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The Wrangell Borough Assembly held a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, March 17. In response to the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which recently reached Alaska, the assembly decided to meet to determine how best to handle the situation, and mitigate chances of the virus spreading locally. There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wrangell as of March 17, but the assembly felt it was important to be proactive. As part of an effort to encourage social distancing, the...
Two new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been identified in Fairbanks, bringing the total known cases in Alaska to three. Conditions and guidance regarding COVID-19 is changing by the hour. Please understand the following facts about COVID-19 and Wrangell: Persons Most at Risk: 1) Persons age 60 and older; 2) Persons with underlying health conditions. Wrangell's Age: Wrangell has one of, if not the, highest population of Senior Citizens, per capita, in Alaska. That means a...
The Recall Dunleavy movement, an ongoing effort to oust Governor Mike Dunleavy from office, has entered into its second round of signature gathering. The group successfully gathered about 49,000 signatures in the first phase of the recall process. According to the organization's website, www.recalldunleavy.com, 21,768 signatures have been gathered as of March 9. Over last weekend, supporters of the recall effort set up shop in Wrangell, adding 66 more signatures to the list. "I think that it's i...
JUNEAU – Today, a bill that requires state regulated private health insurers to cover telehealth services was signed into law by the governor. Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage) sponsored House Bill 29, which passed the Legislature with overwhelming support. Access to telehealth is an important tool for healthcare workers to respond effectively to the new coronavirus, COVID-19, as it allows Alaskans to access initial screenings and routine healthcare without a risk of being exposed to the d...
March 18, 1920 A depredation was committed Sunday night when some miscreant tore down the Poodle Dog Cafe’s sign and also capsized the pails containing small trees in front of the building. If the depredator is apprehended he will learn that such acts committed on either public or private property is an expensive pastime in Wrangell. March 16, 1945 In line with the recently announced policy of planning a more efficient hospital, the board has authorized alterations at Bishop Rowe General hospital to make the institution more compact and e...
The Salvation Army and Tongass Federal Credit Union have partnered together to host a series of financial workshops. These monthly programs are scheduled to cover the basics of finances, from building credit to handling debt. The workshops are free and open to the public, held once a month at the Salvation Army office on Zimovia Highway. The first class was held on March 12, covering the basics of setting a budget. "This is supposed to be a learning and fun exercise, if you will," said Kemberly...
With the ongoing spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, many communities across the nation are doing their best to be prepared. This is also true in Alaska. There are only a few confirmed cases of the virus in Anchorage and Fairbanks as of March 17. All across the state, however, communities are taking precautionary measures to keep the virus from spreading further. In Wrangell, many events and facilities have been postponed for the sake of caution. "As a preventative measure to...
March 2: Duke Aitken was arraigned on charges of assault in the fourth degree and violating conditions of release. He was released on a $200 performance cash bond. A bail hearing was scheduled for March 10, and a calendar call was scheduled for March 17. March 3: A bail hearing was held for James Howe, charged with unlawful contact and violating conditions of release. The bail was maintained as originally set. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 21, with a jury trial scheduled for April 28. Logan Padgett was arraigned on charges of...
March 9 Agency Assist: Public Works. Welfare Check. Welfare Check. March 10 Traffic Stop: Verbal warning for failure to use turn signals. Courtesy Transport. Citizen Assist. March 11 Domestic Violence Assault: Charged: Corey Torgramsen, 53. Theft. Citizen Assist: Unlocked Vehicle. March 12 Civil Issue. Reckless Driver. March 13 Domestic Violence: Unfounded. Report of Fraud. Criminal Trespass: 86’d letter. March 14 Agency Assist: Alarm at Ferry Terminal. March 15 Traffic Stop: Verbal Warning for headlight out. Road Debris: Officer removed c...
Last week, Alaska had its first case of the Coronavirus: a cargo pilot traveling through Anchorage. With the amount of travel that Alaskans have done over the last month, it is likely that there are more untested and unverified cases already here. There is certainly no need to panic, but let’s err on the side of caution. One thing you can do is stay informed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a website updated multiple times per day. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has a webpage dedicated to the virus in A...
