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The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved prioritized lists of capital projects for state and federal funding requests at its Jan. 5 meeting. The priority list is topped by two projects that have been selected for Congressionally Directed Spending but have not yet survived the congressional appropriations gauntlet – $2 million for an overhaul of the Banana Point boat launch facilities and $8 million toward wastewater treatment plant improvements. The Banana Point project — which has been supported in appropriation bills by U.S. Sen...
Petersburg’s volunteer ambulance crew wants YOU To the Editor: Imagine it’s one a.m. Suddenly you’re awakened by a call for help. You run to the hallway where your loved one is on the floor, struggling to breathe. You’re not sure what’s wrong and you can’t lift them on your own. You dial 911. The call goes out for an ambulance. Pager alarms wake up volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at their homes. They jump out of bed, throw on some clothes and head to the fire hall. Soon, an ambulance arrives at your home, lights flashing. T...
January 2025 The Petersburg Borough Assembly agreed to transfer seven parcels of borough-owned land in the Airport Addition Subdivision to Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA) in exchange for the developing road and utilities for 11 residential lots. The snowpack at the Raven's Ridge snow survey site at 1,650 ft elevation measured zero inches. One of only two years on record without snowpack in January. Rock-N-Road Construction was awarded the contract for the borough's Pump Station...
A theme for the Petersburg High School Wrestling team has been growth, continuing to get better every week. Coming off of what their coach called their best meet of the season, the team had a lot of momentum heading into the Region V Championships. The hard work paid off at regionals as three Vikings qualified to the state tournament: sophomore Edgar Olsen (171), junior Eli Anderson (180) and junior Tanner Caulum (145). In a highly anticipated rematch, Caulum and Wrangell's Jackson Carney met...
Karin Sue Bagley passed away peacefully on December 6, 2025, at the Petersburg Medical Center. Karin was a long time resident of Haines and Petersburg for over thirty years. She loved this area with all her heart, it was her life long dream to live here. Although Karin was hindered by her medical problems, she always had an upbeat and optimistic attitude. The family would like to thank Petersburg's Longterm Care team, the Mountain View Manor, her pastors, long time friends and caregivers for... Full story
Karin Sue Bagley passed away peacefully on December 6, 2025, at the Petersburg Medical Center. Karin was a long time resident of Haines and Petersburg for over thirty years. She loved this area with all her heart, it was her life long dream to live here. Although Karin was hindered by her medical problems, she always had an upbeat and optimistic attitude. The family would like to thank Petersburg's Longterm Care team, the Mountain View Manor, her pastors, long time friends and caregivers for... Full story
Around three years ago Petersburg's 100-year-old American Legion post, the Edward Locken Post 14, had dwindled to three members – Paul Anderson, Butch Anderson, and Stan Hjort. Paul Anderson carried a tremendous amount of the responsibility for the veteran community in Petersburg. When he died in Jan. 2023, a new generation of local veterans stepped up to carry the mantle. Petersburg resident Garrett Kravitz was just retiring from his career in the Navy. He, along with Tony and Tracy Vinson, l...
To the Editor: I am concerned about the near-term effects of the passage of Proposition 1 on low to middle income seniors in Petersburg. Proposition 1 limits the Petersburg senior sales tax exemption to seniors who qualify for the State Senior Benefits Program, effective January 1, 2026. It’s been said that approximately 60 seniors will qualify for the exemption because they are already enrolled in the state’s senior benefits program. However, some seniors in our community who may not yet be enrolled (for example, those who recently turned 65)...
October 22 - An officer responded to a noise complaint on S 2nd Street. Prisoners were transported. An officer assisted the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) when an alarm was activated due to testing on 12th Street. Meat was salvaged when a vehicle hit a deer in the area of Libby Straight. An officer responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Unimak Street. It was determined to be unfounded. October 23 - An officer provided a courtesy transport to Petersburg Medical Center (PMC). Extra patrols were requested on 3rd Street. A...
With the start of fall comes respiratory illness season, which means it’s also the time of year when medical providers recommend getting your vaccinations. Multiple vaccines are currently available in Petersburg. Free flu shots are available to anyone six months and older at the Petersburg Medical Center and Petersburg Public Health. Regular and high-dose shots are available. On KFSK’s call-in show PMC Live, Petersburg Public Health Nurse Erin Michael said a recent flu vaccine clinic gave out close to 150 flu shots in a day. “And that doesn...
Petersburg Medical Center is launching a new cohort of its on-the-job training Certified Nursing Assistant program next Monday, offering people in Petersburg a valuable opportunity to get paid while earning a professional healthcare certification in just five weeks. "We hire people who say they want to become a CNA, and then we pay them while they're taking the class," explained Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Bryner. "At the end of the class, if it's a good match, then we would offer a... Full story
Whether it's online strangers sending kids messages in Roblox, scammers phishing for passwords, or artificial intelligence platforms targeting young people with relationships that can distort how an entire generation views human connection - families with children and teens are facing new kinds of online safety challenges. New digital dangers exist as the results of tools and devices that "were released to the public without long-term studies or clear guidelines, leaving families and schools to...
