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Governor Dunleavy’s controversial selections to the state Board of Fisheries (BOF) will get a legislative hearing in early fall and the call is out for public comments. The board oversees management of the state’s subsistence, commercial, sport and personal use fisheries. Appointments were made on April 1 and would normally go through a vigorous vetting process by the Alaska legislature with public input. But COVID-19 sent lawmakers home early from the last session, leaving the confirmation process in limbo. Now, Representative Louise Stutes (R...
Charles Robert Lee Martinez, 77, died on May 31, 2020 at Petersburg Medical Center in Petersburg, Alaska. He was born on May 23, 1943 in the small town of Del Norte, Colorado to Mary Martinez. He was later adopted by his maternal grandparents Hospicio and Ofrocina Martinez. He graduated high school in San Diego, and served his country for four years in the Air Force. He worked construction for the Western Washington Laborers and belonged to Laborers 292. This stage of his life brought marriage a... Full story
A traveler coming into town through the James A. Johnson Airport has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a joint statement between the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center released on Wednesday afternoon. The individual is a guest at Rocky Point Resort and has been at the lodge since his arrival from out of state earlier this week, according to the press release. The lodge guest did not have symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving in Alaska. This new case of COVID-19 brings the...
The borough assembly approved resolution #2020-10 at their meeting on Monday, which approves the purchase of two handicap accessible restroom trailers for a total of $92,870. The purchase of the trailers from Comforts of Home Services, Inc. will be covered by the funding the borough received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, according to the resolution. The borough is able to purchase the restrooms with CARES Act funding because they have hand washing capabilities...
The Petersburg School Board reviewed a guidance document released by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development at their school board meeting last week that lays out a framework on planning and strategies for reopening schools in the fall. The Alaska Smart Start 2020 document uses a three tiered risk/color system to allow each school district to react to the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in their municipality. The framework provided by the Alaska Smart Start 2020 document is not m...
Outdoor activities will possibly resume at Mitkof Middle School and Petersburg High School on July 13, said Activities Director Jaime Cabral at the Petersburg School Board meeting on Tuesday. School districts throughout Southeast Alaska put together a document with guidelines from the Alaska School Activities Association and the state on how activities can safely resume. While some schools throughout the region have already resumed activities, others haven't, said Cabral. The reason the Petersbu...
Petersburg Public Health Nurse Erin Michael warned the public that as people's lives change and adapt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they can begin to feel depressed and suicidal. At the COVID-19 community update on Wednesday, May 27, Micheal said the state reported an increase in emergency room visits related to suicide. She said it's not uncommon for people to feel anxious or depressed as they deal with the pandemic. Some specific causes of depression brought on by the pandemic can be a lack...
Adam Ware Who are your parents? Will and Christy Ware Number of years in Petersburg schools? 12 What are your plans following graduation? To go to Avtech in the fall What is your favorite music genre? Country "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward" Althea Malone Who are your parents? Alan and Rikki Number of years in Petersburg schools? 18 What are your plans following graduation? To complete my general requirements at Everett Community...
The Petersburg School Board approved the 2021 fiscal year operating budget at their meeting on Tuesday, which has a revenues budget that is $105,060 above expenditures to account for unknowns in the coming school year. The budget has $8,832,258 in revenues, with most of the funding to Petersburg School District coming from the state and Petersburg Borough, according to PSD Director of Finance Karen Morrison. The state contributes $6,861,054 to the Petersburg School District, making up 78...
The Petersburg School Board approved the fiscal year 2020 spring budget revision at their board meeting earlier this month, resulting in a $154,037 increase in revenue over the winter revision. Director of Finance Karen Morrison said the increase in revenue was due to increases in local and student activity revenue. Additionally, the school district received $141,577 in a one time grant from the state that wasn't budgeted for. "Now we have additional revenue that we've been able to use to...
Strict new rules are now in place for Alaska fishermen and their vessels to protect against and prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the 2020 salmon season. Effective April 24, Governor Dunleavy provided 11 pages of mandates that specifically apply to those who have not “agreed to operate under a fleet-wide plan submitted by a company, association or entity” representing them. Among other things, each independent skipper must sign a “Health Mandate Acknowledgement Form” prior to going fishing. They are required to maintain a written or time...
During a virtual Petersburg School Board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter recommended that the board postpone talks on the Alaska Reads Act, which is a senate bill being put forth by Alaska legislators to address early childhood education. If passed, Senate Bill 6 would mandate school districts offer a preschool program and ensure students are reading proficiently by third grade. Kludt-Painter recommended further discussions on the topic be postponed because of local and...
