Sorted by date Results 526 - 550 of 776
wrangell — A crowd-drawing discussion on recreation funding held by the Forest Service Tuesday evening made the council chambers at City Hall feel unusually short for space. About two dozen members of the public met with staff of the Wrangell Ranger District to share their concerns about facilities maintenance. Listing concerns from greatest to least, residents participating at the meeting identified cabins, ATV trails and the overall recreation program as their top priorities, followed by trails, berry access, subsistence and stoves. F...
The Petersburg school board approved the contracts of district superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter and teachers at the regular meeting on Tuesday night. The action is the result of salary negotiations that have been taking place with the Associated Teachers of Petersburg (ATP). The board unanimously approved a three-year contract for superintendent Kludt-Painter, and each year includes a 260-day contract with 40 days of leave. The contract will run through June, 2019, with a one-time signing incentive of $10,000 to be paid on or before June 30,...
The Petersburg School Board unanimously approved an $80,037 software program for the Petersburg School District’s finance office. PSD Finance Director Karen Quitslund said the current software is 35 years old and that she has been looking at new programs for several years. “The current system is really outdated. It’s inefficient,” Quitslund said. “All the processes are done manually and of course the more manual processes that you have the more the margin of error is greater.” The district’s current software doesn’t interface with other prog... Full story
Have you thanked a school board member lately? School board members volunteer hundreds of hours and immeasurable amount of energy to assure that our schools are providing the best education possible for the children of our community. February is School Board Recognition Month, and I encourage you to show your appreciation for the tireless work of our local school board members. School board members are citizens whose decisions affect our children – what they learn, who will teach them, and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms. T...
Petersburg High School sophomore Helen Martin, 15, will take a trip to the state capitol in early March and spend four days sitting in on the legislative session. Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins selected Martin to participate in his Legislative Externship Program after her world history teacher talked to her class about the program. Martin, who is the vice president of her sophomore class, talked it over with her mom and they both thought it would be a good idea. "I'm pretty excited to sit in and... Full story
Susan Erickson from Petersburg/Wrangell Insurance gave the board an update about property and casualty insurance trends concerning the school district. The district had a great year in terms of premiums, and the increase in premiums accounted for less than one percent of that budget item, Erickson said. “We stayed with Alaska Public Entities. They have been a great carrier for us for many years now, and we just signed a three year commitment to stay with them for another three years,” she said. “They are doing a great job for us provi...
Petersburg’s Local Marijuana Regulation Advisory Committee was disbanded earlier this week. Petersburg Borough Assembly Member and Committee Chair Jeigh Stanton Gregor recommended last Monday to the assembly during a committee update that the marijuana advisory committee should disband due to its ineffectiveness. Stanton Gregor said a majority of committee members didn’t read the state’s retail marijuana regulations, which had been available for review and public comment throughout the summe...
It's a question Petersburg's Northern Nights Theater manager Anne Tate fields every now and then. "I've been asked, I think, about a million times," Tate said. "I'm not certain I can leave my house without someone asking." It's no surprise people are inquiring. 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' shattered records, including the largest box office record of all time, and will likely continue to eclipse previous big movie box office sales. The movie has already grossed more than $1 billion...
Dear, Santa i would like a Hachet, i would like a dirt bike to, and a psa game boy and a sky Drone and a pare of snow showes and some Fishing tackle and a pare of corce logeing Bootes. Senserliy, Davis DEAR SANTA, I WOULD LIKE A MAKEUP KIT AND JULIE'S BEd FOR MY DOLL. IVE BEEN GOOD. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I WOULD ALSO LIKE THE FIREELF LEGOS. LOVE LEXIE Lexie Tow, Age 6 DEAR SANTA, I HAVE BEEN A GOOD GIRL. I WOULD LIKE A CAMERA, AND A PlAY CAR, AND A ZOOMER KITTY. AND A GIRLSCOUT OVEN. THANK YOU,...
Marijuana dispensaries can't set up shop in downtown Peterburg based on Alaska's Alcohol Beverage Control Board's (ABC's) recent adopted marijuana license restrictions. According to the adopted regulations, the ABC Board won't issue a marijuana establishment license "if the licensed premises will be located within 500 feet of a school grounds, a recreation youth center, a building in which religious services are regularly conducted, or a correctional facility." Those restrictions eliminate... Full story
First step the hardest To the Editor: Some say the first step is the hardest, but we’ve found community-wide support makes the first step a bit easier. Recently, the Petersburg Children’s Center took its first step toward a long awaited building expansion project. Through the generosity of Reid Brothers, Hammer & Wikan and local donors, the piling is in and we’re getting ready to start framing up the building shell. While we are officially underway, we are continuing to seek donations to fund completion of the project, including an unant...
The Reverend Thomas Lee (Joseph) Weise, Jr., 46, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau, Alaska, died December 6, 2015, following a cardiac arrest suffered while visiting family members in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Fr. Weise was born January 10, 1969 in South Laguna Beach, Calif. After graduating from Dana Hills High School, he was appointed to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Science While in the... Full story
We are in this together To the Editor: I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the School Board members and administration that worked for literally hundreds of hours to develop and pass the amended Memorial policy. As we all know, it is heartbreaking to lose someone that you love, no matter the age, circumstance or relationship. No one grieves in the same way. Some are comforted by reminders of the person, but others can’t face any reminders at all. I appreciate the opportunities that our close-knit community offers in the way of r...
