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Rick Brock has opened the Petersburg High School gymnasium doors before dawn for 35 years, offering students a quiet place to work on their basketball skills before the school day begins. "I'm an early riser, so I've had the gym open in the mornings pretty much since I started coaching - hour to 45 minutes before the day begins," Brock said. It's a routine that reflects his belief about what can drive student athletes to succeed: "The ones that show up every morning and shoot baskets," he said,...
Nancy Claire Strand was born in Petersburg, Alaska, on June 20, 1945 to Claire and Erling Strand. As was the tradition in her youth, she worked in the canneries during the summers. She graduated from Petersburg High School in 1963 and briefly attended Oregon State University, but missed home and returned to Southeast Alaska and an internship with the Wrangell Sentinel. When she returned to Petersburg in her twenties, Nancy edited the Petersburg Press from December 9, 1966 through March 1967. It... Full story
The Coos Bay Times announced: "A serious forest fire spreads through the South Inlet section causing much damage. A daughter is born to Mr. and Mrs. L. R. McDonald and is named Colleen Mae." Colleen Mae McDonald, daughter of Lauchlin "Mac" and Anna (Aberge) McDonald, was born July 28, 1926, in North Bend, Oregon. She learned patience early-waiting while her mother had her hair done on the way to the hospital! By age two, Colleen was already accompanying her mother to Norwegian Lutheran Ladies... Full story
Three teachers from the Petersburg School District are state finalists for awards in excellence – Hannah Smith and Alice Cumps, math and science teachers at the middle and high schools respectively, are two of the finalists for a Presidential Excellence Award, and Becky Martin, a third grade teacher, for the Alaska Teacher of the Year Award. The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest honor a K – 12 math or science teacher in the U.S. can...
The Petersburg Parks and Recreation facility reopened Monday after completing its annual two-week maintenance shutdown, with Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Payne describing the closure as highly successful. "We did a lot of work that we've been wanting to get done for a long time," Payne said of the annual maintenance period that began in late May. The closure began with the facility's perennially complex project: coordinating the resurfacing of the gym floors. "Gym and racquetball...
Construction will be happening all summer long at the Petersburg School District. Two major projects are underway to increase safety at the schools, inside and out. The first project is a complete remodel of the high school office. The office has been entirely gutted, and will be rebuilt for visibility and safety. "The office area was such that the folks working in the office really didn't have a good, clear view of who was coming to the door," said Superintendent Robyn Taylor. In 2023, threats...
What started as casual airplane conversation between strangers last fall blossomed into a community harvest this week that supplied Petersburg's traditional weavers with a year's supply of yellow cedar bark. Juneau-based Alaska Native artist Lily Hope was flying from Seattle to Juneau in November when she struck up a conversation with her seatmate, Brett Martin, co-owner of Alaska Timber and Truss, the Petersburg sawmill located on Falls Creek Road. Hope recalled, "He said, 'Oh, you use yellow...
June 12, 1925 – U.S. Deputy Marshall H.O. Campbell and Special Deputy Earl West returned Sunday afternoon from Little Port Walter bringing with them the body of Adolph Falt who they left Wrangell last Thursday to arrest for having shot John Dahlstrom, a troller, five times. The officers left Wrangell on the gas boat Standard, owned by C.R. Bell who during the trip rendered the officers much valuable assistance. The fugitive was apprehended about nine o’clock Saturday morning in Tebenkof Bay, 20 miles from Little Port Walter. Owing to the Sta...
The Petersburg High School track and field team had a strong finish to a successful season during the ASAA Division 2 State Championships in Anchorage. One of the reasons why this team had a successful season is due to their togetherness. "I think the best part about this season has been the team that we have has been very close, great energy, positive attitudes, excited about working hard and competing in their events. Seeing them step up and support each other has been really cool," said head...
Klas Stolpe, a sports reporter since the mid-1990s, was honored last month as this year's Region V winner of the ASAA Gold Lifetime Pass, presented by the Alaska School Activities Association for "extraordinary contribution to high school activities in Alaska and/or at the national level." The qualifications specified by ASAA are: "Significant service to high school students of Alaska through demonstrated leadership for at least twenty (20) years at the state and/or national level. Served as...
The tables were decorated with the red, white and blue bouquets, the eggs Benedict were perfect, the hollandaise sauce homemade, and the mimosas were flowing at Kito's Kave last Sunday, as members of American Legion Edward Locken Post 14 served a special thank you brunch to their 16 specials guests – the local quilters responsible for the Quilts of Valor program who have spent nearly a decade making quilts for Petersburg's veterans. Since 2016, these volunteers have created nearly 140 h...
The Petersburg high school track and field team had a strong performance at the Region V Championships this past weekend in Juneau. A two-day meet full of new personal bests and individual championship victories meant that 20 athletes qualified to the state meet – 11 on the boys team and nine on the girls team. "One of my favorite parts was seeing our senior throwers take one, two, three in the discus and then one, two, four in the shot put," said head coach Erin Hofacre. "I was so impressed wit...
