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The police department is putting together a plan to hire a tow truck company from Petersburg to come over in the spring and haul to the borough's impound yard vehicles that have been abandoned for too long in port and harbor parking lots, and elsewhere throughout town. The vehicles are piled up in parking lots at Heritage Harbor, Shoemaker Bay and in the right of way on Zimovia Highway, making it difficult for snowplows to do their work. Others are leaning against derelict boats next to a bed-an...
The borough assembly on Tuesday approved $1.1 million for design and engineering of a new water treatment plant, though actual construction will depend on additional funding. The project is a top priority for the borough. The assembly authorized the design and engineering contract with Anchorage-based DOWL. About 10% of the cost will come from the borough’s water fund reserves, 35% from a loan from the borough’s general fund to the water utility at zero interest for 10 years, and 55% from Wrangell’s share of federal pandemic aid under the A...
Wrangell's emergency operations center last week received 650 COVID-19 at-home test kits from the state health department, reviving its supply which had dwindled to none amid the community's record number of new infections. As of Tuesday evening, Wrangell was up to 157 new COVID-19 cases reported by the borough since Dec. 30, two and a half times the community's highest monthly count of the pandemic and representing about one of every 14 residents. The post-holidays surge represents 40% of the...
Though they say the level of funding for the state ferry system in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is adequate, coastal legislators don’t like that the governor wants to use one-time federal money to pay the bills, eliminating almost 95% of state funding. Their fear is that when the federal dollars from last year’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan run out, so too will adequate ferry service. “Those federal dollars were meant to augment state money, not replace it,” House Speaker Louise Stutes, o...
Jan. 26, 1922 The high school English I class had a first introduction to debating last Friday. The question was, “Resolved, that the Petersburg basketball team has a chance of winning over the Wrangell High School team next Saturday.” The issues were given but the proving of the issues was not attempted. It was useless. One of the debaters said the Petersburg team could not beat us because it was composed of bald-headed men. Jan. 24, 1947 Walter Stuart, of Ketchikan, a well-known authority on public utilities, arrived in Wrangell on Wed...
The kids gathered atop the sledding hill across from Evergreen Elementary, next to a small fire in which they burned face masks. They carried signs reading "Unmask Wrangell Youth!!" and "Unmask our children! Let them be kids!" They chanted, "Burn the masks!" It was part of a walkout in which children and parents frustrated over wearing masks during school hours voiced their opposition to the districtwide rule. About 14 elementary and middle school students left the grounds at 10:30 a.m. last...
The borough’s convention and visitor bureau has released its draft cruise ship schedule, painting an updated picture of how many passengers might fill the streets of Wrangell, take in the sights and charter local fishing and sightseeing guides this summer. The number is down from 21,500 visitors in 2019 but, with the potential for more than 17,000 passengers berths this summer, it would be an economically significant improvement over last year’s trickle of cruise traffic and zero passengers in 2020. The 17,000-passenger capacity would be if...
Feel like getting the royal treatment? Well, it’s going to take some hard work. Wrangell’s chamber of commerce has begun recruiting efforts for this year’s royalty competition, with winners announced during the Fourth of July festivities. The contest is a fundraiser for the chamber, which sponsors the annual July 4th activities, and for the candidates, who get to keep a share of their sales. The candidates sell as many raffle tickets as possible through door-to-door efforts or by including the tickets as part of food sales. Last year’s ticket s...
The Alaska Legislature gaveled into session last week. The Legislature’s main duty is creating and passing a budget for the state. To do this, we start by considering last year’s budget and the budget proposed by the governor. I’d like to tell you a bit about the governor’s proposed budget for this upcoming year, Fiscal Year 2023, which starts July 1. The governor is proposing a budget about $80 million more than last year’s budget, or a 2% increase, which is in line with the original assumption for inflation. Inflation rates have jumped mu...
The primary election for governor is less than seven months away, on Aug. 16, with the general election in November. And though it’s only the end of January, there is no need to delay this endorsement call: Wasilla Rep. Christopher Kurka is not who a healthy Alaska needs as governor. With an emphasis on healthy. Candidates often have a hard time getting anyone to notice their announcements early in the campaign — especially during a miserable winter like this year, when there are roofs and boats and pipes to worry about. So they sometimes will...
Word choice matters. Thinking through how others will read and perceive words is important, especially when sharing opinions. The Sentinel editorial last week is a case in point. My purpose in the editorial was that the borough assembly could have interviewed candidates for the manager’s job in public. I think they should have, but that’s just my opinion and my view of the law from the perspective of a journalist who has written about public policy and government in Alaska since 1976. I wanted readers to know that the courts have held that suc...
A former concessions stand in City Park is slated to be the site of a commercial-scale composter that could give second life to food scraps on a bigger scale, potentially reducing the volume of trash that Wrangell pays to ship off the island. The folks reviving the community garden have budgeted $19,500 toward the composter, which will be located at the garden on the former Lions ball field. Valerie Massie, coordinator at Wrangell Cooperative Association's Indian Environmental General...
In a break from past practice, the Alaska Department of Revenue this year will provide monthly updates to legislators whenever projected oil prices — and state revenues — move up or down more than 10%. Several legislators worry that could confuse budget deliberations this session. Revenue staff has updated the state’s twice-yearly oil-price forecasts internally but not released the numbers to the public, the department’s chief economist Dan Stickel told the Senate Finance Committee on Jan. 20. “We’ve decided to go ahead and start releasing t...