As our nation and the world experiences the life-altering impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly. If you’ve followed our many press conferences this week, you know that Alaska is rapidly preparing for an outbreak, and that an emergency was declared prior to our first confirmed case. Now that the inevitable first case has occurred, our schools are safely closed, testing requirements have been liberalized, and steps have been taken to protect our seniors. Visitation has been suspended or l...
Janet Teague died on March 15, 2020. The place and time of a service will be determined later....
The Celebration of Life for Randy Ferdinand scheduled for Saturday, March 21 has been postponed due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus closures of public facilities. It will be rescheduled for a later date....
It is with deepest sorrow to say that on Jan. 2nd ,2020, Jordan Marsh Birchell, beloved son, husband, father and brother passed away suddenly... -Anyone that knew Jordan, even just a little, lost a shinning light in their lives. Jordan's life began on August 18th, 1990 as the middle child of Ed and Marsha. He grew up in Petersburg spending most of his childhood camping with cousins in the summer and snowmobiling in winter. Many of his childhood days were spent with friends fishing along...
To the Editor: There will be no public celebration of Mass across the Diocese of Juneau or other large gatherings effective through Friday, March 27. This includes all public Liturgies, Masses, Benedictions, Stations of the Cross, faith formation classes, and other types of church activities. Today’s directive was made for the common good and for the people of God entrusted to our care - many of whom are considered high risk and vulnerable. In light of my directive, I want to let you know that you are temporarily dispensed from the o...
The Wrangell School board held a somewhat unique meeting Monday evening, March 16. Due to concerns about the coronavirus, though there have been no confirmed cases in Southeast Alaska as of this date, the board limited attendance to the meeting to a maximum of 10 people. Others interested in attending could sit in nearby rooms and watch the proceedings via livestream. Other than the limitation on how many people could be in the room, the meeting went on much like any other. During this meeting,...
The Alaska School Activities Association had announced the cancellation of the 2020 State Basketball and Cheer Championships. The purpose of the postponement and mandate is to reduce the possibility for spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). ASAA agrees with the State of Alaska’s assessment that our best course of action in dealing with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), is to slow down the statewide spreading of the virus. One of the ways to mitigate the spread is to not have large statewide gatherings. March Madness Alaska is possib...
Local gardeners met at the Nolan Center Thursday evening, March 12, to share advice in Wrangell's first chautauqua event of the season. The name "chautauqua" comes from a movement that began in the late 1800s, begun near Lake Chautauqua in New York, where public speakers would travel around to spread culture, education, and entertainment. The Nolan Center has hosted its own chautauqua series for many years, giving a number of unique guest speakers a platform. This first chautauqua meeting of...
Genetically tweaked salmon that grows three times faster than normal fish…fillets grown in labs from fish cells…now plant-based seafoods such as “vegan shrimp,” or “Toona” are gaining footholds in the marketplace - and confusing customers. A new study by FoodMinds for the National Fisheries Institute showed that about 40 percent of consumers believed plant-based imitations contain actual seafood. Up to 60 percent thought the products had similar nutritional content as real fish. Still, fake seafood producers are pushing back against mor...
Effective immediately and until further notice to limit exposure to and spread of COVID-19, the Wrangell court is taking the following steps effective immediately and until further notice. All attorneys, parties and witnesses are allowed to appear by telephone for all court proceedings unless otherwise ordered by the judge in a particular case. The following is the conference line number to call in on: (800) 768-2983 Code: 874 2311#. The court clerk can be reached by phone: (907) 874-2311 or email 1wrmailbox@akcourts.us to answer any...
With one loss, two wins, and one forfeit, the Wrangell Lady Wolves ended their season at Regionals this past week. The Lady Wolves went into Regionals with a second place seed, after a strong performance all season. Coach Laurie Brown said she was proud of how her team did in Regionals, and all year long. The team went up against third-place seed Petersburg first. It was a tough game, Brown said, losing badly to the Lady Vikings. While they did not win, she said that it was a good wake up call...
The Wrangell Wolves basketball team has returned from regionals in Juneau, another season completed. Much like their season this year, regionals saw both wins and hard-fought losses for the team. While they did not reach the championship or runner-up spot, Coach Cody Angerman said he was very proud of his team’s performance. The end of the season is always a bittersweet moment for him, he said, as he’s proud of how his team played but sad to see his senior players graduate and move on. “Overall I’m proud of the way we played,” he said. The...