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Aleisha Mollen Wrangell School Board, three-year term Occupation: Service Manager, Wells Fargo Why do you want to be on the Wrangell School Board? "I care deeply about the youth here in Wrangell. They are a great group of kids and I want them to have the best educational experience possible. They are the future leaders in our community and our nation and I believe that making sure they have the opportunity at a better education will better us all. Making a difference in the schools today can...
Residents of Wrangell are invited to cast their votes in the Borough regular election Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Nolan Center, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters are asked to bring a form of identification to the polls. Official candidates for this year’s regular election include: – Two candidates for the position of Mayor, incumbent David Jack and Kipha Valvoda. The position is a two-year term. – Two candidates for a three-year term on the School Board, Aleisha Mollen and incumbent Susan Eagle. – Two candidates for two three-year terms on th...
People interested in entering their names for Wrangell Borough committee and board vacancy appointments need to submit their letters of intent before Monday, Oct. 6. There are ten vacancies that will need to be filled at the special swearing-in meeting of the Borough Assembly Oct. 13. So far only three letters of intent have been submitted. There are two three-year seats on the Planning and Zoning commission; two three-year seats with Parks and Recreation; two three-year terms on the Wrangell Convention and Visitors Bureau; two three-year...
Continuing pool woes concerned the Wrangell Borough Assembly when members Maxi Wiederspohn, Pam McCloskey, Mark Mitchell, Becky Rooney and Mayor David Jack met in their City Hall chambers Tuesday evening. “It seems that everything here has gone wrong at the same time,” reported Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch. Last month Wrangell public pool staff discovered a number of problems, including a significant leak, roof issues, some corrosion and electrical problems with a heat exchanger. Jabusch said a public pool in Juneau had experienced similar hea...
Despite the at times uncooperative weather, the Borough of Wrangell successfully hosted this year's annual Southeast Conference at its Nolan Center, from Sept. 16 to 18. About 180 visitors arrived for the three-day conference, fully booking every inn, hotel and lodge in town. Volunteers opened their houses to some attendees as well, but to accommodate the remaining attendees Trident Seafoods allowed the conference use of its bunkhouses. Volunteers were essential to the event's success, fixing...
By the time the fog finally dissipated Tuesday afternoon, the 56th annual Southeast Conference (SEC) was already underway at Wrangell's Nolan Center. Poor visibility prevented the appearance of the conference's opening speaker, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, but there were a number of interesting presenters on hand to cover a wide array of topics near and dear to the region. “It's just a great opportunity to learn about all of Southeast,” commented Chere Klein, the Republican candidate for House District 36 in November's upcoming election. “It...
As the borough catches some of the last rays of summer, members of the Healthy Wrangell Coalition looked at a number of upcoming events this fall at its monthly meeting Tuesday. The coalition is a collaborative group representing the community’s health, education, recreation and religious spheres. An organ recital is planned at the Salvation Army Chapel this Sunday at 3 p.m. Major Scott Nicloy will play a variety of works ranging from classical pieces and church music to theatrical numbers. Admission is free with offering or donation of food i...
An official list of candidates for this year’s City and Borough of Wrangell regular election on Oct. 7 was released by Borough Clerk Kim Lane on Friday evening. At the moment, only two offices are being contested, that of Mayor and for a seat on the Wrangell School Board. Two candidates announced they will be running for the position of Mayor, incumbent David Jack and Kipha Valvoda. The position is a 2-year term. For a 3-year term on the School Board, Aleisha Mollen will run against the i...
Around two dozen Wrangellites—residents, business managers, shop owners, as well as city and borough officials and curious others—came out to the Nolan Center Monday evening to learn more about making use of saltwater heating pump technology in the community. Wrangell Municipal Light and Power electrical superintendent Clay Hammer invited Andy Baker to deliver the presentation. Baker is the owner and project manager of YourCleanEnergy LLC, an Anchorage-based firm he founded in 2006 which provides clean energy consulting, financial evaluation an...
Wrangell Mayor David Jack and Borough Assembly member Daniel Blake recently returned from the Alaska Municipal League (AML) Summer Legislative Conference held in Nome last week. The conference is a three-day event bringing together legislators, administrators and civic representatives from around the state. First organized in 1950, the league is a voluntary, non-profit and non-partisan statewide organization of 162 boroughs, cities and unified municipalities that represents over 97 percent of Alaska's residents. AML works together with the...
