment near Hungerford Hill Rd. An officer conducted a traffic stop near Mill Rd. and issued a warning for speeding. Ongoing investigation of suspicious activity near Harbor Way. Suspicious activity was reported near S. 2nd St. November 4 ...
The Petersburg Medical Center reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday for a total of 48 active cases. Community spread is rapidly occurring, causing closures and staff shortages, and PMC is asking people to follow mitigation recommendations. 37 of the 48 cases were identified within the past seven days according to the Petersburg COVID-19 Dashboard. 93 COVID-19 tests have been sent to a reference laboratory and results are expected in the next 3-5 business days. PMC has moved into red...
October 27 — Suspicious activity was reported near S. 2nd St., but nothing was found. Abandoned property was brought to the police department. A speeding warning was issued during a traffic stop on Mitkof Highway. October 28 —A parking complaint was reported near N. Nordic Dr. and the vehicle was later moved. A deer was reported stuck in a culvert near Unimak St. State trooper and USFS law enforcement responded and the deer was rescued. October 29 — A lost canine near Lyons Rd. was reported to police and was later returned home. Officers assis...
During Monday's meeting the Borough Assembly listened to a presentation by John Heberling on the Petersburg Municipal Power & Light 2021 electric rate study conducted by D. Hittle & Associates. The rate study proposes increases to electrical rates for all classes of customers in Petersburg with the full rate adjustment being made over the span of two years. The study identified future energy issues and how they would impact the forecasted cost of energy to Petersburg. The two major factors...
This photo is of John Lott, probably taken in the 1930s. John came to Petersburg after 1910 to work in the canneries and had a cabin down by the harbor. He and his wife were advocates to the Bureau of Education for a school for Native children in town. Sadly, his wife and son Carl were found drowned within a couple weeks of one another in the 1940s. Photo from Alyce Thomassen's scrapbooks and loaned courtesy of Troy Thomassen....
October 20 — A bear was reported attempting to drag a secured garbage container to the woods from Skylark Way. Trooper and ADF&G were notified. There is an ongoing investigation of criminal mischief near N. 1st St. A citizen was assisted at the police department. An officer responded to a report of a dangerous driver near S. 4th St. but was unable to locate the vehicle. A vehicle was reported of running into a ditch and yard near Fram St. with the vehicle departing the scene without notifying the owner or the police department. An investigation...
Pollock protein noodles, southern-style Alaska wild wings, candied salmon ice cream, fish oils for pets, fish and chips meal kits and finfish earrings are just a small sample of past winners of Alaska’s biggest seafood competition — the Alaska Symphony of Seafood — which has showcased and promoted new, market-ready products since 1993. The annual event draws from Alaska’s largest and smallest seafood companies, whose products are all judged blind by an expert panel. Eighteen entries are in the running for the 2021 contest, the first leg of...
The Borough Assembly walked through each of the six maps being considered by the Alaska Redistricting Board during Tuesday's meeting and discussed each map's affects on Petersburg. The districts are redrawn every decade based off data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Each of the 40 districts must be socioeconomically integrated, reasonably compact, contiguous, and have an approximately equal number of people. This year that number is 18,335 per district. Members from the Alaska...
Proposition #2 passed during the October 5, 2021 municipal election, allowing the Frederick Point East subdivision to be removed from Service Area One after it gathered the necessary majorities of Service Area One voters and Frederick Point East voters. The next step in the process is to code properties in the subdivision to the right tax code according to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht who said the tax assessor is in town if the borough needs a second pair of eyes to help with the...
Optimism is the word that best sums up the attitude among most Alaska salmon fishermen after a good season, according to people in the business of buying and selling permits and boats. Most fishermen in major regions ended up with good catches and dock prices were up from recent years. That’s pushed up permit prices, including at the bellwether fishery at Bristol Bay where drift net permits have topped $200,000. “The highest has been $210,000. But it’s a pretty tight market,” said Maddie Lightsey, a broker at Alaska Boats and Permits in Homer....
The Borough Assembly unanimously certified the results of the October 5, 2021 municipal election during a special meeting Friday morning. Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson read 12 additional ballots, which did not affect the results of the election. Incumbent Bob Lynn received the most votes for Borough Assembly with 708, the newly counted ballots added five to his total, and Thomas Fine-Walsh claimed the other three-year term with 592 votes and increased his tally by three since election night....
October 6 — A citizen was assisted near Kings Row Rd. A caller reported a hit and run near Unimak St. An officer contacted a driver near Haugen Dr., non-criminal. A citizen was assisted near Vesta St. An officer responded to a suspicious report near Sandy Beach Park, non-criminal. October 7 — An individual trespassed from business property near N. Nordic Dr. A bear was reported in garbage near Howkan St. October 8 — A theft was reported near N. Nordic Dr. A deer was struck and killed by a vehicle on Mitkof Hwy and the meat was salvaged. A buc...
Petersburg held its 2021 Municipal Election Tuesday and the unofficial results have incumbent Bob Lynn retaining his seat on the Petersburg Borough Assembly and Thomas Fine-Walsh winning his first term on the assembly, succeeding Taylor Norheim after he decided not to run for reelection. Both seats on the Borough Assembly were for three-year terms. Lynn garnered the most most votes out of all assembly candidates with 703 and Fine-Walsh recorded 589. Brandi Thynes received the third most votes wi...