Articles from the May 3, 2018 edition


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  • Monofill moving forward next week

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    Construction of a designated monofill site to store treated soil from a contaminated site cleanup will begin next week, after nine months’ delay. To be interred at a state-owned rock pit off Pats Creek Road, the site will house around 18,500 cubic yards of earth pulled from the former Byford junkyard property along Zimovia Highway’s 4-Mile stretch. During 2016 the Department of Environmental Conservation led efforts to remediate the disused junkyard, which had extensive contamination after decades of battery and junk vehicle storage. The sca...

  • Lifting off

    May 3, 2018

    A bald eagle takes flight from its perch in the middle of the Stikine River last Wednesday. The eagles are among the tens of thousands of birds to be found along the river at this time of year, after the ice coverage has broken and returning fish are easy prey....

  • Nine return from Close Up trip to DC and NYC

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    Wrangell high schoolers participating in this year's Close Up trip to Washington D.C. and New York City returned on Monday, after spending more than a week on the East Coast. Taking off on the evening of April 21, nine students traveled with advisor Sarah Merritt to the nation's capital. The intent of the Close Up program is to educate young Americans on their political system, informing them of their rights and civic responsibilities in the process. As with previous years, the trip is...

  • Yesterday's News

    May 3, 2018

    May 2, 1918 Hon. P.C. McCormack is today circulating a petition to the Postmaster General that the Humboldt Steamship Company be awarded a mail contract. Considering that the present mail service is so very irregular it is earnestly hoped that the steamer Humboldt will be added to the small list of vessels carrying mail between Seattle and Alaska. The large number of cablegrams sent from Wrangell each week at a heavy expense would be reduced more than half if Wrangell had a regular mail service. April 30, 1943 Edmonton Brig. Gen. O’Conner, h...

  • Abandoned carmageddon in neutral as city weighs options

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    The city is inching toward a planned purge of the island’s abandoned vehicles and assorted clutter. The unsightly problem has been a longstanding issue in public parking spaces such as at Shoemaker Bay Harbor, with unroadworthy vehicles left there to the elements. But under municipal code junk vehicles on private property are also not allowed, and the rule extends to other collections on display deemed to be a “nuisance” by authorities. This means disused vehicles like cars and boats, rusting piles of scrap or broken equipment, and other items...

  • Police Report

    May 3, 2018

    Monday, April 23 Trespassing/Harassment. Agency assist: Ambulance requested. Turned in unwanted gun. Paper service. DV order. Eviction order. Arrested: Wilson Boon, 29: Charges of Violation of DVO. Tuesday, April 24 Citation issued: Cooper Seimears, 32: Operating vehicle with expired registration and verbal warning for driving habits. Welfare check. Wednesday, April 25 OTC paper served. Agency assist: Public Works. Civil standby requested. Thursday, April 26 Agency assist. Agency assist: Fire Department. Summons served. Agency assist: Fire...

  • Court report

    May 3, 2018

    April 24 Anthony Free Guggenbickler, 21, appeared before First District Court Judge Kevin Miller on the charge of Assault in the 4th Degree. He pleaded guilty to the count, while a charge of Criminal Trespass 1 was dismissed by prosecution. He was sentenced to serve 90 days with 85 suspended, with credit for time served. Guggenbickler was also ordered to undertake anger management counseling, and pay $200 in surcharges with $100 suspended. He has been placed on probation for one year, and has been instructed to pen a letter of apology to the...

  • Obituary: Jack Hoover, 89

    May 3, 2018

    Jack Hoover, 89, passed away on March 25, 2018 in Wrangell, Alaska. He was born on June 30, 1928 in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Clark Hoover and Anna Mae Gilmore. He spent his years on Wrangell working as a timber faller before retiring to live life at his own pace with his family and his beloved dogs. His love of fishing and hunting kept him young at heart as well as his growing family. He is survived by: his sister, June Hoselton (M. Arnie), Arizona; sons Bill (Tammy), Ken (Kim), and Steve (Kathy);...

