Articles written by caleb vierkant


Sorted by date  Results 251 - 275 of 1088

Page Up

  • Lady Wolves fall to Craig in first home games of the season

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 22, 2020

    The Wrangell Lady Wolves volleyball team, held their first home games of the season last Saturday against the Craig Lady Panthers. The games were hard-fought, but ultimately Wrangell was not able to claim any victories this time around. As part of a COVID-19 mitigation plan, the public was not invited to attend the games. Instead, they were live-streamed to the school district's YouTube channel. The first game had the two teams neck-and-neck for a good portion of the game, with the Lady Wolves m...

  • Superintendent Lancaster offers resignation

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    Wrangell's school board met Monday evening, Oct. 12. Among other business they discussed during the meeting, they accepted a letter of resignation from Superintendent Debbe Lancaster. "There are several reasons for my resignation with one being that I would like to pursue a position in education in another district to be with my spouse," Lancaster wrote in her letter, dated Oct. 1. "I will work until the end of my contract and help the Wrangell Public School Board and staff transition another...

  • Assembly approves final election results

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    The Wrangell Borough Assembly held a special meeting last Thursday, Oct. 8, to certify the final election results from Oct. 6. Following a Canvass board meeting to review preliminary election results, it was found that a total of 483 ballots were cast and counted this election cycle, 419 on election day and 64 absentee. Steve Prysunka was re-elected to mayor for another two-year term. Anne Morrison and Ryan Howe were re-elected to the assembly for three-year terms. Terry Courson was elected to...

  • Judge dismisses Valvoda lawsuit against city

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    A lawsuit brought against the city by a Wrangell resident has come to a close, after Judge Kevin Miller dismissed the case. Kipha Valvoda brought a lawsuit against several former and current members of Wrangell's government in March of 2019. An amended complaint was filed by the plaintiff in April 2019, but the lawsuit originally began in March of that year. Valvoda claimed the borough used unfair hiring practices that kept him from finding employment with the city. He also claimed, in his...

  • P&Z commission review proposed zone changes

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    The Wrangell Planning and Zoning Commission met last Thursday evening, Oct. 8. During their meeting, they held a public hearing on a proposed zone change on city property. "The City and Borough of Wrangell, in an effort to release lots for residential construction has proposed a subdivision for Lot 1, Block 35, USS 1119, creating 3 lots approximately 19,000 square feet each," reads the meeting's agenda packet. The lot in question is currently zoned multi-family residential, but the city is looki...

  • Wrangell and Petersburg face off in first scrimmages

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    The Wrangell Lady Wolves travelled to Petersburg last weekend for their first scrimmages of the season, against their school rivals. Coach Alyssa Allen said that they only travelled with six members of the team, via Breakaway Adventures. The players wore masks and followed a mitigation plan while visiting Petersburg, she added, to stay safe from COVID-19. Shayna Shultz shared scores from the scrimmages to the WHS Volleyball Facebook page on Oct. 10. They played four games, in which Petersburg...

  • Swim team competes in Petersburg

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    Wrangell's swim team travelled to Petersburg this past weekend for their second meet. This was their first meet this season where they travelled. The meet in Petersburg was held over two days, Oct. 9 and 10. Coach Jamie Roberts said that the first day of swimming was held virtually, but they travelled to Petersburg on Saturday. Petersburg wrote a six-page mitigation plan just for their one-hour meet, Roberts said, that she was impressed by. They travelled to Petersburg via boat and met up with...

  • Officers nominated, other appointments made in school board meeting

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    The Wrangell School Board held their first meeting since last week's election on Monday, Oct. 12. This was the first meeting for Laura Ballou, recently elected to the school board. The first order of business was to nominate new officers for the board. Other appointments were also made. School Board President Aaron Angerman was nominated back to his position as president. This was unanimously approved by the board. Patty Gilbert was named school board vice-president, and David Wilson was named...

