Sorted by date Results 376 - 400 of 776
The Petersburg School Board approved an updated math curriculum for the district and the purchase of related materials totaling approximately $42,000 at the board's meeting on Tuesday. A whole new math curriculum is being adopted at Rae C. Stedman Elementary School that was constructed last year by second grade teachers Becky Martin and Mary Midkiff, according to Elementary Principal Heather Conn. The curriculum teaches math to students in a spiral manner. "We will see the same information...
KETCHIKAN - Llewellyn Morris Williams III, 62, who died Sat., Jan. 4, 2020, believed in God, family and friends, public service and University of Washington Huskies football. To all of these, he dedicated his life. Born in Petersburg on Dec. 7, 1957 - when Alaska was still only a territory - Williams was a third generation Alaskan and newspaperman. He co-owned the Ketchikan Daily News with his two sisters for 25 years. During his life, Williams, or "Doonie," as he was nicknamed, resided in...
January Following the shutdown of the U.S. government on Dec. 22, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard stated it would continue offering essential services. The borough assembly approved $600,000 for a new baler. The USCG located debris from an overdue medivac aircraft that had three people onboard that was due to land in Kake several nights before. A decrease in air cargo coming into Petersburg affected the timely arrival of residents' packages after the retirement of Alaska Airlines' combi 737-400...
With the increasing presence of cell phones in the district, the Petersburg School Board held a discussion on the district's cell phone policy at a school board meeting last week. At Rae C. Stedman Elementary School, cell phones are not allowed to be seen during school hours, and must be kept in students' backpacks. Principal Heather Conn said she hasn't seen any cell phones this year so far, though she has seen them in past years. When a student is caught with their cell phone out, they must dr...
The Petersburg School Board approved a board policy in its second and final reading regarding restrictions on sex offenders on campus. "We are not putting this policy into place because we are currently dealing with a situation," said School Board President Mara Lutomski. "There is no crisis going on within the school." Board Policy 3515.5 was on the agenda at the October school board meeting, but school board members present wanted to receive clarification on the policy and vote on it with a...
Kenneth Edward Hagerman, 77, passed away with his children by his side on November 7, 2019, after a long and difficult battle with dementia and Parkinson's. Ken was born to Edward and Lillian Hagerman on June 17, 1942 in Petersburg, Alaska. In his childhood years, he enjoyed spending time hunting, fishing and scouting with his family. In high school he was on the varsity basketball team, played alto saxophone in the school band and graduated from Petersburg High in 1960. After high school he... Full story
The Petersburg School Board approved a board policy in its first reading regarding restrictions on sex offenders on campus. Board Policy 3515.5 was on the agenda at the October school board meeting, but school board members present wanted to receive clarification on the policy and vote on it with a full board in case there were any concerns. School Board Vice President Sarah Holmgrain said there hasn't been an incident in the district. The school board is adding a policy restricting sex...
Four career and technical education students gave an overview of their presentation at a conference in October before the Petersburg School Board last week. People were lined up out the door to hear Thomas Durkin, Maddy Gilpin, Jaden Perry and Zephrie Whitethorn speak about their accomplishments in wood and metal shop classes at PHS during the Alaska Career and Technical Education Conference in Anchorage, according to Industrial Arts Teacher Dave Owens. Whitethorn spoke about how working...
The Petersburg Police Department will begin the process of seeking and hiring a police sergeant after the borough assembly on Monday gave Police Chief Jim Kerr authorization to fill the position. In the years that the police department has been short a sergeant, the borough has had to spend a considerable amount of money on overtime, according to Kerr at an assembly meeting in July. In the 2018 fiscal year, Kerr said the borough spent $155,214 in overtime. The police sergeant position, which...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht explained the results of a phase one environmental assessment at an assembly meeting Monday of the Petro 49, Inc. building and property that the borough would receive in a possible land swap, which shows three areas of concern on the east side of the property. The first area of interest is a concrete slab that used to have a petroleum tank on it. There is also an area on the east side of the lot that has a group of 55-gallon oil drums, and an old oil heating...
The Petersburg School Board passed updates to 17 policies to align with the Association of Alaska School Boards' changes in policy to reflect state laws in its first reading at their meeting on Oct. 8, but a new board policy regarding restrictions on sex offenders on campus was put on hold until the next board meeting. The changes to the 17 board policies were minor language changes that didn't affect the meaning of the policy, according to School Board Vice President Sarah Holmgrain. One board...
October 10, 1919 The Petersburg Branch of the American Red Cross this week transmitted $887.87 to the Juneau Chapter. This money was what remained in the local treasury from collections, entertainment, and various other sources. As the Red Cross has practically ceased it’s work and the work rooms have been closed, the local branch as no more need for local expenses. The money will be transmitted to the National Treasury of the Red Cross and will be used for emergency and relief work. October 6, 1944 A new report upon the “Feasibility of Aut...
The borough assembly accepted a grant totaling $295,000 from the fiscal year 2019 State Homeland Security Program to assist with the purchase and installation of a new E911 system and a joint training exercise between local EMS and law enforcement personnel. In a memo to Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht, Petersburg Police Department Captain Randal Holmgrain said $285,000 from the grant would go specifically towards the new E911 system. Holmgrain said the overall cost of the project is estimated...