Earlier this month, a derelict tug boat, the Bee, went down in Shoemaker Bay, and five other vessels almost did, after heavy snow loads and single-digit temperatures weighted down Wrangell. The harbor department impounded the 60-foot Bee in September, Port Director Steve Miller said Friday. His staff had been checking it twice a day but "something broke on the boat that allowed some more water than our pumps could handle," he said. The boat went down on Jan. 5 after heavy snowfall earlier this...
The Alaska Board of Fisheries, which had planned to hold its Southeast and Yakutat shellfish and finfish regulations meeting in Ketchikan this month before a surge in COVID-19 cases and winter-weather travel problems forced its cancellation, has rescheduled the sessions for March 10-22 in Anchorage. The board, however, was scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon via Zoom to possibly reconsider the decision to move the meeting to Anchorage. “Given the myriad of factors to consider, the board will vote on the meeting location,” according to a boa...
The Wrangell High School girls basketball team dominated their first three games of the season to win the Rally at Denali tournament last weekend. In three games over two days in at Susitna Valley High School in Talkeetna, the Lady Wolves defeated Birchwood Christian from Chugiak, Susitna Valley and Petersburg. At first it appeared Wrangell wouldn’t be able to make the tournament due to mechanical problems on the flight last Wednesday. The plane was grounded in Petersburg and the team was returned to Wrangell the same day. The players made i...
A win, a loss and a win. The Wrangell boys basketball team had three vastly different games against three differently matched teams, ultimately winning third place at the Rally at Denali high school tournament in Talkeetna last weekend. The Wolves took on Birchwood Christian from Chugiak, Susitna Valley from Talkeetna and Hooper Bay from Western Alaska. Though Birchwood won the tip-off in the first game on Friday, driving the ball into home territory, the team could not score on Wrangell, who...
Wrangell High School seniors have potentially more than $70,000 in higher education scholarships available to them from local organizations. Funds range anywhere from a one-time $100 award to $5,000 per year for four years. Though application deadlines for some are already past, many are still available for seniors looking to pursue a postsecondary education such as college or trade school. “These scholarship opportunities are vital to our students,” said counselor Addy Esco. “The world of postsecondary education and training has changed drast...
The scholarship fund created to honor the memory of Helen and Sig Decker is a little different from most. In addition to the usual requirements of being a graduating high school senior who is going on to postsecondary schooling, applicants must have worked in commercial fishing or seafood processing. It's recognition that the Deckers worked in the industry for years before they died in a car accident in Petersburg on July 28, 2020, at 19 and 21 years old, respectively. The family made...
JUNEAU (AP) — The Alaska Supreme Court has upheld a voter-approved election system that ends party primaries in the state and institutes ranked-choice voting in general elections. A brief order on Jan. 19 affirmed a lower court ruling from last year. A fuller opinion explaining the Supreme Court’s decision was expected later. The ruling comes one day after the justices heard arguments in the case. The new system, narrowly approved by voters in 2020, is unique among states and will be used for this year’s elections. It is viewed by suppo...
JUNEAU (AP) — A commission tasked with reviewing legislative pay voted Jan. 18 to raise the annual salary for Alaska lawmakers but to restrict the daily allowance lawmakers can receive. The changes will go forward unless the Legislature votes to rejects them. The Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission voted 3-1 to raise the base salary from $50,400 a year to $64,000. The recommendation would cap at $100 a day an allowance for living expenses that lawmakers could claim during regular sessions, and also require receipts for r...
JUNEAU (AP) — A federal judge on Jan. 20 sided with a former state attorney who alleged she was wrongly fired over political opinions expressed on a personal blog. U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick ruled that Elizabeth Bakalar’s December 2018 firing violated her free speech and rights under the U.S. and state constitutions. In October, Sedwick sided with two doctors at the state’s psychiatric hospital in Anchorage who had declined to submit resignation letters and also were fired, same as Bakalar, as the new administration of Gov. Mike...
The state ferry system reports that the Kennicott’s return to service in late April will not be delayed after it collided with the Hubbard while docking in Ketchikan a couple of weeks ago. “We’re still in the investigation phase, so I’m unable to share additional details about the incident at this time,” state transportation department spokesman Sam Dapcevich said last week. The 23-year-old Kennicott bumped into the 2-year-old Hubbard while docking on Jan. 14, as the Kennicott was pulling into Ketchikan for the start of its three-mon...
The Sentinel incorrectly reported in the Jan. 20 issue that Lindsay Pomeroy worked at Alaska Crossings. Only her husband, Sebastian, worked at Crossings. She works at the elementary school....
Monday, Jan. 17 Agency assist: Ambulance. Citizen assist. Traffic stop. Tuesday, Jan. 18 Agency assist: Ambulance. Traffic stop. Agency assist: Hoonah Police Department. Traffic stop. Agency assist: Ambulance. Agency assist. Wednesday, Jan. 19 Nothing to report. Thursday, Jan. 20 Traffic stop. Parking complaint. Aggressive dog. Friday, Jan. 21 Suspicious circumstance. Traffic stop. Motor vehicle accident. Saturday, Jan. 22 Welfare check. Inmate booking. Agency assist: Hoonah Police Department. Sunday, Jan. 23 Nothing to repo...
