Sorted by date Results 867 - 891 of 1032
The Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) will be making a few upgrades once it’s figured out where exactly to take the money from. PMC’s Board of Directors voted to move forward with a capital projects list containing six items; a long-term care tub room, radiology room upgrade, cardiac monitoring system, software, acute care beds and an iSTAT portable blood analyzer used to quickly obtain test data, totaling $398,514. The board gave Interim Chief Financial Officer Doran Hammett the go-ahead to check into leasing options for five of the six dur...
The Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) has moved to protect patients and itself against any potential cyber attacks. The hospital’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of CPM (cyber, privacy and media) liability insurance, underwritten by Lloyds of London CFC Syndicate, in the amount of $6,666.45 per year, including taxes and fees, during its regular board meeting Thursday, April 23. The $2 million policy will cover the hospital if there’s a breach of information, or an accusation of one, said IT Specialist Don Bieber. “The risk we have...
Runners and walkers are expected to fill the street this Saturday at the Beat the Odds’ Circle of Life Cabin Creek 5k Run/Walk. The race begins at 9 a.m. at Sandy Beach Park, with warm ups and late registration preceding. The annual run/walk is one of two such events held each year in Petersburg to raise funds for Beat the Odds, now in its 15th year. Last year the organization raised $26,050, which has been allocated in a variety of ways to support cancer patients and their families. The bulk of the funds have been allocated to organizations t...
The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors is looking for a new member after Steven Samuelson tendered his resignation via email last week. The board accepted that resignation during a special meeting Saturday morning before a board training session. Samuelson, who had served on the board since February 2014, was not at the meeting. Reading from his letter, President Tim Koeneman said Samuelson would be in Juneau for many months, unable to serve. His term would’ve expired in October. “We regret that we lost him but” the board has to mo...
Influenza information To the Editor: Due to several recent influenza type A and type B cases in Petersburg this week I wanted to reiterate the importance of key flu prevention measures. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first step in protecting against flu viruses. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a...
Part of its strategic plan for 2014-2020, WAVE (Working Against Violence for Everyone) has increased advocate interest, moving from five to 13 potential advocates, seven of which are taking calls. But the group is always looking for more. The non-profit organization discussed growing membership, among other topics, during its annual meeting Monday evening at the Petersburg Medical Center. WAVE provides advocacy for victims of both domestic violence and sexual assault. One discussion revolved around the possible formation of new support groups....
The Petersburg Medical Center Board of Directors approved the hospital’s 2016 budget on Thursday, March 26, and will be sending it on to the Petersburg Borough Assembly the first of April for review. “The budget is really straight forward,” said Interim Chief Financial Officer Dornan Hammett. Petersburg Medical Center is looking at a total revenue of $13.9 million with operating and non-operating revenues, and a total expense of $13.8 million. There’ll be a $580,000 operating revenue loss, but a net gain of $71,000 with the non-ope...
WRANGELL — Wrangell residents and other Alaskans from around the state were given more opportunity to voice concerns over impending cuts to state programming during a public hearing held Monday evening for the draft of next year’s budget being considered by the Senate Finance Committee. Six Wrangellites came to their local Legislative Information Office to provide testimony via telephone, along with residents of Petersburg and Ketchikan. “I am speaking in opposition to the cuts to the Alaska Marine Highway System,” borough manager Jeff Jabusch...
Laura Nan Johnston, 82, died on January 19, 2015. Born to Wendell and June Abell on February 26, 1932, in Chama, N.M., Laura's mother taught for The Bureau of Indian Affairs moving them to Sitka, Alaska, where she lived through high school. She attended Oregon State University (OSU) as a Delta Zeta and with a major in science she became a medical technician. There she met Norman Dale Johnston whose major was fisheries biology, and they both graduated in 1955. They were married in 1956, and by... Full story
March 20 Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell presided over a felony first proceeding for Gesabel Rosa. A public defender was appointed for Rosa and she must abide by the following conditions of release: violate no laws, no contact with alleged victims including Papa Bears, Harbor Bar, Coastal Cold Storage, Lee’s Clothing and Hammer and Wikan Hardware, and other conditions. The court issued a $5,000 unsecured appearance bond and scheduled a preliminary hearing for March 24. March 24 Gesabel Rosa appeared before Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell f...
Former borough worker and Motor Pool Advisory Committee member Ray Pederson, age 71, has been described as a "great guy" who will be missed by many. "He was just a one of a kind, larger than life type of person," his daughter, Camie Rae Pederson said. A memorial service will be held for Ray on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the high school gym with a celebration of life following in the upstairs of the Elks Lodge. Ray was found unresponsive in the sauna at the Community Center on March 11 shortly before... Full story
Ravenna Nilsen passed away in the early morning of August 2nd, 2014 in her home where she had lived, loved and raised a family for 27 years. She was born on January 18th, 1956 to Gwendolyn H. Peacock and William D. Huckins in Anacortes, Washington, where she played as a young child with her three siblings Debbie, Becky and Dugan. With her spiral red locks, big smirk, bossy assertive attitude and demeanor that seemed to demand an embrace, her family nicknamed her "Mama Doll." Ravenna Nilsen's... Full story
The Petersburg Medical Center is in a good position financially right now, but it’s in the next three to five years that it may face some serious challenges. Representatives from the hospital and its board of directors met at a special meeting with the Petersburg Borough Assembly Monday evening. “Your hospital is strong, you have almost no debt,” said Interim Chief Financial Officer Doran Hammett, who brings in an outside perspective as he does financial work for hospitals around the country. He added that Petersburg has a strong balance sheet...