  • Tent City Days Festival begins this week

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    Wrangell’s Tent City Days Festival kicks off this week. The festival, celebrating the city’s history from the Alaska gold rush, has been a long-running tradition in the community. However, it has seen a decline in public interest in recent years. Jillian Privett, one of the organizers behind the event this year, said she hopes to help revitalize the festival. “Tent City Days has been going on for over 30 years, since I was a little kid,” she said. Privett said that Tent City Days usually...

  • Assembly extends suspension of in-person meetings

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 15, 2020

    The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday evening, Oct. 13. During this meeting, they voted to extend a resolution allowing them to forgo in-person meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. This resolution was approved back in March when COVID-19 was beginning to impact Alaska. The resolution allowed for the suspension of in-person assembly meetings until Oct. 17, unless extended. According to the meeting's agenda packet, the city is working on plans to return to in-person meetings, but for the...

  • Applications open for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 8, 2020

    Applications for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets are now open, according to Lt. Jon Tollerud of the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army and the Wrangell Ministerial Association are partnering to provide the baskets for Wrangell families in need of assistance during the holiday season, he said. The application process is simple. There is only one form to fill out, he said. "If all they want is Thanksgiving, or all they want is Christmas, they just circle one," Tollerud said. "Or they circle...

  • Transmitter at Cape Fanshaw operational

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 8, 2020

    About two weeks ago, the Wrangell Sentinel received an email regarding a weather transmitter at Cape Fanshaw that was not operating. The email claimed that the transmitter has not been in operation for over a year, and is supposed to provide weather and navigation information for Frederick Sound and Stephens Passage. The email went on to say that it was the responsibility of the Coast Guard to repair the transmitter, which they have not done. Cape Fanshaw is located north of Petersburg, along a...

  • Wrangell runs in cross country regionals

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 8, 2020

    Last weekend was the regional meet for Region 5 cross country teams. While Wrangell High School has participated in the season virtually this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were able to travel this weekend to Petersburg to compete in person. Activities Director Trisa Rooney said, in an email, that while Wrangell was in Petersburg last Friday, Oct. 2, they ran separately from Petersburg's cross country team. Other participants in regionals include Haines and Metlakatla virtually,...

  • School workshop rescheduled

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 8, 2020

    The Wrangell School Board was going to hold a workshop last Monday evening, Oct. 5, for budget training. However, it was rescheduled on short notice. There were three main items on the workshop’s agenda: Where to find the district’s Chart of Accounts, how to read the Chart of Accounts, and examples using the district’s financial reports. These items were to be followed up with a Q&A session, and suggestions for future training. The meeting was originally set to begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 5. The W...

  • City responding to HAA5 levels in water

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    In last week's assembly meeting, Borough Manager Lisa Von Bargen reported that the city had recently been informed by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that they had surpassed allowable levels of HAA5 in the water supply. HAA5, or Haloacetic Acids, is a byproduct of organic material in the water being treated with chlorine during the disinfection process. "It is important to remember organic material is always present in the source water treated for Wrangell's drinking water,"...

  • Wildlife Trooper Kyle Freeberg and family moving south

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    The Freeberg family moved to Wrangell in April of 2019. Kyle Freeberg moved here to take a position as the town's state wildlife trooper. He has a total of three years of experience as a state trooper, the previous two spent in Fairbanks. His year as state trooper in Wrangell involved enforcing state laws, educating the public about important hunting and fishing regulations, and as he said in a July 2019 interview, working to increase collaboration between himself and the community. This...

  • Update on Mariners' Memorial construction

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    Construction on the Wrangell Mariners' Memorial is coming along well, according to Mariners' Memorial Board Treasurer Jeff Jabusch. The steel for the memorial's walls themselves has been ordered, he said. The walls, once complete, will be where the plaques will eventually be placed. "We're hoping to get at least one wall actually finished and up before winter, and then get these three walls poured," Jabusch said. "Then we'll get everything leveled off to grade with gravel, and then probably won'...

