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Despite the unseasonably agreeable weather this winter, Wrangellites can still shake off some of the mid-season lassitude at the town's annual Tent City Days celebration. The festival harkens back to frontier days of the 19th century, when Wrangell played an active role in both the Southeast Alaska and the Klondike gold rushes. The celebration kicks off tonight with a first-time chowder cook off, held at the Elks Lodge at 6:30 p.m. Contestants are asked to bring pots of their finest by 5 p.m....
Wrangell’s waterfront is continuing to take shape, as the City and Borough Assembly approved a pair of project contracts and gave plat approval to Sea Level and Trident Seafoods for continued development and those companies’ lots. This follows on the heels of a set of waterfront planning sessions held last month, which will eventually develop the fill area along Campbell Drive into a mixed-use property for businesses, locals and visitors to enjoy. A team of architects and civic planners were brought on board to begin drafting a master plan for...
Tomorrow the local Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (IGAP) office will conclude its elder property cleanup program, which was first started in October. The need had been one of those identified through listening sessions hosted last year by IGAP and the Wrangell Cooperative Association. Operating through an Environmental Protection Agency grant, the program first sought out elderly residents within Wrangell's Native community who needed help collecting and disposing of various...
Seven teams and 74 wrestlers travelled to Wrangell last weekend for the 2015 Stikine Invitational Middle School Wrestling Tournament, coming out from Ketchikan, Craig, Hydaburg, Thorne Bay, Klawock and Petersburg. "It's gone really, really well," said Wrangell Public Schools' activities director, Jack Carney. There were no serious injuries or adverse weather, and enough help to make the tournament proceed ahead of schedule. Refereeing for the weekend were Marty Massin of Petersburg, formerly a...
Wrangell Medical Center's board examined a preliminary draft of its budget for next year and were updated on the hospital's finances during its monthly meeting Jan. 21. Over the next couple of years, the board was told WMC's financial staff plans to work on lowering its receivables from around $4 million to a target of $2 million, by working more closely with Medicaid on getting bills repaid, pursuing payment from families and self-pay customers with current outstanding bills, and training...
A bit short-handed at its regular Tuesday-night meeting, Wrangell City and Borough Assembly nonetheless reviewed the first readings of several ordinance revisions. Members Becky Rooney, David Mitchell, Daniel Blake and Mayor David Jack discussed a proposed ordinance No. 893, relating to weapons and discharge of firearms within the Borough limits as well as adding a section regarding abuse of the 911 emergency system. The proposal would strike much of the rules previously on the books relating to concealed weapons and carrying loaded firearms,...
Meeting in Wrangell last week, the Alaska Board of Fisheries elected to maintain the current Southeast Alaska Area Dungeness Crab Fisheries Management Plan. A trio of policy proposals would have repealed the plan and its early closure thresholds, returning management of the fishery to size, sex and season, as used elsewhere. “I understand the reason this proposal was put forward,” board member John Jensen said of Proposal 58. “Size, sex and season has been a very good way to manage fishe...
A group of 11 community members gathered on Jan. 21 to discuss and provide direction for how to use Wrangell Cooperative Association’s new carving facility, which was completed in October. The facility’s completion was the second of three phases for cultural development being undertaken by WCA, beginning with the restoration of the tribal house on Chief Shakes Island in 2013 and to conclude with the future recarving of eight totem poles and the training of master crafters. Among others, the planning group included members of the WCA Board, Tlin...
Following closely on its previous weekend in Metlakatla, Wrangell High School's boys basketball won three of its four games when it hosted the Chiefs on Friday and Saturday. Both the varsity and junior varsity squads won their games Friday. The JV Wolves pulled ahead in the second quarter, building on that lead and finishing 46 to the Chiefs' 29. Varsity played a close first half Friday, trading leads with Metlakatla before finally pulling ahead in the second half. The Wolves won 46 to 38. The...
The Wrangell area will be without an Alaska Wildlife Trooper for the foreseeable future, according to the state agency’s Juneau office. The vacancy was created by the transfer of Trooper Scott Bjork to the Juneau area earlier this month. Citing budgetary constraints, head of Southeast Detachment Lieutenant Jon Streifel confirmed Monday the post will remain unfilled until the department knows what the upcoming budget will look like. “It’s a new transition,” he said. As the new legislative session convenes this week in Juneau, state legisla...
Wrangell High School hosted Metlakatla High School for a quick basketball rematch. The Lady Wolves had played in Metlakatla on Jan. 16 and 17, with varsity and junior varsity each losing their two games to the hosts. The Lady Wolves' varsity squad won Friday evening, beating the Miss Chiefs in overtime 38 to 35. Though kept close throughout the game, Metlakatla came back in the fourth quarter to tie it up at 30. In extra time, several shots and a pair of free-throws were enough to put Wrangell...
Following the endorsement by Alaska voters of Ballot Measure 2 in November, marijuana consumption is scheduled to become legal for adults aged 21 and older beginning Feb. 24. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has within nine months from that date to adopt regulations governing marijuana-related entities and then regulate the newly-formed industry. Currently in Alaska, the possession of an ounce or less within the privacy of one’s home is legal. Outside the home, use or display of any amount or possession of an ounce or less of marijuana i...
A team of architects and civic planners appeared before Wrangell officials and residents last week to start drafting a master plan for the city's future waterfront development. The eventual goal is to develop the fill area along Campbell Drive into a mixed-use property for businesses, locals and visitors to enjoy. Chris Mertl of Corvus Design, James Bibb of North Wind Architects, Dick Somerville of PND Engineers and Meilani Scheijvens of Rain Coast Data make up the team assembled to develop the...
