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  • Tyee hydro power maxed out and needs to add third generator

    Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel Writer|Feb 13, 2025

    It’s time to expand the generating capacity at the Tyee Lake hydroelectric station to handle growing demand — particularly from heat pumps — the plant’s operator said of its plans to line up $20 million in funding and a federal permit to add a third turbine to the facility. The Tyee Lake station started supplying Wrangell and Petersburg in 1984. It was built with two turbines rated at 10 megawatts each, with an empty bay at the Bradfield Canal facility to add a third turbine when needed. That time is now, said Robert Siedman, chief executi...

  • The Full PDF of this week's Petersburg Pilot

    Feb 13, 2025

    Subscribers log in for access to this week's PDF .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Subscribers, click here for the Full PDF of this week's Petersburg Pilot...

  • REAL IDs required in 3 months; Petersburg DMV relocated to the Thompson Building

    Orin Pierson, Pilot Writer|Feb 13, 2025

    Petersburg's local DMV office has moved into the historic Thompson Building on South Second Street, which is something local residents may need to know as the federal deadline to obtain a REAL ID quickly approaches. Starting on May 7, 2025, to fly within the United States every traveler 18 and older will be required to have a state-issued REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification like a U.S. Passport. But your regular state issued driver's license will no longer be enough. "It's not...

  • Mitkof Middle School Robotics claims first place Innovation Award at state meet and qualifies for nationals for the first time in program history

    Aiden Luhr, Pilot Writer|Feb 13, 2025

    The Mitkof Middle School Lego Robotics team recently competed in the state competition in Anchorage. The tournament was composed of 29 schools across Alaska, and Petersburg's team placed fourth overall, qualifying – for the first time ever –for the national meet held in Worcester, Massachusetts, in June. Petersburg's team's remotely operated vehicle project took first place in the category for innovation to help solve real world problems. Innovation was one of the four categories the team com...

  • Petersburg artist wins $20,000 Path to Prosperity grant

    Orin Pierson, Pilot Writer|Feb 13, 2025

    When Ravenstail and Chilkat weaving nearly disappeared, it was saved by a small handful of dedicated artisans. Now, a Petersburg weaver has won a $20,000 business grant to help revive this traditional artform. Dzijúksuk (Debra O'Gara), a raven frog from the cedar bark house of the Teeyhittaan clan, was selected as one of two winners in Spruce Root's 2024 Path to Prosperity competition. The artist's business, Raven's Nest Regalia and Arts, will focus on creating traditional regalia for sale, teac...

  • Correction:

    Feb 13, 2025

    In last week’s story “K9 unit request rejected due to budget concerns,” the Pilot incorrectly stated that this requested K9 unit would be the first K9 unit in the borough, but readers have pointed out that decades ago there was a K9 unit working with the local police. Archived copies of the Petersburg Pilot from around thirty years ago confirm that Petersburg Police Department did have a canine unit once before. Sam the drug dog was purchased in March 1992, paid for mostly by community donations. Sam worked with the Petersburg Police for around...

  • Legislation would help collect more PFDs for child support

    Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel Writer|Feb 13, 2025

    The Alaska Senate is considering a bill that would allow parents who are owed child support to apply for the Permanent Fund dividend of the parent who is delinquent in their payments, providing a work-around to collect from parents who do not bother to apply for their annual PFD. “The reality is that in some cases,” said Anchorage Sen. Forrest Dunbar, the bill’s sponsor, the owing parent either forgets to apply or decides not to apply out of spite to deny the money to the other parent. Under state law, garnishment of the dividend for child...

  • K9 unit request rejected due to budget concerns

    Orin Pierson, Pilot Writer|Feb 6, 2025

    A proposal to establish a Petersburg police K9 unit was rejected by the borough assembly Monday in a 4-2 vote, with members citing budget uncertainties despite strong support for the program's anti-drug objectives. The Petersburg Police Department had requested approval for a dual-purpose police service dog that would be trained in both patrol work and narcotics detection. The department highlighted an urgent need, pointing to "multiple search warrants for illegal narcotics" executed over the...

  • Outdoor recreation: Alaska's 'underappreciated economic giant'

    Orin Pierson, Pilot Writer|Feb 6, 2025

    While many economic indicators in Alaska draw concern, outdoor recreation stands as a bright spot, generating $3.1 billion in economic output in 2023. That's according to Mariyam Medovaya, who is coming to Petersburg next week to discuss the growing potential of adventure tourism as the guest speaker at the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet on Feb. 15. "Outdoor recreation is kind of an underappreciated giant of American economy," says Medovaya, noting that Alaska ranked first among...

