Articles from the October 2, 2014 edition


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  • Public hearing charts course for trails

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    There was a good turnout at the Parks and Recreation public information meeting at Wrangell City Hall Monday night, with about two-dozen residents coming to hear about and discuss the department's proposed trail projects. "We've got a big public meeting," Borough Economic Development Director Carol Rushmore noted. "We don't normally have this many people." Parks and Rec Director Amber Al-Haddad is looking toward a Nov. 15 deadline to submit applications to a Recreation Trail Program grant...

  • Wolves Cross Country place first at Region V

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Wrangell High School's cross-country teams did very well at the Section V Regional Championship in Ketchikan on Saturday, with the girls' team taking first in the 1A-2A meet and runner Bryce Gerald coming in second place for the boys. A bear at one point appeared on the course, putting a temporary stop to the race. It was rerun later that day. "Our girls handled it like champs and didn't let that stop them from competing at their best," said Jenn Davies, the team's coach. Reyn Hutten finished...

  • Wolves readying for volleyball, wrestling seasons

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Students at Wrangell High School are lacing their trainers as the new wrestling and volleyball seasons started Monday. It's already looking to be a big season for the school's sports program, with the girls cross-country team heading to State after taking first at last weekend's Region V in Ketchikan, and Wrangell hosting this year's Region V wrestling tournament Dec. 5 and 6. "We're going to have a lot of people coming," said Jack Carney, Wrangell High School's new athletic coordinator. He...

  • The Way We Were

    Oct 2, 2014

    October 15, 1914: The Moose Orchestra is advertising their second appearance before the dancing public of Wrangell by giving a big masquerade ball on Halloween night, Oct. 31. The Moose Orchestra gave a dance recently at Red Man's Hall and also furnished the music for the Civic Improvement Club dance at the Wrangell Hostel last Friday evening so their class as music makers has been established but for the coming dance they have some new numbers that are something great and without a doubt the music at the coming dance will be the best ever in...

  • Police reports

    Oct 2, 2014

    Monday, September 22 Report of Harassment. Injured porcupine reported: Officer responded. Report of Criminal Mischief. Welfare Check. Agency Assist/Fire Department. Tuesday, September 23 Dog Welfare. Noise Complaint. Wednesday, September 24 Possible Gunshots. Alarm – Officer responded found 2nd transformer blew. Line crew notified. Random Breath Test. Arrested Robert Bowlin, Jr., 50 on warrants out of Kenai. Found Property – Owner notified and returned. Report of identity theft. Person came to the PD reporting they lost their DL. Thursday, Sep...

  • Meet the Candidates

    Oct 2, 2014

    Aleisha Mollen Wrangell School Board, three-year term Occupation: Service Manager, Wells Fargo Why do you want to be on the Wrangell School Board? "I care deeply about the youth here in Wrangell. They are a great group of kids and I want them to have the best educational experience possible. They are the future leaders in our community and our nation and I believe that making sure they have the opportunity at a better education will better us all. Making a difference in the schools today can...

  • Cabin removal plan posted online

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    The United States Forest Service announced that its Tongass National Forest Sustainable Cabin Management project details are now available online. The environmental assessment, maps and appendices are located under the Project Documents – Analysis tab at http://go.usa.gov/WQEk. The Forest Service is proposing the removal of nine cabins, and the conversion or replacement of three others with survival shelters. Wrangell Ranger District will be affected by the plan. “We’re going to remove one cabin,” explained Ranger Bob Dalrymple, head of the...

  • Wrangell issues letter regarding B.C. Mines

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    The City and Borough of Wrangell issued a letter last week to Alaska senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski, and Rep. Don Young. Drafted with the assistance of Sebastian O’Kelly, a Washington D.C.-based consultant, it expresses concern about a number of sizable mining developments upstream of the Stikine River in neighboring British Columbia, Canada. The idea of a letter had been discussed in the previous two Borough Assembly meetings, arranged by Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch and discussed and tweaked by members of the Assembly. Signed by M...

  • Borough elections on Tuesday

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Residents of Wrangell are invited to cast their votes in the Borough regular election Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Nolan Center, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters are asked to bring a form of identification to the polls. Official candidates for this year’s regular election include: – Two candidates for the position of Mayor, incumbent David Jack and Kipha Valvoda. The position is a two-year term. – Two candidates for a three-year term on the School Board, Aleisha Mollen and incumbent Susan Eagle. – Two candidates for two three-year terms on th...

  • Cruise ships bid bon voyage for 2014

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    With the departure of Un-Cruise Adventures' "Wilderness Explorer" last Wednesday, Wrangell's cruising season officially comes to an end. Fifty-seven such vessels had been scheduled to arrive this year, according to information provided on the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce website. There were 15 leisure ships scheduled to dock in Wrangell 57 times this year. Doing the arithmetic, if each cruise ship scheduled to arrive was fully-booked and if every passenger disembarked when the ships stopped in...

