Articles from the December 12, 2019 edition


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  • City looking into sudden rise in electric bills

    Caleb Vierkant|Dec 12, 2019

    The City and Borough of Wrangell released a statement last Friday, Dec. 6, in response to several complaints about residents' electric bills suddenly increasing. A Facebook post by Edward Rilatos on the Wrangell Community Board, asking if anyone else had received a big increase on their electric bill, received over 200 responses. Many of them were responses that their bills had, indeed, gone up. "33% increase over last month with the same usage [sic]," reads a comment by Kimberly Szczatko....

  • Christmas Tree

    Dec 12, 2019

  • Assembly hears from Rep. Ortiz, takes stance on Roadless Rule, discusses tax refund

    Caleb Vierkant|Dec 12, 2019

    The Borough assembly had a busy night during their meeting on Dec. 10. The meeting opened with a report from State Representative Dan Ortiz. Ortiz said he is going around to the communities he represents, ahead of the next legislative session, to give an update on things in Juneau and to listen to the priorities of his constituents. The next legislative session will be opening on Jan. 21, 2020. Ortiz said that the financial situation for Alaska is largely unchanged from the previous legislative...

  • The Way We Were In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

    Dec 12, 2019

    December 11, 1919 The Moose social last Friday evening for Moose and their families was a most enjoyable affair. In the early part of the evening the guests played cards. When scores were counted prizes were awarded as follows: Ladies first prize, Miss Consuilo Grigwire; gentlemen’s first prize, Oscar Carlson; ladies consolation prize, Miss Marie McKinney; gentlemen’s consolation prize; E.F. Carlstrom. After the awarding of prizes dancing was indulged in until after midnight. During the evening a delightful lunch was served which had been pro...

  • Head Start staying warm this winter

    Dec 12, 2019

  • Police report

    Dec 12, 2019

    December 02 Summons Service. Suspicious Circumstance. Arrested: Richard Anderson, 56, on charges of Probation Violation. Traffic stop: Verbal warning for driving without headlights. December 03 Abandoned vehicle. Welfare check. Found Property: Property was returned to owner. December 04 Agency Assist: Ambulance. Paper Service. Welfare Check. Domestic Dispute. December 05 Welfare Check. Catering Permit. Citizen Assist. Traffic Stop. Civil Dispute. Agency Assist: AST. Dog at large. December 06 Report of online scam. Animal Complaint. December 07...

  • Obituary: Ira Merrill, 83

    Dec 12, 2019

    Ira Merrill loving husband and father passed away on November 27, 2019 at the age of 83. He was born in 1936 in Eureka, California. Even from a young age he loved fishing, both commercial and sport, animals and outdoor adventure. His highly developed sense of adventure and love for wild places and fishing brought him to Alaska in 1969, where he almost immediately continued to commercial fish. In 1970 he married Lucille and they began many happy years of fishing and exploration on the Alaskan...

  • Midnight Madness 2019

    Dec 12, 2019

  • Evergreen Elementary receives national recognition

    Caleb Vierkant|Dec 12, 2019

    School officials recently announced that Evergreen Elementary is one of two Alaskan schools to receive national recognition from the ESEA Distinguished Schools Recognition Program. Evergreen is being recognized for "Excellence in serving special populations of students." The other school receiving recognition is Tustumena Elementary, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, for "exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years." "It is an honor to recognize these two outstanding schools...

  • Christmas Carols

    Dec 12, 2019

  • Alaska Fish Factor: Interest in growing seaweeds in Alaska gaining momentum

    Laine Welch|Dec 12, 2019

    Weed is set to give a big boost to Alaska’s blue economy! The interest in growing seaweeds in Alaska is gaining momentum and training more farmers is the goal of a program starting next February in Kodiak, Sitka and Ketchikan. The training is phase two of the 2014 Alaska Mariculture Initiative that aims to grow a $100 million industry in 20 years. “We’re doing this training because there is immense interest from coastal communities and commercial fishermen,” said Riley Smith, development director with the which helped spearhead the maricul...

  • Port commission discusses completed Shoemaker work

    Caleb Vierkant|Dec 12, 2019

    The Wrangell Port Commission met last Thursday, Dec. 5, for a relatively brief meeting. A workshop was held beforehand to continue ongoing discussions on the cruise industry in Wrangell, and potential changes to vessel classifications in the harbors. As this was a work session, no action will be taken yet on these items. The main piece of business during the meeting was a plan to change future meeting times. Port commission meetings have usually had a start time of 7 p.m. However, as the...

  • New record for Hoop Shoot

    Caleb Vierkant|Dec 12, 2019

    The Wrangell Elks Lodge hosted its annual Hoop Shoot free throw contest last Saturday, Dec. 7. The contest is held by Elks lodges across the country, open to children from 8 to 13-years-old. Jeff Jabusch, director of the contest for Wrangell, says that participants get 25 shots at making a basket, plus a maximum of five practice throws. According to a final report written by Jabusch, this year's contest saw a record number of participants. "The annual Hoop Shoot was a great success!" He wrote....

  • Officials: Six of Alaska's 11 ferries will be out of service

    Dec 12, 2019

    JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – More than half of Alaska’s ferries will be out of service amid a lack of funds to repair the vessels, transportation officials said. The state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced this week that the Aurora and the LeConte will be pulled from service after inspections revealed required steel replacement, the Juneau Empire reported Friday. About 24 employees of the Aurora were already notified they would be relieved of duties effective Jan. 14, officials said. The Aurora is set for long-term layup mea...