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Another year begins this week, and 2018 both holds promise and poses challenges to Wrangell residents. Economic trials will perhaps be of the greatest concern as state coffers seem set to dry up and fishing forecasts continue to disappoint. Limits to funding sources will be of particular bother as the borough continues to address an aging infrastructure, though securing state funding for the Shoemaker Bay Harbor refurbishment and an expected start to the belated Evergreen Road repaving should...
To the Editor: Recently you published an editorial in which you expressed your opinion about the proposed sale of KSTK to Coast Alaska. The members of the KSTK board, the Coast Alaska board, and yes, even the KFSK board, have spent a lot of time examining the options available, and after much thought and discussion, came to the proposed transfer. The membership of KSTK, (that is, all donors of $20 or more in the past year) were advised of the particulars and invited to vote at a special meeting held for this issue, and approved it unanimously....
The board of Wrangell’s public radio station last month approved a deal which would transfer its ownership to a regional corporation. Following a decision by its governing board to do so in November, Wrangell Radio Group (WRG) on December 11 filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to transfer its four channels to CoastAlaska in Juneau. Among the four would be KSTK, a source for news and entertainment on the island since the noncommercial station was first built in 1977. CoastAlaska is a nonprofit corporation which provid...
Lack of support from KSTK public radio listeners and businesses in Wrangell may bring ownership changes to the station. A public notice published in last week’s Wrangell Sentinel foreshadows the transfer of radio station assets to CoastAlaska in Juneau. CoastAlaska provides administrative support and other services for seven Southeast public radio stations including KSTK. Reductions in grant revenue and local donations, has made the station’s financial situation untenable. We’re not convinced that moving the station’s operations to CoastAl...
By popular demand, the Chamber of Commerce will be bringing the holiday spirit back to Wrangell's shores next week with its annual boat parade. Once a tradition every Christmas season, mariners of every stripe would string up lights and decorations on their vessels for a floating parade. The event started with physician Wayne "Doc" Davenport, who arrived to the island to practice medicine during the mid-1970s. Just before the holiday he would decorate his boat, and had afterward encouraged...
December 6, 1917: Bishop R.J Crimont who last July was consecrated the first Bishop of Alaska for the Catholic Church is a genuine Sourdough. Recently he paid his first visit to Wrangell since his consecration. From Wrangell he went to Ketchikan where he found the hotels filled with people attending court and no rooms to be had. So he made his way up to the rectory, which of course was locked Father Kern being in Seattle. He then tried the church and finding it open spent the night there sleeping on one of the hard benches. The next day when so...
Local radio station KSTK has recently hired a new reporter, following a five-month stint without one. June Leffler from Louisville, Kentucky arrived late last week after earning her master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism this spring. She flew in to Juneau with her family last week, and took the overnight ferry from there to Wrangell. "It's wild, this is totally different," she said. After earning her bachelor's degree at the University of Louisville, Leffler...
The city’s annual switch-over to diesel power is scheduled to begin next week, lasting just under two weeks. Electrical superintendent Clay Hammer explained the temporary transition is to allow Southeast Alaska Power Agency – a utility providing hydroelectric power to the communities of Wrangell, Ketchikan and Petersburg – to undertake maintenance projects on its infrastructure. While those lines are down, it falls on municipalities to generate their own power during the interim, with Wrangell Municipal Light and Power firing up its diese...
The next step in a five-year utility improvement process is wrapping up on Church Street. Work on Church Street’s power infrastructure is about one-third of the way through, Wrangell Municipal Light and Power superintendent Clay Hammer reported. “It’s the tough third,” Hammer added, serving the library and post office, as well as feeding much of the residences up the hill from them. Over the weekend the city collaborated with telecoms provider GCI to reroute the last of its cables on the street underground. The weighty cables have built u...
Virginia "Ginny" Ellen Gillen/Allen, 73, of Wrangell, Alaska, died April 3, 2017 in her Wrangell home surrounded by her family. She was born August 29, 1943 to the late James and Madge Gillen, and was the third of eight children and was raised in Wrangell. Ginny was married to Gary Allen Sr. and had four children, Lynn, Gary Jr., Theresa, and Penny. Ginny also had 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Ginny was most notably known to Wrangell residents for her voice on KSTK, her oil...
February 1, 1917: The following petition is being circulated in Wrangell this week: “We, the undersigned, residents of Wrangell and vicinity, respectfully petition the government of the United States to build a wagon road commencing at the mouth of Mill Creek, about eight miles from Wrangell, to run thence three-quarters of a mile, more or less, to Mill Lake; thence eight miles to Groundhog Basin, in order to enable those of us who have important mineral claims in Groundhog Basin to get supplies in to our properties on a large enough scale a...
February 1, 1917: The following petition is being circulated in Wrangell this week: “We, the undersigned, residents of Wrangell and vicinity, respectfully petition the government of the United States to build a wagon road commencing at the mouth of Mill Creek, about eight miles from Wrangell, to run thence three-quarters of a mile, more or less, to Mill Lake; thence eight miles to Groundhog Basin, in order to enable those of us who have important mineral claims in Groundhog Basin to get supplies in to our properties on a large enough scale a...
As the year's campaign season nears its close on Tuesday, candidates for House District 36 came to Wrangell to participate in a public debate last week. Held at City Hall on October 26, the forum was hosted by public radio station KSTK. Independent incumbent Rep. Dan Ortiz met with Republican challenger Bob Sivertsen. Constitution Party candidate Kenneth Shaw was also invited to the debate, but was unable to attend. All three candidates are from Ketchikan. Speakers were given two minutes each...