  • Wrangell Sentinel named Best Weekly; Pilot awarded for editorial & court reporting

    May 3, 2018

    The Wrangell Sentinel and the Petersburg Pilot each received two awards from the Alaska Press Club for work completed in 2017. The Wrangell Sentinel was honored with a third place for Best Weekly. The judge commented, “This newspaper has strong writing, a plus in my book. Bravo!” Reporter Dan Rudy is responsible for nearly all local stories appearing in the Sentinel. Rudy placed third with a story about Wrangell’s economy from November 30, relating to sales tax revenues. The judge commented, “Jam-packed full of information to help readers...

  • Wrangell's golf roundup

    May 3, 2018

    In Muskeg Meadows’ first weekend tournament of the year, the annual Angerman’s Golf Tournament saw 16 participants in its first nine-hole round on Saturday, with 18 participants on Sunday. The tourney was set up for teams, with the “best ball” or lie determining the group’s pace. On Saturday, with a net score of 19 and a team handicap of 16, Grove Mathis, Wayne and Kathleen Harding, and Brian Smith took first place. In second with a score of 22 and handicap of 17, were Faye Kohrt, Wayne and Chris Ellis, and Eric Kading. Nate Johnson had the s...

  • Citizen science a push of this year's bird festival

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    At last week's 21st annual Stikine River Birding Festival, increasing public involvement in conservation efforts was a strong theme. The festival's focus always centers around the diverse bird species found around Wrangell and the Stikine River, highlighting different ways for residents and visitors alike to understand and enjoy them. From birdwatching to outdoor photography, using them thematic in the arts or enticing birds to backyards with self-built houses and feeders, the birding festival...

  • USCG to conduct free commercial fishing vessel dockside exams

    May 3, 2018

    The Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner will be conducting free courtesy docksides in Wrangell from May 14-17. Fishermen interested, should contact Jim Paul at 907-617-2523 in Ketchikan. The new vessel specific checklist generator located at www.fishsafewest.info is a useful tool that provides a detailed list of fishing vessel requirements tailored to the fishing vessel. Mandatory exams are required for all commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond three miles from shore. No tickets will be issued. The U.S. Coast Guard...

  • Fish Factor: The biggest project focuses on research to help determine the causes of declining Chinook salmon

    Laine Welch|May 3, 2018

    A shuffle in some funding leaves Alaska’s commercial fisheries division in good shape to manage the resources and target important projects across the state. At first glance, the $69 million operating budget for FY19 appears to be down slightly from last year’s $72.3 million but that’s not the case. “Most of that difference is a sort of ‘cleanup’ in authority we no longer had funding for, such as the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund, test fishing and some interagency items. The rest is due to $1.1 million shortfall in Commercial Fisheries E...

  • Swim Club sends three to state olympics

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    Three athletes from Wrangell Swim Club competed with 450 other swimmers from around the state last weekend, participating at the Alaska Junior Olympics in Anchorage. Coach Jamie Roberts reported it was the second time Nikolai Siekawitch and siblings Jack and Renee Roberts have participated at the event, among the state's premier annual swimming competitions. "All three swimmers had great races, got to see old friends and make a few new ones, spent time with family, and had some fun adventures in...

  • Sitka Sound herring biomass much higher this year

    May 3, 2018

    The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game has mapped 32 nautical miles of herring spawn through April 27, including 1.0 nmi of active spawn in Salisbury Sound. Spawn deposition surveys were conducted on April 7-11 and on April 24-25. Final results from this year’s stock assessment will not be available until November 2018, however, some general information can be derived from the data collected to date. Nearly all spawning this year occurred along shorelines of Kruzof Island, Hayward Strait, and the Siginaka Islands. Very little spawning was observed i...

  • Stikine king salmon subsistence fishery to be closed

    Dan Rudy|May 3, 2018

    The Federal Subsistence Board announced on Monday it will be closing its Chinook salmon subsistence fishery in the Stikine River this year due to low expected returns. Under the authority delegated him by the board, Ranger Bob Dalrymple of Wrangell's Forest Service district made the decision to close down the fishery. Preseason forecasts made by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game informed the decision, with 6,900 king salmon greater than 28 inches in length expected to return. Management...