Articles from the January 29, 2015 edition


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  • Hospital board reviews finances, budget draft

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • Assembly reviews fireworks, firearms ordinances

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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,...

  • Board of Fish votes to keep Dungeness management plan

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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 A trio of policy proposals would have repealed the plan and its early closure thresholds, returning management of the fishery to size, sex and season, as used elsewhere.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...

  • The Way We Were

    Jan 29, 2015

    In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. February 4, 1915: The big wrecking tug Salvor, of the Canadian Salvage Company of Victoria, was in port last Friday night, coming in from the wreck of the Delhi for fresh water and also took 25 sacks of sawdust from the saw mill which will be in the raising of the Delhi. The captain of the Salvor and also the head diver, in speaking of the Delhi are confident that they will be able to float the vessel within a few days and after a few minor repairs to her engines and boilers she will be able to...

  • Subsistence Board acts on Southeast fisheries proposals

    Jan 29, 2015

    At its Jan. 21-23 meeting in Anchorage, the Federal Subsistence Board opted to take action on proposed changes to federal subsistence fishing regulations. Statewide, a definition of hooks was added to allow those with or without barbs. For Southeast, the board opted to close federal waters to non-federally qualified users in the Makhnati Island area to the harvest of herring and herring spawn. It also will require that nets be checked twice a day on the Stikine River and eliminated the subsistence sockeye salmon annual guideline harvest level o...

  • Courts

    Jan 29, 2015

    Tuesday, January 20 A petition to revoke probation was filed against Taylor Stavee, after admission of violating the conditions. Stavee must serve three days if 80 hours community service is completed and verified by Feb. 3, or else serve 10 days, and must pay the suspended $100 jail surcharge. A petition to revoke probation was filed against Donavan Bean, after admission of violating the conditions. A 10-day sentence will be held in abeyance if proof of compliance with AICS referral and pay plan for fines have been filed with the court by...

  • Police reports

    Jan 29, 2015

    Monday, January 19 Agency Assist/AICS. Traffic Stop: Verbal warning for failure to turn on tail lights. Tuesday, January 20 Found Property: Jewelry turned in by Post Office. Criminal Trespass. Agency Assist/Chimney Fire. Wednesday, January 21 Nothing to Report. Thursday, January 22 Animal Complaint: Injured Raven. Possible violation of stalking order. Missing dogs: Dogs found and taken back home. Traffic Stop: Verbal warning given for faulty head lights. Possible theft still under investigation. Agency Assist: DOT, tree in roadway. Friday,...

  • Letters to the Editor

    Jan 29, 2015

    To the Editor: My evolution as a responsible dog owner: Two dogs ago sweet Tippy shared my home. She roamed the neighborhood and deposited her poop at will. Raised on a farm, I thought that was okay. My apologies, everyone. Next came manly Luther, whose deposits filled the back yard. I learned to trudge outside every week or so to clean up after him, and even bought myself a poop-scooping spoon. Then I spent time in Ethiopia, where various forms of excrement are to be seen everywhere. Lots of it. Now I’m home again, with a new companion, a...

  • Obituaries: Nondas Leah Taylor Haux, 100

    Jan 29, 2015

    Nondas Leah Taylor Haux, 100, died on January 9, 2015 in Wrangell, Alaska. She was born on April 28, 1914 to Charles and Ester Taylor in Connorsville, Ind. She decided to follow Jesus when she was five years old and taught Sunday school for many years. She graduated from Pasadena College and taught grade school for six years in North Dakota. She married Ted Haux on February 28, 1951. She sang, taught and preached with Ted for many years throughout many of the states in the U.S. She wrote two books, journals and many prayers. She fished with...

  • Obituary, Joel Neuschwander, 77

    Jan 29, 2015

    Joel Neuschwander, 77, passed away Dec. 26, 2014, with family by his side in Hubbard, Ore. He was born on January 27, 1937 to Ruth and Arthur Neuschwander, the middle child of seven siblings; Charles, Gerald, Karen, (Joel), Sandra, Ramon and Elizabeth. At Canby High Joel excelled in wrestling and was District and State Champion for three years, he graduated in 1955. At OSU he completed his Bachelors in Education, at PSU he completed his Masters in Science/Psychology. In college he carried the...

