Sorted by date Results 3201 - 3225 of 3760
Pilot publisher Ron Loesch was awarded an Honorable Mention for Best Editorial, non‐daily division, circulation less than 3,000, by the National Newspaper Association. The award was announced this month at the NNA annual conference in Phoenix, Ariz. The editorial entitled, “The cost of lost opportunities,” was published in the October 18, 2012 edition. Judges' comments on the entry were: "Strong clear writing that presents voters with the information they need for an important vote." It was o...
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...
Some initial concern over the Petersburg Road Improvement Plan turned out to be less of an issue than originally anticipated. The $4.1 million dollar project began in September of 2012. According to a project report written by Bryce Iverson, SECON Project Manager, “…2,800 cubic yards of concrete were placed, over 4,800 linear feet of curbs and gutter, 3,100 square yards of sidewalk, and nearly 10,000 square yards of concrete pavement.” The initial concrete pouring phase was put on hold because of early season freezing temperatures. Barry Morri...
Tommy Joseph, master woodcarver and Tlingit artist, gave a Technology, Education and Design talk in the borough assembly chambers last Thursday. Joseph talked about his experiences traveling the world learning about Tlingit battledress and how he incorporated that knowledge into pieces he crafted called “Rainforest Warriors” that are in display at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau. His work was inspired in 2004 while researching the battledress used during 1804’s Battle of Sitka that pitte...
The Petersburg Borough Sanitation department removed the recycling drop-off dumpsters behind the Community Cold Storage effective Tuesday, September 17. This was in response to a long history of misuse of the site, contamination of the recyclable materials and litter accumulations. For residents and businesses that wish to drop-off recyclables, the drop-off location will now be located at the approach to the baler building. For all residents that wish to utilize the aluminum dumpster to benefit the local scouting programs, the container will...
In a joint work session Tuesday aimed at discussing the future of Thomas Bay Power Authority, the dialogue between Petersburg and Wrangell borough assembly members missed the mark. The joint meeting was sparked after the Petersburg assembly voted not to fund its share of a portion of the TBPA budget labeled non-net billable — funding the two municipalities have traditionally split that goes towards administrative costs of TBPA’s commission. The lack of funding left Wrangell shelling out its $55,000 share, enough to keep the commission run... Full story
Petersburg Medical Center staff, from a variety of departments, received training last Thursday that aims to change the way staff solves problems to improve service quality. Called Lean training, aspects of the method have been around since the early 1900s but it was popularized and made famous by the Toyota Motor Company. It isn’t as much a how-to guide as it is a continual problem solving process unique to the respective organization that implements it. Lean principles have been successfully transitioned into health care. Anners W... Full story
Responders out of Juneau were able to free a portion of gear off the humpback whale that was entangled in a gill net August 23 in Frederick Sound. Petersburg volunteers were the first to reach the snared whale but were unsuccessful in removing the net. They did manage to attach a satellite buoy to track the humpback, helping the Petersburg team and other officials including those from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration monitor the animal as it moved north towards Juneau. NOAA fisheries... Full story
September 13, 1913 – While patroling the beach a short time ago, a life saver by the name of Blackbery of Mansfield, Or., came across a lump of peculiar substance weighing about 85 pounds, but paid no attention at the time and went on his way. After he got home he remembered the material he had been so careless with resembled a picture he had seen of ambergris, which brings $1000 a pound. Blackbery rushed back to the beach and took the substance home. He sent a piece to David Starr Jordan of California, who declared, after an examination, t...
Tuesday’s joint work session with the Wrangell and Petersburg assembly members leads us to believe the work of the Thomas Bay Power Authority is no longer needed. It’s time to disband the organization and turn their responsibilities over to the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, which owns the Tyee facilities. The Thomas Bay Power Authority deserves praise for what it has accomplished since it formed in 1974 and began its search for a viable hydroelectric operation for the two towns. The Tyee project was built by the State of Alaska and was later p...
Tlingit carver and wood conservator Tommy Joseph and his son Joe Joseph are cleaning debris off and weather-guarding the pair of totem poles in town. Tommy, who crafted the totems 14 years ago, and Joe are in Petersburg from Sitka. They’ve been strapped onto scaffolding and scrubbing off algae, moss and lichen that’s been accumulating on the 35-foot totem poles for nearly 14 years. Tommy credits his son for much of the work. “Heights are really not my thing,” Tommy said. “I’ve never been on a f...
A laundry list of charges were filed against Brandon Estes, 20, and Joshua Franklin, 26, during their arraignment August 29. The men are being accused of breaking into multiple Petersburg businesses last week along with the theft of cash and items at those locations. Franklin received eleven felony and four misdemeanor charges including burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Estes racked up 13 felony and four misdemeanor charges of the same nature. Police received reports of break-ins and... Full story
The Petersburg Borough Assembly is combining the police station and jail facility project with its municipal building rehab project after voting to allow MRV Architects to come up with a document listing the next steps and costs associated with a remodel. Those items are on the borough’s capital projects list that prioritizes projects community wide in hopes the state legislature provides funding for them. The police and jail facility have been at the top of that list for two years. The Municipal Building Rehabilitation was ranked 17 on the l... Full story
August 30, 1913 – Charly Smith, genial owner of the only “Mansion” in Petersburg returned from a trip to Sitka which he reluctantly left after a too short visit and where he joined a lodge. Mr. Smith says that the most courteous class of people in Alaska is found at Sitka. During his visit in the “old town”, every courtesy imaginable was shown him by everybody, and from our former “little Preacher” to the most humble fisherman, a glad hand of welcome was extended. “Now, do you wonder that I was sorry to leave Sitka?” asked Mr. Smith. He rep...
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...
The borough assembly is planning to let the utility and motor pool advisory boards dissolve after no member made a motion to keep either one at its September 3 meeting. This after several assembly members questioned the efficiency and viability of advisory boards and committees in August. The borough sent out an evaluation form to be filled out by advisory boards department wide as it considers whether or not to keep them. Questions on the form includes how many times it has met in the past year, what issues had been addressed and why and what...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will likely travel to Wrangell September 10 to discuss with its assembly the viability of Thomas Bay Power Authority. According to a memo sent out by Wrangell Interim Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch, the two municipalities created TBPA to jointly maintain and operate the Tyee Hyrdoelctric power plant. Southeast Alaska Power Agency, SEAPA, owns the facility and pays for its operations and maintenance. But there’s an additional expense associated with TBPA budget that the two boroughs traditionally split. It’s cal...
Jace Cunningham, 30, who was found guilty in May of multiple counts of assault after he fired shots in Petersburg and aimed a rifle at a PPD officer, was sentenced to more than six years in jail and five years of probation Tuesday afternoon. Superior Court Judge William Carey presided over the three hour long sentencing hearing in Ketchikan where Cunningham has been held since his trial. The State asked that Cunningham be sentenced to the maximum possible punishment for the most serious offense, which in this case was 10 years due to the 3rd...
