Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 224
To your good health To the Editor: April 14th is the Petersburg Health Fair. The medical technologists performed testing on close to 600 people this year. Thank you to the laboratory personnel who more than quadrupled their workload over the past month. Thank you to the many hospital and volunteer hands involved as well, from scheduling lab tests, managing payment records, reviewing results, calling people back about abnormal results and handling all the paperwork that is inevitably created. Without everyone’s dedication and hard work, this e...
A Petersburg man is slated to be named national president of a storied fraternal organization that has about 780,000 members. Mike Luhr is scheduled this July to be installed as national president, or grand exalted ruler, of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America. Luhr got his start with the Elks in 1977 at 21 years old. He worked through the ranks, and by 2001 became the president in Petersburg. He moved to the state level in 2004 when he was elected as a...
The library in Petersburg is about a month away from unveiling its 20-foot storyteller totem pole. The Petersburg Public Library is adding a roughly $40,000 red cedar totem pole called the "Storytellers Pole," carved by Tommy Joseph, a Tlingit carver from Sitka. Joseph had an idea about 11 years ago to build a totem pole that caters to children and the storytellers they grow up with. He pitched the idea to the Petersburg library about four years ago, and it stuck, but the library had to wait...
WRANGELL — Wrangell Medical Center Foundation last month issued a letter to supporters informing them it would forgo its annual fundraiser weekend this year. For the past ten years the Brian Gilbert Memorial Golf Tournament and fundraiser dinner is hosted in Wrangell each May in order to raise money for the Foundation. The Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to support the community’s medical needs. The funds it handles fills a few roles, primarily supporting WMC’s bid for a new facility but also procuring new equipment, funding its cance...
Name: Cindi Lagoudakis Age: 63 Experience: Currently mayor and have served as vice-mayor. Originally appointed to Borough Assembly since 2013, subsequently elected when original term was up. Other state and local government experience includes serving as an ex-officio member of the City and Borough of Juneau Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; appointment to an Interagency Trails Advisory Group for the City and Borough of Juneau; appointment to Mendenhall Wetlands Citizen's Advisory Group by...
Cindi Lagoudakis, the interim mayor of Petersburg, has decided to run for the permanent seat in October, retracing strong indications that she wouldn't. "A number of people had asked me to reconsider," Lagoudakis said. "And after giving it some hard thought, in the end I decided to run." Debbie Thompson, the Borough clerk, confirmed last week that Lagoudakis filed for candidacy. Before becoming interim mayor, Lagoudakis spent time on the Assembly, where her experience was rewarding, she said....
The Petersburg Community Foundation gave $14,000 in grants to nine local nonprofit organizations during the 2017 Mayfest weekend, said Holli Flint, who is the program manager. Specific dollar amounts given to each organization is not disclosed, as the community foundation does not want to take away from the funding sources that contributed, Flint said. "A lot of projects are not entirely made possible through the Petersburg Community Foundation," Flint said. "Each project is really interesting....
Kallie Caples Parents: Darcy Caples and Donny Caples Number of Years in Petersburg Schools: Thirteen years - Kindergarten through Senior. High School Awards or Honors: MoneySkill Completion (American Financial Services Association Education Foundation), Certification of Recognition Cheerleader Manager (2015-2016). Plans following graduation: I plan on Attending NIC in the fall and hoping to pursue a degree in Business management. Favorite Book: “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Alissa Lund Parents: Keris Hadley and Paul Lund Number of Yea...
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) has completed its acquisition of Alaska Island Community Services (AICS), with the transition formally taking effect on April 1. Started in 1975, SEARHC is a non-profit tribal health consortium representing 18 Native communities in the region. Among its other programs, it operates Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital and the Ethel Lund Medical Center in Juneau. One of the largest private employers in the region before the merger, the deal with AICS extends its reach to 24 communities. Established in...
The Petersburg Borough assembly unanimously voted to eliminate a prepayment discount on annual moorage rates in an effort to align with a rate study that recommended the borough increase harbor fees by 12 percent. Harbormaster Glo Wollen told the assembly the harbor department loses between $22,000 to $30,000 a year because of the prepayment discount. Petersburg has the second highest rates in Southeast Alaska and Wollen said eliminating the discount would cushion an overall rate increase. “We had a pretty drastic rate increase two years ago an...
The Petersburg Community Foundation announces that the 2017 grant cycle opened March 13. Our community foundation acts as a charitable permanent fund to support beneficial projects in Petersburg. Between $12,000 and $14,000 will be awarded to a minimum of three organizations based on eligible applications received by 5:00 pm, April 17, 2017. Qualified non-profits are encouraged to seek funding for their community programs or projects by visiting petersburgcf.org....
Susan Ohmer was raised to work. She learned what it meant to work hard early in life, so the idea of taking months off work for a sabbatical is truly foreign to her. As the executive director for Petersburg Mental Health, Ohmer was recently chosen as one of six Alaska nonprofit executives to be recognized by the Rasmuson Foundation Sabbatical Program. "It still doesn't seem like it could happen, like it's real," she says. "It's ironic that I'm someone who for 23 years has had difficulty taking...
WRANGELL – Alaska's two senators jointly welcomed a new addition to their Southeast team. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan issued statements December 22 congratulating Chere Klein to serve at the South Southeast delegation representative office in her home town of Ketchikan. "The district office is kind of the eyes and ears of the senators when they're back in D.C.," Klein explained of the post. "Our main business is doing casework, and that's helping constituents around the district w...
