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BRAVE is a Wrangell-based organization that works to connect people with resources to help themselves and their families. Their work was put on display last Tuesday night at the Nolan Center as a "family resilience fair" was held. The fair brought together about 20 organizations that offered one form of support for Wrangell families or another. The organizations ranged from religious groups, medical organizations, government entities, and sports groups. Organizations that participated include...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday night to hold a meeting that was rescheduled from July 24. Before getting into new business, the assembly heard a request from Lavern Lawrence, who lives at 4.2 mile. Lawrence said that she and her husband live right next door to the dump, and have had several health issues arise because of it. She came before the assembly because she said her doctors have requested they get a toxicology report to rule out what could be causing some of these health...
Irene Ingle Public Library will be holding an open house next week, serving up cake as a way of celebrating National Library Week. On March 13, Wrangell Mayor David Jack proclaimed the week of April 8 to be dedicated to libraries. Institutions of learning available to the whole community, they are not only repositories for books but provide internet access, educational programming and other resources visitors may benefit from. All next week, Jack encouraged residents to stop by their library and maybe say a quiet word or two of thanks. To mark...
City staff from several departments were surprised to learn of one late resident's generosity. At its meeting in early December, the Wrangell Convention and Visitor Bureau discussed news that Marian Glenz had bequeathed a considerable donation to it. Details at the time had yet to be worked out, but at the Borough Assembly's February 6 meeting, City Manager Lisa Von Bargen had confirmed the contribution totaled $50,000. Born in Wisconsin in 1936, Glenz spent her youth in Port Protection, Ketchik...
January 10, 1918: All pupils above the second grade were given a test in spelling on Monday, the list of 100 words having been sent to all schools in Alaska by the Commissioner of Education. The best spellers in the school and the number of words they misspelled are as follows: High School: Hattie Anderson, 0; Helen Hofstad, 1. Eighth grade: Ruth Lindman, 0; Lester Campen, 2. Seventh Grade: Henry Ronning, 2; Marjory Shaffner, 7; Andrew Engstrom, 7. Sixth Grade: Ruth Sylvester, 7; Donald Sinclair, 8. Fifth Grade: Harry Ronning, 1; Coralie...
Winter wasn't the only source of wonder in Wrangell last week, as residents crowded into the public library to watch a magic show. Illuminating minds under the stage name of Rondoc, Dr. Myron Fribush commanded the southwestern corner of Irene Ingle Public Library the evening of December 20. Children crowded around in front, with as many adults watching from as far back as the main doors. There were 58 audience members in all. Wearing a conical hat and Chinese gown, the visiting physician...
The local Friends of the Library have acquired a new resource for research at Irene Ingle Public Library. The web-based reference tool, ProQuest’s Ancestry Library Edition, helps users trace family trees more easily. The program maintains millions of family records dating as far back as the 15th century. In a news release late last week, the library explained the new resource responds to local interest in family history. “More and more of our patrons want to explore their past, and these resources make it easy and convenient,” explained Wrang...
The Nolan Center is giving inquisitive locals someplace quiet to research, with Wrangell Museum staff setting up a station inside its office. Speaking Tuesday, Nolan Center director Terri Henson said the nook is now open to the public. It includes a cozy desk, a laptop computer, bookshelves and filing cabinets. It was set up by museum staff, and makes it easier for people to access their still-expanding digitized collection. "What we did was created a little research center," Henson explained....
Summer officially began this week, with the solstice marking the year’s longest day on Wednesday. For hundreds of Wrangell children, the months-long break between school years began at the end of May, and programming to keep them active and socially engaged started up soon afterward. Wrangell Parks and Recreation kicked off its summer activities at the start of June. The library’s summer reading program began June 1, and young residents have already begun taking lessons in horseback riding and swimming. A fee structure is in place for par...
School may be out for the summer, but the local library is still trying to keep books in students’ hands with its seasonal reading program. Beginning June 1, the Irene Ingle Public Library’s summertime program encourages kids from ninth grade on down to continue to read for fun and study by assigning point values to individual volumes. During the months of June and July, participants have a chance to take computerized tests on what they’ve read, with passing grades earning points toward a seasonal total, which in turn translates into ticke...
