Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 5723
On Monday, Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved the resolution to set the property tax rate for the coming year, raising the millage rate from 10.0 to 10.8 mills. The new 0.8-mill increase means property owners in Service Area 1 will pay $10.80 per $1,000 of assessed property value, up from $10 last year. For a home assessed at $300,000, the annual increase would be $240. While an increase from last year, the new rate is still lower than the tax rate from the four preceding years:...
Petersburg's borough assembly passed its overall budget for the next fiscal year on June 2. But the option to allocate a million dollars from the harbor reserves for a potential cruise dock project caused friction for the final vote. The Petersburg Borough's general fund was nearly $400,000 in the red for the last fiscal year, but that's not the case this time. The borough's next budget is in the black, despite state and federal funding reductions and inflationary costs in all departments....
Petersburg Mayor Mark Jensen announced during Monday's borough assembly meeting that he will not run for reelection in October, ending what will be an 18-year tenure as an elected official in Petersburg. "I thought it was time to announce that I don't intend to run for mayor in October," Jensen said during the meeting. "That's four months from now. That gives people that are interested in the mayor's position [time] to put their name in." Jensen was first elected to the Petersburg City Council...
Petersburg, Ketchikan, Haines, and Skagway all received record amounts of rainfall in May. Across the panhandle, many communities saw double or triple the amount of rainfall they normally get during the month. Most communities also experienced colder-than-average temperatures. National Weather Service Meteorologist Zoe Kaplan said that this kind of weather is unusual in spring. "This whole event is pretty anomalous, because these are totals that we would normally see in the fall. But I guess...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a letter to Alaska’s congressional delegation urging cleanup of an abandoned mine that has been polluting a major salmon river for nearly seven decades. The Tulsequah Chief mine in British Columbia has discharged toxic wastewater into the headwaters of the Taku River since its abandonment in 1957, according to the letter signed by Mayor Mark Jensen on behalf of the assembly. “The Taku is a crucial ecological and economic resource for Southeast Alaska, not to mention its importance to loc...
The tables were decorated with the red, white and blue bouquets, the eggs Benedict were perfect, the hollandaise sauce homemade, and the mimosas were flowing at Kito's Kave last Sunday, as members of American Legion Edward Locken Post 14 served a special thank you brunch to their 16 specials guests – the local quilters responsible for the Quilts of Valor program who have spent nearly a decade making quilts for Petersburg's veterans. Since 2016, these volunteers have created nearly 140 h...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance last week that would limit Petersburg's sales tax exemption for seniors to only those with low incomes. Currently, all Petersburg residents aged 65 and older who have lived in the borough for at least one year qualify for sales tax exemption, regardless of income. According to the borough, there are 477 senior exemption cards currently issued. In 2024, senior tax exemptions applied to more than $7.4 million...
Community members and visiting dignitaries attended the Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting on Monday, May 19 to witness Mayor Mark Jensen proclaim June 28th as Amy Hallingstad Day, honoring the Tlingit civil rights pioneer whose work transformed education and social justice for Alaska Natives. The mayor's proclamation drew representatives from the Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) and Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS), including several who offered emotional testimony about Hallingstad's lasting...
On Saturday, the Petersburg Community Foundation awarded $37,125 in grants to seven local organizations during its annual awards ceremony and honored one community volunteer with its prestigious Volunteer of the Year recognition. The foundation, which began 17 years ago with support from the Alaska Community Foundation and the Rasmuson Foundation, has seen accelerated growth in recent years. It took the organization around a decade to award $100,000 in local grants, but it has matched that...
At the Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting on May 5, the results of recently completed five-year utility rate study were presented, and borough residents can expect utility rate increases in the coming fiscal year as officials adjust for rising operating expenses and debt service for capital projects across water, wastewater, and electric departments. The suggestions based on the rate study include: Water: 3% annual increases from FY2026 through FY2030 Wastewater: 25% increase for FY2026, then...
Outside the brand-new facility on South Nordic Drive, the scent of grilling burgers and hotdogs lingers in the air as community members stream through the 16-foot bay doors of High Tide Auto. Close to two hundred people dropped by to congratulate Wes and Angie Davis and have a look inside their brand-new NAPA auto service center, according to Kimberly Simbahon who was dropping visitors' names into a blue bucket for the door prize drawings. "It's been a little stressful," Angie admitted,... Full story
A Mayfest favorite is back! The Mitkof Mummers will present a villain, a hero and a heroine for the audience to admonish with boos, admire with harrahs or adore with ahs when they take to the Wright Auditorium stage Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings for a fun-filled production of the melodrama "The Treasure of Huckleberry Ridge... or Hey Jude." Longtime director Irene Jo Littleton is working alongside current director Tiffany Glass with a star-studded Petersburg cast, a 10-person chorus...
Rare entertainment opportunity alert - on Tuesday, May 20, Petersburg Arts Council is bringing a full-time professional ventriloquist to Petersburg for a performance in Wright Auditorium. Michael Harrison, of Vancouver B.C., who appeared on NBC's "America's Got Talent" and has performed over 3,500 shows in more than 40 countries, will be en route to Alaska soon to share his twist on the classic art form of ventriloquism. "The show that I do is sort of multi-disciplinary ... with a combination...