  • Federal funding freeze puts Alaska nonprofits under immense pressure, advocates say

    Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media|Feb 6, 2025

    Alaska nonprofits face immense uncertainty due to the Trump administration’s pause on federal grants and loans. That’s the message state lawmakers heard during a House Judiciary meeting Monday afternoon. Laurie Wolf is executive director of the Foraker Group, a state nonprofit association that advocates for the sector. She said nonprofits in the state receive about $1.2 billion from the federal government yearly, and that funding impacts every Alaskan. “Every Alaskan is a nonprofit beneficiary, because nonprofits are woven into the fabric of ou... Full story

  • Three charged in Wrangell after police seize 'pharmacy of drugs' in bust

    Sam Pausman, Wrangell Sentinel Writer|Feb 6, 2025

    WRANGELL — The Wrangell Police Department successfully executed a dual search warrant on Jan. 28 after a month-long investigation into a local drug ring. Cooper Seimears, 39, Jacob Marshall, 29, and McKenna Harding, 29, were charged and arrested following the 8 a.m. search warrant execution. Seimears and Marshall face eight drug-related felony charges and one misdemeanor. Harding faces drug-related charges of one felony and one misdemeanor, though she and Marshall, her fiancée, each face two additional misdemeanors for keeping drugs near th...

  • School district part of Power-school data breach

    Hannah Flor, KFSK Radio|Feb 6, 2025

    Information about Petersburg students and school staff may have been compromised after hackers got into a software system on December 28. The company behind the system, PowerSchool, said the data breach was worldwide. Robyn Taylor is superintendent of the Petersburg School District. She said the system keeps school information organized. "If you think old school, pre-computers, we all had filing cabinets," she said. "And that's where we would store all the information about a student, about...

  • Alaska is running a significant deficit, latest fiscal estimates show

    James Brooks, Alaska Beacon|Feb 6, 2025

    The state of Alaska is bringing in less money than it is spending, and is on pace to finish the current fiscal year with a deficit of $171 million, according to figures presented Tuesday. Lacey Sanders, Gov. Mike Dunleavy's top budget official, told the Senate Finance Committee that spending from the Constitutional Budget Reserve likely will be needed to close the gap. To do this would require support from three-quarters of the House and three-quarters of the Senate. That's a critical... Full story

  • Alaska health care industry needs more than  9,400 new workers each year, report says

    Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon|Feb 6, 2025

    Facing steep growth in demand, constant turnover and employee retirements, Alaska’s health care industry has a staggering need for new workers, a new report says. “To meet those variables, we have to find over 9,400 new health care workers every single year,” Jared Kosin, executive director of the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association, said on Monday. Kosin, who presented the information to the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, characterized the workforce situation as a good news-bad news story. “I’m like, ‘Hey, we have these opportuniti... Full story

  • Board of Fisheries Chinook negotiations begin

    ANNA LAFFREY, Ketchikan Daily News|Feb 6, 2025

    Southeast Alaska fishermen filled the Ted Ferry Civic Center in Ketchikan on Tuesday to ask the seven-member Alaska Board of Fisheries to grant them opportunities in state-managed fisheries for all "finfish" species, namely Chinook salmon and herring, that sustain communities, industries and cultural traditions regionwide. The Board on Tuesday heard more than seven hours of public testimony regarding fisheries for salmon and trout species, as well as herring, that are the subject of 87...

  • Fire damages Petersburg home, kills pets

    Hannah Flor, KFSK Radio|Jan 30, 2025

    A fire damaged a Petersburg home on South 2nd St. on the afternoon of January 27. No one was home at the time of the fire, except for two dogs, Daisy and Marz, who died in the fire. Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Dave Berg said the house was tightly sealed, which deprived the fire of oxygen, and slowed the fire. He said it was clear that the fire had actually died down by the time first responders arrived. "When I pulled up on the place, it was heavy smoke coming from the eaves and...

