Articles from the March 2, 2017 edition


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  • Interim boro manager named, Assembly pays hospital revisit

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    The City and Borough Assembly confirmed its selection of an interim borough manager to serve after Jeff Jabusch retires from the position March 31. He announced his plans to retire last September, putting an end to four decades of service to the city. In his stead, economic director Carol Rushmore has been named to serve as interim manager. As part of the arrangement, the Assembly agreed she will be paid an extra stipend for the months of March, April, and however long it might take for the transition to resolve itself. Funds would be paid...

  • Education fair shows off district's higher tech

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    The high school gymnasium was abuzz with activity late last week, as parents and students of all ages descended on the first annual Education Fair. Open to the public, the event drew in visitors with door prizes and refreshments, and drew their eyes to 20 different tables and displays that highlight what's going on with Wrangell Public School District. Presentations included the schools' Spanish and Tlingit language programs, migrant education, music and other arts programs, and the annual...

  • The Way We Were

    Mar 2, 2017

    March 1, 1917: The most important social event that has occurred in Wrangell recently was the annual ball given last Thursday evening in commemoration of Washington’s Birthday. There was a good attendance. The music by the Wrangell band was never better, and the lunch was all that could have been desired. Every one seemed in just the right mood to enjoy dancing and entered into the light fantastic with an eagerness which showed that they were glad that the annual event was once more at hand. It may be said that the animation continued t...

  • Southeast Conference to review ferry sustainability fixes

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    When Southeast Conference meets for its annual Mid-Session Summit in Juneau later this month, among the items high on its list for discussion is the structural reform of Alaska's ferry system. Southeast Alaskans have become dependent on the state's Marine Highway System since its establishment in 1959, essentially becoming their road network into and out of the region. It is a significant economic driver for the coastal communities it services as well, with an estimated impact of just over $103...

  • Police reports

    Mar 2, 2017

    Monday, February 20 Report of Theft. Tuesday, February 21 Report of Suspicious Person. Citizen Assist: Vehicle unlocked. Wednesday, February 22 Driving Complaint: UTL. Thursday, February 23 Arrested on charges of Bench Warrant: Ryan Claggett, 22. Driving Complaint: Speeding. Missing Juvenile: Juvenile came home. Friday, February 24 Arrested on charges of Assault IV/DV: April Dianne Larson, 37. Saturday, February 25 Agency Assist/PW Arrested on charges of Assault IV/DV: Dana Cawthorne, 34. Sunday, February 26 Agency Assist: Power: Line Crew was...

  • State Senator Stedman talks ferries, budget and oil tax credits

    Ron Loesch Publisher|Mar 2, 2017

    PETERSBURG — State Senator Bert Stedman predicts the legislature will be in session for a full 120 days with an additional 30 day session if they are to complete their work this session. “There’s a lot of talk of the 90 day session but the constitution calls for 121 days. “We’ve only finished in 90 days one time,” Stedman noted. Stedman was in Petersburg this past weekend to attend the Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet along with his wife Lureen. Stedman said there is a “near zero chance of a 90 day session with any quality work being accompl...

  • Incumbents retain seats in WCA election

    Mar 2, 2017

    Wrangell Cooperative Association held its annual election for the Tribal Council on February 22. Open to members, a total of 68 ballots were counted, including four absentee and eight question ballots. Turnout was down by about a dozen members from the previous year, possibly due to the election being rescheduled from the previous week. Every year, half of the eight-member council is up for re-election, with members serving two-year seats. The results shown here are preliminary, to be validated at Tuesday evening’s Tribal Council meeting. O...

  • Letter to the Editor

    Mar 2, 2017

    To the Editor: I want to thank the Wrangell Sentinel for printing Ivan Simonek’s letter to the editor in the February 2 edition. The letter was well written and I think 100% right and needed to be said. Ivan was comparing Russian communism to what is happening in America today. What is happening in America today I call American communism and it is alive and well. Vladimir Lenin once said that liberals are useful idiots. Jon Gruber, an architect of Obamacare, said that the reason Obamacare passed was because of non transparency and stupid v...

  • Swim club fast and furious in Fairbanks competition

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    Five Wrangell swimmers joined athletes from 22 other Alaskan teams to participate in the 2017 Alaska Age Group Championship meet in Fairbanks over the weekend. The meet was the third that Wrangell Swimming Club has entered competitively since starting up last year. Previously, the youth program participated in events hosted by Petersburg in November and Juneau in December. “It was a lot larger than any of the other two tournaments we’ve been to,” team coach Jamie Roberts said of Fairbanks’ meet. Held inside the city’s public Hamme Pool, 378...

  • Peewee wrestling program teaching self-reliance, community spirit

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    Wrangell’s peewee wrestlers hosted their counterparts from Petersburg Saturday. The Wolfpack Wrestling program sent around 36 kids to the mats, while the group from Petersburg’s Arena Wrestling rounded out the total number of participants to 90. Both programs focus on building skills for elementary age students, from kindergarten to fifth grade. While Wolfpack is a program of Wrangell Parks and Recreation, Arena Wrestling is an independent program organized by parents and volunteers. With so many children competing, matches at the Community Cen...

  • Ortiz call-in hears input on new taxes, PFDs

    Dan Rudy|Mar 2, 2017

    As the Alaska House and Senate continue to prepare budgets for the coming year, residents of Wrangell and Ketchikan were invited to their Legislative Information Office locations for a call-in session with Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-District 36). Meeting late in the afternoon February 23, 10 Wrangell residents and seven in Ketchikan tuned in for the representative’s pitch for House Bill 115, a proposal to reconfigure Alaska’s Permanent Fund along with revenue enhancements being sponsored by the Majority-led House Finance Committee. The bill calls for...

  • A fourteen-group effort

    Mar 2, 2017

  • Petersburg Scouts take part in STEM workshop

    Mar 2, 2017

    The Petersburg Girls Scouts enjoyed a day long STEM workshop at the Sons of Norway Hall lead by Kelly Fitzgerald of the Alaska Girl Scout Council. The girls rotated through four sections on: engineering, ecology, ornithology and seismology. Susan Harai, a professional engineer licensed in the State of Alaska, lead the engineering project which was a geodesic dome made of newspaper triangles. The triangles are the strongest structure shape and are used throughout building trusses and bridges. The girls built the dome then further added to the...