August 27 - An officer responded to a report of motor vehicle damage on Gjoa Street. An officer responded to a parking complaint on S Nordic Drive. An officer responded to a parking complaint on S 2nd Street. Officers responded to an assault on S 3rd Street. An officer assisted Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on Skylark Way. It was reported that a lanyard had been lost on S Nordic Drive. August 28 - An officer responded to a noise complaint at Sandy Beach Park. A lost iPhone was reported on S Nordic Drive. Gerriann Collins, 32, was charged...
Why I decided to run for Mayor To the Editor: I have given a lot of thought about whether I should run for Mayor. I have asked my wife and many friends and acquaintances that question. It has not been an easy decision. I believe strongly in our community and have invested lots of time to help make it a community that will grow and prosper during these times of great change. I believe we will see a shift of costs from both the State and Federal governments to the local level. We will need to be more self-reliant on local issues like housing,...
The new Wellness, Education, Research, and Communications (WERC) building opened its doors this month, marking the completion of the first major phase of Petersburg Medical Center's hospital replacement project. And according to PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter, the success of this facility has already changed how he's thinking about the rest of the project. "This is just step one," Hofstetter told the Pilot on a recent tour of the 15,000-square-foot building. He will be the first to say that the slow... Full story
A dozen teenagers returned to Petersburg on July 22 after a weeklong kayak trip learning how to paddle, fly-fish and lead as a team. The group kayaked and camped along the southern coast of Mitkof Island, exploring from Woodpecker Cove to Point Alexander. They were led by certified instructors from Petersburg Medical Center and the outdoor education group Onward & Upward as their guides, teaching outdoor safety skills. "Adventure wilderness expeditions changed who I am as a person, honestly...
Petersburg Medical Center will lose nearly $1 million in expected federal tax credits after the federal reconciliation bill retroactively eliminated a one-third portion of the delayed COVID-era employee assistance funding the hospital was eligible to receive. The hospital had applied for around $3 million through the Employee Retention Tax Credit program but will now receive only two-thirds of that amount due to passage of “the one big, beautiful bill,” Chief Financial Officer Jason McCormick told the hospital board Thursday. The leg...
The Petersburg Medical Center celebrated their 11th annual Pedal/Paddle Battle, raising a new high $24,201 with $15,000 from corporate sponsors and $8,501 by participants, to go towards scholarships and education. In previous years, the event has raised between $17,000-20,000. "[The corporate sponsors] led to why we got so much money this year. Participants raised over $8,000 just from family and friends, so that's significant too," Community Wellness and Public Relations Manager Julie Walker sa...
Larry Haugen was born along with his twin, Edward, on August 20, 1950 to Ruby (Simpson) and Ernie Haugen in Petersburg, Alaska. He was a lifelong Alaskan. He attended elementary and secondary school in Petersburg, graduating in 1969. His bent was to be outdoors. He worked summers seining and spent his winters trapping in Duncan Canal. When the Alaska pipeline construction began he moved north and spent several years working on the pipeline until he was badly injured in a construction accident.... Full story
Significant cuts to Medicaid alongside impacts to Medicare are included in the budget reconciliation bill signed into law by President Donald Trump last week. Alaska is second only to New Mexico in the highest rate of people using Medicaid. About 38% of Alaskans are on it, according to the state's Department of Health. Medicaid is a health insurance option for low-income people, and Medicare is a federal program providing health insurance for eligible seniors and people with disabilities. Much...
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
by Philip Hofstetter There is no question: the federal budget reconciliation now under Senate review would severely harm Alaskans, especially in rural communities. As CEO of one of Alaska’s last three community-owned critical access hospitals, I see the consequences firsthand when people lose healthcare coverage. This bill adds layers of bureaucracy and new Medicaid restrictions that threaten to choke off care entirely. Fortunately, our senators can choose to block it. If the Senate rushes this legislation through, an estimated 33,918 A...
June 10 - An officer conducted a welfare check on Skylark Way. A found backpack was turned into the Police Department (PD). It was returned to its owner. Subpoena papers were served. A dog was reported being left in a car. The owner was contacted and confirmed that the dog was okay and not overheating. Suspicious behavior was reported on Fram St. A speeding vehicle was reported on S 7th & Kiseno St. An officer responded to a disturbance on Wrangell Avenue. A disorderly conduct warning was issued. An officer responded to a report of a speeding...
Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) completed a complex water system repair project last week that highlights both the ingenuity of local maintenance crews and the mounting infrastructure challenges facing the community's critical access hospital. The project began February 5 when the six-inch sprinkler main suddenly developed a hole. "We threw a patch on it that we got from the city, and that actually stopped the leak," explained Wolf Brooks, PMC's Facilities Engineer. But this leak revealed a... Full story
May 28 – An officer assisted Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a disabled vehicle on South 2nd Street. The owners were working to move it. An officer assisted EMS with a cardiac arrest on Mitkof Highway. PPD received a report of a lost CPAP machine. PPD received a report of a dog attempting to enter a neighbor’s house. The owner of the dog was contacted. An officer assisted a citizen. An officer issued a trespass warning to an individual who’d climbed scaffolding and was on the roof of a...
