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We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone whose actions saved our son Tausani’s life. We are forever grateful to the swift actions of Trevor McKay, Mike Doyle, Brent Birchell and Mark Severson of the F/V Odin and neighboring boats for their quick mobilization in initiating rescue services and engaging the U.S. Coast Guard. So many things went right after he went overboard, starting with Tausani’s own actions underwater and the incredible skill and herculean effort taken by Trevor to retrieve him and never let go, for Mark bei...
Just as mosquitos, outdoor barbecues and sometimes even sunshine and warm skies return every summer in Alaska, and just as king salmon used to return in abundance and many Lower 48 relatives visit in too much abundance, Alaska experiences a special summer event in election years: The return of the dividend-promising political candidate. More persistent than swarms of malicious mosquitos and nasty no-see-ums, the PFD pledges are immune to citronella candles, aerosol sprays or mesh nets to cover your face. They spread on social media at a faster...
Update on Girl Scouts in Petersburg To the Editor: This is an update to the community on the status of the Girl Scout Organization in Petersburg. I have been a Girl Scout volunteer in Petersburg for over 25 years and truthfully, I have loved every minute of it. For the past 20 years, I’ve served as Service Unit Manager for the Petersburg Service Unit, working with Girl Scouts of Alaska to support all Girl Scouts in Petersburg. Over the past several years, the number of volunteers we’ve been able to recruit has steadily decreased to the poi...
State primary elections are happening and the midterm general elections are fast approaching. Lacking evidence of widespread voter fraud claims, it seems our POTUS is escalating his efforts to get the US Senate to pass the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, already passed in the House. (Question: what, or who rather, is this act really looking to safeguard?) The pretense is election security, the intended effect is disenfranchisement of millions of eligible citizen voters, and consequently, the Republicans stay in power, and...
Until last week, Alaska voters were facing one important decision on this year’s ballot to choose elected officials who work for the public, not political parties. That decision would be to uphold the system of ranked-choice voting and open primaries that has been state law since 2022. The system takes away from political parties the power of selecting candidates and lets Alaskans make their own decisions on who can lead the state in open primary elections. Vote no on the ballot question in November to block a return to the days of partisan p...
The state ferry system’s mainline service to Southeast Alaska remains intact under the draft schedule for the fall/winter season of Oct. 1 through April 30, at one sailing a week. The rest of coastal Alaska is not so fortunate. The Prince William Sound communities of Cordova and Valdez would be left without any service for five months Oct. 1 through March 5 while the Aurora is in the shop for annual winter maintenance and to replace rusted steel on the 49-year-old ship. Gulf of Alaska service to Kodiak, Homer and a couple of small c...
I’m sorry to say this column is about taxes. Oil and gas taxes. Corporate taxes. Legislative debate over taxes. If you want to read about the World Cup or salmon fishing or summer recipes for the best potato salad, this is not your cup of iced tea. But what better to talk about on the week of the nation’s birth than taxes, one of the major gripes of the colonies against England. In the week before the nation’s 250th birthday, the Alaska Legislature is embroiled in its own debate over taxes. It has nothing to do with tea and everything to do wi...
I think the general perception of our nation’s founders is of a grouping of bespectacled, white-haired old men speaking an antique language that sounds almost foreign to our modern ears. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of our Declaration of Independence, was a youthful 33 years old when he drafted the document in 1776. John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress that approved it, was 39 when he applied his flamboyant signature as the first to sign it. The original document, its words inscribed with a quill pen in e...
What reasons do you have to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday? What thoughts come to mind thinking about Independence Day – fireworks, hot dogs, picnics, fun gatherings, blind rowboat races, log-rolling, bubble gum contests? Imagine two hundred and fifty candles on a gigantic birthday cake that says Happy Birthday America! Pondering the semiquincentennial, the following also comes to mind for me. I think of our democratic republic, governed by the U.S. Constitution, an incredible, enduring document born out of blood, sweat, tears, har...
To the Editor: The celebration of Amy Hallingstad Day reminded me of an experience my dad told me about. Gordon Jensen was twelve years old and working in the cannery before the days of child labor laws. It was a warm summer day and there were a lot of fish in. He was pushing cans into the retort when he noticed everyone was leaving the fish house. He followed them and sat on the dock with all the workers. Amy had called a strike and he remembered that management argued with her and shouted at her for hours as the sun got hot and the fish got...
Support for the Landless To the Editor: Sunday, May 24, 2026, was an historic day for Séet Ká Kwáan/Petersburg. The town was abuzz with excitement for the launch of the first canoe out of the community in over 100 years. The canoe journey followed ancestral pathways across our waters between Séet Ká Kwáan and Dzánti K’ihéeni/Juneau. I was excited and grateful to join this journey as a team puller in the Kéet Yaakw (Killerwhale Canoe). With each stroke of the paddle over the next 10 days, it became more and more clear why it is necessary to pass...
To all my friends and external family in Petersburg To the Editor: I arrived on April 13, 1979 as girlfriend to Jerry Hegar who soon became my lifemate. I was ignorant of Alaska and soon learned a lot. Marie James hired me in her shop and I soon learned about living here! There are so many memories I can’t remember all of them. Marie introduced me to the culture and what it means to appreciate our surroundings. I have made so many friends here that it is hard to leave. This community is great. As I look forward to making new memories with my y...