The Wright Auditorium recently received a few upgrades as part of an ongoing effort to improve the facility so many community members use. Dave Berg, Compass Theater board member, said the improvements to the stage's rigging were taken to increase safety. The rigger, who traveled here from the Pacific Northwest to assist with replacing the rigging and inspect the theater, told Berg it was good to see Wright Auditorium gets so much use. "It was time to get the facility inspected by someone who...
Betty Ann Schmit 87, passed away Oct. 20, 2016 in Vancouver, Wash. Betty was born to J. Harrison and Minnie Bigelow, March 3, 1929, in Olympia, Wash. She was athletic and as a youth played basketball at Wrangell High School in Alaska. Betty and Pete (Beldon) Arthurs raised their five children in Napavine, Wash. Both parents were active in the community, coaching baseball, PTA and ensuring their children got the benefit of learning a musical instrument. Music and dancing were something Pete and Betty enjoyed doing together. As a volunteer, Betty... Full story
To the Editor: Thank you for welcoming us into your communities. We are grateful to you for making time to visit with us to discuss the land exchange legislation and share your concerns about potential timber sales on Trust land near your community, if the legislation does not pass. At the meetings, we heard how important public safety is to the Petersburg community. We realize the announcement back in August about the potential timber sales surprised members of the community, and that created great concern. We take responsibility for the way...
Petersburg Borough clerk Debbie Thompson gave the following Borough Manager’s Report during the assembly meeting on Oct. 18. Representatives of the Rasmuson Foundation and Alaska Community Foundation were able to visit the Children’s Center last week and tour the new classrooms. Next week Sandy Dixson will be attending the Fall Preparedness Conference and Local Emergency Planning Committee Association meeting in Anchorage. Attendance is Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM) grant requirements. Dixson and Fire Chi...
The weather might have forced a couple participants to drop out of the postponed 3rd Annual Paddle Battle, but the number of paddlers undertaking the activity continues to increase. Last weekend, 28 paddlers participated in the event, a fundraiser hosted by the Petersburg Medical Center Foundation, beginning at Papke's Landing and ending at Sandy Beach. "We ended up losing five people just because of the date change," said Sarah Holmgrain, community education assistant for PMC. "But I really... Full story
Diane Marie (Lund) Forde, 73, died peacefully at home in Mukilteo, Washington on July 12, 2016 after a courageous 5-year battle with cancer. Diane was born on March 14, 1943 in Petersburg, Alaska and grew up in a small home on Lumber Street with her dad Arne, mom Dolores, and brother Dennis. She graduated from PHS, was salutatorian of her class in 1961, and chose Oregon State University to continue her education. While still in High School in Alaska; she met Alf Forde from Ketchikan, who was... Full story
The recent addition of two bird cages filled with feathered friends for Petersburg Medical Center's Long Term Care (LTC) residents is all about combating loneliness, helplessness and boredom. The positive impact of the birds is noticeable, according to Susan Ohmer, executive director of Petersburg Mental Health Services. Ohmer started the process of bringing birds into LTC about three months ago, after getting the green light from PMC Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Bryner. Ohmer immediately... Full story
In last week’s edition of the Petersburg Pilot it was stated, “The Rasmuson Foundation has also issued an $8,000 challenge for the Petersburg Community Foundation. If the PCF can receive $8,000 from new donors, Rasmuson will provide PCF with a matching grant.” It is more accurate to state, “The Petersburg Community Foundation has a challenge grant on the table. If new donors match $8000, we will receive the same from the Rasmuson Foundation AND a local donor who has joined the match.” Part of this year’s grant funding helped purchase a...
The Petersburg Community Foundation awarded $15,000 worth of grants this year to six Petersburg organizations. WAVE, KFSK, The Children’s Center, The Petersburg Arts Council, the Salvation Army and the Mitkof Dance Troupe were all beneficiaries of the grant monies. Petersburg Community Foundation chair David Wallen said this was the first year PCF was able to give out that much money. “It was an easy choice because we had more money than we needed available and we ended up just giving it all,” Wallen said. “(The money) is derived from how muc...
A mock car crash staged in the parking lot behind the community gym kept local emergency crews and students busy for a good part of the morning last Thursday. Students from the eighth grade up to seniors in high school witnessed a drunk driver, played by Kyle Clayton, getting arrested after causing an accident. Clayton's fictional disregard for the law and safety of others injured two occupants of the vehicle he hit, and killed one. The carnage required the top of the car he hit to be removed...
Kyle Hagerman's father, Karl, likes to refer to him as "well adjusted." Kyle is soft-spoken, humble about his intelligence and a cancer survivor. Although he only has one, maybe two, memories about the battle with cancer he fought and won. Kyle was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia one week after turning two years old. For Robyn Hagerman, Kyle's mother, the emotion of the day is inescapable. "Let me tell you this, I am the emotional Hagerman, so don't you feel bad," Robyn says... Full story
The Rasmuson Foundation has chosen a collection of Petersburg artists’ works to put in its newly renovated office space in Anchorage. In its promotion of the arts, the Rasmuson Foundation awards funds through the ‘art acquisition fund’—grants to museums across the state so they can purchase local art to display. Kelsey Potdivan, Rasmuson Foundation program fellow, said about 28 museums across the state are involved in the program and those museums then provide several pieces to Rasmuson to display for 18 months. “The museums that we’ve original...