An 18-member Local Marijuana Regulation Advisory Committee has been formed to discuss the local implementation of a law that took effect Feb. 24, allowing for the private use and commercial sale of marijuana. The assembly unanimously passed a resolution to create the committee at Monday’s regular meeting. Three assembly members, Nancy Strand, Kurt Wohlhueter and Jeigh Stanton Gregor, will sit on the committee with Stanton Gregor appointed as the committee’s chairperson. Joined by the three assembly members are 15 residents who expressed int...
Carol Dyer Johnson, 73, died January 23, 2015 at Petersburg Medical Center/LTC. She was born November 14, 1941 in Haverhill, Mass. She graduated from Haverhill High School in 1958 and attended The University of Massachusetts for three years. In her youth, she was very athletic; swimming for the University synchronized swim team. She loved everything from fashion, art, music, or dance. In early 1960, she was diagnosed with manic depression/bi-polar disease and was challenged with its symptoms... Full story
The availability and affordability of housing in Petersburg Borough and the effects of a changing age composition of the borough’s population were two emerging themes highlighted in a report released Feb. 20 by Agnew Beck, the consulting firm heading up the borough’s new Comprehensive Plan. The report outlines challenges and opportunities in nine key areas that spring from residents’ feedback at the consultants’ last visit to town in December as well as a community-wide survey that closed last month. Over 350 individuals, more than 10 percent... Full story
Petersburg resident Mark Weaver, 59, has pled guilty to one of two felony charges brought against him following an explosion last July in the rock quarry behind the airport. Weaver faced two counts of Possession of Unregistered Destructive Devices, which included Tovex, the commercial-grade explosive used at the scene in an improvised explosive device (IED), and seven hand grenades recovered in a subsequent search of Weaver's property. The second charge, related to the grenades, will be dropped... Full story
Petersburg resident Mark Weaver, 59, has pled guilty to one of two felony charges brought against him following an explosion last July in the rock quarry behind the airport. Weaver faced two counts of Possession of Unregistered Destructive Devices, which included Tovex, the commercial-grade explosive used at the scene in an improvised explosive device (IED), and seven hand grenades recovered in a subsequent search of Weaver's property. The second charge, related to the grenades, will be dropped... Full story
Petersburg Medical Center CEO Liz Woodyard announced that the hospital is considering hiring an occupational therapist to replace physical therapist Leslie Stancliff who announced her retirement from the facility. “One of the things we’ve looked at as far as services is what are our needs and I think an exciting opportunity for us is to look at is perhaps hiring an occupational therapist instead of a physical therapist,” Woodyard said. Physical Therapy Manager Ellie van Swearingen explained the role of an occupational therapist as opposed to ph...
At last Thursday’s meeting, Petersburg Medical Center’s Interim CFO Doran Hammett updated the board on recent efforts to increase cash on hand at the facility by decreasing accounts receivable (A/R) days –the amount of time it takes for a patient to pay money owed for services rendered. Hammett said that PMC’s accounts receivable days have historically been very high for PMC. “Gross A/R days have ranged from 106 to 145 (days) over the past two years,” he said. “Looking at this last fall we realized that we had gotten to a point in our patien...
January More than 600 Petersburg residents signed up for the borough's recycling program. The Petersburg Land Selection Committee requested the borough pursue legislative action regarding the State's calculation of land entitlement for the Petersburg Borough after the committee's determination that the State's selection of land was inadequate. The Petersburg School Board approved a $2.3 million exterior wall renovation project for the Rae C. Stedman Elementary School. Petersburg School District... Full story
With the addition of Marlene Cushing and Kris Thynes, the Petersburg Medical Center (PMC) now has a full board of seven, as well as new officers for the coming year. Tim Koeneman was named board president and cautioned the board that they would have to lean heavily on Darlene Whitethorn, elected vice-president in her absence per her prior assent to the idea and formerly secretary, during the summer months when he is away. “With kids and grandkids all in Juneau, there are vacation times when I’m simply not here,” he said. “I’ll certainly...
Benjamin Iltanen Bunge, 40 died suddenly, at his home in Burlington, Vt. Ben, the second son of Linda and Sam Bunge, graduated from Petersburg High School in 1992. Ben served as a firefighter and emergency medical technician for the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Dept, then attended the University of Alaska at Fairbanks and U.A. at Anchorage, earning a B.S. degree in nursing. He worked several years at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage before moving to Burlington, where he worked as a... Full story
It’s the time of year when Alaska’s fishery meetings kick into high gear - with five set for this week alone. The industry will get a first glimpse of potential 2015 halibut catches when the International Pacific Halibut Commission convenes in Seattle, WA. It’s been a wait and see attitude among fish circles - will Alaska’s catch limits again be reduced, down already 70% over a decade to just 16 million pounds? Or has the Pacific halibut stock started to rebound as some of the science indicates? Tune into the IPHC meetings live via webinar...
Interim CFO Doran Hammett told the Petersburg Medical Center board at a special meeting Monday that a draft cost report revealed some $928,000 was due to Medicare. Though PMC still has $380,000 on hand from a mid-year overpayment by Medicare to pay the bill, the amount due was unexpectedly high and prompted further investigation by Hammett and the consultant who prepares the reports, Martin Michiels of Health Care Consulting Services, LLC. Hammett told the Pilot on Wednesday that after recalculations by Michiels, the hospital now expects to... Full story
