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The Petersburg Land Selection Committee approved sending their initial recommended land selections to the borough assembly on Monday. The borough assembly unanimously approved the recommendations of the land selection committee at their meeting later that night. The action means the land nominations will now be submitted to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR). Assembly member Bob Lynn suggested the selection committee and assembly be prepared to select alternative lands to the...
In last week's edition of the Petersburg Pilot, a photo caption misidentified Gov. Bill Walker as Sen. Bert Stedman. In last week's issue, it was stated Petersburg school's food director Carlee Johnson, was governed by the healthy living grant, but she is actually required to follow the Healthy Hungry Free Kids Act of 2012. The Pilot regrets the errors....
Five years ago, when Carlee Johnson was offered a meal at the Petersburg school, it did not go well. Johnson was applying for the food service director position at the time, and believes it was some sort of pizza dish. "When I walked in for my interview, and they gave me a lunch that day," says Johnson, food service director with the Petersburg School District. "I told them, 'I will not keep this menu the same way. So if you want someone to come in here and do it the same way, you're asking the... Full story
State Sen. Bert Stedman talked about how well the community would weather the state budget deficit during Petersburg’s annual Chamber of Commerce Dinner Saturday night. He said the community’s already endured difficult times, citing several wars and economic downturns, and has come out of it unscathed. “We’ve had these austere moments where we’ve had to pull together and this is just another one,” Stedman said. “I don’t sit in my office and eat a lot of Rolaids over it.” Stedman went on to discuss the legislative climate in Juneau and what h...
Petersburg Chamber of Commerce members sat down at their annual banquet last Saturday evening at the Sons of Norway Hall. Halibut and prime rib were on the menu and chamber members bid on deserts and won raffle prices such as gift certificates and even 49,000 Alaska Air miles. Alaska Airlines Director of Sales and Marketing Scott Habberstad was one of the banquet speakers. He gave a brief history of the company, which began in 1952, and discussed its present and future. “It’s a great time for the company,” Habberstad said. “We had a great y...
One could hear the proverbial crickets chirping after Petersburg Mayor Mark Jensen brought up the assembly’s previous request to have a discussion about the possibility of re-appropriating money from the Kake access road project. During its last Borough Assembly meeting in January, several assembly members were in support of such a reallocation and suggested a bulk of the money go to projects for Kake and Petersburg. State Senator Bert Stedman appropriated the $40 million in 2012 for the project that would build a road and ferry connection from... Full story
In nearly every conversation related to borough government, capital projects or borough services, you can’t help but hear a borough employee or staffer say something along the lines of “with the state budget the way it is…” or “without any money coming from the state…” The warnings have become almost cliché during Borough Assembly meetings and in coffee shop politics talk. But what, exactly, is the challenge we’re facing and what can we do about it? This Friday you’ll have an opportunity to find out. State officials and employees will hos... Full story
January-June January Petersburg School Superintendent Lisa Stroh resigned from her position citing family medical issues as her reason for leaving although communication between borough staff and student letters indicated turmoil between Stroh and school staff. Two third and fourth grade elementary students published their own class newspapers. Former Petersburg School District Maintenance Director Tye Petersen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for Distribution, Receipt and Possession of... Full story
Students and staff of the Petersburg School district along with community members met in the school gymnasium for a Veteran's Day assembly celebrating the veterans of the Petersburg community. Ninth graders took turns reading the Gettysburg Address and seniors did the same for President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address. The high school band played songs and teacher Jim Engell asked members of the audience to stand up if they had relatives who served during wartime. After starting with the...
A new support group for mothers of young children met for the first time this month. Mothers with children ranging from birth to five-years-old are encouraged to attend, and any expecting mothers are also more than welcome to join the group. Petersburg Mom's Support Group held their first meeting on Oct. 9, and the second meeting for the month was held last week. The group will continue to meet for an hour, twice a month for the foreseeable future to gauge local interest and find out if the...
The Petersburg School Board voted in its first reading a district memorial policy last week—the lack of which caused some confusion and conflict between district staff and members of the public two years ago. The policy would, in part, limit the display of student memorials for a two-week period. Petersburg School District Superintendent Erika Kludt-Painter said her predecessor, along with district staff, removed a memorial to Jake Madsen, a Petersburg High School student athlete who died in a... Full story
Petersburg Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht reported the following information during the October 5 borough assembly meeting: Four Petersburg High School students are participating in this year’s Junior Firefighter Program. The annual Fire Prevention Program for Rae C Stedman elementary school kids kicks off this week, Oct. 5-9. EMS Director Sandy Dixson will attend the grant required Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Fall Preparedness Conference in Anchorage, Oct. 5-10. Harbor staff is winterizing the harbor f...