  • Credit union taking interest in Wrangell

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Wrangell residents might have a new banking option in the future. Helen Mickel, chief operating officer and vice president of Tongass Federal Credit Union, paid the island a visit last Thursday, holding a meet and greet that evening in City Hall. Though only four people showed up to the event, she had spent the afternoon and following morning meeting with the locals. “I’ve had a chance to visit with a lot of people around town,” Mickel said. Overall, she said the response has been positive. “I think there’s a place for us in Wrangell.” In an in...

  • TAC members look at social impact of old-growth timber transition

    Mary Koppes|Oct 2, 2014

    PETERSBURG – The Tongass Advisory Committee (TAC) heard presentations from Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials and discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with an impending transition to young-growth forest management at their meeting this month in Juneau. The presentations given by the Forest Service and DNR officials helped give committee members a better sense of how difficult the transition process can be, Lynn Jungwirth, committee co-chair, said via e-mail. “You can’t ‘speed up’ young growth su...

  • A matter of perspective

    Oct 2, 2014

  • Would-be appointees needed for Borough vacancies

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    People interested in entering their names for Wrangell Borough committee and board vacancy appointments need to submit their letters of intent before Monday, Oct. 6. There are ten vacancies that will need to be filled at the special swearing-in meeting of the Borough Assembly Oct. 13. So far only three letters of intent have been submitted. There are two three-year seats on the Planning and Zoning commission; two three-year seats with Parks and Recreation; two three-year terms on the Wrangell Convention and Visitors Bureau; two three-year...

  • Fish Factor

    Laine Welch|Oct 2, 2014

    Alaska’s conservative management combined with the grace of Mother Nature are swelling the abundance of two of the state’s largest and most important fisheries. Bering Sea crab scientists and stakeholder met last week to discuss the outlook for Alaska’s biggest crab fisheries that open October 15th. The take away was that the stocks of red king crab, bairdi Tanners and snow crab all showed big increases in mature size classes, based on data from the annual summer surveys. (Only mature male crabs cans be retained in Alaska’s crab fisheries.) Tha...

  • Moose numbers above-average

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Despite the rough weather and Monday opener, it’s been a good season so far for area moose hunters. According to Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Rich Lowell, it’s better even than average. Fifty-two moose have been reported killed in the first two weeks, compared to 49 at this time last year for Unit 3, the Petersburg-Wrangell area. A total of 92 were gathered in 2013. Nineteen have so far been taken on the Stikine River, better than the 15 noted for this time last year. A further 16 were reported had on Kupreanof Island. The...

  • Wrangell's line truck loaned to Petersburg for tree trimming

    Erik LeDuc|Oct 2, 2014

    Recently, the Wrangell and Petersburg Boroughs helped one another with a ‘handshake agreement’ that sent Wrangell’s 80-foot Line Truck over to its neighboring municipality for about a week. Petersburg crews worked fast to trim trees close to powerlines before sending the vehicle back on the Friday morning ferry. “We’re trimming over top of the power lines where the snow builds up and makes problems,” said Petersburg Line Foreman Scott Newman. “We’ve got some of it done and still have a lot more to do. Some of the poles are really far off...

  • Hospice group to boost advance directive filings

    Dan Rudy|Oct 2, 2014

    Hospice of Wrangell reports it is kicking off a campaign this week to collect advance directives, educating local residents about them and assisting in their completion. Advance directives are legal documents that include both a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. A living will conveys a person’s wishes about end-of-life care decisions to their family and medical providers. A durable power of attorney allows a designated person to receive medical information and make health care decisions either now or at a time of f...

  • State of Alaska defends gay-marriage ban

    Oct 2, 2014

    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Citizens, not the courts, should decide whether the definition of marriage includes same-sex couples, the state of Alaska said in court papers filed Friday. The state is defending in federal court an amendment to Alaska’s constitution that bans gay marriage. In May, five same-sex couples - four married outside of Alaska and one unmarried couple - sued to overturn the ban approved by voters in 1998, saying it violates their rights to due process and equal protection under the U.S. Constitution. In a filing Friday, att...

  • E-waste program recycles 15,000 pounds of local electronics

    Mary Koppes|Oct 2, 2014

    PETERSBURG – Petersburg Indian Association’s first-ever e-waste program sent 15,000 pounds – a full 40-foot shipping container – of electronics to Seattle to be recycled. The program ran June 30 to Aug. 30 and offered locals free disposal of unwanted electronics in an effort to keep harmful elements found in electronics, like lead and mercury, from contaminating the environment. PIA Tribal Resource Director Jason Wilson said community members brought home electronics like televisions, boat electronics like radios and sonar equipment, and off...