A relatively recent resident to Wrangell took a novel view of the place, in February self-publishing a fictional adventure set here. K.E. Hoover’s book West of North follows character Josh Campbell, a man who has come to Wrangell looking for a new start at life. He makes some new friendships – and new enemies – in the process, learning to live in the Alaskan wilderness. “It’s a thriller in addition to an adventure story,” Hoover explained. One of the characters is loosely based on his own father, Jack Hoover, a resident of Wrangell. ...
Have you ever had a story you were just aching to tell, but weren't sure how to best get started? Or is there a manuscript in the bureau you'd like to have published, but don't know how to get it into print? Local author Michael Bania sought to answer some of these queries in an open workshop last week for prospective writers and illustrators. Held at the Irene Ingle Public Library, about two dozen inquisitive residents brought their notepads, portfolios and laptops to the March 14...
Following the February 16 article on its new Knowledge Imaging Center, the Irene Ingle Public Library wanted to acknowledge Wrangell Cooperative Association as the lead organization for the IMLS Grant that provided funds for its purchase. The library apologizes that this information was inadvertently omitted from last week’s article....
A new archiving station has been acquired by the local library, allowing the public access to digital scanning services free of charge. Irene Ingle Public Library was able to purchase its Knowledge Imaging Center largely through use of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Librarian Margaret Villarma explained the versatile system makes digital archiving very simple, and is easy on original materials. Documents are placed open, facing upward, and a digital scanner overhead...
The local Elks Lodge has received a $2,500 grant from its national organization, which will in turn be distributed to local causes. Lodge #1595 met its per-member fundraising goals through member contributions and gaming earnings last year, which entitled it to a Gratitude Grant through the Elks National Foundation. Grants vary from $2,000 to $2,500, and are meant to support local charitable activities. Lodge secretary Shirley Clark explained Wrangells grant will be split between four causes, with $625 going to each. Benefitting from the...
Events for the 7th Annual Bearfest are already underway, with the first two workshops and symposium presented yesterday at the Nolan Center. The annual activity was started in 2010 by Sylvia Ettefagh, an outfitter with Alaska Vistas and commercial fisherman. Drawing a number of notable speakers and participants each year, Bearfest serves to highlight the local bear population, particularly that found at nearby Anan Wildlife Observatory. About 30 miles southeast of Wrangell, the observatory...
School may be out for the season, but kids can still keep up on their reading skills while picking up some fun gear with the library's summer reading program. Starting up on June 1, Irene Ingle Public Library's annual program encourages students to read books in exchange for tickets, which can be entered into drawings for a variety of prizes and cash drawings. The vast majority of the library's books for children about 80 to 90 percent of them have corresponding tests on the Renaissance...
In an unexpected move, the Wrangell City and Borough Assembly sent back a request to renew a lot lease to the committee which approved it. After extensive discussion, its members agreed to send a facility lease agreement between the city and and Chuck Jenkins back to the Port Commission. Approved unanimously by commissioners last month, the agreement would extend the lease on Jenkins' lot in the boatyard for another five years at the rate he had been paying. The action was recommended by Assembly member Dave Powell after he learned two more lea...
Irene Ingle Public Library has added a new digital tool for its users, enrolling itself in a one-year trial with educational website Lynda.com. Library card holders can access the site from any computer or device connected to the internet and are able to earn certifications in more than 4,000 areas of study. “You can do all sorts of things,” said head librarian Margaret Villarma. She explained that the program was recommended by the Friends of the Library, which paid $2,500 for the year’s subscription. Lynda.com is an online learning compa...
Residents interested in mapping out their family histories were able to meet at the Irene Ingle Public Library Saturday morning and afternoon for a pair of introductory genealogy sessions. Semi-retired schoolteacher Teresa Campbell of Juneau was invited by the library to lead the sessions, meant to point a person in the right direction to find useful data. In the morning presentation, nine participants got an overview of different research sources and records commonly available. These can include the various milestone documentation people tend...
