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WRANGELL – Two weeks after the end of a public workers’ strike, a settlement may potentially be reached between the city and its employees. Unionized staff of the City and Borough of Wrangell on Monday voted to approve a package that would amend their current contract, potentially bringing to a close negotiations that have gone on for more than three years. Interim borough manager Carol Rushmore confirmed management at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547 had forwarded the wage and benefits proposal, which would ame...
City officials and employees held a dedication ceremony last week to unveil the $9.3-million-dollar upgrade to the Borough Municipal Building, which includes a Police Department that more than doubled in size, Chief Kelly Swihart said. The building houses the Administration offices, Community Development, Finance and the Police Department. The Police Department now occupies the whole bottom floor of the building, with new offices, an updated dispatch control center, evidence rooms and six...
Public Works Director Karl Hagerman was recently promoted to a position with no official title, yet his salary increased by more than $12,000 - a raise that resulted from the Borough manager deploying him to give managerial guidance to the interim Power & Light superintendent. "I'm kind of like back up support," Hagerman said. "It's a similar situation as the utility position." Manager Steve Giesbrecht promoted Scott Newman, who is the line foreman with Power & Light, to interim superintendent....
A Borough Assembly meeting was canceled Monday after not enough members were present, causing a setback to the scheduled discussion on whether to renovate the more than 50-year-old Power & Light building, said Steve Giesbrecht, the Borough manager. On the agenda was a recommendation from former Superintendent Joe Nelson, who retired June 30, to accept a bid from Rainforest Contracting Inc. of $538,600 to renovate the building that houses the Power & Light department. The bid was proposed at the last meeting, but the Assembly voted to postpone...
The Salvation Army appointed a new managing officer last week, and it will likely be her last station before retirement. Major Loni Upshaw took control of the Salvation Army, where she will oversee the thrift store, social services and lead the ministry at the church. Upshaw just logged 25 years as a pastor with the Salvation Army, a capstone to her beginnings as a Cadet, then Lt. Capt. and now Major. Although she was born in South Dakota, Upshaw has spent her career in Alaska, with her most...
WRANGELL – A strike called by public employees of Wrangell on June 22 only lasted a week, with workers taking up their posts again on June 29. Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547 had laid down its tools following a decision by the City and Borough Assembly on June 20 to implement a new contract after negotiations between the union and city’s bargaining teams had reached an impasse. The two parties have been negotiating a collective bargaining agreement since the last one expired in the summer of 2014. The...
Chris Miller last week reportedly towed a junk car with its tires locked through Petersburg, burning rubber to its rims and leaving black marks visible from Haugen Drive to the Petersburg Baler Facility, where he dumped the vehicle without processing it, causing a disturbance with on-site employees. Brian Richards was on break when he heard Miller barrel-up to the Baler Facility and through the weigh station before unhooking a vehicle. Richards witnessed the vehicle’s worn-away rubber tires and a trail of fluid it left behind, which appeared to...
About 100 people filtered in-and-out of the Petersburg Clausen Memorial Museum on Saturday to celebrate its 50th anniversary and commemorate those who led the effort to start it. Elsie Clausen was responsible for leading the creation of the museum in 1962. Her grandson, Mike Schwartz, was at the celebration mingling through the packed hallways, talking about his grandmother's legacy and praising those who have preserved the long-lasting museum. "Kathi Riemer has done a phenomenal job," Schwartz...
HOONAH, Alaska (AP) – Quick action from an 11-year-old boy saved a fishing party from a charging brown bear, Alaska State Troopers said. Elliot Clark was walking through the woods near Game Creek last week with his three family members and three dogs when the bear came out and charged them, The Juneau Empire reported. The bear ran through two of the men, pushing them to the side of the trail, leaving Elliot and his cousin left in its path, Elliot’s father, Lucas, said. “There was four of them in a line . My son was third,” Elliot’s father sa...
"Show them how it's done!" roared the crowd in the direction of Sue Erickson, who was balancing on a wet, oversized log, seeking to reclaim the throne as Log Roll champion. Sue Erickson was the overwhelming favorite to win the 2017 Log Roll competition Tuesday evening, and it appeared as though she would. That is until Briana Bode beat her in the final round of the women's bracket. Skipper Erickson won in the men's bracket. Bode would later lose to Skipper Erickson, who won the competition...
WRANGELL – In the middle of its run on television, a popular survival series on the History Channel pits a pair of Wrangell residents against the elements. Brothers Shannon and Jesse Bosdell form one team on Alone's fourth season cast. The show has seven pairs of relatives travel to the remote stretches of northern Vancouver Island, in the province of British Columbia. There each duo is separated by some miles in the wilderness, with the task of finding one another. Once reunited, the series' s...
SITKA, Alaska (AP) – A couple of Alaska residents have decided to add a wrinkle to the fish industry in Alaska. Residents Pat Glaab and Ben Blakey have started a fish processing plant called Northline Seafoods that will be able to do what its competitors can’t _ move, KTOO-FM reported Saturday. The floating plant is being made out of a 150-foot (46-meter) former helicopter logging barge. The facility will be able to freeze up to 300,000 pounds (136,000 kilograms) of whole sockeye a day while tied to the banks of the Ugashik River, about 85 mil...
A petition to ban fluoride from the Petersburg water system has nearly all the signatures required to find a spot on the ballot in October. Holly Winje, who is leading the effort, said 270 people have signed a petition that would remove the ion fluoride --- which is often used to fight tooth decay --- from the water in Petersburg. Winje needs 283 signatures to hit the mark. Winje has always been against fluoride, but she decided to spark the petition after having a child. She defended it by comparing fluoride to mercury and arsenic. “I hope I...
