Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 735
Elected officials, ballot initiative supporters and opponents, campaign managers and anyone else who writes, texts or tweets outlandish claims and promises should be required to stay after the election and write on the blackboard (remember those) 100 times: “I will not make stuff up.” After they have a chance to rest their arm, they need to go back to the board — OK, a whiteboard and a Sharpie works, too — and write 100 more times: “I am sorry for promising too much.” It’s gotten way too easy for anyone trying to win over the public to pro...
Alaska legislators, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom and the commissioners in charge of state agencies will see pay raises after the Legislature missed the final deadline for a bill needed to block the increases. Starting July 1, Alaska’s governor will be paid approximately $176,000 per year, the lieutenant governor about $140,000, and commissioners will receive about $168,000 per year. Legislators will be paid $84,000 per year, up from $50,400, starting next January. The increases are the result of a convoluted series of events t... Full story
Ground deformation beneath the Mt. Edgecumbe volcano continued in 2023, but no eruption is imminent, a team of experts said at a Sitka public meeting Monday night. But the experts, volcanologists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory, said they plan additional research this summer around the Kruzof Island landmark. Activity beneath the volcanic cone came to the observatory’s attention in April 2022 after an earthquake “swarm” was detected there. Follow-up analysis of satellite data showed the mountain deforming at a rate of 8.7 centimeters annua...
May 3 – An officer provided a courtesy transport to a person in need of assistance A driver on North 12th Street was issued a warning for an inoperable headlight. An officer spoke with a complainant. A driver at six-mile on Mitkof Highway was issued a warning for passing in a restricted zone. A burglar alarm activated on Mitkof Highway, the responding officer determined it was a false alarm. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a complaint from a citizen concerned about odd pipes on the ground in front of a business. No criminal a... Full story
Athletes earn awards through excellence in competition. Athletes of distinction are feted for that excellence, but it is secondary to the character and compassion they exhibit and nurture as lives off the podium continue. Heralded for such achievements on the track, in the pool and beyond, Petersburg High School 2017 graduate Izabelle Ith was honored Sunday at the 2023 Alaska School Activities Association Alaska High School Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Anchorage's Lakefront Hotel. "It's...
A bill advancing in the Alaska Legislature would dramatically shorten the time needed to approve the logging of some state-owned lands, shrinking approval time from years to days in the most extreme cases. Proponents say the bill will alleviate fire danger and revitalize the state’s dwindling logging industry by expanding the amount of timber that can be sold from public land, but legislative and public critics have noted that the bill’s lack of specificity gives the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources almost unlimited dis... Full story
With its comprehensive slate of services and robust programming, the Petersburg Public Library is a shining example of this year's National Library Week theme, "There's More to the Story." From April 23rd through the 29th Americans are encouraged to support libraries, library workers' contributions, and the fact that today's libraries offer much more than books. The things available for check-out from the Petersburg Public Library may surprise even frequent library patrons. Game lovers can...
Rock-N-Road Construction has spent the last week scooping mud from Middle Harbor as part of the ongoing dredge project. The Middle Harbor dredge project is separate from the dredge project being completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Western Marine, which is on hold for the summer. The Middle Harbor project aims to clear out built-up silt causing damage to the harbor and was included in the borough's latest supplemental budget, which will have its third and final reading at the April...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that would adjust the FY23 budget in its first reading during its meeting on March 20. The sizable supplemental budget includes 12 changes that cover a range of items including harbor dredging, attorney fees, vehicles, and more. The ordinance looks to increase the South Harbor dredge project budget by $635,000. The FY23 budget for the project was initially $1.1 million so the addition will bring the borough's budgeted cont...
An interactive workshop focused on equipping community members with the skills to get involved in the Federal Subsistence Board process will be held this Saturday, March 25 at John Hanson Hall. The community workshop will be put on by Ashley Bolwerk, a subsistence fish biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, and Heather Bauscher with the Sitka Conservation Society. Bolwerk and Bauscher developed the workshop in order to help residents better understand the Federal Subsistence Board process and...
After years of legislative debate over the size of the Permanent Fund dividend, reasonable voices are starting to grow louder, maybe even hopefully strong enough to outvote the irresponsible catcalls for an unaffordable dividend. It’s a welcome change. A bill in the House would restore dividend sanity by setting the free-money check at a percentage of the annual draw of Permanent Fund earnings, producing about a $1,300 PFD this year and growing from there. That would be about equal to the average dividend of the past decade, before the e...
Ketchikan artist and master basket weaver Kathryn Rousso is coming to the Petersburg Public Library to present a slide show, "A Sense of Place: Exploring Mexico to Colombia & the Plant Material Textiles Within," Thursday night, March 23, followed by a three-day basket weaving class. Several of her works are on display at the library through March 31. In her presentation Rousso will share her fascination with traditional textiles, some of the historical and cultural context through which woven...
The South Harbor dredge project has been suspended until this fall as the end of the environmental window approaches. An estimated 29,351 cubic yards of material have been dug out of the harbor-about half of what the project intends to remove. The last dumping of material in Frederick Sound was on Feb. 23. According to Harbormaster Glo Wollen, the project has seen hard digging, causing the project to take more time and energy than anticipated even with the equipment they have on hand. So far...
