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Independent travelers and passengers aboard small cruise ships are vital to Wrangell's tourism season, and they're exactly what the community is focusing on - regardless of Canada's decision to keep its waters closed to the larger cruise ships that come to Alaska. "We're moving forward with marketing to independent travelers ... it's huge for us," said Carol Rushmore, the borough's economic development director and head of the Wrangell Convention and Visitor Bureau. "The fact that we don't rely...
The Wrangell School District celebrated its 100th day of classes this school year on Feb. 11. Evergreen Elementary student Cameron Young (left) works on an art project to celebrate the day, and Sayler Haslip (right) shows off the "100 Days Smarter" crown she made for the special day....
Thanks to the use of federal CARES Act funds to offset wages, and not as bleak a year as had been expected for sales tax revenue, the city general fund is projected to close out Fiscal Year 2021 in the black anywhere from about $100,000 to $800,000. However, the next fiscal year starting July 1 is less certain, according to reports at a borough assembly workshop Feb. 9. "This paints a really great picture for FY21, but I need to caution you for FY22," Borough Manager Lisa Von Bargen said in the...
Wrangell is one of four school districts in the state to remain open all year through the COVID-19 pandemic, according to school officials. On top of providing a quality education, Alaska's more than 50 school districts have been tasked with keeping their students healthy during the pandemic. Wrangell is one of the few to accomplish this without any pandemic-forced closures, said Special Education Teacher and Teacher's Association President Ryan Howe. "Just about all the other schools, they...
A raven stops its scavenging in the City Market parking lot to make a loud point last Friday....
Just shy of 20 months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the new $30 million Wrangell Medical Center is fully operational. The final department to relocate from the old quarters - emergency services - moved in last Friday. Long-term care residents moved in Sunday, said Hospital Administrator Leatha Merculieff. Departments began a staggered move from the old hospital, next to Evergreen Elementary School, to the new building on Wood Street in late January. There was a slight delay in moving he...
Feb. 17, 1921 Another author has sprung up in our midst in the person of John L. Anderson, who is writing a real history, a dramatic combination of adventure, pleasure, courtship, love, horrors and tragedy, which will later be published and offered for reproduction to the moving picture corporations. The title of Mr. Anderson’s book is: “From the Cradle to the Grave.” The work is now about completed and a copyright will be applied for at once. Mr. Anderson has lived in Alaska for many years and knows Alaska from Ketchikan to Nome. His book...
Up to $200 million in federal funding is available to help Alaskans who are having trouble paying their rent due to a loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alaska Housing Finance Corp., a state agency, is running the assistance program. The corporation is using Alaska's share of federal aid for renters, as allocated under December's congressional pandemic relief legislation. The application period opened Tuesday and will close at 11:59 p.m. March 5. More than 15,000 Alaskans had...
The Eagle's Nest, a weekly youth program hosted by Wrangell Bible Baptist Church, restarted last Friday, after it had been on hiatus for months "since COVID rocked the world," said organizer Tim Helton. The program was started by the Heltons, Tim and Missy, back in 2018. Their goal was to provide a safe and fun place for elementary school-age kids to hang out. "We are so happy to be back at Eagle's Nest." He said in a Facebook message. "We can be cautious and have quality time as well." Almost...
The state housing corporation started up its new, federally funded assistance program for renters this week. Up to $200 million is available to help tenants across Alaska who are behind on their rent or utilities, and/or need help with the rent for this month and even far into 2021. In addition to a maximum income level - a Wrangell applicant's total household income either last year or this year cannot exceed $57,120 - the other major eligibility requirement is that the household must show it...
Maybe you did not like her vote to convict former President Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial. Maybe you wanted her to stick with most Republicans who cast their ballot to acquit because you believe the evidence was weak, or that Trump never intended to ignite a riot at the Capitol last month, or that Congress cannot impeach a former president. Maybe you think the senator, now in her 20th year, isn't conservative enough for your Republican tastes, and you believe she has grown too...
BRAVE fundraiser was a success To the editor: The overall mission of the BRAVE coalition is to help build and strengthen healthy relationships in Wrangell. The group is reforming after limited activity during the pandemic. We are grateful to all who took part in the rummage sale, our first-ever fundraiser, held Feb. 13. As a volunteer organization, the purpose is to raise awareness about issues of interpersonal violence, become trauma-informed, and offer educational programs to prevent injury...
Wally McDonald, who got off the southbound LeConte on Monday to check on his boat in Wrangell's harbor, said he was just thankful the ferry finally got him to town. It is challenging getting to and from places on the ferry system these days, he said. The LeConte was just the fourth ferry visit to Wrangell in the past four months. And even that was a change in plans. The LeConte was filling in for the Matanuska, which broke down last week. The LeConte returned northbound to Wrangell on Tuesday,...