  • Stikine Middle School Honor Roll

    Jan 29, 2015

    1st Quarter: Stikine Middle School: Principals Honor Roll: Sixth grade: Jade Balansag, Bruce Smith. Seventh grade: Kaylyn Easterly, Laura Helgeson, Jing O’Brien. Eighth grade: Helen Decker, Kellan Eagle, Jean-Luc Lewis. Honor Roll: Sixth grade: Brett Abrahamson, Robyn Booker, Terra Hoyt. Seventh grade: Madison Blackburn, Karri Buness, Michael Buness, Adriana Larrabee, Trevor Miller, Sean Rooney, Hank Voltz, Hunter Wiederspohn. Eighth grade: Ashley Allen, Riley Blatchley, Talon Churchill, Issacc Mingming, Julia Niemi, Dillon Rooney. Honorable M...

  • Obituary

    Jan 29, 2015

    The populace of Wrangell, Alaska, is much the poorer with the passing of life-time resident, Edward "Eddie" Earl Kalkins, Jr., on January 21, 2015. For over a century, the Kalkins' name has occupied a storied place on the island beginning in 1900 with the arrival of Polish immigrant, Anthony J. Kalkins, and his young son, Edward, to Alaska. Born April 2, 1933 in Wrangell to Captain Edward Kalkins and the former Miss Elsie Vance of Telegraph Creek, B.C., Canada, Ed attended school in Skagway and...

  • Group deliberates future for WCA carving facility

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • Chiefs and Wolves rematch in Wrangell weekend

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • Wrangell to go trooperless for foreseeable future

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • Lady Wolves change up defense in Metlakatla matches

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • Fish Factor

    Laine Welch|Jan 29, 2015

    The need for a clear “fish first” policy in Alaska tops the list of priorities compiled by the Fisheries Transition Team for Governor Walker. The group also stated that “fish and fishermen in Alaska are viewed as barriers to development,” and that there is “irreplaceable optimism” that fish can coexist with development at any scale. Fisheries was just one of the topics that 250 Alaskans brainstormed about in 17 teams that newly elected Walker convened in late November. Their task was to identify the top five priorities in diverse categories,...

  • Obama to seek wilderness designation for Alaska refuge

    Jan 29, 2015

    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – President Barack Obama is proposing to designate the vast majority of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a wilderness area, including its potentially oil-rich coastal plain, drawing an angry response from top state elected officials who see it as a land grab by the federal government. “They've decided that today was the day that they were going to declare war on Alaska. Well, we are ready to engage,” said U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate energy committee. The designation would set aside an addit...

  • Statewide marijuana legalization due to start

    Dan Rudy|Jan 29, 2015

    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...

  • NASA brings earthquake monitoring to SE

    Jan 29, 2015

    KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – It's not quite rocket science, but close enough, and closer to home students in the Tribal Scholars Program began cutting-edge earthquake monitoring research in a partnership with NASA this past week. It's part of a new project called the Global Earthquake Forecasting System, where high school students maintain and interpret data with the goal of identifying early earthquake signals. The GEFS platform was installed on the roof of Ketchikan High School and started collecting data Jan. 16. The sensors in the platform t...

  • AICS awarded three-year CARF accreditation

    Jan 29, 2015

  • Applications being accepted for American Seafoods grant program

    Jan 29, 2015

    The Community Advisory Board of American Seafoods Company announced it will be accepting applications for its Alaska community grant program. The deadline for applications is Feb. 17. Since its inception in 1997, the CAB has granted over $1.25 million to organizations and programs in Alaska. For this particular application, small grants totaling $38,000 will be allocated to community projects addressing issues such as hunger, housing, safety, education, research, natural resources and cultural activities. The majority of awards range from $500...