Ahead of next month's general election, candidates for Wrangell's State House district have been stopping in to meet with constituents and secure their votes on November 8. Running for District 36 as a Republican, Ketchikan Councilman Bob Sivertsen spoke about his candidacy. He had previously visited the community on the campaign trail over July 4 and in September. "I think the campaign's been going great," Sivertsen said. "I spent a fair amount of time in Wrangell, visiting with residents. And...
Rep. Dan Ortiz is running for reelection on November 8, to represent District 36 in the Alaska State House. Going door to door through Wrangell on the campaign trail late last month, he stopped in the Sentinel office to talk about his record, his candidacy, and the direction he believes the state should head in the coming session. Unaffiliated with any political party, after being elected to office in 2014, Ortiz served both legislative sessions caucusing with the Democratic-led House Minority....
The KSTK/AP&T 3 Person Best Ball Tournament was held June 18 with 15 participants. First Place Team: George Woodbury, Rondy Littleton, Pam McClockey. Net Score: 23 Team Handicap: 15. Second Place Team: Ed Rilotos, Doug Nelson, Don Shermon. Net Score: 24 Team Handicap: 17. Third Place Team: Keene Kohrt, Faye Kohrt, Chris Ellis. Net Score: 26, Team Handicap: 19. Straightest Drive: Chris Ellis 9’8”. Closest to Pin: Doug Nelson 12’5 5/8”. The Kito’s Kave, 9 Hole Best Ball tournament will be June 25- 26....
The Stikine Sportsmens best ball tournament was held on June 10 with 43 participants. First place went to the team of Tor Gunderson, Steve, Trevor Sandie and John Smith. Straightest drive was made by Jean Shoemaker and John Thompson was closest to the pin. The Greg Scheff Memorial 2 person best ball tournament was held on June 11 with 40 participants. First place went to the team of Travis Scheff and Matt Henderson. Longest drive was made by Steve Kemble and Matt Henderson was closest to the pin. The Greg Scheff Memorial 4 person best ball...
With legislators currently working out a budget for the 2017 fiscal year, proposed cuts to public radio contributions have a numbers of stations turning up their dials. First hitting the airwaves in 1977, local radio station KSTK serves the Wrangell area. Like similar public stations, its revenue sources at the moment come primarily from three sources, with a third derived from federal Corporation for Public Broadcasting money, a third from the state administered through the Alaska Public Broadcasting Corporation, and the rest a combination of...
Bar-goers and fun-runners were able to enjoy a rarity in Wrangell last weekend, with a band from the Lower 48 on hand to play some live music. The Golden Idols are a relatively new creation, a four-person group whose members first found each other on classifieds website Craigslist. The spooky surf indie group was started by Patrick Broz and a friend a few years ago. On lead vocals and guitar, Broz originally hails from Montgomery City, Mo., but ended up in Seattle after spending several years...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. September 23, 1915: One of the coming industries of Alaska that is more or less overlooked locally and which is coming to front in amazing fashion is agricultural. Mr. W.E. Parrot is at present harvesting one of the finest potato crops imaginable and is offering them for sale to the local market for the small price of two dollars per sack, delivered to your home. The potatoes are far superior to any raised outside, all of them being large and as solid as a rock, and not one among them has a rust spo...
If you've ever recycled a can in Wrangell, you probably have the Lions Club to thank. Since July 2014, the club has collected four full van-loads of the stuff. Since 1968, the local chapter has been doing good in the community, supporting projects ranging from childhood eyecare to the annual Gold Medal basketball tournament held each March. A steady source of its fundraising comes from collecting discarded aluminum, which gets redeemed for cash when turned in for recycling. "It doesn't have to b...
To the Editor: On the KSTK radio program on July 6 was an article about Southeast businesses requesting more Tongass recreation funding. Wrangell’s ranger said that he could only afford one seasonal worker this summer. Now that is a safety issue. I also think it is important to keep maintenance up on facilities. I have found that the better care the forest service took of its facilities was reflected in better treatment by the people. There was less damage to fix, less trash to pick up, and more enjoyment by all. There seems to be money for n...
APT/KSTK Golf Tournament Results Saturday, June 20 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 14 1st place: Colter Barnes, Joe Delabrue, John Sweet, Rick Teague. Net score 19, team handicap 16. 2nd place: Jim Abbott, Betty Abbott, Wayne Harding, Grover Mathis. Net score 20, team handicap 17. 3rd place: George Woodbury, Brett Woodbury, Chris Ellis. Net score 21, team handicap 13. 4th place: Eric Kading, Pam McCloskey, Faye Kohrt. Net Score 23, team handicap 16. Straightest Drive: Brett Woodbury 18”. Elks BPOE #1595 Golf Tournament Results Sunday, June 21 NUMBER O...
The Stikine Sportsmen Association raised $48,000 at this year’s annual fundraiser dinner, about $7,000 more than the previous year. Its 35th Annual Game Dinner was held in Wrangell’s American Legion Hall on Feb. 28, and the money was raised through a combination of raffles, auctions, admission and donations. “We give all of it away,” explained Mike Otteson, on the group’s board. Stikine Sportsmen Association is a private organization that directs its funding toward a wide variety of programs and causes. “All our money is spent in town,” said...
Before the summer weather heats up and the air conditioners kick on, residents are being asked to conserve energy starting May 26. Wrangell Municipal Light and Power (WMLP) announced it will begin its annual diesel run that day, with the scheduled run anticipated to end June 3. Southeast Alaska Power Agency technicians need to power down the transmission lines connecting the hydroelectric facility at Tyee Lake for maintenance, including checking the lines' anchors and insulators, replacing...