Members of Wrangell’s Public School Board okayed the first step in opening online vocational courses to Wrangell High School students. At its Monday evening meeting, the board endorsed applications for Type M Teaching Certificates for George Bell and Robin Gilchrist. “It’s another avenue to certification to allow a person to teach a class,” explained Superintendent Patrick Mayer. The two are affiliates of University of Alaska Southeast, and will instruct students in college-credited courses...
Wrangell bird-watchers braved crisp weather and rough water on Jan. 3 to participate in this year's 115th annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. Volunteers around the country pick a date between Dec. 14 and Jan. 4, and have 24 hours to record as many birds as possible within a seven-mile radius of a given point. Information is then submitted to the Audubon Society for record-keeping. Alaskans have been participating in the annual count since 1990, though the Audubons have been active in...
Bishop Edward Burns of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau last month announced the assignment of new priests for Southeast communities. A news release explained it is customary for a diocesan bishop to reassign priests to new parishes every five to ten years. Diocesan priests are themselves not assigned to any particular parish but to the diocese as a whole. Beginning Feb. 9, Father Scott Settimo will leave Holy Name Parish in Ketchikan, beginning a time of prayerful discernment of a vocation to the contemplative life. He will temporarily...
Alaska Island Community Services announced last week the addition of a new dentist to its staff, Dr. Charles Haubrich. "That's a huge enhancement to continuity of care," explained Terry Wagner, CHC operations manager for AICS. Previously Wrangell's dental office used locums, or specialists hired on a temporary basis. Haubrich has over 20 years' dentistry experience, skilled in restorative, crown and bridge, dentures and endodontic work. After operating his own practice in Ferndale, Wash., for...
Wrangell high school boys basketballers split with Metlakatla last weekend, with the junior varsity and varsity squads each winning and losing a game. The junior varsity players lost Friday night’s game, but turned things around the next evening with a win. The varsity Wolves won in Friday’s game, 39 to 36. In the game Blake Stokes scored 14 points, with three assists. Tyler Gillen was right behind with 12 points, also snagging three steals. Players Bryce Gerald and Mikey Ottesen were also there with rebounds, six and three, respectively. “It...
The Alaska Board of Fisheries began its six-day review process for crab, shrimp and miscellaneous shellfish policies in Southeast and Yakutat yesterday at Wrangell’s Nolan Center. Public testimony on the policy changes being proposed began Wednesday morning and will continue today. Part of the regulatory arm of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the board’s main role is to conserve and develop the fishery resources of the state, by setting seasons, bag limits, methods, means and other regulations for Alaska’s subsistence, comme...
An ordinance amending Thomas Bay Power Advisory Committee's role in Wrangell's Municipal Code passed the Wrangell City and Borough Assembly on first reading. A second reading featuring a public hearing will be held on Jan. 27. The principal change would make the committee advisory to the Wrangell and Petersburg assemblies. This follows the transfer of Lake Tyee hydroelectric power management to Southeast Alaska Power Agency last summer. Borough Clerk Kim Lane explained the proposal was first drafted by Petersburg and submitted to Wrangell for r...
After spending seven terms in the Alaska State House, Wrangell's long-serving Rep. Peggy Wilson announced her intention to retire last April, declining to run for reelection in November's general election. "It's really family more than anything else," she explained. One concern is the health of her mother, who lives in Iowa. "I was only getting to see my mom twice a year. That really got me thinking." Wilson described politics as very time-consuming, limiting the time she had to spend with her...
Wrangell Parks and Recreation Board discussed the possibility of setting up wireless internet at the community center gym, after receiving a letter from resident Jim Leslie asking for the upgrade. Board members Bob Lippert, Holly Owens, Michael Brown and Cindy Martin were present to discuss the matter at the Jan. 7 meeting. In his correspondence, Leslie indicated the change would be helpful for exercisers who prefer to stream music through their cellular phones while running. The letter pointed out that reception indoors is limited and data...
The Bay Company’s requests for the City and Borough of Wrangell to vacate and sell portions of an adjacent alleyway have finally cleared their first hurdle, being approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission after considerable discussion at its Jan. 8 meeting. Bay Company’s manager, David Powell, filed the request on behalf of his employers, to vacate the remainder of an alleyway adjacent to lots A and C of the Bay Company replat. The request would also allow the Bay Company to purchase portions of lots 1 and 2, Block B, of the Sortyard Sub...
There were plenty of good plays, a few falls and even some last-second shots sunk during Wrangell High School's homecoming weekend basketball tournament, but no victories as it hosted both the boys and girls teams from Petersburg High School. "There were a couple of really close games," said Wrangell Public Schools activities director Jack Carney. "Some of the kids really stood out." Friday's boys junior varsity game went into overtime, with both teams locked at 30 points. Petersburg edged ahead...
Despite a couple of high-profile cases, it's been a slow year for local scanner-listeners, with criminal cases dropping by more than a third in Wrangell over the previous year. In 2014, 74 criminal cases and 36 minor offenses were processed by Wrangell's District Court. These latter included state and contested local issues, including bail scheduling, hunting and fishing citations, and traffic violations. This is down from 112 cases processed the previous year, though the 36 minor offenses remained unchanged. “It's been a topic of d...
