Articles from the March 29, 2012 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 16 of 16

  • Water line ruptures Friday on Front Street

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    A water line buried approximately three feet under Front Street ruptured Friday morning, causing water to blow out on the construction site of Wrangell’s road improvement project. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. March 23 in front of the Alaska Island Community Services (AICS) billing office. The incident caused water interruptions at the office Friday as well as a number of other businesses. Kelsey Martinsen of the Diamond C said the restaurant, located next to the AICS office, was without w...

  • Assembly approves one of four ordinance revisions regarding WMC

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    The Borough Assembly approved an amended ordinance regarding the membership of the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors on its first reading Tuesday night. If eventually passed by the Assembly, the amended ordinance would allow employees or contractors providing medical care in Wrangell to run for the WMC Board. It would also allow the Borough Mayor and Assembly to fill a vacancy on the WMC Board until the next annual election, according to the proposed ordinance. A second reading and public hearing on the ordinance will take place at the...

  • The Way We Were

    Mar 29, 2012

    March 28, 2012: John Paley, discoverer and locator for the St. John's Harbor copper claims, came in from Zarembo Monday and gives a gratifying account of the extent of the ledge determined by six months of sinking shafts and uncovering surface outcroppings. He has been on the property six months and with the help of one man has sunk a 4 x 4 shaft 60 feet back from the outcrop, to a depth of 300 feet where the ledge was struck, proving the existence of an immense ore body for the ledge is from 7...

  • Two wolves take down black bear on Stikine River

    Mar 29, 2012

    Alaska Department of Fish and Game Biologist Rich Lowell was able to photograph a black bear kill on the Stikine River on Wednesday, March 21 during a moose survey conducted by the department. According to Lowell, “it appeared two wolves had just taken down the black bear right before we arrived overhead.” The photos were taken on the North Arm of the Stikine River. Lowell flew over the site 3-1/2 hours later after the wolves had eaten their fill and left the scene. Eagles had moved in to fin...

  • Police reports

    Mar 29, 2012

    Monday, March 19 Animal complaint, report of a dead deer in someone’s yard. -Report of neighbor who keeps turning his music up and down repeatedly. -Report of harassment. -Restraining order. -Arrested Jerome Bakeberg, 76, on charges of driving under the influence. Tuesday, March 20 -Traffic complaint. Thursday, March 22 -Verbal warning for driving habits. Friday, March 23 -Unlocked vehicle. -Arrested Theodosia D. James, 37 on a bench warrant. -Officer responded to a driving complaint. -Verbal warning given for driving habits. -Report of a boat...

  • Court reports

    Mar 29, 2012

    March 20, 2012 Jonathan A. Gadd, 18, appeared before Magistrate Leanna Splinter and was found guilty of two counts of failure to pay bail/fine/appear and is ordered to pay $100 in police training surcharge and is placed on probation for one year. Nicholas D. Lewis, 19, appeared before Magistrate Leanna Splinter and was found guilty of failure to pay bail/fine/appear and is ordered to pay $50 in police training surcharge and is placed on probation for one year. March 21, 2012: David M. Saunders, 57, appeared before Magistrate Leanna Splinter...

  • Letters to the Editor

    Mar 29, 2012

    To the Editor: I would like to add my comments to those of Mark Seimears regarding Dr. Salard. Though our circumstances are somewhat different, my husband, like his father was medivaced out by Dr. Salard just in time. I appreciated his professionalism in dealing with my husband and in seeing him subsequently. After a positively terrible experience with a visiting doctor, my husband is now refusing to go anywhere near the hospital unless he knows he will see Dr. Salard. We are getting older and that means more chance for illness so I am very...

  • Longer hours approved for Front Street project

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    Construction crews operating on the Front Street improvement project can now work until midnight six days a week. Members of the Borough Assembly, acting as the Board of Adjustments, voted unanimously March 22 to allow construction to occur from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday. The Board of Adjustments approval does include stipulations, however, including prohibiting the use of large and noisy chipping machinery past 9 p.m. In January, McGraw Custom Construction requested a variance to the city’s noise ordinance in order to allow c...