As of Wednesday afternoon, Petersburg Medical Center has submitted 39 COVID-19 testing samples to state and commercial laboratories, 26 of which have come back negative and the remaining 13 tests are still pending, according to PMC's Laurie Miller at Wednesday's daily COVID-19 community update. "We're relieved everyday that we don't have a positive test, but we know they are coming," said PMC Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Bryner. On Wednesday evening, the Alaska Department of Health and Social...
Meg Litster was appointed to the Petersburg School Board in a special meeting on Tuesday. Litster is filling a vacant seat left by Board President Mara Lutomski who stepped down in February. Litster, who had previously served on the school board for two years, will remain on the board until the municipal elections later this year....
The borough assembly failed to pass a letter to Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner John MacKinnon requesting DOT revise their plans for the Kake Access Road project to end the road directly across from Petersburg on Kupreanof Island instead of at Twelvemile Creek. Mayor Mark Jensen, who requested the letter be put on the agenda, said ending the road at Twelvemile Creek was not a good plan and it should end closer to Petersburg in the Wrangell Narrows. "I...
Members of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, as well as community leaders and local business representatives, got together last Thursday to discuss the COVID-19 virus and how entities throughout the community have been taking precautions against it. "There's a bunch of information going around," said Sandy Dixson, chairperson of the Local Emergency Planning Committee. "We just want to make sure we're all on the same page ... It's not if, it's when it gets to our community, and we do not...
The Petersburg School Board adopted a policy on Tuesday in its second and final reading that addresses the Petersburg School District's pandemic and epidemic emergency readiness. Board policy 6114.4 was recommended to the school board by the Association of Alaska School Boards. Since its first reading in February, School Board Vice President Sarah Holmgrain said parents have had some concerns over the extent that the district would be able to quarantine students; as a result, language within...
The Petersburg School Board held a special meeting on March 2 to formally accept Mara Lutomski's resignation as board president, which she submitted to the board on Feb. 26. Lutomski said her decision to step down as board president wasn't because there was conflict within the board or she was overwhelmed. She said she just wants to dedicate her time to other endeavors around town. "I am pursuing other opportunities in town that I cannot do while on the school board," said Lutomski. She...
The shutdown of ferry service in Southeast Alaska has impacted many aspects of day-to-day life in communities across the region. In previous reporting by the Wrangell Sentinel and Petersburg Pilot, peoples' travel plans have been disrupted, businesses have been impacted, and cultural events like Celebration 2020 could potentially see decreased turnout. Another aspect of Southeast communities that is facing disruption from the lack of ferries are school districts. The schools of Wrangell and...
Police Chief Jim Kerr suggested at Tuesday's borough assembly meeting that the assembly discuss and adopt an ordinance that would put rules in place for parades or events that take place in roadways and impact the flow of traffic. On Sunday, several organizations in town hosted an Elizabeth Peratrovich Day celebration that began with a parade downtown. Kerr said that he spoke to a Petersburg Indian Association tribal leader and was supposed to be informed if the parade grew in size, so that...
Discussed by the Petersburg School Board at their meeting last week was a senate bill being put forth by Alaska legislators that would mandate school districts offer a preschool program and ensure students are reading proficiently by third grade. "We have heard that this is a fast moving bill," said School Board President Mara Lutomski. "Both sides, the House and the Senate, expect that it will probably most likely make it through and arrive at the governors' desk in some form. It doesn't mean...
With the M/V Matanuska going out of service last week, ferry service via the Alaska Marine Highway has completely shut down. According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Transportation, new issues have been found with the ferry's reduction gear system. The Matanuska, at the time of writing, is being towed to Ketchikan for repairs. "AMHS is aware of travel needs for upcoming school and community tournaments in March and is exploring options for alternative service in the event...
The Petersburg School Board voted in favor of adopting a board policy in its first reading on Tuesday that addresses pandemic and epidemic emergency readiness. The policy was recommended to the board by the Association of Alaska School Boards. School Board Vice President Sarah Holmgrain said the recommendation probably came about as a response to what is happening on the international level, but assured residents that there isn't an imminent threat to the community from a virus. "Like a lot of t...
During last Wednesday's Petersburg Live talent show, Wright Auditorium showed off its new lights, which are capable of showering performers on stage in a multitude of lights. "We can literally make the stage dance with color now," said Dave Berg, one of the volunteer light operators. In the past, if a performance required a certain color of light on stage, a filter would have to be placed over one of the lights; as a result, that light would have to be dedicated to that color for the entire...
January 30, 1920 The Petersburg Fire Department will purchase an automobile of some kind for fire fighting purposes, if the citizens of the town are willing to help. A committee has been appointed and will visit the merchants and property owners within the next few days to ascertain their wishes. It has been demonstrated that the auto is the most efficient fire fighting apparatus in existence Should fire break out at any point in the city, from Standard Oil dock to the Point an alarm would bring the car, with a 50 gallon chemical and...
