Sorted by date Results 676 - 700 of 776
What started as a two-woman operation consisting of a secretary and a fresh college grad has turned into a multi-program, community wide mental health center that serves several hundred clients a year. Petersburg Mental Health Services celebrated its 20-year anniversary last week where board members and other guests gave accolades to PMHS Executive Director Susan Ohmer-the once wide-eyed and idealistic college grad who came back to her hometown in 1993. When Ohmer returned to Petersburg an organ... Full story
An auditing company presented their financial report to the Petersburg School Board Tuesday evening and congratulated the district on reining in its expenses. The school district’s revenue over expenses was $153,000 in total. It also increased its general fund balance by more than $100,000 from last year. Eric Campbell with BDO gave the presentation. When he went over the student activity fund budget Campbell said there were more student activity funds than he’s ever seen. “Every student in Petersburg has an activity fund,” Campbell joked....
Thanks Assembly To the Editor: A couple of weeks ago I read and was appalled by a statement of one of our Assemblywomen as she was quoted as saying “what have senior citizens done to deserve a tax exemption other than get older?” I guess a short history lesson might be in order. The tax exempt status for seniors was a sign of respect and a thank you for all the things they had accomplished in aiding Petersburg's economic development before and during their fixed income days. Let's start with the Petersburg Indian Association. They were not alw...
The Petersburg School board prepared a resolution Wednesday to send to the Alaska Association of School Boards, or AASB, urging the state legislature to clarify a statute that makes school districts responsible for paying for physical examinations of incoming students. School districts across Alaska require incoming students to receive physical examinations and parents or caregivers are responsible for paying for the exams. But after several Petersburg parents questioned the requirement, the school board had its attorney, Allen Clendaniel,...
Every school district in Alaska requires new or incoming students to receive physicals before starting school and most, if not all, don’t cover those costs. Most school districts in Alaska might be in violation of state statute. That’s if Petersburg School District’s attorney Allen Clendaniel’s interpretation of Alaska Statue 14.30.070 is correct. In part, it states, “The governing body of each school district shall provide for and require a physical examination of every child attending school in the district.” “If you look at the literal l...
Rae C. Stedman Elementary is welcoming two of its previous students back as staff as the new school year kicks off. Kerri Curtiss will be teaching reading to third through fifth grade students as well as teaching a high school physical education class. Curtiss grew up in Petersburg before graduating from Central Washington University in 2005. She taught second graders in Washington for two years and decided to move back to Petersburg to be closer to family. “It’s pretty cool to walk around and...
Petersburg School District Superintendent Dr. Rob Thomason was awarded a Superintendent of the Year Award last week. Bruce Johnson, Executive Director for the Association of Alaskan Superintendents, presented the award to Thomason PSD staff during a welcome back school board meeting. “It is my great honor to announce that your superintendent, Dr. Rob Thomason, is Alaska’s 2014 Superintendent of the year,” Johnson said to an applauding crowd. Johnson said a selection committee sought nomin...
Schools are scrambling To the Editor: Back to school is always an exciting time. In Alaska, every one of our 53 school districts and school staffs have diligently prepared so the new school year will be one of deep learning and strong emotional growth for all of Alaska's students. As educators, nothing pleases us more than welcoming back students to launch a new academic year. This year, like none other in recent memory, school districts across the country, including every district in Alaska are scrambling. Districts are feeling the negative ef...
As Petersburg continues to iron out its borough formation, the assembly will decide which committees and boards to dissolve or keep active. Boards to be considered for removal are; Transient Room Tax, Public Safety, Utility Advisory, Motor Pool, Parks and Recreation and Public Library. Those boards act as advisors to the borough and its corresponding departments. Although, they’re all on the chopping block, Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said several will likely stay such as the Harbor Advisory Board and the Library Board. During T...
The Petersburg School Board voted during a July 31special session to repair a leaky boiler and update the 8-12 mathematics curriculum. Tye Petersen, Petersburg School’s Maintenance Director says he’s already capped several leaks in the tube where heated water flows but couldn’t maintain a tight seal in the latest repair. An inspector told Petersen the tubes needed to be replaced. “They’ve been retubed once in their lifetime,” Petersen said during the meeting. “There are two boilers. One can handle the current capacity but not in the wintertim... Full story
Who sets the tone? To the Editor: My husband Edgar and Jim's parents, Jim and Shirley Agner – want to thank all of you for welcoming “our kids” (Officers Jim and Heidi Franz Agner) into your community and into your lives – and thus giving all of us an experience beyond any luxurious world cruise anywhere. It all began in 1984 when Chief Dale Stone “initiated” us as only Chief Stone could do. “Doc” Lopez gave my husband Edgar professional shooting lessons – and a lot of fun. John Hamilton took all of us (toddler Jesse and older brother Bar...
Dean John Weeden, 82, passed away on July 17, 2013 at St. Mary's Assisted Living in Eureka, Mont. He was born on November 7, 1930 in Lynn, Mass. to Dagny Thoresen and John Sven Weeden (Widen). Age five to seventeen he lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his mother and step-father Ole Olsen. Dean hopped a train out west when he was seventeen years old launching his first job in the Forest Service doing seasonal work in Idaho. In 1951 he served in the Air Force as a Surgery Technician for the 452 Bomb...