Dear Lieutenant Governor Dahlstron: I write in response to your June 8, 2026 letter. I originally received the letter not from your office, but from a reporter. This indicates that you started working with the press to generate a story on your investigation before ever contacting me. In fact, we have never received the letter to you. This conduct is deeply troubling for an elected official who is charged- as you claim – with administering the election laws of the State of Alaska. The premise of your letter is that “credible” allegations have...
Alaska needs change. That’s why I’m running for governor: to bring new energy and a new generation of leadership to the governor’s office. For thirteen years in a row, more Alaskans have left our great state than have moved here. Prices are rising, schools are closing, and Alaskans are getting left behind. This year, those planning to leave Alaska include Ben and Catherine Walker, both recipients of Alaska’s Teacher of the Year Award. They can’t justify staying in the place they grew up in and love because of our failure to invest in the funda...
It’s never too late to say Thank You To the Editor: While Memorial Day was last week, I want to share a story of a powerful encounter I had with a veteran that brings tears to my eyes to this day. Years ago, I was at a craft show people-watching. I noticed an elderly couple hobbling down the aisle. They shared a striking resemblance to my own Midwestern parents: The wife had permed gray hair, polyester pants and was clutching her purse. The husband wore a flannel shirt, suspenders and a ball cap. As they (very) slowly made their way closer, I c...
Hello Market Friends To the Editor: We are thrilled to announce Bekah Gumz as the Market Manager of summer 2026! Bekah spearheaded The Market as the manager in 2024 and has participated as a vendor. She brings her interest in the arts and community to the role and we look forward to a wonderful season with her at the helm. Season details and Vendor Applications will be confirmed and available ASAP! This has been a particularly tough set up year for The Market Board and we appreciate your patience as we navigate the unpaid work of creating a...
Legislators are being held after school this month and the state is paying for the extra time because the governor did not do his homework. If that seems backward, you’re right. Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered lawmakers to stay late after class ended because he insists that they approve major big-time relief from property taxes for the owners of the proposed, possible, maybe someday Alaska North Slope natural gas pipeline and export project. The governor believes the multi-multibillion-dollar project will go ahead if the state House and Senate a...
This is more about who will pay the cost of the president’s war on Iran and how it’s disrupting the global flow of oil than it is a history lesson about Alaska oil production. But stay with me as I run through the history to get to my point. Think of it like setting the handle on the gas pump to fill up your tank and watching as the dollars spin by on the screen. Decades ago, Alaska’s North Slope produced so much oil that the supply overwhelmed U.S. West Coast refineries. It required a choreographed system of tankers, barges and pipelines to fi...
Bear-proof bins at the ballfields are needed To the Editor: I’m writing as a frequent user of the Petersburg Ballfields, a volunteer softball coach, and a youth programs coordinator to encourage the Assembly to consider purchasing new bear- and critter-resistant garbage cans for the ballfield complex. Many community members spend time at these fields every week, and throughout the year I often find myself picking up litter around the complex, usually alongside dedicated kids who are helping out. Last week was especially discouraging because r...
Congratulating our teachers To The Editor: The Petersburg Children’s Center administration, including the Executive Director and Board of Directors, would like to congratulate our lead teachers for completing their Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials. This is a nationally recognized certification and it provides peace of mind that our staff are qualified, caring and amazing. Help us congratulate them on this feat! We will be working on getting all of our staff credentialed in the near future. With thanks and pride, Sharlay Mamoe a...
Hilcorp, in acquiring BP’s Alaska assets, follows a record of cooperation with our state government that by working together each will formulate a tax solution that will be instrumental in the continued development of Alaska’s energy industry. The current deliberations from our legislative body on an appropriate tax structure must be fair and equitable in the interests of both Hilcorp and Alaska. So far, the deliberations have failed to reach a resolve, and the tax issue appears to be at a stalemate. The acquisition of BP’s Alaska holdings by H...
To the Editor: Monday’s assembly meeting brought apprehensiveness to the discussion about data centers in Petersburg. I think that this is largely because the discussion comes on the shirttail of large corporations plopping steel towers in our backyard. People find themselves leery about an investor wanting to build something big at the old Kayler-Dahl facility; they shouldn’t be. Towers and data centers are two separate and unrelated issues. We’ve been asking ourselves for decades: without fishing, what are we left with? Petersburg is still...
To the Editor: These outstanding students have demonstrated respect, responsibility, leadership, and a love of learning. Each will be recognized with a school announcement, a Viking Bus Noise Parade, a yard sign, a certificate and recognition in our community. April Students of the Month are: Rory Volk, a responsible and respectful student whose confidence continues to grow; Dawsyn Jabusch, a thoughtful and caring student who always looks out for others; Carmella Ford, a strong leader who consistently sets a positive example; Abigail Martin, a...
I don’t believe the proposed multi-multibillion-dollar Alaska North Slope gas project will be built. It’s too expensive. The risk of construction delays and overruns are too much for investors to accept. The prospects of sufficient long-term demand growth for liquefied natural gas delivered by tanker to Asia are too uncertain. The competition from less risky gas projects is too much to overcome. Other than that, sure, it could be great for Alaska. Think of the jobs, the state tax and royalty revenues, and the profitable fact that selling the...
To the Editor: I am Pastor Ken Severa, the new Pastor here at Petersburg Lutheran Church. I would like to highlight one of our projects. Earlier this month we hosted our annual “Basement Sale.” The purpose of the sale is to provide slightly used clothing, kitchen articles, and other treasures, along with soup and bread and goodies and books to the community in an inexpensive way. The other purpose is to raise money for the food programs in Petersburg. We raised over $11,000, which will be divided and donated to the Salvation Army Tha...