March 1 – An officer and an Alaska State Trooper assisted Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with an individual experiencing a breathing problem at Papke’s Landing. An officer assisted a citizen on Chief John Lott Street. An officer responded to a report of a parking accident on Howkan Street. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a vehicle damaged on South 3rd Street. March 2 – An officer assisted the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) at a structure fire on Mitkof Highway. Breiland Willis was issued a summons for a...
March 2, 1923 – Our small but busy little town is some burg. We own our own water works and light plant. We have one of the largest salmon canneries in Southeastern Alaska. This cannery has for the past five years had an average pack of 100,000 cases. We also have two shrimp canneries, employing six boats and 120 people. We have one crab cannery employing six boats and about 20 people. We have three machine shops and two public docks. The Standard Oil Company has one of its largest stations here with a dock of their own. We have three large m...
February 23, 1923 – Once heroine of the Polar seas whose daring exploits thrilled an applauding world, the Seattle pilot boat, King and Winge, brave rescuer of the ill-fated Steffansson Artic exploration expedition of 1914, has been sold again and has, it is reported, fallen into the hands of rum runners. Her new owners, former Lieutenant Roy Olmstead and former Sargent Thomas J. Clark, reputed whiskey smugglers extraordinaire, like their sturdy ship were one time famed for valor. Both were then officers in the Seattle police department. The K...
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht received mostly positive marks as part of his 2022 Performance Evaluation, which was approved by the Petersburg Borough Assembly during its Feb. 6 meeting. The evaluation was filled out by assembly members who judged Giesbrecht in various categories. Giesbrecht scored highly-mostly receiving scores of meeting expectations or exceeding expectations-in communication, planning, and managing resources. Assembly Member Donna Marsh wrote that she appreciates the manage...
Colleen Nicholson was born on November 7, 1928 in Idaho Falls, ID, the eldest child of George “Bud” and Alice Mortensen. Her father was a cook and butcher by trade who ran restaurants in western Montana. Her brother Buddy (Jim Mortensen) and sister Ruthie (Rhoden) rounded out the family. The restaurant business was especially tough during the Great Depression, so the family moved often, living in Sheridan, Dillon, and Butte, MT. With the onset of World War II, her father heard of an opp... Full story
The Petersburg Police Department released its annual report last week, which includes an array of statistics that give insight into slowing local crime rates. The total dispatch center calls for service, which includes calls for police, fire, and EMS, saw its lowest activity in five years with 3,356 calls-down almost 400 from 2021. That number only includes calls for service and does not represent the total number of calls dispatchers receive, which Petersburg Police Department Chief Jim Kerr...
Community Emergency Response Team in the works To the Editor: The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) Auxiliary committee has been looking for training to further assist the PVFD in its mission of Public Safety. After some careful digging, Chief Stolpe found a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program through FEMA. Through the PVFD Auxiliary, Chief Stolpe and I hope to establish a Community Emergency Response Team. This team’s mission would be to provide lay responder support to first responders in the event of a large-scale e...
WRANGELL — The borough is about to begin the five-year, state-mandated process of updating its wastewater treatment plant. Borough officials are currently searching for sources of funding for what will likely be a multimillion-dollar project. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues permits to wastewater treatment plants across the nation, regulating the amount of pollutants they are allowed to release into the water. Historically, the Wrangell treatment plant has received a waiver allowing it to discharge wastewater that has not u...
January Petersburg experienced record snowfall on New Year's Day with 17.5 inches of new snow on the day, bringing the total snow depth to 40 inches according to the National Weather Service. The Petersburg Borough Assembly passed a resolution requesting a discussion with the U.S. Postal Service about providing additional services in Petersburg following continued issues with staffing, irregular hours, and long lines. All-purpose vehicles became legal to drive on roads in Alaska, including in...
December 21 – Property was found at Parks and Recreation (P&R). A citizen turned in property found on South Nordic Drive to the Petersburg Police Department (PPD). An officer responded to a 911 call from Skylark Way and found a youth had made the call and all was okay. An officer responded to an animal related noise complaint on South Nordic Drive and directed the owner to take their dog indoors. December 22 – An officer provided a courtesy transport for an individual needing medical assistance. Vehicles parked on roads were given warnings for...
December 14 – An officer assisted Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on 7th Street. An officer provided a civil stand-by on South Nordic Drive. An officer conducted a traffic stop at the South Harbor crane dock. A vehicle on Lumber Street was impounded. A vehicle impeding snow removal on North Nordic Drive was moved at the direction of an officer. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of ravens scattering trash on Harbor Way. Jack Galaktionoff was arrested on Howkan Street for allegedly Violating Protective Order. PPD received a r...
December 7 – An officer conducted a welfare check on Nordic Drive. An officer responded to a report of a disturbance on Sing Lee Alley and determined it was non-criminal. An officer spoke with an individual on South Nordic Drive about a civil issue. Officers responded to a report of gunshots in Middle Boat Harbor. An individual reported losing property on Howkan Street; it was later found by the owner. An officer responded to a minor vehicle accident on Haugen Drive. Petersburg Police Department (PPD) received a report of a stranded motorist a...