A petition to allow ATVs on Borough-owned roads in Petersburg has enough signatures to be considered for the ballot in October. Petersburg Deputy Clerk Mindy Swihart confirmed that Richard Burke, who is leading the effort, submitted at least 283 endorsements --- the required amount --- to the Borough Wednesday morning. "From what I can tell, the signatures look good," Swihart said. "I will officially verify them soon." This comes after Burke submitted what he thought were enough signatures last...
About 35 people gathered in the Public Library Wednesday evening to discuss potential solutions to the reportedly increasing homelessness in Petersburg. Chelsea Tremblay, a Petersburg activist who led the meeting, expected few people to attend. When the room became crowded, she knew the fibers of the meeting would be homelessness recognition, solutions and resources Petersburg has. “The first step with anything like this is awareness,” Tremblay said. “The shame component of people who find themselves on the brink of homelessness can maybe...
A former mayor of Petersburg said he picked up a petition application with criteria that would recall the Petersburg Borough Assembly, which comes after stirring controversy between the city government and some of its constituents. Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson confirmed that she gave Ted Smith an application to recall the assembly. Smith, however, said he “looked it over” and then handed it to another person to take the lead. That person remains anonymous. “I can’t give that name without his permission,” Smith said. “I am neutral on the idea...
This Congressional legislation was enacted for the purpose of establishing an area within the Tongass National forest in Southeastern Alaska for the preservation and continuity of nature and wilderness. This action was honorable, noble, and vital and there was complete agreement among the people most associated with nature, as the U.S. Forest Service, hunters, fishers, nature lovers, and the general public that could enjoy it. At this time the Forest Service allowed the public use of these...
Randy K. Long, 53, was officially arrested by the FBI Tuesday night, according to Police Chief Kelly Swihart. He is being held, in federal custody, without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Thursday at 10:30 a.m. To assist with federal prosecution, the State has dismissed, without prejudice, the pending local charges against Long. This will make prosecuting him on the federal level more efficient and less complicated Chief Swihart added. According to the Chief, “State prosecutors played a key role in the ongoing i...
The Petersburg Borough last week agreed with the Planning & Zoning Commission to deny an application that would have transferred two properties from rural residential to industrial, putting a halt to a couple’s development plan on Mitkof Highway. Raliegh and Marsha Cook started the application in January to rezone property lots 14 and 15 at the 7.5-mile mark on Mitkof Highway with intention to sell the sand and rock located on the lots, according to a Planning Commission report. The Planning Commission sent a recommendation to the assembly that...
The Clausen Memorial Museum will host an open house to celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, July 1 at 5:00 p.m. The open house is scheduled to last two hours said Kathi Riemer, who is the fourth museum director in its history. In 1963, Elsie Clausen, Claire Strand, and the rest of the Petersburg Pioneer Society started the idea for a museum in Petersburg. In 1965, Alaska began planning a celebration for 1967 to celebrate the purchase of Alaska from the Russians on March 30, 1867. The State provided matching funds to communities for...
WRANGELL – With its abundance of mountains, seascape, wildlife and local color, Wrangell is no stranger to television. For instance, contractors at the Marine Service Center were featured on National Geographic Channel's series "The Yard," with episodes first being aired in 2016. Another show has shined a spotlight on the island this month, with BBC Two exploring the fish-out-of-water theme in "The Life Swap Adventure." The premise of the six-episode series takes residents from around the U...
WRANGELL – The man accused of a spate of vehicular thefts earlier this month has entered a not guilty plea this week, and the case is expected to go to trial in August. Lief Cheyenne Bosdell, 20, appeared for his arraignment at Wrangell Courthouse on Monday. He had on June 9 been charged with seven felony counts of vehicular theft and three additional misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief. If convicted, the charges together carry a maximum jail sentence of 35 years and one month and up to $356,000 in fines. The alleged thefts took place in W...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Alaska Legislature, motivated by the threat of a government shutdown, approved a plan late Thursday to fund state operations for another year. The proposal, advanced by budget negotiators and passed by the House and Senate, would continue to draw from savings to help fill the state’s multibillion-dollar deficit, something Gov. Bill Walker had hoped to avoid. It also would fully fund K-12 education, provide $57 million for oil and gas tax credits and limit to $1,100 the size of this year’s dividend check Alaskans recei...
Union workers in Wrangell last week staggered into a strike after failed negotiations with the city, leaving Petersburg community members questioning whether their town will experience backlash in its wake. A concern Power & Light Superintendent Joe Nelson has is with the power ties between the communities, as there is a transmission line that connects Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg. If there are no linemen to fix a broken transmission line in Wrangell then Petersburg could be forced to run...
Sitka — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced this week the winners of the annual tag recovery incentive drawing for sablefish tags returned in 2016. The winners are: 1st - Jonathan Fuhrer Goleta, CA $1,000 2nd - Mary Murray-Jenkins Sitka $500 3rd - Tony Guggenbickler Wrangell $500 4th - Frank Balovich Sitka $250 5th - Stan Savland Hoonah $250 6th - Paul Sorenson Kenai $250 7th - Aaron Phillips, Petersburg $250 All persons who return an ADF&G sablefish tag receive a tag reward (i.e. T-shirt or fishermen’s knife). Tag returns...
