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The mayor convened the public workshop, inviting Washington state-based entrepreneur Dale Borgford to lay out for borough officials his plans to build biomass boilers that would burn trash from around Southeast to heat large commercial greenhouses at the site of the former 6-Mile mill. He also wants to build a plant capable of filling large plastic bottles with 40,000 gallons a day of clean water from a creek at the north end of the property, or from rainwater if the creek flow is insufficient. And his list includes a plant to turn fish waste...
No New Year’s resolution can possibly improve the condition of St. Michaels Street. After seven water main breaks in the past two years, the borough plans to give some much-needed love to St. Michaels in the spring. The road connects Front Street with Church Street and its surface resembles something of a wide-woven quilt — thanks to the numerous times that repair crews have needed to dig up the asphalt for repairs. Police Chief Gene Meek has even suggested that folks avoid the street during winter months due to ice hazards. Underground, thi...
The Alaska Marine Highway System has added Wi-Fi service for passengers aboard the state ferry Columbia - with other ships in the fleet to follow. The service, which initially will be free on the Columbia, started last month when the ship came out of a yearlong layup to take over the weekly run between Bellingham, Washington, and Southeast Alaska when the Kennicott was pulled for its own yearlong layup for new generators. The Columbia is the only state ferry serving Wrangell, with a northbound...
The borough has until 2030 to meet tighter state and federal water quality standards for its wastewater treatment plant discharge, and will use this year to determine the best way to kill more of the bacteria in the outflow. The Environmental Protection Agency renewed Wrangell’s wastewater discharge permit in November — along with permits for Haines, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan and Petersburg. The communities must make improvements to their treatment systems to reduce the levels of bacteria discharged into marine waters. In Wrangell, that lik...
Jan. 1, 1925 The Commercial Club took up the matter of new Stikine commercial fishing regulations. The new regulations stipulate that commercial fishing for salmon shall be conducted solely by drift gillnets which may not exceed 200 fathoms in length. Local fishermen are unanimous in declaring that it is impossible to fish the strait with 200-fathom sets, the undercurrents being so strong that a 200-fathom net would almost immediately become so bunched up as to be useless. All net fishing done in this locality heretofore has been with nets 350...
STATE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE will be in town on Thursday, Jan. 9, and will see clients in the clinic. Immunizations, birth control and STD screening, well-child exams for kids up to age 7, TB screening and medication, Narcan kits and medication disposal bags will be offered. The Public Health Center is in the Kadin Building, 215 Front St. Call 907-723-4611 to make an appointment so the nurse knows which immunizations to bring. TRAINING SESSION FOR YOUNG TRAPPERS, Wrangell’s dog-owner community will hold a training session for young trappers on w...
Nothing unlucky about the number 13 for Kim Lane, who is in her 13th year as borough clerk. She was honored as Clerk of the Year by her colleagues in the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks. Lane was at the association's annual conference and dinner in Anchorage on Dec. 10 when the announcer started talking about the 2024 award winner, without spilling the name and spoiling the surprise. "And then I realized, it's me," she said in an interview after returning to Wrangell. "It makes you feel...
The Irene Ingle Public Library, which has run a summer reading program for children for years, is turning a new page for 2025 — it is running a similar program for adults. There will be prizes for adults who fill in their book bingo card. The idea started with parents asking during the annual summer activity for children, “I wish you had an adult reading program,” said Sarah Scambler, library director. She talked with other librarians around the state, including the Anchorage public library which has run a bingo-card style reading chall...
After missing last year, the chamber of commerce has resumed the decades-old tradition of assembling, printing and selling a calendar of community members’ birthdays and anniversaries. The calendar, which started in the 1950s, is a fundraiser for scholarships for high school seniors. People who preordered a calendar should come by the chamber office in the Stikine Inn to pick up their copy, said Tracey Martin, the chamber’s executive director. Copies also are available for people who did not preorder — the cost is $15. The calendars are a lim...
Borough officials met with the Washington state developer who has grand plans for the former mill property at 6-Mile. They listened as he presented his ideas at a public workshop. And they wisely made no commitments, other than to continue listening. It’s not that the borough is against development proposals to create jobs; City Hall fully supports any reasonable idea that would help the town’s struggling economy. It’s just that officials don’t want to write any checks, make any promises or sign any commitments until they know more. Cautious is...
Americans are changing their minds in record numbers. No, not about politics. People are pretty stubborn about that. And don’t look for Americans to change their minds about what they dislike — taxes, inflation, roof leaks and car repairs — or what they like —sweets, free Wi-Fi and airline miles on their credit cards. But take a look at the numbers and you’ll see that people change their minds about their online purchases more often than candidates change their positions on tough issues. Or, if you don’t want to pick on politicians...