This year's School Board candidates are all three incumbents running unopposed. Mara Lutomski is the newest member to the board. She was appointed to the position in April to fill a vacancy left by Jean Ellis who resigned from the board in March. Jay Lister has served since last year and Cheryl File has served a three-year term. Cheryl File for School Board Name: Cheryl File Age: 44 Occupation: stay-at-home mom Political Experience: Three years on the school board Why did you choose to run for...
Student registration is well underway for the Petersburg School District, and so far the number of students signing up is encouraging for the Aug. 31 start of classes. "We've registered 18 new kids in the elementary that we weren't necessarily counting on," said Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter. "Upwards of 15 or 16 in high school, so that's great, it's great for the schools and the community." For Kludt-Painter, it marks her first year full year as Superintendent, and having 15 years of...
Registration for new students is today, August 20, 10:00 to 2:00. If you are new to the school district and have not registered your student, please contact the school office at 772-4786. Mrs. Willis, Kindergarten: Emilia Anderson, Ryder Kane Betzina, Maelle Boitor, Sophia Cotta, Eleanor Denning, Lucy Jo Edfelt, Marley Estes, Jordan Fisher, Cadence Flint, Tucker Gibson, Samantha Lyle, Isabella Miller, Tate Oaks, Lincoln Odegaard, Logan Sereday, Lito Skeek, Lolita Slaven, Aria Swanson, Jacob Tagaban, Lexi Tow, Arielle Tucker, Cadum Whitethorn....
August 5 Andre Henry, 30, received a citation for open container. Later that day, Henry was arrested on a charge of Criminal Trespass at the Harbor Bar. An officer responded to a domestic disturbance. A caller requested a welfare check after reporting a small child, looking lost and underdressed for weather conditions, walking along Mitkof Highway. Officers responded to a report of a vehicle driving past road closure signs and into the construction zone at South Nordic Drive and Tango Street without permission. An officer issued a warning to an...
The state legislature has finally reached a budget agreement, drawing a “collective sigh of relief from Alaska,” as Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka) put it. The $5 billion budget will include funds pulled from the Constitutional Budget Reserve to balance it. The state still faces a nearly $4 billion budget hole in fiscal year 2017. This year’s legislative session went over seven weeks as legislators couldn’t reach a compromise. It sparked the possibility of a partial government shutdown on July 1 that had Governor Bill Walker sending... Full story
Father’s Day is on Sunday. Children across the country will honor their dads at family gatherings with gifts, cards and special meals. On this occasion, we encourage dads to consider the creation of a special gift for their children. It is a time consuming project that will reap personal rewards well worth the effort put forth. Why not write a family history and distribute it to your children next year, or two years from now? Other dads have done this, including my father, who wrapped up his 64-page compilation just months before his death a...
Stedman Elementary School will be welcoming three new teachers into its ranks this fall. Principal Teri Toland announced last month that the school had selected new hires from a large, experienced candidate pool. She said the number of applicants was unprecedented and may in part be due to Alaskan layoffs. Education is facing big cuts with state proposed budgets. "As we went through the process, it became very clear there was a key group," Toland said. Coming in to teach fourth grade is Heather...
Little ones will get the chance to see what track and field athletes do firsthand this weekend with the Petersburg High School team holding its first-ever Track Camp. “I don’t think kids understand what track and field involves” as meets are elsewhere, Coach Amanda Thomas said. “This will give the elementary kids an idea for what track is.” She added that the Track Camp, for elementary-aged children, is also a fundraiser for the PHS track and field team. Camp will be held Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the track field behind St...
The Vikings and Valkyries of Petersburg will soon be wandering the streets again, participating in the Little Norway Festival’s biggest schedule yet. This year’s celebration of Norwegian heritage, Syttende Mai (May 17, the day Norway’s Constitution was signed in 1814), Armed Forces Day, the upcoming fishing season and spring will feature a couple of new events, Little Norway Festival Committee Chair Janet Holten said. The Devil’s Thumb Shooters Petersburg Rod and Gun Club will be holding a raffle to support students headed to the state shoot i... Full story
The Petersburg School Board is still seeking a new member after the deadline to turn in letters of interest passed without anyone turning one in. Mara Lutomski announced at Tuesday evening’s meeting she’d like to submit a letter if the board decides to continue its search. “Yay,” was Vice President Sarah Holmgrain’s response. Former board president Jean Ellis’ resignation was effective on March 18 and the board set a deadline of 5 p.m. on April 9 for letters of interest. It was set to discuss whether or not to continue seeking that new member,...
State of the State To the Editor: I am greatly concerned that our local entities are not taking the fiscal crisis seriously. We, as Alaskans have permanently lost 60% of our income yet we keep spending as if this is a short term problem. Would this make sense if as a family you knew from now on that you would be bringing home 50-60% less each paycheck? Would you feel it was okay to spend all your savings to keep the same lifestyle? We as a state and borough are not borrowing from our savings. We are permanently depleting it. We are not all of...
