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The weekend's 18th annual Stikine River Birding Festival had plenty of sunshine, baseball and a Tax Free Day to compete with but nevertheless drew good crowds for a variety of activities. The festival highlights birding opportunities that the region affords. Southeast Alaska is a major destination for long-distance migrations, as its diverse landscape is a hot spot for species declining elsewhere. The Stikine River area sees over 120 species of birds during migratory periods, and shorebirds...
At last weekend's Stikine River Birding Festival, residents and visitors flocked to the Nolan Center to learn more about their feathery, flighty neighbors. While there were birding tips, arts shows and craft displays to enjoy, the festival also took on a more serious note regarding threats to the future of species' populations. Of particular concern for marine species are the short term and cumulative effects of discarded plastics. On Friday evening, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)...
The community of Wrangell will be one step closer to having an Alaska Wildlife Trooper (AWT) again, following news that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) has reversed its January decision to cut the position. Citing budgetary constraints, the position was to be cut along with around 60 others across the state. “My understanding is the position itself is not going to be removed, but it’s going to be a vacant position,” explained Tim Despain, public information supervisor for DPS. “It could be some time before the actual position is filled....
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. May 13, 1915: From the looks of the action of the town council last night, it is practically assured that Wrangell is going to have a baseball park and that we will be able to play the national game before the season is over. At a meeting last night the council set aside a section of town property in the eastern part of town, back of the dairy ranch, to be used as a town recreation park. Mr. William Lewis and F. Stanhope were given permission to build a ball diamond on the property if ways and means...
Monday, April 27 Citizen Assist—Unlock Vehicle. Tuesday, April 28 Agency Assist, Line Crew—Caller reported tree down. Wednesday, April 29 Police arrested Gustafer S. Degner, 36, on a warrant. Thursday, April 30 Citizen Assist—Officer unlocked vehicle. Possible minor party. Friday, May 1 Citizen Assist—Caller requested police check on a rental property. Parking Complaint. Agency Assist—Ambulance dispatched for a person that fell. Officer responded to a report of domestic violence. Saturday, May 2 Possible Theft. Citizen Assist. Traffic S...
The Alaska State Legislature is in special session. We adjourned out of regular session on the evening of April 27 without fulfilling our constitutional duty as appropriators for the State of Alaska. In response, Governor Walker called the legislature into special session to deal with the state budget, Medicaid expansion and House Bill 44 (Erin’s Law), which relates to sexual assault prevention programs. Although we are days into the special session, we have not addressed any of those topics. The issue we have been discussing is where and w...
This year's Head Start class graduated another set of students on Tuesday, the latest batch since Wrangell's program began in 1985. The program finished with 19 students this year. Five days a week, they spent mornings preparing for grade school from September until May. "We have 11 graduating, and the rest are coming back to Head Start," explained Sandy Churchill, Wrangell's program director. Federally funded through Central Council Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA), the program...
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 37 May 2 1st place: Wayne Harding, Grover Mathis, Jim Brooks. Net score 21, team handicap 14. 2nd place: Tyler Gunn, Eric Kading, Faye Kohrt, Colter Barnes. Net score 23, team handicap 13. The Straightest Drive: Rodney Littleton. May 3 1st place: Eric Kading, Faye Kohrt, Wayne Ellis. Net score 21, team handicap 14. 2nd place: George Woodbury, Brett Woodbury, Jim Brooks. Net score 25, team handicap 10. The Straightest Drive: Doug Roberts, 2’ 4” from the line. The Closest to the Pin: Wayne Ellis, 29’ 6”. Next weekend...
To the Editor: Wrangell has many areas in education that as a community we can be proud of and thankful to the educators who have gotten us to this point. -Teacher longevity that suggests that teachers love the community of Wrangell, their jobs, the students, and are able to follow those children through their educational experience. -Wrangell is a blue ribbon school. That is a result of teacher collaboration as they plan curriculum and develop a productive atmosphere. -Wrangell’s educators are the most devoted people that I have observed t...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the 2015 sport fishing regulations for king salmon for Southeast and Yakutat. The regulations took effect last Friday and last through May 1, 2016. Alaska residents are allowed to bag and possess three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. Nonresidents are limited to one king, 28 inches or longer, except during May and June when they are allowed up to two. The nonresident annual limit is six king salmon. From October 1 through March 31, 2016, sport anglers may use two rods when fishing...
Alaskan salmon producers are not buying the presumption that growing numbers of pinks are eating too much food in the ocean, causing sockeye salmon to grow slower and smaller. That’s the claim of a new study by Seattle and British Columbia researchers, who say the race for food ultimately affects sockeye abundance and survival. “Our data sets extend up to 55 years each. In terms of looking at productivity or survival of salmon, they’ve included 36 sockeye populations,” said Greg Ruggerone, a researcher at Natural Resources Consultants in Seat...
Beginning immediately, communications provider GCI will waive all fees associated with all international voice calls and texts to Nepal. The Alaska-based company hopes that this will make it easier and more affordable for Alaskans, whether they are currently in Alaska or roaming in the continental United States or Hawaii, to reach loved ones who have been affected by the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on April 25. “Alaska’s climbing community was devastated about the news of the tragic earthquake near Kat...
As budget deadlines draw ever closer, a pair of meetings will be held at City Hall next week. The Board of Equalization meets Monday at 6:30 p.m., and the Wrangell Assembly will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Comprised of members of the Assembly, the Board of Equalization meets every year in early May. Forty-eight appeals have been filed this year, after assessors found improvement values had risen by five percent. While property values remained largely unchanged, this increase still affects overall...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) announced Tuesday that retention of lingcod bycatch in commercial longline fisheries closed in the entire Southern Southeast Internal Waters (SSEIW) Sector at 11:59 p.m. yesterday evening. The 2015 lingcod guideline harvest level for SSEIW longline fisheries is 2,080 round pounds. By Tuesday, 2,076 round pounds had been landed from this area. The lingcod bycatch season remains open for longline fisheries (excluding sablefish) of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area in the Icy Bay Subdistrict, East...
As the rest of the Alaska Legislature takes a two-week recess before returning for special session next Tuesday, the Senate and House finance committees have been left behind to continue working toward adoption of a budget. After extending beyond the statutory 90-day session without a fully funded budget, the Legislature was called into special session by Gov. Bill Walker. On April 30 both chambers agreed to gavel out until May 12 while the finance committees continue to meet. “Right now we’re recessing,” Rep. Dan Ortiz (I, Ketchikan) said...
