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The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday evening, Aug. 27, for their regularly scheduled meeting. A work session was held prior to the meeting to discuss the potential demolition and replacement of part of Wrangell's power plant. The city recently contacted PND Engineers out of Juneau for a structural analysis of the concrete section of the power plant, according to the meeting's agenda packet. PND Engineers had performed an analysis on the building back in 2007, it was determined. According...
The Diocese of Juneau released a letter and report last Wednesday, Aug. 21, naming seven people with allegations of sexual misconduct against minors and/or vulnerable adults. The letter, signed by Bishop Andrew Bellisario, states that these seven names have been released upon the conclusion of an independent review of the diocese's personnel files from 1951 to the present. The Independent Commission which led this review was established last December, according to the letter, and was staffed by...
On the evening of Friday, August 23, 2019, the Wrangell Police Department began receiving reports of buildings and vehicles being unlawfully entered. The theft of three vehicles were also reported. Three Wrangell Police Department officers began investigations immediately, which continued through the following day. Access to surveillance systems provided by several local residents and businesses greatly aided in the investigation and identification of the suspect. A timeline of events was...
With the new school year comes a wide variety of new opportunities: To make new friends, to get better grades, to try a new sport, the list goes on. The Wrangell School District is helping provide some of these opportunities by providing new classes this year. At the high school level, students can get a jumpstart on their college careers with AP physics. Meanwhile, in Stikine Middle School, "Encore" classes are being provided to let kids explore different avenues of education. According to...
Wrangell's Economic Development Committee met for the first time in almost a year last Thursday, Aug. 22, according to EDC Chair Julie Decker. Economic Development Director Carol Rushmore said that the committee is meant to meet quarterly, but that she didn't want to call together meetings just for the sake of having meetings. With two recent developments that are likely to impact Wrangell's economy, though, a meeting was finally organized. The two main items on the evening's agenda were in regards to the Wrangell Cooperative Association's...
Wrangell's 2019-2020 school year kicked off early the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 27. The new school year will run until May 21, according to the school calendar, with winter break scheduled from Dec. 21 to Jan. 3. "It's always really exciting when the kids come back," said Technology Director Matt Gore. "Watching the excitement in their faces because of the social interactions, the learning, that's my favorite part." Being the first day of school, many first period classes in the middle school...
Thanks to several days of rainy weather, and lessening demand for water from Wrangell's seafood processors, city officials declared the Stage I water watch over. Both of the city's reservoirs are overflowing, according to a Friday, Aug. 23 Facebook post announcing the end of the water watch. Wrangell went on the water watch back in June, and briefly declared another water watch before that in March. In a Stage I water watch, community members are asked to conserve water in any way they could....
In the past year, at least four citizens from Petersburg and Wrangell have sought and gained their U.S. citizenship to be with their families and for peace of mind. Elisa Teodori originates from Italy, but moved to Petersburg after she met her husband, Tor Benson, while working in Ecuador. Laura Davies first came to the US from Canada to work as a recreation therapist in Georgia, but eventually moved to Wrangell to take a job working with Alaska Crossings and met her husband. Gilda Barkfelt...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska’s governor has vetoed additional funding for the state’s ferry service that was placed in the budget by the Legislature, a report said. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed $5 million Monday that was added to the Alaska Marine Highway System budget by the Legislature, CoastAlaska reported Monday. The Legislature previously cut $43 million from the ferry system’s budget. A fiscal note attached by the governor’s office called the budget item “premature’’ ahead of a $250,000 study commissioned to reshape the fer...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Add salmon to the list of species affected by Alaska’s blistering summer temperatures, including the hottest July on record. Dead salmon have shown up in river systems throughout Alaska, and the mortalities are probably connected to warm water or low river water levels, said Sam Rabung, director of commercial fisheries for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The department has not quantified past heat-related fish deaths because they tended to be sporadic and inconsistent, Rabung said. But department scientists this...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska authorities say two middle school students have been arrested after another student overheard their plans to carry out a school shooting, officials said. The Juneau Police Department arrested two 13-year-old students Thursday at Floyd Dryden Middle School after receiving a phone call from a parent of the classmate who overheard plans, the Juneau Empire reported Thursday. Police officers located the implicated students and held them in custody before school Thursday, authorities said. Following an investigation, t...
