Sorted by date Results 701 - 725 of 1602
A Grand Jury indicted Brandon Johnson, 35, on three of seven counts set before them on March 7. Johnson was indicted on burglary in the first degree, theft in the second degree and assault in the third degree. The remaining counts were either withdrawn or not found to be a true bill, which included an additional two counts of assault in the third degree, misconduct involving weapons in the fourth degree and vehicle theft in the first degree. Johnson was first arrested on five charges on Feb. 27 when Officers Carl Tate and Eric Wolf were...
WRANGELL - Alaska Crossings has been a part of the Wrangell community since its inception in the early 2000s. The behavioral health program is designed to help troubled teens from all over the state. From April to December, according to Program Manager Jerrie Dee Harvey, Crossings attempts to help rehabilitate the teens via outdoor expeditions. By taking them on camping expeditions in the great outdoors, she said, they are attempting to teach them confidence, social skills, teamwork, stress mana...
Why a free pass? To the Editor: How is this fair? The Borough Assembly just voted to put a proposed ordinance on the ballot this fall to change the way Borough Assembly Member seats are elected. This issue was brought forward by Don Koenigs, a concerned citizen who went to a few assembly meetings and talked to a few people about his idea. How is it fair that he gets his idea on the ballot with such a minimal amount of effort? The Borough Assembly refused to help the proponents of the ATV and...
At the end of their meeting on Monday, the borough assembly briefly discussed Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget for Alaska’s 2020 fiscal year and how it would affect the borough. Dunleavy’s proposed budget would solve Alaska’s $1.6 billion deficit by having expenditures equal to the amount of the state’s revenue. As a result, state departments and programs face budget reductions. “It sounds like this governor is interested in one thing only, which is a balanced budget with no new sources of income what so ever,” said borough manager Steph...
The borough assembly on Monday passed Ordinance #2019-01 in its first reading, which would assign designated borough assembly seats. Should the ordinance pass, borough election ballots would no longer allow voters to choose which candidates they want to fill the open assembly seats, but instead, the candidates would choose a specific seat to run for. “It’s a really good form of democracy,” said vice mayor Jeigh Stanton Gregor. “If I was choosing to run for Senate, I’d either ran against Sen. Sullivan or Sen. Murkowski... It’s more in line with...
In his letter to last week’s paper, John Murgas was entirely justified in being upset over lack of notification by letter of the Borough’s proposed zoning changes. Over the last year, as the development code revision has been underway, news stories which have appeared in this paper and on the radio have all pointed toward streamlining and simplification of the permitting process and more allowable uses for properties and making more industrial zoned land available. The Borough website page about the revision lists some of the key obj...
Mary Ann Phillips, 65 and a lifelong Wrangell resident, passed away February 5, 2019 in Zihuatanejo, Mexico while on vacation with her family. She was born on November 18, 1953 in Bishop Rowe Hospital to Maurice and Mary Buness. She attended Wrangell Public Schools until her family moved to the Tacoma area in 1964. She returned to Wrangell with them in January 1970 and made her home here since. After graduating from Wrangell High School, she attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She... Full story
Come eat with us To the Editor: Why don't more of you come and eat with us at Mt. View Manor on Mon., Wed., and Friday? The food is good and the price is right. We have to keep the program going. I don't want to eat TV dinners 7 night a week. Charlotte Hoiosen Swap of property To the Editor: After reading your article on the proposed property swap with Petroleum 49, I would like to propose a swap of property with the Borough. I have five acres of prime waterfront muskeg property that I would...
February 5 — An injured eagle was reported near Libby Straight. Merchandise was stolen from a business on N. Nordic Dr. Authorities responded to a report of trespassing at a location on Cornelius Rd. The subject was gone upon police arrival. February 6 — Authorities responded to a vehicle in a ditch. A suspicious vehicle was reported at a location on Lumber St. February 7 — Jason L. Ratliff, 40, was arrested on charges of probation violation. Authorities responded to a disturbance on Sing Lee Alley. February 8 — A vehicle accident was reporte...
There are many ideas, books, quotes, videos and even classes on what makes a good, lasting relationship, but all one has to do is ask lifelong Petersburg residents Roald and Jeannine Norheim, married 64 years this July. Their joint response, "doing things together." The Norheims' love story from the beginning was about doing things together, such as both being born and raised in Petersburg by Norwegian immigrants. They both attended elementary and high school together, although Roald is three...
The borough assembly voted to continue moving forward with negotiations for a possible land swap with Petro 49, Inc. after the company’s CFO declined to agree to most of the borough’s positions on the trade. In a letter sent to Petro 49, Inc. CFO Jason Werner in mid-December, borough manager Steve Giesbrecht wrote that he had been directed by the assembly to begin negotiations with the oil company. Giesbrecht expressed the borough’s concerns for the trade and interest in changing aspects of it. Werner responded in a Jan. 25 letter by not agreei...
Guardian Flight has resumed their air medical transport service in six base locations across Alaska following a 63-hour search for an overdue Guardian King Air 200 medical life flight near Kake. While services have resumed in Anchorage, Deadhorse, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Ketchikan and Sitka, Guardian Flight base locations in Kotzebue and Juneau will reopen sometime in the future, according Guardian Flight senior vice president of operations Randy Lyman in a prepared statement. "Guardian Flight...