Unofficial poll numbers show Mark Jensen returning for another three year term as mayor and incumbent Jeigh Stanton Gregor and Chelsea Tremblay elected to the borough assembly in the municipal election on Tuesday. Jensen had 590 votes and Jeff Meucci, who also sought the mayor’s seat, had 524 votes, according to unofficial results. Stanton Gregor and Tremblay beat Aaron Hankins and Marc Martinsen for the two seats on the assembly. The seats had belonged to Stanton Gregor and Kurt Wohlhueter. W...
Food service staff can now work with ease in full-size commercial kitchens now that construction on the new elementary school and high school cafeterias has been completed. Work on the elementary school cafeteria was finished on Sept. 16. Previously, food was prepared in a corner of the cafeteria that wasn't separated from the rest of the room, but the classroom next to the cafeteria became a kitchen area after the remodel. The Viking Cafe at the high school only had a salad bar and food was...
Mayoral candidates Jeff Meucci General Information Age: 64 Experience: I served on the Petersburg Park & Recreation advisory board, the Petersburg City council and served two terms as the Petersburg mayor from 1995 thru 1999. I was appointed to my current Borough Assembly seat and was elected to my Assembly seat two years ago. During my time as the Petersburg Mayor I traveled extensively as the number one advocate for the City of Petersburg. Why do you seek public office? I am seeking public...
John Frank Bringhurst Jr's. earthly journey concluded September 19, 2019, following an 11-month battle with brain cancer. Born Nov. 5, 1943, in Ogden, Utah, John was the second of six children born to John Frank Bringhurst and Relda Gardner Bringhurst. Utah's abundant outdoor opportunities claimed much of John's youthful attention, as he grew up an avid hunter, angler, skier and tennis player while completing his secondary education at Davis High School in Layton. A mission call to Germany for... Full story
George S. Doyle General Information Age: 66 Experience: Three years Medical Center Board Member Why do you want to serve on the PMC Board of Directors? Supporting a fiscally and professionally strong Medical Center for our community. As a current board member, I've become more aware of how dedicated the staff of the Medical Center is in providing quality care and services. What are your ideas to make the hospital run more cost efficiently? On a day to day basis the Medical Center staff does an...
James Richard Schramek, 70, died at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage on August 28, 2019 from an unexpected GI bleed. On November 9, 1949 Jim was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Richard and Elaine Schramek. He was raised in Richfield, Minnesota. Attended Richfield High School and played Football and Baseball. In summers, he worked on the Arndt family farm in Owatonna, Minnesota. Jim followed the Schramek family's passion for camping, hunting and fishing. Deer, ducks, geese, squirrels, if... Full story
The Petersburg School District maintains a higher percentage of students scoring proficient or higher in English language arts (ELA), math and science in statewide testing. The Performance Evaluation for Alaska's Schools test is given to students between 3rd and 10th grade each spring. The ELA and math tests are given to all students from 3rd to 9th grade, and the science test is only given to 4th, 8th and 10th graders. According to PSD Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter, the PEAKS tests are...
A fully automated camera would allow Petersburg School District to broadcast sporting events and other activities in the gymnasium through the National Federation of State High School Associations. The cameras can be programmed to turn on at specific times and begin streaming on the online NFHS Network. PSD can purchase two cameras for a one-time fee of $5,000, plus an additional $1,000 for shipping, said Activity Director Jaime Cabral. One camera would be placed in the gymnasium and the other...
Petersburg will hold its annual municipal election on Oct. 1 from 8 A.M. through 8 P.M. in the activity room of the community center. Residents will vote on who will fill 17 public office seats up for reelection, including the mayor's seat, as well as one proposition. The first day that residents could apply for candidacy was July 23, and the last day to file was Aug. 20. The borough will submit voter registration forms to the Alaska Division of Elections for community members up until the...
The Petersburg School Board approved the district's fiscal year 2020 operating budget at their monthly meeting last week. "This is a solid budget," said Finance Director Karen Quitslund. "It's fiscally conservative." The district's budget ignores uncertainties in Gov. Mike Dunleavy's proposed 2020 fiscal year state budget. The district did not believe a state budget was going to be passed before it had to submit the district's budget to the state by July 1. Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter...
Changes to 11 board policies are set to go into effect after the Petersburg School Board approved the alterations in their second and final reading at a board meeting last week. The changes to the policies were minor and were made to be in accordance with new state laws, according to School Board President Mara Lutomski. Some of the policy changes add language related to culturally responsive education and cultural and tribal consulting, which was the case in the changes to board policy...
Borough unfairness To the Editor: I moved here 30 years ago and fell in love with this community. Everyone helped each other and the city government was run quite well and fair. But as time has gone by the government has gotten bigger and created a borough that costs us lots more than it's worth in my opinion. I understand that the people that got swallowed up by the borough needed to pay for some of the benefits like school and such, but in most cases they are paying taxes for little to no...
