Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 990
During the recent Hospital Board meeting Sept. 28, Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter shared news of receiving the "verbal greenlight" for a $20 million treasury grant earlier that day. The verbal greenlight came from PMC's liaison with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at the state governor's office, which is the agency that is working with the Department of the Treasury, Hoffstetter explained to the Pilot in an interview. This $20 million grant will be used to develop the... Full story
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,...
After 23 years, Brandy Boggs moved away from Petersburg. Although she may no longer be here in person, her substantial contributions to the community will continue as she remains Petersburg Medical Center's patient navigator - now working in a hybrid role. Over the years, Brandy has held various roles serving rural Alaskan communities. She worked for the state doing child protection with the Office of Children's Services for a number of years before transitioning to her role in the court, where...
Do we really need a new hospital? To the Editor: When I first heard about the hospital project, like many of you, I had a lot of questions. Do we really need a new hospital? The clinic, which is the part I mainly visit, looks great. And, how in the world would we pay for an $85 million facility? Phil Hostetter and the hospital board informed me on both questions. First, they started with a study of the current hospital. The original hospital, where Long Term Care is located, dates to the 1950s and is failing rapidly due to poor plumbing and...
The Petersburg Medical Center is introducing a new program for psychiatric care under the behavioral health department, with the support of a $300 thousand federal grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) is a one-year grant that HRSA awarded PMC to “address immediate needs in rural areas through improving access, capacity and sustainability of prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorder,” according to the language of the grant. PMC is...
Jerod Cook What is your age? I am 54 years old Why have you chosen to run for Hospital Board at this time? I have been on the hospital board for a number of years, and because we are in the middle of the process of getting a new facility built, I feel I need to help finish the project I was involved with starting. I feel it is important to make sure the future health care needs of the community are met and continue at the level they are, or better, going into the future. What experience do you... Full story
Rick Perkins What is your age? 69 Why have you chosen to run for Assembly at this time? I have been asked to bring people and ideas together without a divisive tone in this capacity. What experience do you have that prepares you for this role? In working for the Boeing Company, I was able to bridge the gap from engineering to assembly, by building the tooling to do so regardless of paperwork or personalities. I have built 7 of my own homes, I have worked on 3 different water plant projects, and... Full story
Carl Edward Crome passed away on September 8, 2023 at United General Medical Center in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. Officially, he died of complications from Alzheimer’s-related dementia and heart disease. But really, he died of a broken heart because he couldn’t fish anymore. Carl is survived by his wife, Judy, his brother Donnie, his children Carl Hensen, James Hensen, Julie Bartholoma, Linda Jackson, Lara Stark, and Daniel Crome, as well as many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Car... Full story
At the office of Petersburg nonprofit Humanity In Progress, anyone experiencing food insecurity can pick up a grab-and-go bag from the storage container just outside the door. Inside, a thoughtful collection of products to meet a person's basic needs are stacked against the walls. Humanity in Progress, also called HIP, is a small local nonprofit organization that aims to address the present humanitarian needs for shelter and sustenance in Petersburg. There is currently a housing shortage in...
As the first practical measure taken by Petersburg’s Early Childhood Education Task Force, the PIECE program is nearing the mark of its first year in action. So far, eight childcare provider employees across three services in Petersburg have received a first round of fiscal incentives under the program. For some, the extra benefits have given them a positive boost toward higher education; for others, the bonus check has not provided enough of a platform to launch from. PIECE, short for Petersburg Incentive Education for Childhood Employees, i...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board will begin holding their regular meetings in the Petersburg Borough Assembly chambers starting later this month. PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter made the announcement during his report to the Petersburg Borough Assembly on Monday, saying “I think it’s an exciting opportunity to provide a little more availability for the community to hear our meetings.” The hospital board, which previously met in the Dorothy Ingle Conference Room, discussed making the move in an effort to make their meetings more visible and accessibl...
Petersburg residents will have one ballot proposition to decide on when they go to vote in this year's municipal election on Oct. 3. Proposition #1 will ask if the borough charter should be amended to allow borough employees to serve on boards or commissions, except for those that directly administer their employment. The change, for instance, would allow a Petersburg School District employee to run for borough assembly or the hospital board but not the school board. The proposed amendment was...
Petersburg residents can now file for candidacy in this year’s municipal election, which will be held on Oct. 3, 2023. 20 seats will be up for election this year, including two on the Petersburg Borough Assembly currently held by Dave Kensinger and Jeff Meucci. Both seats on the assembly are three-year terms. Katie Holmlund is the lone incumbent on the Petersburg School District Board up for election this year—also for a three-year term. The Petersburg Medical Center Board will have three seats on the ballot this fall. The seats that are cur...