The Petersburg School District Board approved a policy allowing home school students to participate in activities at the high school without being enrolled in classes. This policy has come about by a change in state law mandating this allowance. “The students will have to fill out quite a bit of paperwork,” Petersburg School District Athletic Director Jaime Cabral said. “There is a long checklist that will have to be gone over with the student and their parents in order to make sure the information is correct.” Each of the students wishing... Full story
June 7, 1913 – The Seattle Times says that a chain of ten hotels is intended to be built at the most interesting points throughout Alaska and the Yukon Territory, and at the cost of $30,000 for each. One of them will be built each year. The first is now finished and is located at Atlin Lake. Each hotel will be located on a tract of 120 acres of land and will be supplied with steam heat and all other modern conveniences. Mr. Dickeson, manager of the White Pass and Yukon Railroad in speaking of the project, said “The people of the United Sta...
Six local organizations received a total of $9,000 in grants from the Petersburg Community Foundation, bringing the total community grant amount to $33,000 over the past five years. “The Petersburg Community Foundation is proud to partner with these great organizations,” PCF Advisory Board Chair Liz Cabrera said. “Thanks to our donors and their generous investment in our community, PCF was able to support a variety of projects and programs this year.” Organizations and projects that received funding were: the Petersburg School District receive...
Jon Arthur Stephen, 68, died April 9, 2013 in Petersburg, Alaska. He was born on June 22, 1944 to John “Jack” and Agnes Stephen in Petersburg. Agnes passed away when Jon was about three, and Jack who worked in several different capacities was unable to raise his young son. At this time, Jon moved in with his maternal grandparents John and Marie Hammer. In 1951, Jon moved in with Jim, Bev and younger “brother” Ken (Hammer). Over the next few years, the family grew to include Christi, Bob, We... Full story
The Thomas Bay Power Authority commissioners undertook a lengthy discussion over who will be hired to take the reins of the utility for Wrangell and Petersburg during a special meeting held March 4 in Wrangell. A motion by commissioner Dave Galla to keep current manager Paul Southland on as the full-time leader of the utility for at least a year failed by a 4-3 vote, with commissioners Robert Larson, Joe Nelson, Clay Hammer and president John Jensen voting against the motion. TBPA operations foreman Mick Nicholls was then nominated by commissio...
The Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Board received reports from various departments outlining the programs they are involved in and what is happening within the organization during its regular meeting Monday evening. The PIA Transportation Department will submit an application for the replacement of the Sing Lee Alley Bridge. "The Petersburg Borough's engineers anticipate the cost of replacement at $1 to $1.2 million," PIA Transportation Director Will Ware reported. "The maximum funding allowed through the Tribal Transportation Bridge... Full story
March 9, 1983 - Ground breaking for construction on a two-story addition to the Petersburg High School this summer will be recommended to the Petersburg School Board by an ad hoc committee. The ad hoc committee, set up by the school board, completed their study of school construction March 3. The recommendations of the 11 member committee and a possible floor plan were presented to school board members March 4 so they would be able to look over the proposals and act on the recommendations at their March 8 meeting. “The school board asked for t...
Marcus Hom, lead instructor for Dark Horse Defense has taken on the task of developing an emergency response plan for the Petersburg Schools. Hom attended the regular meeting of the Petersburg School Board Tuesday, Feb. 19 to update the board on the progress of the plan. "I have been working with the staff of the high school, middle school and elementary schools," Hom stated. "I have also observed the security in place now during school hours." Hom is now moving from the observation phase and into the development of a new plan for the Petersbur...
The Petersburg Indian Association Tribal Board received reports from various departments outlining the programs they are involved in and what is happening within the organization during its regular meeting Monday evening. The PIA Transportation Department will submit an application for the replacement of the Sing Lee Alley Bridge. "The Petersburg Borough's engineers anticipate the cost of replacement at $1 to $1.2 million," PIA Transportation Director Will Ware reported. "The maximum funding allowed through the Tribal Transportation Bridge... Full story
Despite the rain and cold, Petersburg residents gathered Saturday to celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich, a civil rights activist who worked on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives. Peratrovich was credited with advocacy that gained the passage of the territory's Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, the first anti-discrimination law in the United States. According to the National Women's History Museum, Peratrovich was the last person to speak at the Territorial Senate beginning her speech saying,...
February 2, 1983 - The acute care building of the Petersburg General Hospital should be “razed, torn down” when the new building is completed, the administrator of the hospital said. Craig Slater said it is estimated that the building would cost $450,000 to renovate. Even then the building is not suited for offices and they could not utilize every portion of the building, he said. Slater spoke to the Hospital Board at their meeting Jan.25. The board decided to bring up the issue at their next meeting. February 4, 1993 - Faced with fewer stu...
WRANGELL — With the 2012 school shootings in Connecticut and California still fresh in our collective memory, a proposal from an Anchorage lawmaker would allow for teachers or other permanent school employees to carry concealed weapons on campus “for defensive use” in the State of Alaska. House Bill 55, from Republican Rep. Bob Lynn, would allow public districts and private schools to adopt written policies spelling out the circumstances under which firearms could be possessed and used. The proposal, which was released on Jan. 11, would allow...
Since the formation of the Petersburg Borough, officials have been working to put together a plan to make a smooth transition. The transition will still take the better part of the year to complete. “The first big part of the process is the status of the appeal from Juneau,” Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht said. “We are looking at April or May before this will be finalized.” The City and Borough of Juneau is suing the Local Boundary Commission and the Petersburg Borough due to disagreements on the boundary line drawn for the newly f... Full story
