Articles from the May 3, 2012 edition


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  • Judge denies Salard’s request for stay

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Alaska Superior Court Judge Kevin G. Miller has denied a local physician’s request to be allowed to work at Wrangell Medical Center pending the court’s decision on his appeal to having his privileges at the hospital denied. In March, the WMC Board denied Dr. Greg Salard the right to see patients at the hospital. Salard soon filed an appeal in Wrangell Trial Court. He also requested the court allow him to work at WMC while his appeal is considered. In his order filed Friday, April 27, Miller states WMC followed the required procedures set out...

  • No soliciting on city dock

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Vendors will not be allowed to solicit visitors on the City Dock this cruise-ship season, which begins this month, according to the Port and Harbor Department. Only vendors with existing contracts or agreements with the cruise ships that arrive in Wrangell will be allowed on the actual dock. Harbormaster Greg Meissner said any other vendors or guides will have to wait until the travelers come off the dock to approach them. The city has decided to enforce these new policies this season because of the complaints it received last year. Meissner...

  • Little League opening day

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Kenny Wilson throws the first pitch to open the season of Little League ball in Wrangell. Kellen Eagle caught the pitch before the first games began Saturday morning (left). Elizabeth Armstrong sings the Star Spangled Banner on Little League’s opening day Saturday. The weekend rain didn’t deter teams from hitting the field in new uniforms and crowds of parents and friends rooting on the players from the stands (right)....

  • The Way We Were

    May 3, 2012

    May 2, 1912: After eloquent pleas by Congressman Sulzer and Delegate Wickersham, the House of Representatives, unanimously passed the Alaska Home Rule bill providing Alaska a territorial form of government. This practically ends Alaska's long struggle for Home Rule as the Senate is expected to fall in line and ratify the measure. No opposition from the White House is anticipated. This bill provides for a legislative body of 16 representatives, four from each judicial district and eight senators, and two from each district to meet at Juneau on...

  • Special recall election set for June 19

    May 3, 2012

    At a special meeting Tuesday, the Assembly voted 4-3 in favor of a resolution that creates a special election in Wrangell June 19, allowing the public to vote on whether or not the majority of the hospital board should be recalled. Unlike the Assembly’s vote on the resolution last week, four Assembly members voted “yes” on the resolution Tuesday night. All Assembly members were present for the special meeting. Assembly members Bill Privett and David Jack spoke in favor of passing the resolution Tuesday. Privett said those who filed the recal...

  • Volunteer work

    Kara Helgeson|May 3, 2012

    Members of Junior Girl Scout Troop #4156 couldn’t resist jumping in the pile of leaves they raked on April 25 near the Wrangell Medical Center. Along with raking, the troops planted flowers and fertilized in front of the hospital. After the gardening work, the troop visited with residents in WMC’s long-term care facility. Back row: (Left to right) Karri Buness, Madison Blackburn, Jing O’Brien. Middle Row: (left to right) Danika Smith, Maddy Harding, Kaylyn Easterly, Sophie O’Brien, Laura H...

  • Letters to the Editor

    May 3, 2012

    To the Editor: This is volume 2 of my last week’s letter. I have a master’s degree in social work. Between OCS and the court system, I have over 20 years experience doing child abuse/neglect and child custody investigations. In those capacities I faced exactly the same threat of liability for negligence that the WMC board does. Every single investigation case required me to make a comprehensive and exhaustive investigation. Each time I had to weigh the evidence objectively and make a decision. I agonized over many of those decisions when the...

  • Wrangell is Alaska’s “quirky small town”

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Wrangell has been named the best small town in Alaska to visit by Sunset Magazine — a monthly publication geared toward travel and outdoor living in western states. Wrangell is featured in the “Beginners guide to Alaska” article inside the May edition of the magazine. Instead of visiting “artsy” Homer or “cruise-ship-stop” Ketchikan, the article tells readers to head to Wrangell for the “most quirk-for-the-buck.” Wrangell’s false-front buildings make the town look like a “Wild West prop” the article states. Though, it does point out the lack...

  • Girls on the run

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Third, fourth and fifth grade-girls participated in the third annual Wrangell event “Girls on the Run” Tuesday — a 5k run/walk from City Park to Shoemaker Bay. Girls on the Run is an international non-profit prevention program that encourages pre-teen girls to learn self-respect and a healthy lifestyle through running....