  • New hospital nearing completion

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    The new Wrangell Medical Center is nearing completion, according to a press release from SEARHC. Several crews are on-site working on siding, concrete, drywall, and other aspects of the construction project. According to the press release, the facility is 80 percent complete. Installation of exterior siding is nearly complete, with only the courtyard walls and south-facing side of the facility left. The majority of plumbing has been completed, as well. Electric crews are currently installing...

  • "Pups In Parks" contest open until Oct. 15

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    Wrangell Parks and Rec announced a new photo contest for the public to participate in last Tuesday, Sept. 22. The "Pups In Parks" contest will give Wrangell dog owners a chance to go enjoy the great outdoors with their canines, and take a few pictures while they're out there. There will even be a chance for their dogs to be featured in a new parks and recreation calendar. Wrangell is a rather dog-friendly town, Parks and Rec Director Kate Thomas said. There are somewhere around 550 dogs on the...

  • Structural instability detected in courthouse

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    The Public Safety Building has been a topic of much discussion and concern to city government. The building, which houses Wrangell’s police department, fire department, court, and DMV, is in disrepair. It was first constructed in 1987, according to Capital Facilities Director Amber Al-Haddad. Much of the discussion has been whether or not replacing the entire building would be cheaper than renovating it, and about the growing list of issues present in the building. Another problem has recently been added to the list, according to Borough M...

  • Human error causes blackout

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    A contractor at Southeast Alaska Power Agency’s Tyee Lake hydroelectric facility accidentally entered an incorrect control system input, resulting in a power outage in Wrangell and Petersburg Saturday morning, said SEAPA CEO Trey Acteson. SEAPA staff were conducting a training session associated with recent control upgrades when the error was made. Tyee Lake generation was lost at 9:15 A.M. on Sept. 26, said Robert Siedman, an electrical engineer with SEAPA. Power was restored 25 minutes later at 9:40 A.M. All the Wrangell and Petersburg c...

  • Swim team holds first virtual meet

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    Wrangell's high school swim team held their first meet of the season last Friday and Saturday. Coach Jamie Roberts said this was a virtual meet, with Wrangell swimmers competing in their own pool against other swimmers across the region. Friday results Aaliyah Messmer swam 31.02 in the 50-yard freestyle, and 1:11.26 in the 100-yard freestyle. Renee Roberts swam 25.89 in the 50-yard freestyle, and 57.12 in the 100-yard freestyle. Jack Roberts swam 25.99 in the 50-yard freestyle, and 57.79 in the...

  • WHS competes in second cross country meet

    Caleb Vierkant|Oct 1, 2020

    Wrangell's cross country team competed in their second meet of the season Saturday, Sept. 28. Like their first meet of the season, on Sept. 12, it was a virtual meet against several other competing schools. Results were provided to the Wrangell Sentinel by WHS Activities Director Trisa Rooney. Rooney said that there were five competing teams: Juneau Douglas, Thunder Mountain, Gustavus, Petersburg, and Wrangell. For the boys' race, first place for Wrangell went to Ethan Blatchley with a time of...

  • City announces new COVID-19 relief programs

    Caleb Vierkant|Sep 24, 2020

    As discussed over several Economic Development Committee meetings, the City and Borough of Wrangell announced last Tuesday morning changes to existing COVID-19 relief programs, as well as a new program available to the public. As part of their response to the pandemic, the city has put together a variety of grant opportunities and other assistance programs to help businesses and community members get through these tough times. In a previous interview with the Wrangell Sentinel, Economic...

  • Fire truck, water acid levels covered in assembly meeting

    Caleb Vierkant|Sep 24, 2020

    The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday night to hold a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant. In 2018, according to the meeting's agenda packet, the borough received a block grant for the purchase of a new fire truck. The grant was for $337,500, with the total estimated cost of the fire truck at $450,000. Per the requirements of the grant, two public hearings were held about the grant, one for the public to suggest projects and another to serve as a status report on the grant...

Page Down

Rendered 02/21/2025 07:18