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At the public hearing preceding Tuesday’s regular Wrangell Borough Assembly meeting, a few people showed up to listen but only one took to the lectern with her concerns with ordinance number 887, which would amend the municipal code dealing with animal violations and add a new chapter. The proposed ordinance was one of five being considered on their second reading. “The first thing that I have noticed is a series of fines,” Christina Florschutz told the Assembly, looking at the meeting packet. “I’m fine with having fines,” she said, addin...
Closely mirroring the mood of the last Wrangell Borough Assembly meeting, dogs were on the mind of the Port Commission as it met for its first meeting of the season Thursday. Wayne Kaer came to the meeting bearing several grievances, the most urgent of which were the harbors’ uncontrolled canines. Kaer had not been able to speak his mind at the last Borough Assembly meeting because he had arrived after the time for public comment had already passed. He told commissioners that dogs’ rubbish was r...
Wrangell’s members of the Thomas Bay Power Commission (TBPC) gathered around a telephone Tuesday morning at City Hall to discuss the body’s future with their Petersburg counterparts. The TPBC is the acting body for the Thomas Bay Power Authority (TBPA) that was responsible for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Tyee Hydroelectric Plant, providing power to Wrangell and Petersburg. Last May the Petersburg Assembly voted not to fund its share of a portion of the TBPA’s budget, called the non-net billable, after discussions about wheth...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. September 24, 1914: The waters here are teeming with silver herring and a new opportunity is extended to Wrangell to get busy and catch them and have a supply for the halibut fleet. There are several of the large boats here now and once it is known that the bait can be secured here many more will make Wrangell a regular calling place on their way to the fishing banks. The fishermen state that Wrangell is the only place in the country where they can get fresh bait in any quantity. Why can’t we get i...
Monday, September 1 Citizen Assist: Unlock Vehicle. Police arrested Randall M. Fordyce, 54, on a charge of Probation Violation. A caller reported a possible assault. Tuesday, September 2 Wrangell Medical Center called requesting officer assistance. Animal Complaint. Police received a report of abandoned vehicles. Citizen Assist: Unlock Vehicle. Wednesday, September 3 Vacation Check. Citizen Assist. Officer responded to a report of a suspicious incident. An individual reported a missing cell phone. A caller reported a smoke alarm going off. The...
At their regular board meeting last week in Ketchikan, Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) approved rebates to member utilities, discussed the progress of the Swan Lake expansion project and approved the Whitman Lake True Up Agreement. Though rebates to member utilities were approves, the amount Wrangell will receive is still being worked out. “We don’t really know at this point,” said Sharon Thompson, executive assistant at SEAPA. Typically, the amount is equivalent to a half cent per kilowatt hour and is based on each community’s consump...
At the outset of their Wednesday meeting, chairman Grover Mathis told his fellow members on the Wrangell Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that he would soon be departing. “I’m not going to put my name up for reappointment,” he said. Mathis has been on the board since 1997, and he explained he wanted to make room for new participants. “I’m not as involved as I’d like to be,” he explained. “I think it’s time for me to fade away.” Mathis confirmed he still intends to attend the next month or two of meetings, until a replacement is deci...
What experience or qualities do you have that would make you an effective Port Commissioner? "Commitment to Wrangell and working with others. I have lived in Wrangell since 1983 and I'm committed to and involved with this town as my home. My wife, Carol Ross, and I owned and operated a business here until 2007. I am a board member now with KSTK and Coast Alaska. I attend St. Philip's Episcopal Church, where I have served on the Vestry Committee. I am a member of Wrangell Volunteer Fire...
Wrangell's Garnet Grit Betties roller derby team kicked off their new season Saturday, wheeling circles around the high school basketball court together for a preseason weekend bootcamp. The Betties had their first real season last year, skating in two bouts. Starting this month and lasting through May, this season will be the first where they have had a full, regulation roster of 14 skaters. "We've done some serious recruiting," said Shawna Buness, the team's head coach. Membership is open to...
As the borough catches some of the last rays of summer, members of the Healthy Wrangell Coalition looked at a number of upcoming events this fall at its monthly meeting Tuesday. The coalition is a collaborative group representing the community’s health, education, recreation and religious spheres. An organ recital is planned at the Salvation Army Chapel this Sunday at 3 p.m. Major Scott Nicloy will play a variety of works ranging from classical pieces and church music to theatrical numbers. Admission is free with offering or donation of food i...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – State and Japanese agencies have agreed to keep the lines of communication open over a proposed mega-liquefied natural gas project. Alaska is pursuing the project with three major energy companies, TransCanada Corp. and the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. The intended market is Asia, and the nonbinding agreement signed Monday is aimed at strengthening ties with Japan. The “memorandum of cooperation” was signed by Alaska’s Natural Resources commissioner, Joe Balash, and a representative of Japan’s Ministry of Economy,...
PETERSBURG – Mark Weaver, 59, was indicted by a Grand Jury in U.S. District Court on two counts of Possession of Unregistered Destructive Devices in conjunction with an explosion at the Petersburg rock quarry July 13. He was arrested Aug. 27 in Tacoma, Wash. According to court documents, “Weaver did knowingly possess a destructive device which was not registered to him.” The document also states that Weaver possessed seven hand grenades, which were also unregistered. The prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini said, “The first d...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Southeast Alaska’s last mid-sized timber mill is at risk of closing if a sale that would clear-cut 3,700 acres of old-growth forest stalls, according to industry representatives and the U.S. Forest Service. Viking Lumber Co. in Klawock was the winning bidder when the Big Thorne sale was announced last year. The sale was later withdrawn amid appeals by critics, with concerns raised about the impacts on Alexander Archipelago wolves. That spurred further review by the Forest Service that led to a decision last month to go a...
“Surprised and disappointed” was the reaction by Senator Mark Begich upon learning that his opponent Dan Sullivan has bowed out of an October 1 fisheries debate in Kodiak. It is the second time this year that Sullivan has declined to participate in the Chamber of Commerce event that has been an election year tradition since 1990. “I can’t recall a time that a candidate has not participated in the Kodiak debate,” Begich said as he readied to head back to DC on Friday. “It’s a must do for statewide candidates. It’s not an option. It’s clear he do...
Like catching halibut with a herring, one good deed can sometimes attract another. Wells Fargo announced Monday it will contribute $1,000 to Camp Carmel on Vank Island to honor its Wrangell-branch service manager Aleisha Mollen's efforts there as its assistant program director. For three years Mollen has volunteered at the summer camp as a youth counselor. She also provides weekly one-on-one counseling sessions for local youth at Wrangell Bible Baptist Church, which provides free meals for...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A new report finds Alaska’s Internet speeds are among the slowest in the country. Only Arkansas had slower speeds during the second quarter of 2014, according to the report, set for release later this month, from Internet content delivery company Akamai Technologies. Alaska’s Internet speeds are up 33 percent from last year. But they are about half as fast as the three states with the fastest Internet delivery - Virginia, Delaware and Massachusetts. The rankings are based off content, such as websites and videos, del...