The Wrangell High School Swim Team held a parent/student meeting last Wednesday, Aug. 21. Coach Jamie Roberts called everyone together to give them a basic overview of what the upcoming season will look like, and to discuss her expectations from the team. In short, she expects everyone to do their best and push their limits. “I want your kids to show up to practice with a good attitude, bad attitudes are contagious,” she said. “They just have to give their best effort when they show up. Show up on time, if you’re not going to be there let me...
Due to rainy weather, last weekend’s tournaments at Muskeg Meadows Golf Course were cancelled. However, there are three upcoming events for golfers next week. On Saturday, Aug. 31, John Tullis Real Estate will sponsor a nine-hole best ball tournament. The Club Championship will be on Sunday, Sept. 1. It will be an 18-hole individual tournament. On Monday, Sept. 2, Breakaway Adventures will sponsor a nine-hole best ball tournament. Signups for each tournament open at 9:15 a.m., with the games beginning at 10 a.m. For more information call M...
August 28, 1919 For the first time in the history of the Alaska Customs district the number of vessels documented in Alaska has passed the 1,000 mark. The close of the fiscal year, June 30 found 1,018 vessels of all sizes and classes registered with homeports in Alaska. For some years Alaska has been near the 1,000 mark in the number of vessels registered, but never quite reached it. The average size for vessels in Alaska is not large on account of the great number of small craft engaged in the fisheries. The total tonnage of the 1,018 vessels...
A section of Church Street was closed off Tuesday morning, Aug. 27, to allow Wrangell Municipal Light & Power to erect a new telephone pole. According to Rod Rhoades, with the light & power department, there are three telephone poles along the street they are replacing. This is leftover work from a project that was budgeted last year, he explained....
August 19 Nothing to report August 20 Disturbance. Vehicle Check. August 21 Citizen assist: Unlock vehicle. Probation violation/DUI/Refusal: Arrested Aaron Young, 23. Suspicious Activity. August 22 Parking complaint. Illegal dumping. Traffic: Driving without a license. Agency assist: Dead deer. Agency assist: FD. Fireworks. August 23 Traffic stop: Verbal warning for faulty airbrake light. Citizen assist: Vehicle unlock. Civil matter. Burglary. Noise complaint. Vehicle theft. August 24 Theft/civil issue. Disturbance. Stolen or lost property....
The Mariners' Memorial fish fry was a success, according to board president Jenn Miller-Yancey. Despite rainy weather forcing the event to relocate from Heritage Harbor to the downtown pavilion, many people came out for dinner and a silent auction. According to board member Brennon Eagle, the dinner raised $3,500 while the silent auction brought in another $1,400. The proceeds are also eligible to be matched by the board's Rasmuson challenge grant. Pictured here are board member John Yeager...
Underwater and out of sight are the makings of a major Alaska industry with two anchor crops that clean the planet while pumping out lots of cash: shellfish and seaweed. Alaskans have now applied for over 2,000 acres of new or expanding undersea farms, double the footprint from two years ago, ranging in size from .02 acres at Halibut Cove to nearly 300 acres at Craig. Nearly 60 percent of the newest applicants plan to grow kelp with the remainder growing a mix of kelp and/or Pacific oysters, said Cynthia Pring-Ham, aquatic farming coordinator a...
Cheryl and Cynthia Karras wearing their brand new backpacks, which they received as part of the Wrangell Cooperative Association's back to school backpack drive. The WCA received over 130 backpacks full of school supplies from the Tlingit and Haida Central Council, according to Esther Ashton with the WCA, which they then distributed to children of Wrangell's native community. Ashton added that kids from Head Start to 12th grade got backpacks this year....