With only a month left to prepare, organizers for the 2014 Southeast Conference (SEC) are finalizing an agenda and adding names to the register of attendees. “We’re happy to have anyone that wants to come,” said Shelly Wright, SEC executive director. Registration opened at the beginning of the month. The Nolan Center will be hosting the conference, which promotes economic interests and brings stakeholders together to discuss issues for Alaska’s southeastern communities. “It is a good draft agenda,” Wright commented. A number of weighty top...
Impervious to the rain, more than fifty participants gathered at the starting line outside the Nolan Center for the fifth-annual Alaska Bearfest marathon on Sunday. Volunteers manned aid stations around the course as well-wishers were ready to make some noise along the sidelines. Once they were off, participants were then redirected at various points in the course to complete their 5K, half- or full-marathon. Local runner George Benson spent a good portion of this year putting the course together, improving on previous routes. “That (last y...
If you haven't joined in the fun already, there's still time as the fifth annual Alaska Bearfest continues around Wrangell through Sunday afternoon. A blend of fun, food and education, the festival celebrates the area's bear population. Bearfest was started in 2010 by Sylvia Ettefagh, operator of Alaska Vistas. In addition to the educational and recreational opportunities it presents, Ettefagh's aim for the festival is to make Wrangell a top destination for ursine enthusiasts everywhere. "Our...
The light slanted low across Shoemaker Bay, and the parking lot at Shoemaker Park was almost full Tuesday. Music was playing on the speakers, hamburgers and hot dogs sizzled on the grill. Hugs, smiles, handshakes and jokes made the rounds of the Welcome Back Picnic. The Fourth of July was still three days away, but a festive atmosphere had already begun to creep into the air around town, and a series of events this week started the journey to Wrangell's most celebrated public holiday. Earlier...
The borough assembly voted 5-1 to raise electric rates seven percent Tuesday. The rates increases are aimed to off-set declines in the budget reserves of the electric light utility fund. Officials have said that increasing health insurance, labor, and materials costs have reduced the reserves to unacceptable levels. Assembly newcomer Mark Mitchell cast the lone dissenting vote against the increase, motivated in part by fiscal concerns. “I believe that, along with the rest of America, we need to hold a budget and watch our spending as w...
It began, in part, with a dance. In 2004, Alaska's first lady and many residents of the town attended the ribbon cutting for the newly constructed James and Elsie Nolan Center. Amid the festivities and speeches of thanks, then-city manager Bob Prunella called Dorothy Ottesen in front of nearly 450 attendees, according to the July 8, 2004 edition of the Wrangell Sentinel. Ottesen had often vowed to dance in the museum, were it ever constructed. "The two danced a two-step in front of a clapping...
Fishermen and fishing enthusiasts gathered at the Nolan Center June 12 to garner cash and prizes for the 2014 Salmon Derby. The Derby has been held since 1953, said master of ceremonies Jeff Angerman. "A lot of years have gone by, and it was quite a successful derby," he said. Kelley Krumm took first place in the adult tourney, earning $6,000 plus a $500 weekly prize. Bruze Kautz won the $4,000 second prize with a 40.1-pound fish, as well as the Week 2 $500 weekly prize. Solvay Bakke took third...
The borough assembly voted 5-0 Tuesday to pass both the property tax rate and the municipal budget for the fiscal year 2015. At a May 13 budget workshop, officials pledged the mill rate of 12.75 mills will remain unchanged this year. That means that a house assessed at $200,000 would pay a property tax bill of $2,550. Since presenting the budget at a public workshop May 24, officials have received news of $37,219 in additional revenue, composed of a $23,821 shot in the arm from increased revenue sharing and a $13,398 increase from the state...
Kelley Krumm was in Wrangell for only the second time when the downrigger on his great uncle's boat began to dance. About 4 p.m. Saturday, Krumm, of Anaconda, Montana, along with great-uncle Dave Svendsen and father Tom Krumm were deep into the second straight day of fishing. They'd seen fish in the mid-to-low 20s from the landing craft Tideline, constructed in Svendsen's shop. It was the last weekend for the Salmon Derby. They were in Southeast Cove and had herring and a flasher on the line....
