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Wrangellites looking for ways to brighten up the fall and winter offseason have another option this winter. Resident Jennifer Bates last month began holding art classes, focused on bringing out locals' inner artist. "I started Resurrection Artworks in October, because winter was basically coming," she explained. "There was nothing like it in town that I know of." Several classes have already been held, with between six and a dozen participants per session. Aimed at beginners of all ages, they...
Primary construction work at Swan Lake wrapped up last week, leaving full capacity for its hydroelectric dam 15 feet higher than it was at the year's start. The $10,000,000 project was undertaken by Southeast Alaska Power Agency, a utility covering the communities of Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg. Starting about two weeks behind schedule earlier in the summer, workers finished with time to spare with the barge platform used for the project's crane departing last week with general...
A time extension sought by the borough for an ongoing legal suit it is facing with its public employees union has been granted, the Alaska Superior Court decided. Judge Trevor Stephens on November 10 granted the extension, which the City and Borough of Wrangell (CBW) requested in response to a motion for summary judgment filed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547. The reason given for the extension was to allow the city to conduct discovery – a pretrial procedure which allows participating parties to obtain e...
Marking this year's remembrance of the country's veterans, several dinners and ceremonies paid tribute to local servicemen and women on Friday. To start with, a number of businesses closed their doors for the day, giving veterans time to spend with friends and family. A charity run was held by Southeast Beasts first thing at 8 a.m., raising $135 dollars for local veteran services. At the Wrangell High School gym at 10:30 a.m., several dozen veterans were given front-row seating for a...
Young swimmers traveled to Petersburg over the weekend to compete in Wrangell's first competitive meet in over a decade. Fourteen members of the Wrangell Swim Club participated, out of 28 total, and joined swimmers from six other communities in the three-day November Rain Swim Meet. Aged 8 to 13, Wrangell's competitors participated in more than 90 individual events, which were organized by stroke, distance, age and gender. For their efforts, the team turned in personal best times in every event...
Wrangell’s high school volleyball team positioned itself for Region V at the month’s end, finishing up in fourth place at the 2A North Seeding Tournament in Skagway over the weekend. “We were excited with the way the girls were able to play this weekend,” coach Jessica Whitaker commented. Playing on Veterans Day, the Lady Wolves picked up two wins against Haines, winning the first match 25-19 and the second 25-16. Wrangell continued its win streak with matches won against Skagway 25-8 and 25-...
Being "The Last Frontier," Alaska has long been a crossroad for adventure. From the likes of John Muir, Susan Butcher and Jack London, that tradition continues with the arrival of modern-day travelers. Circling the globe in his sailboat, Guirec Soudée found a friendly harbor in Wrangell last week during a run of rough weather. Hailing from Brittany, a peninsular region in northwestern France, the 24-year-old sailor recently navigated the Arctic's Northwest Passage, accompanied only by his hen,...
Remaining members of the Borough Assembly revisited local nepotism rules, after member Stephen Prysunka tendered his resignation last month. In a letter explaining the decision, Prysunka said his daughter had applied for a lifeguarding job with the city, and as such felt he had a conflict of interest under the city’s code. The current reading had been updated in August 2013, and does not allow for the assembly, manager, or other figures of authority to appoint relatives to offices or positions of profit if within the second degree of relation o...
The heads of two consolidating health providers appeared before the Wrangell City and Borough Assembly Tuesday evening to talk about upcoming plans and to answer any questions the assembly’s members might have about the transition. Last month Wrangell-based Alaska Island Community Services (AICS) announced it would be merging with larger organization SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), a process expected to finalize in February 2017. AICS executive Mark Walker explained the move was necessitated by the provider’s growth. Sin...
The summer visitor season appears to have improved slightly over the last year for Wrangell, according to data available through the city, state and private businesses. One indication of this has been collections of the city's transient occupancy tax, commonly called the "bed tax," a six-percent levy on room rates for local hotels, lodges and other accommodations. The Wrangell Chamber of Commerce has 17 of these listed, whose primary seasons and target markets vary. While sales tax data could...
Art students at the middle and high schools are throwing pottery with style, now that a new kiln was purchased. Stikine Middle School and Wrangell High School art teacher Anne Luetkemeyer explained the new addition to her classroom was financed thanks to proceeds from annual art auctions. Held in early December each year, students from her class pool together pieces and various works to sell during the annual Christmas concert. Saving for the past three years, the class raised the $3,800 needed...
Wrangell’s wrestlers took sixth place overall during the weekend’s annual tournament in Anchorage. The Lime Solar-Anchorage Christian Schools Invitational draws schools from around the state each year, many of them contenders for tops honors at State. Forty-six teams attended this year’s tournament, and Wrangell fielded one of the smaller rosters for teams making the top ten. Nine Wolves competed, with seven counting toward the team total for points. In the Varsity 98 bracket, Jonah Comstock bested Eielson High student Jolie Lucas in a 14-11...
Two license applications for a prospective marijuana retailer have been submitted to the state Marijuana Control Board for consideration. The applications – for retail and cultivation – were submitted October 24 on behalf of Happy Cannabis, a business being developed by Wrangell restaurateur Kelsey Martinsen. Renovating the former Thunderbird Hotel, the business will feature a retail area and a separate grow and process facility. Martinsen expects the business should not produce much additional traffic flow, or at least not more than it had...