It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming a new year on this incredible island we are so blessed to call home. Wrangell is more than a place — it’s a family. Each person here adds something extraordinary to the vibrant life of our community. This past year, we celebrated milestones that reminded us of the strength of these bonds. During the Fourth of July, 30- and 40-year high school reunions chose Wrangell as their gathering place — not just out of tradition, but because here, everyone knows your name, arms are open wide, and every accom...
The Wrangell Athletic Club succeeded in raising enough money in its first full year to repay the school district for the cost of sending students to state competition in the 2023-2024 school year. The all-volunteer nonprofit organization was created in late 2023 after the school district determined it could not afford to pay the expenses of students traveling to state competition and needed community fundraising to cover the bills. The costs totaled $25,042 for the 2023-2024 school year, which...
Buyers picked up five of the eight lots in the borough-developed Industrial Park Subdivision land sale last month, with the three remaining parcels listed for sale online at minimum bids. The borough is putting in street access to the parcels, extending Fifth and Sixth avenues to serve the lots just off Airport Loop Road, a little past the turnoff to Ishiyama Drive. If the three remaining lots sell at the minimum prices of $31,400 for each for the two 16,500-square-foot parcels and $51,700 for the 25,849-square-foot lot, the borough will have...
The borough has contracted to finish the design work so that it can go out for bid to stabilize the earthen dams that hold back the community’s two water reservoirs. A $5 million state grant will pay for the project. The assembly last month approved spending an additional $114,450 to finish the design and engineering work for the project. Borough officials have been meeting with representatives of the engineering firm Shannon & Wilson and the state’s dam safety office to advance toward the final design plans. The design and engineering wor...
The Alaska Marine Highway System is now accepting summer travel bookings. The summer season for the state ferries runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. The schedule, which was released on Dec. 23 and opened that same day for online reservations, shows the same level of service to Wrangell as in recent years: A northbound stop in the afternoon or early evening every Sunday and a southbound morning stop every Wednesday. Wrangell will be served on the weekly run by the Columbia between Bellingham, Washington, and Southeast Alaska. Fares are the same as...
"With deep sadness, we share the passing of Marina Chauvaud Backman on Nov. 4, 2024, at just 62 years old," her family wrote. After a hard-fought battle with cancer, she passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family. Friends are invited to honor Marina's life at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at the Sourdough Lodge. This will be a potluck event. Feel free to bring a snack or appetizer to share. She was born Jan. 5, 1962, in Kodiak. Marina's life was one defined by resilience,...
Monday, Dec. 23 Dog complaint. Agency assist: Public Works. Agency assist: Ambulance. Tuesday, Dec. 24 Summons service. Bar check. Wednesday, Dec. 25 Nothing to report. Thursday, Dec. 26 Dog at large. Fraud. Harassment. Domestic violence order served. Friday, Dec. 27 Citizen assist: Dog euthanasia. Suspicious circumstance. Bar check. Saturday, Dec. 28 Welfare check. Violation condition of release: Arrested for unlawful contact. Citizen assist: Vehicle unlock. Sunday, Dec. 29 Nothing to report....
The Wrangell high school girls basketball team opened their season with back-to-back home losses against Metlakatla. In the Dec. 20 game, Wrangell lost 64-22. The next day, the Wolves fell 62-24. Though neither game was much of a contest, head coach Christy Good understands that at this point in the season generating results comes second to building positive habits. She also noted that the Wolves were without four of their 11 rostered players, including star sophomore Alana Harrison. “We have a lot of things to work on,” Good said. “We neede...
The Wrangell boys basketball team lost both home games to Metlakatla in their first competition of the season on Dec. 20 and 21 but playing in Metlakatla this weekend will give the high school squad an opportunity to get even with their southern rivals after an early bye week. The two-game series (one game Friday and one game Saturday) started off with a bit of a rude awakening for Wrangell. Metlakatla won the Friday game 49-26 in a triumphant display in the Wolves’ home gym. On Saturday, Wrangell was far more competitive, though the Chiefs s...
Wrangell's Jackson Carney is a state wrestling champion. The sophomore finished atop the podium in the boys 140-pound bracket after beating Glennallen's Jake Stockhausen in a 7-1 decision. Carney was not the only Wolf with a strong showing at the high school state Division II championship in Anchorage on Dec. 20-21. Della Churchill finished fourth in the girls 120-pound division and Cody Barnes finished fourth in the boys 215-pound bracket. Everett Meissner finished sixth in the 152-pound...
HELP WANTED Johnson’s Building Supply is accepting applications for the following position: Customer Service. Duties include counter sales, freight handling, customer deliveries, stocking and inventory. Full-time position; will require working Saturdays. Valid Alaska driver’s license, must be able to lift 50 lbs., forklift experience a plus, starting pay is DOE. Stop by Johnson’s for an application. FREE Free 4-drawer metal filing cabinet in fair condition. 28” deep, 15” wide and 52” tall. Stop by the Sentinel to pick up. FREE ADS Do you have...