Sorted by date Results 1801 - 1825 of 6836
Between Feb. 1 and March 31, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services identified 152 positive cases of COVID-19 among people in the state who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a report from DHSS. About 74 percent of the vaccine breakthrough cases, or 112 individuals, were among people who had received the Pfizer vaccine, according to the report. Thirty-eight percent of the breakthrough cases had received the Moderna vaccine, and one person had received the Johnson &...
Three cases of COVID-19 were identified within a single household over the course of two days this week, according to a joint press release from the Petersburg Borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The first two cases were identified on Tuesday by PMC within a single household. According to a joint press release, the two cases were travel related. Then on Wednesday, a third case was identified within the same household as the previous two cases. All three individuals have been directed to...
The Petersburg Pilot earned two awards presented by the Alaska Press Club this weekend. John Havrilek was awarded third place for his photo of a Bald Eagle perched against the backdrop of Petersburg Mountain. The Pilot staff was awarded third place for best weekly newspaper. Judges commented: "Good mix of pure news and advertiser-driven information for a very specific audience (yours). Nicely put together." The judges evaluated the work from three editions submitted from March, July and...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers have agreed to retroactively extend the state’s COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration as part of an effort to maintain state eligibility for food assistance benefits and other federal aid dollars. The measure, which would extend the declaration through 2021, was passed by the Senate and House Wednesday and sent to Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Adam Crum, the state health commissioner, had told legislative leaders action on the bill was needed by Friday to ensure the state could access additional food assistance be...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday ended the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration, saying the state is in such a good position he doesn’t need emergency powers bestowed by the Legislature. “Alaska is in the recovery phase where an emergency declaration is no longer necessary,’’ Dunleavy said in a statement. “Our systems are fully functioning with vaccine distribution, adequate testing, and health care capacity. It is important our focus remains on getting Alaska’s economy back on track and welcoming summer tourism...
JUNEAU (AP) - The Alaska Court System has temporarily disconnected most of its operations from the internet after a cybersecurity threat on Saturday, including shutting down its website and removing the ability to look up court records. The threat blocked electronic court filings, disrupted online payments and prevented hearings from taking place by videoconference for several days, officials said. “I think for a few days, there may be some inconveniences, there may be some hearings that are canceled, or some judges who decide to shift from v...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A derelict tugboat that the U.S. Coast Guard says had been abandoned has been sunk in waters off southeast Alaska. The Coast Guard, in a news release, said the 107-foot tugboat called the Lumberman was sunk in more than 8,400 feet of water on Sunday. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Janessa Warschkow said Tuesday that scuttling of the tugboat, about 145 miles west of Juneau, included flooding by opening water valves on the tug and rounds fired from the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick to help speed the process. The C...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An advocacy group is evaluating the use of tiny homes to provide housing for people who are homeless in the southeast Alaska city of Sitka. Gayle Young, co-founder of the Sitka Homeless Coalition, said there are few services in Sitka for those who are homeless and that over the years, a number of groups have worked on ideas to fill in the gaps. A project her group is working on involves building a tiny home community to help provide a safe place to stay. Young estimates between 15 and 25 people in the city of about 8...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Federal agents served a search warrant at a boutique resort in Homer, Alaska, saying they were looking for a laptop stolen from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, one of the Homer Inn and Spa owners said. Agents on Wednesday confiscated laptop computers and a cellphone, owner Marilyn Hueper said. A cellphone belonging to her husband, Paul Hueper, was also forensically audited by agents but not confiscated, she said. Marilyn Hueper said agents also claimed there was pho...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s population grew by 23,160 people, or 3.3%, in the last decade, according to the first numbers released Monday for the 2020 Census. Overall, the U.S. had a 7.4% growth over that same time, which the U.S. Census Bureau called the second slowest in the nation’s history. The U.S. Census kicked off in Alaska in January 2020 when Lizzie Chimiugak of Toksook Bay was the first person to be counted in the decennial census. The Census said the 2020 population count for the U.S. was 331,449,281 people. In Alaska, the s...
NENANA, Alaska (AP) — The ice has gone out on the Tanana River, ending the annual Nenana Ice Classic, one of Alaska’s most famous guessing games. Ice classic manager Cherrie Forness said the game ended at 12:50 p.m. Friday when the ice shifted and the clock inside a tripod set up on the river ice tripped. And in this pandemic year, it’s probably no surprise that it all happened backwards, she said. When the ice goes out, the tripod usually starts going downriver or toward the south bank. This year, it went the other direction, upriver, apparent...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A bill moving through the Legislature would require state recognition of Alaska’s 229 federally recognized tribes. Supporters say the measure is needed to encourage better collaboration and consultation between the state and tribes; formally acknowledge Alaska tribes’ sovereignty, history, culture and contributions; and potentially allow them to access additional resources, Indian Country Today reported. “By supporting this bill, you are uplifting these unique and resilient people that have been here for 10,000 years,...