  • Open Meetings Act training to return to Wrangell

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    The Wrangell Medical Center (WMC) wants to bring back an Anchorage attorney to lead a workshop on Alaska’s Open Meeting Act. In early March, the City and Borough of Wrangell hosted two free days of training on the state law. The classes, open to the public, were taught by Michael Gatti, an attorney who works for a private firm in Anchorage, and Krista Stearns, who serves as the city attorney in Kenai. At its meeting last month, the WMC Board of Directors agreed to bring Gatti back to Wrangell to lead a workshop for board members on the Open M...

  • Lady Wolves finish season at home with win

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    The Wrangell High School softball team hosted Craig over the weekend, and won its last game of the season Saturday. The Lady Wolves first faced the Lady Panthers Friday in Wrangell and lost 26-38. Saturday, Wrangell won 20-7. Wrangell coach Kathleen Harding said her team was ahead of Craig during Friday’s game. However, she switched up the pitchers to give players more game time and the Lady Wolves lost the lead. Yet, the Lady Wolves were hitting well Friday night, Harding said, with s...

  • Crews to be out of cul-de-sac by start of cruise season

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    With the cruise ship season starting this month, crews are working near City Dock to finish pouring concrete in the cul-de-sac hoping to have the area paved before the tourists start arriving in Wrangell. The city is also making improvements to the City Dock this year and the contractor for that project is scheduled to arrive in town soon. That is why the cul-de-sac is being paved with concrete before Front Street, said Mitch McGraw of Southeast Earthmovers at an April 26 meeting on Wrangell’s road and utility improvement project. “The rea...

  • Police reports

    May 3, 2012

    Monday, April 23 -Officer assisted citizen, unlocked vehicle. -Report of harassment. Tuesday, April 24 -Verbal warning for parking. -Verbal warning for driving habits. Wednesday, April 25 -Unlock vehicle assistance, officer responded. -Verbal warning for driving with only parking lights on. -Citation issued to Loren E. Enright, 47, for failure to provide proof of insurance and verbal for faulty taillights. Thursday, April 26 -Fire department requested for furnace fire. -Unsecured premise, notified business owner. Friday, April 27 -Verbal...

  • Fish Factor

    Laine Welch|May 3, 2012

    It has taken a quarter of a century, but fishery managers are finally poised to take action to reduce the five million pounds of halibut allowed to be taken as bycatch in Gulf of Alaska (GOA) fisheries. Industry watchers are hoping that public comments will sway them to make the largest cuts under consideration.  Currently, 2,300 metric tons of halibut bycatch is allowed in the GOA groundfish fisheries. That is further broken down to 2,000mt for the trawl sector and 300mt for hook and line fisheries, primarily the cod fleet. Those are the two f...

  • Yacht burns at Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal

    May 3, 2012

    SEATTLE (AP) — Fire destroyed an adventure tour boat being prepared for the Alaska cruise season Friday at Fishermen's Terminal, and the operator says the loss likely will total millions of dollars. Two people escaped from the Safari Spirit by climbing down a mooring line to the dock, said Tim Jacox, vice president of InnerSea Discoveries. Company owner Dan Blanchard was sleeping on board and was awakened at about 1 a.m. by popping noises. He called the fire department and got off the boat along with the engineer, Jacox said. The 105-foot yacht...

  • Angerman’s sponsors first golf tournament of the year

    May 3, 2012

    Angerman’s Inc sponsored the first golf tournament of the season at Muskeg Meadows April 28-29. Saturday had 22 participants in the best ball competition with the team of Brian Smith, Vincent Balang, Todd White and John Fowler taking home first place honors. Second place team was Wayne Harding, Bill Messmer, and Tim Thompson. Ray Pederson had the straightest drive. Saturday’s winning team was comprised of Brian Smith, Bill Messmer, Wayne Harding, and Kathleen Harding. Al Johnson, Pee Wee Smith, Willie Herff, and George Woodbury came in sec...

  • Bird fest

    Kaitlyn McAvoy|May 3, 2012

    Mr. Merritt’s fourth-grade students work on an art project at the Elementary School April 26 with visiting artist Sandy Shepard. It was one of the many classes Shepard led at Wrangell’s schools last week as part of her visit for Bird Fest. Shepard, of Ketchikan, was the Fest’s featured guest artist in Wrangell....