  • Loch Ness monster heads to Wrangell

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    The Parks and Recreation Department is looking to buy a new large inflatable for the pool, and is asking community members to help raise the estimated $7,000 it will cost to purchase the toy. The new inflatable is a Loch Ness Monster-looking rubber creature named Nessie, and will take up about half the space of Wrangell’s indoor pool, which is approximately 25 yards long. Wrangellites will have the opportunity to participate in a swim or walkathon April 14 to raise the funds to purchase Nessie. Participants will request community members p...

  • Easterly travels to regional free-throw competition

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    Wrangell fourth-grader Kaylyn Easterly traveled to Washington state earlier this month to participate in the Hoop Shoot regional competition. The Hoop Shoot is an annual contest put on by the National Elks Foundation. Participants - boys and girls ages 8 to 13 - have to shoot 25 free throws. Those who sink the most baskets win and move on from a local contest, to regionals and onto the national competition. Easterly won Wrangell’s Hoop Shoot late last year among the eight-and nine-year-old g...

  • Fish Factor

    Laine Welch|Mar 29, 2012

    Fishermen in the world’s largest salmon fishery at Bristol Bay are getting good grades for improving the quality of their salmon, and it’s boosting their bottom line. Starting in 2008, two projects have tracked fish quality based on specific handling practices, and given individual fishermen scores on their improvements (or not). “The two studies go hand in glove. First you get a score and understand where you are, and secondly, if you wish to improve, then you can start changing the way you handle your fish out on the water to bring your score...

  • Peggy’s Corner of the House

    Representative Peggy Wilson|Mar 29, 2012

    by Representative Peggy Wilson Hello again from Juneau. By the time you read this report we’ll be entering the last 22 days of the session, during which we will be focusing on passage of the bills that we really feel are the most important. The House has passed the Operating Budget, which is our only constitutional duty. Now we’re waiting for the Senate to share the Capital Budget with us, so that we can carefully review and hopefully add to it before adjournment. There’s been a lot of discu...

  • Petersburg Council votes to support ferry service

    Suzanne Ashe|Mar 29, 2012

    The Petersburg City Council on Monday voted in favor of supporting the Alaska Marine Highway (AMHS) Bellingham run, and the replacement of current ferries. According to the resolution, AMHS has been serving Alaska’s coastal communities with vehicle, freight and passenger transportation for about 50 years. As in the hard-link road and rail system throughout the interior of Alaska, the ferry system relies on State and Federal funding. But also similar to the roadway, it will never be s...

  • Local jet boat association awarded tourism certification

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    The Stikine River Jet Boat Association of Wrangell was awarded an Adventure Green Alaska (AGA) certification earlier this month. AGA is a certification program offered through the non-profit, The Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association. It encourages businesses in the state to be environmentally conscious while promoting sustainable tourism in Alaska. AGA is the only sustainable tourism certification of its kind in the state. Marjy Wood, executive director for the Stikine River Jet Boat Association said she wants the community to kno...

  • Port projects in Wrangell set for spring and summer

    Mar 29, 2012

    A number of port projects set for spring and summer in Wrangell may affect boat traffic and available outdoor space, and Port Harbormaster Greg Meissner wants to notify the public of the changes. Two of the projects will occur at Wrangell’s boat yard. Approximately 35 to 40 percent of the yard will be resurfaced this year, replacing decades-old concrete, Meissner said. He hopes the project will begin in May, and plans to have the boat yard functioning throughout the paving process. However, o...

  • WMC files opposition to Salard’s request for stay

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|Mar 29, 2012

    Last week, the Wrangell Medical Center filed an opposition in court to local physician Greg Salard’s request to have his privileges restored at the hospital pending his appeal process. The WMC Board of Directors, acting as a review committee, voted in early March to deny Salard the right to practice at the hospital. A week later, on March 9, Salard filed an appeal to that decision in Wrangell trial court, and also requested he be allowed to work at WMC pending the court’s decision on that appeal. In its memorandum of opposition, WMC states Sal...