Testing for COVID-19 will continue at the Wrangell airport, and at other airports throughout Alaska, even though the state pandemic disaster declaration expired Sunday. However, the testing will be optional rather than mandatory, except in those communities with their own rules. The Alaska Legislature was unable to agree on a new disaster authorization for the governor, who declined to issue a declaration without legislative action. "As of now we will continue with airport screening and...
More than $6.5 billion in federal funding for pandemic relief has already been authorized for individuals, communities, school districts, businesses, health-safety programs, government agencies, the fishing industry and others in Alaska, with more probably headed this way. Legislators will likely want a say in how any new money coming to the state treasury will be used. The White House and Democrat-led Congress are pushing for additional federal assistance, as much as $1.9 trillion, including...
Due to high winds last weekend, neither of Wrangell High School's basketball teams traveled to Metlakatla for their first away games of the season. However, the high school said the games are tentatively rescheduled for this weekend - boating weather dependent. The school said the Wrangell Wolves and the Wrangell Lady Wolves will travel to Metlakatla for games Friday and Saturday. Friday's games will start with the boys junior varsity game at 4:35 p.m., followed by the girls varsity game and...
Mya DeLong and Gary Buethe were busy preparing for Valentine's Day, cutting, arranging and wrapping 20 boxes of flowers that arrived at their shop Feb. 11. DeLong said flowers arrived at Groundswell from all over the world, including roses from Ecuador, orchids from New Zealand and carnations from Colombia....
Wrangell's newest police officer started work last week. Yuriy Bezzubenko, formerly of Hoonah, North Carolina and Ukraine, said he joined the Wrangell Police Department in pursuit of new opportunities. "Wrangell offered more opportunities for training, thus I came to Wrangell and I've decided to stay here," he said. "It was a bigger town, had a lot more people, also the police department was a lot bigger." Wrangell has almost three times the population of Hoonah, about 160 miles to the...
The Wrangell Cooperative Association, Wrangell's tribal organization, and the Salvation Army collaborated last Friday to hand out 50 food boxes to people in need, with a second distribution planned for this Friday. Esther Reese, WCA tribal administrator, said her organization signed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to participate in their Farmers to Families Food Box program. It's a nationwide effort to support farmers and families, with the federal government buying the food from...
Fishermen must wear masks while they are underway, even while sleeping, and the Coast Guard intends to enforce it. That’s an edict issued as a public health emergency by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a Marine Safety Bulletin issued Feb. 1. It requires wearing masks at all times in U.S. waters on all commercial vessels “when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel” to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The action states that “conveyance operators traveling into or within the U.S. may transport only perso...
Monday, Feb. 8 Civil standby. Tuesday, Feb. 9 Found property. Agency assist: Public Works. Agency assist: Ambulance. Citizen assist. Driving complaint. Wednesday, Feb. 10 Summons service. Thursday, Feb. 11 Security check. Agency assist: Public works. Friday, Feb. 12 Agency assist: Fire Department. Agency assist: Unlock vehicle. Saturday, Feb. 13 Agency assist: Fire Department. Traffic stop: Verbal warning for failure to signal. Traffic stop: Verbal warning for failure to stop at stop sign. Traffic stop: Verbal warning for taillight out....
JUNEAU (AP) - A man in a pickup truck was arrested after the Alaska Transportation Department said he drove past boarding lines to get onto a state-run ferry at the dock in Juneau on Feb. 10 and was heard by crew “muttering about a bomb and firearms.” The Juneau Police Department said the man did not have a ticket to board the LeConte’s morning voyage and “made a comment about a bomb” when confronted by ferry employees. The police department, in a release, said the comment was not a direct threat and the man did not say he had a bomb. But it sa...
SITKA - With protocols for coronavirus mitigation and testing, as well as hope for a more expansive vaccine rollout, Sitka-based maritime tourism company Allen Marine plans to return to form this spring and summer, the company said last week. Bookings on Allen Marine’s subsidiary company, Alaska Dream Cruises, have seen significant demand, Allen Marine’s Zak Kirkpatrick reported in an online press and industry meeting. The Dream Cruises operate solely in Alaska waters, unaffected by Canada’s decision earlier this month to keep its waters close...
HONOLULU (AP) - Senators from Hawaii and Alaska on Feb. 11 were elected the chairperson and vice chairperson of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, will serve as chairperson. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, will be vice chairperson. Both senators emphasized the panel’s bipartisan traditions in their first committee hearing in Washington. Schatz said the federal trust responsibility to American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians should be the guiding light f...
HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii’s governor has said he is cautious about loosening air travel restrictions for people who have received a coronavirus vaccine, while stressing that new virus variants are not widespread in the state. Democratic Gov. David Ige said researchers are still unclear about whether the vaccine hampers virus transmission. “Until the science (tells) us that those who are vaccinated cannot carry the virus and, I think most important, do not transmit it to other people, I think it would be irresponsible to say that those vac...