The borough assembly held a work session last week to go over comments submitted by residents on ways the borough can increase revenues and reduce expenses. Over a three week period in January 2018, 132 suggestions were submitted during three public meetings conducted by borough manager Steve Giesbrecht. The comments addressed the growing tourism industry, taxes on online shopping and increases in certain fees. “Since we had those three meetings, it might be good to at least let the community know that we looked at some of their s...
The United States Coast Guard has located possible debris from an aircraft with three people onboard that was due to land in Kake Tuesday evening at 6:19 P.M., according to a USCG press release. On board the Guardian King Air 200 medical life flight, which departed from Anchorage, was a pilot, a nurse and a paramedic who were planning on picking up a patient in Kake. Because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations, representatives from Kake Health Clinic and Guardian...
January 22 — Chellsey Musewski, 27, was arrested on charges of probation violation and assault in the 4th degree on a police officer. An abandoned vehicle that was blocking the entrance to the fire hall was impounded. A possible theft was reported at a location on Kings Row Rd. Authorities responded to a report of an altercation between a staff member and a parent at Petersburg High School. Authorities responded to a hit deer at the 2.5 mile mark of Mitkof Highway. January 23 — Two traffic warnings were issued. January 24 — Illegal dumping was...
WRANGELL - The project to renovate Shoemaker Bay Harbor, which has been ongoing since last September, is about to enter a new stage in renovation. The project, a joint venture by Tamico Inc. and Rock-N-Road Construction of Petersburg, is aiming to update the harbor's old infrastructure and allow for bigger boats to dock. According to Wrangell Harbor Master Greg Meissner, new floats for the harbor will be coming into town on next Tuesday's barge. Jim Martinsen, with Tamico, said that they are...
The United States Coast Guard suspended its 63-hour search Thursday evening for an overdue Guardian King Air 200 medical life flight near Kake. On board were pilot Patrick Coyle, 63, flight nurse Stacie Rae Morse, 30, and flight paramedic Margaret Langston Allen, 43. "Suspending a search for any reason is one of the most difficult decisions we have to make," said Capt. Stephen White, Sector Juneau commander in a USCG press release. "This was an extensive search effort in some very challenging... Full story
January 9 — A vehicle was abandoned at a location on N. Nordic Dr. The owner was contacted and instructed to move it. The owners of vehicles parked at locations on Mitkof Highway were instructed to move their vehicles for snow removal. January 10 — An individual was removing snow at businesses near the 300 block of N. Nordic Dr. Authorities directed to him to cease driving into and against traffic. A warning was issued to an individual who was operating an ATV on a roadway in a hazardous manner. An abandoned vehicle in the Hammer Slough sno...
A warehouse on a piece of land that the borough would receive from Petro 49, Inc. in a land exchange could be utilized by the Port and Harbor Department by upgrading the facility for approximately $18,000 to $20,000, according to harbormaster Glo Wollen. "I think it's a great opportunity for the harbor," said Wollen. "The location is good. It's a decent facility. It's not a Taj Mahal Hall by any means, but it's something that is a good skookum building that doesn't need a lot of maintenance to...
Participants in this year's Polar Dip line up on a dock in South Boat Harbor on the morning of Jan. 1 before taking the plunge into the frigid waters of the harbor....
Fishermen in Alaska who own catch shares of halibut, sablefish and Bering Sea crab will pay more to the federal government to cover 2018 management and enforcement costs for those fisheries. For halibut and sablefish (black cod) the annual fee, which is capped at three percent, is based on dock prices from the March start of the fisheries through September and averaged across the state. For this year, bills went out to 1,834 holders of halibut and sablefish shares, down by 60 from last year. Their tab ticked up from 2.2 percent to 2.8 percent...
Nov. 21 — Jared Nicholas Burns was arraigned before Superior Court Judge Carey on charges of failure to stop at the direction of a Peace Officer and driving without a valid operator’s license. The defendant entered a not guilty plea and was released O.R. with conditions. Nov. 28 — David Patrick Churchill appeared before Judge Carey in a change of plea hearing. The defendant entered a guilty plea to Assault in the 2nd, Theft in the 4th and admitted to Petition to Revoke Probation. A Burglary in the 1st Degree charge was dismissed. The court...
Hundreds of boats are gearing up for the January start of some of Alaska’s largest fisheries in waters managed by the federal government from three to 200 miles offshore. Meanwhile, the government shut down over Donald Trump’s demand for nearly $6 billion in funding for a border wall of “artistically designed steel slats” has sent hundreds of thousands of workers home. Nine of the government’s 15 federal departments and several agencies were shuttered at midnight on December 21 and there is no end in sight. That includes the Commerce Department...
The borough assembly voted on Monday to continue moving forward with negotiations for a possible land swap with Petro 49, Inc. after new information regarding costs to the borough were revealed. In the land swap, the borough would acquire land owned by Petro 49, Inc. that includes a warehouse that could be utilized by the harbor department. A roof inspection by Curtiss Improvements of the warehouse, showed that although it appears to be in good condition, there is some rust and maintenance issue...