On Tuesday, the state reported 72.94 percent of Petersburg residents had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was the second highest percentage in the state after Skagway Municipality. The Petersburg COVID-19 Dashboard reported 51 percent of Petersburg residents had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. The Petersburg Borough's COVID-19 Dashboard and the state's COVID-19 Dashboard show two different numbers for the percentage of local residents who have received at...
The Borough Assembly reviewed the proposed fiscal year 2022 budget at a work session on April 21, which has a balanced General Fund. In the proposed budget, the General Fund's total revenues and total expenditures equal $9,741,364 and is an overall increase of .39 percent from the adopted 2021 fiscal year budget, according to the proposed budget. The General Fund also uses a surplus of $231,805 to offset a loss in the state's reimbursement of the School Bond Debt payments. The General Fund's...
A story about updates to local health mandates on page two of last week’s edition of the Petersburg Pilot had a headline that implied all interstate travelers arriving into Petersburg are exempt from COVID-19 testing and isolation requirements. Only interstate travelers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are exempt from those requirements....
Since January, Petersburg Medical Center has been operating with a negative bottom line, but Controller Rocio Tejera told the PMC Board of Directors at their meeting on April 22 that it's important to look at the year-to-date bottom line. On March 31, PMC reported a negative bottom line of $676,722 for the month, according to financial documents presented to the hospital board. However, the hospital has a positive year-to-date bottom line of $540,192. The bottom line is the hospital's total...
Petersburg High School was ranked the number one high school in Alaska in terms of academic success by the U.S. News & World Report for 2021. Rankings are based on the students' performance on state testing, graduation rates and how well they're prepared for college. Additionally, PHS was ranked 904 among all the high schools in the country, which is in the top 40 percent of schools. Statewide, 71 high schools were ranked by the U.S. News & World Report, and 17,857 schools were ranked...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska has agreed to settle for $85,000 with a former state employee whose application was rejected because she supported the recall of Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The out-of-court settlement was announced Monday by the Alaska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Keren Lowell, a former employee for the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Lowell had worked for the Alaska art council in 2019 when Dunleavy vetoed the organization’s funding and caused Lowell to lose her job. Lowell then bec...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has decommissioned a ship whose home port was in Alaska after almost 50 years in service. The cutter Douglas Munro was decommissioned in a ceremony in Kodiak on Saturday. The ship was commissioned in 1971 and has served across the world. The Coast Guard said the Douglas Munro had been used for search and rescue, fisheries enforcement, counterpiracy efforts, disaster relief and oceanographic research support. “During my time aboard I have witnessed the sacrifices of the crew as they spent time away fro...
Hammer & Wikan, Inc. kicked off a year's worth of celebrations on April 17 with their Founder's Day event to commentate the business's 100-year anniversary. The festivities began at the grocery store. Every person who entered the building was given a balloon, which could be redeemed for a gift. Guests were also given cake and coffee in a commemorative mug. They were also given the opportunity to enter a raffle to win a new barbecue. Later in the afternoon, the party continued at the hardware sto...
In 2000, Richard Sprague sold his practice and retired, but two years later he was back in his office practicing dentistry again. Now in 2021, Sprague will again be retiring at the age of 81. Sprague first moved to Petersburg in 1973 after graduating from dental school at the University of Oregon. At the time, Phil Beardslee had recently moved to town from Bethel and was practicing dentistry but was inundated with patients. Beardslee contacted the University of Oregon to see if any of the gradua...
The Borough Assembly approved an amendment to the interstate and international travel mandate on Monday to allow anyone coming into the community from outside of the state who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to forego testing and isolation requirements. The Emergency Operations Center recommended that Public Health Mandate #10 stay in place due to slow vaccination rates in other parts of the country but be amended to do away with testing and isolation requirements for incoming travelers...
The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) will offer Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor class in Petersburg on May 4, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM at The Scandia House. Interested mariners may register online at www.amsea.org or call (907) 747-3287. Instructor Chris Angel, will cover cold-water survival skills; EPIRBs, signal flares, and mayday calls; man-overboard recovery; firefighting; flooding and damage control; dewatering pumps, immersion suits and PFDs, helicopter rescue, life rafts, abandon ship procedures, and emergency drills....
Five cases of COVID-19 were reported in the community in the last seven days, one of which has been removed from the active local case count, according to the Petersburg Borough's COVID-19 Dashboard. The first four cases were reported on April 15. Three of the cases were limited to one household and were travel related, according to a joint press release between the borough and Petersburg Medical Center. The fourth case and fifth case, which was reported on April 16, are thought to have been...
Petersburg Medical Center Director of Nursing Jennifer Bryner said at the COVID-19 community update on April 16 that the hospital will continue to vaccinate residents with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is under review. PMC will likely receive more information this week about whether it can resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Bryner said PMC currently has 120 doses of the vaccine. "For those people that have recently received the Johnson &...