  • Uncertainty and confusion in Alaska as Trump attempts to freeze federal spending

    James Brooks, Alaska Beacon|Jan 30, 2025

    President Donald Trump’s order to pause the spending of billions of dollars in federal grants triggered a wave of anxiety, fear and uncertainty on Tuesday in Alaska, a state dependent more than any other on federal spending. “For me, it was pandemic-level chaotic,” said Nils Andreassen, director of the Alaska Municipal League, which works with cities and boroughs statewide. A federal judge’s ruling late Tuesday temporarily blocked the presidential order, but that only defers an act with broad consequences. “We’re waiting for the other shoe... Full story

  • Planning Commission backs Marine Industrial Overlay

    Orin Pierson|Jan 30, 2025

    Petersburg Planning Commission voted on Jan. 15 to recommend that the borough assembly update zoning code to establish a new Marine Industrial Overlay zone, that would restrict uses of specific borough owned tidelands property -and the two recently sold parcels - in the Port Dock and Scow Bay areas for marine-industrial uses only. The proposed overlay would create special zoning restrictions to ensure those specific tidelands remain available for commercial fishing and maritime operations. The...

  • Assembly approves waste disposal contract extension with Republic Services

    Orin Pierson|Jan 30, 2025

    The Petersburg Borough Assembly voted unanimously on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to extend the borough's solid waste disposal contract with Republic Services for an additional year, as communities across the region continue to explore long-term solutions for Southeast Alaska's waste management challenges. The one-year extension will maintain waste disposal services through August 2026 at a rate of $192.40 per ton, with estimated costs between $425,000 and $475,000 for the year. The borough had until...

  • From seasonal worker to district ranger

    Orin Pierson|Jan 30, 2025

    Carey Case first arrived in Petersburg in 1998 as a 24-year-old seasonal Forest Service employee, and now, after 25 years of service in numerous roles within the district, she has been hired as the Petersburg District Ranger. "I started working for the Forest Service in college in Washington State, and really liked working outdoors and getting to take helicopters and working in remote places," Case recalls. Her journey to Petersburg began when "RD Parks hired me and moved me up here. He asked... Full story

  • Southeast Alaska students learn to shape resource policy through federal board process

    Orin Pierson|Jan 30, 2025

    A unique University of Alaska Southeast program is teaching high school students how to participate in federal subsistence management decisions by bringing them directly into the public process. The dual enrollment course, which offers high school students two university biology credits, prepares participants to engage effectively with the Federal Subsistence Board - the body overseeing subsistence hunting and fishing regulations on federal public lands in Alaska. "I truly believe now, in my exp... Full story

  • Ready for a healthier lifestyle? Petersburg program provides coaching and group support to improve wellness

    Orin Pierson|Jan 30, 2025

    Next week the Petersburg Medical Center is launching another round of its Lifestyle Balance Program, a wellness initiative that uses group support and individual coaching to help participants make and maintain healthy lifestyle changes. "The program is designed for people who may be at risk for developing diabetes, which can be based on family history, age, gender, activity levels, or weight," said Julie Walker, PMC's Community Wellness Manager. "We focus on prevention through sustainable...

  • Petersburg demographic trend: Relatively stable population, more elders, fewer workers

    Orin Pierson|Jan 23, 2025

    Updated state demographic data published this month paints a picture of Petersburg's population showing relative stability in total numbers but significant shifts in age composition. Petersburg Borough's population stands at 3,379 in 2024, down slightly from 3,398 in the 2020 Census. During these past four years, the borough recorded nine more births than deaths, while experiencing a net loss of 28 residents to migration, resulting in an overall decrease of 19 residents. A further look at the...

  • Project connects those facing housing insecurity with resources

    Orin Pierson|Jan 23, 2025

    Petersburg nonprofit Humanity In Progress (HIP) is preparing for its ninth annual Project Connect event, which will provide resources and services to community members experiencing housing insecurity. The event will take place Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 2-6 p.m. at John Hanson Sr. Hall, thanks to the space being donated by Petersburg Indian Association (PIA). Preparations for the event have been underway for several months. "Our main goal is just to make sure that we have resources available for the...

  • Major donation expands Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department memorial fund

    Orin Pierson|Jan 23, 2025

    The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Association recently received a $173,000 donation to build up the Smokey Howell Memorial Fund which began in 2002 from Petersburg's response to a tragedy and continues to support local volunteer training and emergency response capabilities. The most recent donation follows an earlier $70,000 contribution in 2021 – both coming from Howell's family through the Geneva Bartlett Trust - bringing the total endowment to nearly $300,000. The fund honors L...

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