The memorial policy has received much debate for and against the removal of memorials from the Petersburg school grounds and Petersburg School District properties. The policy was approve unanimously by the board in a room filled with almost 30 people, including many school staff members. The policy was in its final reading, and the only amendment to the language was the removal of “temporary memorials” and changing it to “temporary memorabilia.” The approved policy states the conditions that are acceptable when dealing with memorial activit...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht gave the following report at Monday’s regular Assembly meeting: Power & Light is nearing the end of a major rewrite of the Emergency Action Plan required by FERC on our Blind Slough hydro. Power & Light and Public Works spent significant time putting up Christmas lighting for the tree and street poles. Excellent cooperation made the job go smoothly. Thanks to Power & Light, Public Works, Matt Bryner, Pete and Theresa Litsheim, Ray and Gladys Olsen for such a beautiful community Christmas tree this year. The P...
With the holidays upon Petersburg and Black Friday in the rearview mirror, retailers are looking for ways to help keep shoppers local and combat online shopping. Heidi Lee of Lee’s Clothing says the holiday season really gets jumpstarted with the lighting of downtown. Lee says the store has spearheaded the Christmas tree lighting and parade for years because it helps encourage residents to get in the holiday spirit and start visiting downtown stores, in addition to making downtown look good and festive. Lee’s Clothing makes a concerted eff... Full story
Taste the herring To the Editor: As neighbor and FAVORITE Editor I implore you to ask the good people of the beautifully decorated Sandy Beach Neighborhood to keep a watchful eye out for that “Stately Swede from DoyHof” and the “Handsome Norske from Scow Bay” who may be sniffing around our neck of the woods interested in sabotaging this year’s Pickled Herring recipe! Hagar and Annie are on high alert for any funny business and rewards of the successful arrest of would be “saboteurs” will be paid in Lefse or holiday baked goods. See everyone...
Despite the articulate and sometimes emotional comments presented to the school board, we think the board is justified in approving its draft policy for memorials on school property. The policy allows for temporary memorials and sets the terms for commemoration events. Key policy components are: 1. Memorials can be an ongoing visual reminder of what happened. Memorials need to be an opportunity of choice for families, friends and the public. 2. The fact that schools are designed primarily to support learning and should not serve as the main...
November 20, 1915 – The building of the board walk along the beach at Scow Bay was completed last Saturday, and Olaf Arness has notified J. C. Hays, of the road commission, that the job is ready for inspection. The walk is 5,820 feet in length. Although the specifications called for but two planks in width for part of the way, Mr. Arness used three planks the entire length of the walk, and also renewed numerous portions of the old single planking. This extra work and material cost him about $50, which he contributed, in addition to taking t...
The Clausen Museum Board hired Petersburg local Kathi Riemer as the new Museum Director this month. Riemer, retired administrator from the Juneau School District, said she plans to bring her skills from that position to the museum. "I have a lot of experience with the administrative part and the people," Riemer said. "I'm from here and I know a lot of the history. My kids are fourth generation graduates of Petersburg High School." Riemer spent the past several days moving into her new office,...
The Petersburg School Board delayed a vote on its new memorial policy so board members can receive more feedback from the public. The policy would, in part, limit the display of student memorials to a two-week period. The memorial policy has sparked a variety of reactions from community members, some of whom expressing frustration because previous Petersburg High School student Jake Madsen’s memorial would be taken down should the School Board approve the policy. Madsen passed away after a hunting accident in 2008 and his friends and basketball... Full story
Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported the following at the Borough Assembly’s November 2 meeting: Municipalities across the state are seeing evidence of pressure on courts and prosecutors to reduce pre-trial incarceration. Other chiefs report bail amounts set at arraignment have been significantly reduced and prosecutors have been directed to seek lower bail amounts to lower bed days in the jails. Presiding Judge Stephens has ordered the courts in our region to be closed for additional days to cut costs. This is expected to s...
United Fisherman of Alaska members gather in the Sons of Norway hall this week as it conducts its 2015 Fall Board Meeting. Board members representing 35 Alaska commercial fishing organizations began their meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27 where representatives of Lt. Governor Mallott, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, University of Alaska Anchorage and other independent commercial fishing agencies gave presentations to the board. Much of the time was devoted to internal discussion regarding seafood...
The school board proposed policy on memorial placement on school property does a good job of justifying the reasons behind the creation of this policy. In short, the school will work with families to select appropriate memorial activities and events following the death of a student or district employee, but the school cannot become the site for permanent memorials. The District also states the circumstances upon which existing memorials will be maintained or continued. The policy is posted on the school district website and at district offices...
Public Works Director Karl Hagerman reported the following information to the Petersburg Borough Assembly in lieu of Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht’s absence: The underground cable connecting the Blind Slough hydro plant to our distribution system failed, and that portion from the plant to the hatchery had to be replaced. Harbor staff continues to remind people to give them a call so they can keep an eye on your boat when owners leave town. It is also important for folks to check their skiffs during our very wet weather. The Public Works c...