Community support for Beat the Odds To the editor: Petersburg Medical Center Foundation’s Beat the Odds provides resources in Petersburg for people with cancer. Our generous sponsors helped raise over $37,000 during our last fund drive. We acknowledge the contributions of Petersburg Mental Health Services and an incredibly special gift from the late Scott Olson. Thank you to First City Council on Cancer in Ketchikan, Wrangell Cancer Care, and Cancer Connection in Juneau. In 2024 over $35,000 was provided to assist with expenses for P...
After nearly 40 years in aquaculture – 25 of those years managing Crystal Lake Hatchery – Loren Thompson is passing the torch to Cody Peterson, and as the hatchery transitions leadership a multimillion dollar renovation is also taking place. "It's been a good occupation and I'll miss it," Thompson reflects on his career. "It's provided a very unique way of life for me and my family ... the 10 years remote with our kids ... so many things we wouldn't have done or seen if we'd gone another rou...
Needing a series win to keep their postseason hopes alive, the Petersburg high school baseball team battled the Ketchikan Kings at home this past weekend. In game one, the Vikings lost 12-0, committing seven errors. In game two, the Vikings put themselves in a 9-0 deficit by the top of the third inning. This time however, the Vikings were able to mount a comeback in the bottom of the third, scoring six runs to make the score 9-6. “It shows just a little glimmer of what we think our team will be like down the road going into next season,” said h...
May 22, 1925 – John Thompson has the framework up for a two-story building, adjoining the Citizens Steam Laundry, to be used as a machine shop and blacksmith shop downstairs with living apartments upstairs. Alongside of the machine shops will be built gridirons for small boats and boats of a larger fishing class. Also will be built a covered runaway on the shore side where autos can be repaired. There will be a pit so that it will be easy to work under the machines. “And you may say,” said Mr. Thompson, “that my gridirons, when not in use, wi...
The Petersburg high school track and field team compiled 46 personal bests this past weekend in Ketchikan. "They did great. Lots of great team working together type performances. That home meet was a great time for the team to bond and get excited about going to regionals with some goals to score points and to try to place as high as they can as a team," said head coach Erin Hofacre. One athlete that set a personal best and broke the school record was Petersburg senior Kaden Duke, who threw 143...
The Petersburg high school baseball team looked to claim their first pair of victories this past weekend against the undefeated Sitka Wolves. The Vikings ran into a Wolves buzzsaw as they were swept 3-0 by the Wolves, losing 17-0, 11-1 and 10-0. The Vikings have been inconsistent on offense and haven't scored more than three runs since April 12, against the Ketchikan Kings. "We've had games where balls are hit right to people. We had that happen multiple times in Sitka where the ball was hit...
The 37 graduating seniors of Petersburg High School's Class of 2025 have navigated a challenging path through their school years, supporting one another through highs and lows. They will leave a lasting impression on the educators and administrators who've guided them along the way. Petersburg Schools Superintendent Robyn Taylor, in her first year with the district, has been struck by both the students' talents and the community that rallies around them. "This class is incredibly supportive of...
Markus Anderson What subjects or classes did you enjoy the most, and which ones challenged you the most? I enjoyed math, choir, shop, mactech. I think math was the most challenging but I really enjoyed my teacher. What advice would you give to incoming freshmen? I would say to keep a open mind and try new things. Also procrastinating is one of the worst habits to develope. Play some sports, stay active. Please describe a specific moment or event from high school that stands out as a highlight for you? One moment for me would be going to state...
May 17 is Norway's Constitution Day, and in "Alaska's Little Norway," it's a big deal. Every year around this time, Petersburg holds a week-long festival to celebrate its Norwegian heritage. Hundreds of people flock to the Southeast island town for the experience. Festival celebrations date back to the late 1950s. Some traditions have grown and morphed over the decades, with new ones entering the mix as well. But the Norwegian Dancers have always been a fixture. Brandi Thynes is a volunteer on...
May 15, 1925 – With its shrimp, clam and crab plants, Petersburg is the center of the shell fish industry in Alaska. Last Saturday an additional payroll was added by the Star Shell Fish Company starting to put up crab meat in the old Ness Shrimp plant on the Union trading dock. The cannery is divided into three rooms – the dooking department, the cleaning room and the picking room. The plant has been made comfortable and modern sanitary methods are used. The incorporators for the new industry are Ben Grondahl, Chris Christensen, Hans Wick and...
Outside the brand-new facility on South Nordic Drive, the scent of grilling burgers and hotdogs lingers in the air as community members stream through the 16-foot bay doors of High Tide Auto. Close to two hundred people dropped by to congratulate Wes and Angie Davis and have a look inside their brand-new NAPA auto service center, according to Kimberly Simbahon who was dropping visitors' names into a blue bucket for the door prize drawings. "It's been a little stressful," Angie admitted,... Full story