As the year's campaign season nears its close on Tuesday, candidates for House District 36 came to Wrangell to participate in a public debate last week. Held at City Hall on October 26, the forum was hosted by public radio station KSTK. Independent incumbent Rep. Dan Ortiz met with Republican challenger Bob Sivertsen. Constitution Party candidate Kenneth Shaw was also invited to the debate, but was unable to attend. All three candidates are from Ketchikan. Speakers were given two minutes each...
With this year’s memorable general elections already underway and polls set to close on Tuesday, one local student has made a goal of including classmates in the process. Wrangell High School student Draven Golding has decided to focus on the issue for his senior capstone project this year. With the cooperation of the city, school and Division of Elections, Golding will set up a table at the Nolan Center lobby on November 8, near to where the official polling will take place. His senior classmates and other students are encouraged to come b...
Stopping in town one last time before next week's election, Sen. Bert Stedman talked about the state's ongoing deficit woes, by far the largest issue the new set of legislators will be facing when they head into next year's session. Speaking on October 27, he tried to put the scale of the deficit into perspective. While for readability's sake the amount is sometimes expressed in terms of "billions," he noted the full figure may come to between $3,100,000,000 and $3,500,000,000 this year – an a...
Wrangell's wrestlers made a good showing among teams included in this year's Bill Weiss Invitational, held in Ketchikan over the weekend. "They really did well there," explained assistant coach Jack Carney. Included in the competition were larger schools such as Glenallen, which brought along some of their former state champions for the ride. "We had some real stiff competition from Bethel," Carney noted. Dawson Miller and Dillon Rooney both competed in the 160 bracket, with senior Miller...
On the second-to-last week of the campaign trail, a contender for the state’s only U.S. House of Representatives seat was making the rounds in Southeast last weekend. Democratic Party candidate Steve Lindbeck was due to visit Wrangell on Saturday morning, but was unable to fly from Petersburg due to foggy conditions. “Life in Alaska. We love it,” he commented during an interview over the phone. “I’m really sad to miss Wrangell this time, but I’ll get back.” Formerly the Alaska Public Media general manager and associate editor for the Anchorage...
The City and Borough of Wrangell and the public employees union remain on course to pursue litigation in an ongoing collective bargaining dispute. Since the expiration in June 2014 of the current collective bargaining agreement between the city and workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547, both sides have been unable to come to terms on a new agreement. Though expired, the 24 employees represented by the union are currently still being compensated under the terms of the old CBA. Mediation undertaken...
Local runners stretched their legs last week in honor of Alaska Day, taking part in a five-kilometer run and half-marathon and raising money for cancer care in the process. The event was put together by Southeast Beasts, a local nonprofit made up of runners, joggers and walkers who get together during the year to enjoy the outdoors and raise money for worthy causes in the process. Since the Alaska Day 5K and Half-Marathon's start in 2014, F/V Pacific Sea owner Frank Warfel Jr. has each year...
The city is currently working on ways to reduce the number of autos, boats and other items abandoned or else improperly stored around the island. Chief Doug McCloskey with the Wrangell Police Department explained there currently are many derelict vehicles on the city's radar, about a dozen in all. In municipal code, junk vehicles by definition are those which are stripped, wrecked or otherwise inoperable due to mechanical failure. Currently it is against the law for a junk vehicle to remain in...
Wrangell’s Wildlife Trooper position was vacated this month, but efforts are being made to refill it. After about a year of service in the area Trooper Fred Burk put in his notice, resigning from the position after the end of September. “We have been trying to fill that position,” explained Captain Steve Hall, commander of the AST Southern Detachment covering Southeast and Southwest Alaska. “We want to see a trooper in the community there.” In Southeast there are currently 15 trooper positions, including one lieutenant and three sergeants...
Exhibits sent in by three local artists returned home with top honors this year. Terree Pino, Anny Newport and Charity Hommel won a collection of awards for their artwork at the 2016 Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines this July, which proceeded from there to be shown at the State Fair in Palmer. The exhibits have since migrated back to their origins and a collection of them are on display in the window of Stikine River Gifts and Apparel. Specializing in photography, Hommel brought back seven...
Wrangell’s high school wrestling team finished in third overall during the weekend’s Pilot Invitational at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau. “It was a great tournament,” said Wolves coach Jeff Rooney. “Some great competition all around.” Included in the competition were the Colony High School Knights, a 4A team from Palmer. Rooney said the team raised the level of the tournament and challenged his players. “They did very well,” he commented. Of the 12 taken to Juneau, five ended up competing in the finals, with two finishing in fi...
With elections at the state and national levels set for November 8, candidates have been busy making the rounds, meeting with constituents and engaging in public debates on policy directions. In the race for House District 36, Wrangell voters may already be acquainted with sitting Rep. Dan Ortiz and Republican challenger Bob Sivertsen, both of whom were scheduled to debate in town on Wednesday evening. Interviews with the two have already run in the preceding two issues of the Sentinel. A third candidate is joining them on the ballot this...