The public hearing for the Petersburg Borough's FY26 budget is coming up on Monday, May 19. The borough presented a balanced budget draft on May 5 that projects $13.54 million in general fund revenues and $13.51 million in expenditures - a small surplus of $24,168 compared to the last year's $42,271 shortfall. Revenue from property taxes is expected to grow by more than $570,0000 reaching a total of $4.76 million. Property taxes now account for more than one-third of general fund revenue. Other...
This past weekend, the Mitkof middle school and Petersburg high school had an opportunity to come together for an intersquad track and field meet. Historically, Petersburg's track program has lagged behind when it comes to track facility and equipment. From a gravel oval space for running to a rigid, old boardwalk connecting with a rough sandpit for long jumpers, the conditions have not been ideal. But some improvements have been made in recent years. "We brought in some new rock two years ago...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved Resolution #2025-08 on April 21, formalizing the expansion of the Airport Addition Subdivision that will double the project to 22 borough-owned lots to be developed in partnership with the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA). The amendment to the January 7 agreement adds 11 additional lots to the project, bringing the total development to 22 residential parcels. In exchange for financing and constructing the infrastructure...
Petersburg's police chief is suing his employer, the Petersburg Borough, and a federal court in Juneau has dismissed two of the three claims. The remaining claim, which may go to trial this summer, concerns the police chief's First Amendment rights. How it started In the midst of the pandemic, Petersburg Police Chief Jim Kerr criticized a masking mandate during a borough assembly meeting on Nov. 17, 2021. Kerr began his virtual testimony by saying, "This is my personal statement, and not the...
May Day, also known as International Workers Day, recognizes the historic movement for labor rights around the globe. But this May 1, people in Petersburg joined thousands nationwide to stand not only in support of the working class, but also against what they say is responsible for terminating jobs, funding and uprooting the lives of their colleagues and neighbors: the Trump Administration. About 60 locals rallied in the pouring rain at Buschmann Park in downtown Petersburg. Among the...
Six talented Petersburg chefs are coming together next Wednesday for a unique culinary event that aligns with the Little Norway Festival, celebrates local foods, and helps raise funds to revitalize the Rainforest Festival which aims to return to its former glory this fall. "Forest to Sea: A Local Culinary Journey," scheduled for May 14 at the Elks Lodge, will feature a six-course Norwegian-inspired meal showcasing locally harvested ingredients-from foraged foods to fresh seafood. The event... Full story
Former Petersburg resident Lynda Sather will present an author's talk and sign copies of her first novel, A Slap of Jellyfish: Fear, Fish and Finding Yourself in Alaska, at the Petersburg Public Library on Thursday, May 15, from 3 – 4 p.m. The novel, which Sather says she wrote as a thank you and a love letter to Petersburg, is set in 1973, just before the salmon season opens. After college graduation, Maddie Maguire only knows what she doesn't want to do: move back to Los Angeles, start a c...
This past weekend, Petersburg's high school art program brought their talent and work to the annual Artfest, in Wrangell – a four-day series of workshops, creativity and fun. "I brought an acrylic painting of a whale tale with a bunch of flowers on it," said sophomore Rebecca Midkiff, who has been working on the whale tale since the beginning of the year. "I did an acrylic painting of Ketchikan – a board walk with houses," sophomore Ali Kittams added. Senior Becky Fisher brought one of her for...
Petersburg's Assembly unanimously approved a lease for Nordic Real Estate LLC to use a narrow strip of borough land adjacent to the Narrows Inn, clearing the way for further rehabilitation of the nearly 60-year-old apartment complex. Nordic Real Estate LLC, owned by Sarah and Randy Holmgrain, purchased the 27-unit building in January 2025 and has begun an ambitious renovation project that they hope will help improve Petersburg's housing stock. Originally built as the King Salmon Motel in the...
Sarah Pederson has taken the reins as the new director of the Clausen Museum, bringing with her a wealth of experience in community building and a passion for local history. Originally from Michigan, Pederson is no stranger to Southeast Alaska, having lived in the region for more than 20 years. She and her husband Cody moved to Petersburg about a month ago after he accepted a position as the new manager at the SSRAA Crystal Lake Hatchery, replacing the retiring Loren Thompson. "We've been living...
Petersburg Public Library will reduce its Monday evening hours starting in May. The library will now close at 4:00 p.m. on Mondays instead of remaining open until 8:00 p.m., a change Library Director Tara Alcock describes as a careful compromise to meet borough-wide budget constraints while minimizing impacts on patrons. "We're still open a fair amount for a library of our size and a community of our size," Alcock explained during a recent interview with the Pilot. "We'll still be open three...
A group of Gortex-clad visitors step out of the chilly spring rain on Friday afternoon and enter the Clausen Memorial Museum. From the window of the museum a ship is visible in the distance, tied up at Petersburg's drive-down dock. It's the National Geographic Sea Lion, operated by Lindblad Expeditions, and they are the first cruise ship of the year to visit Petersburg. As some passengers browse through downtown shops, others cross the Wrangell Narrows in one of the cruise ship's zodiacs, or...