August 3, 1923 – During the coming month a conference of naval experts, Congressional experts and Admirals will hear the results of an extensive exploration of the Alaskan coast on the part of the Aeroplane service as regards to possible harborage and refuge in Alaskan waters. The naval aeroplane carrier Cuyama is due in Ketchikan this week on her return voyage to Seattle. The Cuyama has been operating in northern waters all summer with two planes and four pilots exploring the coastline for possible points of refuge in time of war and c...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board unanimously approved the hospital’s operating budget for the next fiscal year at its June board meeting. PMC CFO Jason McCormick presented the draft FY24 operating budget at the meeting, which features a budgeted total operating revenue over the next year of $25.34 million. The budgeted revenue is an optimistic increase from the estimated FY23 total operating revenue of $22.46 million—mostly driven by a budgeted 18% increase in net patient revenue from the previous fiscal year. According to McCormick, PMC nee...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board discussed holding future board meetings in the Petersburg Borough Assembly chambers last week in an effort to make their meetings more accessible to the public as the new facility project progresses. The board typically holds its meetings on the last Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. in the Dorothy Ingle Conference Room, located on the first floor of the hospital. Though hospital board meetings are open to the public, both in person and over Zoom, they are not broadcast by KFSK like the assembly and school...
After just barely falling short of his goal last year, Andrew Simmonds managed to complete a seven-mile swim across Frederick Sound on July 15. Simmonds-a physical therapist at the Petersburg Medical Center-started his crossing at Petersburg's Sandy Beach at 7:01 a.m. His first steps into the water marked the beginning of what would become a seven-hour long battle that pushed him to his limits. However, the challenge truly began for Simmonds when he arrived in Petersburg back in October 2021...
July 19 – An officer responded to a report of suspicious activity on Harbor Way. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a fallen tree obstructing the southbound lane of Mitkof Highway. The responding officer helped move the tree and notified the Department of Transportation (DOT). An officer responded to a report of possible fraudulent activity on Birch Street and determined it was unfounded. An officer responded to a report of a dangerous driver at 12th Street and Haugen Drive, located the vehicle and did not observe any u...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly, acting as the board of adjustment, approved an application for a preliminary plat and vacation of certain rights-of-way at the future site of the new hospital on Monday, which had previously been denied by the Planning Commission. The Petersburg Medical Center appealed the decision after the Planning Commission voted against the application, claiming that the commission's decision was made in error, will have an adverse effect, and should be modified. The...
The Petersburg Medical Center Foundation is inviting all members of the community to bike or kayak as part of the annual Pedal/Paddle Battle this year on Saturday, July 29. The course will take participants from Scow Bay to Sandy Beach while contributions raised by the event will support continuing education for PMC staff and go toward scholarships for Petersburg High School seniors. "We were really successful last year, we had about 75 participants, and a lot of families participated. Anybody...
The St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church caught fire last Thursday, leaving much of the building in ruins and covering Petersburg in smoke. According to a statement from Fire Marshal Ryan Welde, the fire has been ruled accidental in nature and was a result of maintenance work. The fire originated at ground level on the exterior of the building facing Dolphin Street. It then traveled up the wall via rigid foam insulation located behind the vinyl siding and continued to spread into the eaves... Full story
A potential Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) wholesale rate increase has been deferred by at least a year due to record high power sales in Ketchikan, Petersburg, and Wrangell this spring, according to Vice Mayor Bob Lynn. “It’s a record, I mean it’s about 5% above any previous sales that we did this past winter, which is pretty significant,” Lynn said during his July 3 report to the Petersburg Borough Assembly about the latest SEAPA Board meeting The SEAPA Board last approved a wholesale rate increase in December 2022, raising the pri...
June 28 – Found property was turned in to the Petersburg Police Department (PPD) and subsequently returned to its owner. A dog reported as lost from Vesta Street was found by its owner. An officer provided lockout assistance on North Nordic Drive. Officers conducted a welfare check on Skylark Way. An officer conducted a welfare check on Haugen Drive due to a 911 hang up and found all okay. June 29 – PPD received a 911 hang up from North Nordic Drive and an officer conducted a check of the provided location but found nothing of concern. An off...
The St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church caught fire Thursday afternoon, leaving much of the building in ruins and covering Petersburg in smoke. There were no serious injuries reported and the fire did not spread to the surrounding buildings, however smoke from the blaze caused the Petersburg Medical Center and multiple businesses downtown to close. According to Fr. Jose Thomas, the parish priest at St. Catherine of Siena, a few people were attending a prayer service in the chapel when they... Full story
