Sorted by date Results 701 - 725 of 793
Preliminary budget figures show a looming $64,000 reduction in funding for the Nolan Center. The draft budget, released publicly for the first time May 13, and discussed in a budget workshop before the regular borough assembly meeting, also shows a possible five percent rate hike for electricity consumers in the borough, as well as two other looming concerns. The Nolan Trust board has told the borough that a reduction of $64,000 will be required to allow interest from the $2 million funding to continue at sustainable levels, according to a draf...
Hummingbirds are jerks. That was among the messages, meditations, stories and sights shared at the 2014 Stikine River Birding Festival last week. The annual festival caters to those – like guest speaker and author Noah Strycker – with birds on the brain, and took place most visibly over the weekend. The festival receives funding in part from the US Forest Service's Resource Advisory Committee, which also provides funds for Bearfest in August. As a conclusion to an hour-long presentation foc...
The more visible aspects of the Stikine River Birding festival start this evening, but festival elements had already started Monday. Guest artist Elizabeth Kunibe has been teaching students in Wrangell about art using bird cutouts and paints. Their work goes on display this evening in the Nolan center. Students were given wooden templates mounted on driftwood and received a lesson about color. They then painted their silhouettes and attached eyes, Kunibe said. She was putting the finishing touches on the bird templates last week when interviewe...
While attendance figures for Saturday's health fair may not be available for some time, organizers said attendance was steady this year. The fair is a perennial draw, in part because of reduced rates offered for things like a health profile and recommended screenings, and in part because of numerous booths representing community activities. Last year's events drew between 500 and 600 adults and children to the fair. A count of returned free entry forms for an annual raffle show at least 300 had...
Health consumers are ready to descend on the Nolan Center this weekend for reduced rates on a health profile and five other screenings. The reduced rates on a health profile, prostate screening, hemoglobin A1C (a type of diabetic screening), vitamin D screenings, and a hepatitis C test are the centerpiece of the annual Health Fair, set for Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon. Officials with Wrangell Medical Center held a preregistration March 21 and 22, but people looking to get a reduced rate on...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will hold commercial troll public meetings in Wrangell on Wednesday, April 2 in the Nolan Center Classroom at 6:30 p.m. Meeting topics will include, but are not limited to, plans for the 2014 spring and summer troll fisheries, the 2014 Pacific Salmon Treaty Chinook salmon abundance index and quota, and a review of the 2013 troll season. All members of the public are welcome to attend....
The Chamber of Commerce honored Lucy Robinson with the Citizen of the Year award at Saturday's annual dinner. The event also honored new chamber members, the Business of the Year, retiring school system personnel, and distributed the Chamber Membership Appreciation Award. It drew more than 200 members and guests to the Nolan Center for dinner, drinks, dessert auctions, and games. The dinner is the sole event dedicated exclusively to Chamber fundraising, Director Cyni Waddington told the crowd....
A recently completed survey shows Wrangellites value recreational uses for the Tongass Forest more than other uses. Britta Schroeder, formerly of the Wrangell Ranger District, but now living and working in Denali Forest Park and Preserve, will present a speech reviewing 200 results from local residents conducted about a year ago. In the survey, people were asked to place acceptable uses on a map of the Wrangell Ranger District to indicate areas where they found management strategies acceptable, and areas where they found certain management...
Local tykes bounced in a jumping castle, took home about 100 goldfish, panned for simulated gold, took in the finer points of fur trapping, and raced beds along a one-block stretch of Front Street this weekend. Despite frigid temperatures and a biting wind, the annual Tent City Days festival drew crowds to participate in many (mostly indoor) events. The festival commemorates Wrangell's role in gold rushes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. About 200 children showed up to the youth carniv...
The borough assembly voted 6-0 Tuesday to purchase a new truck. They also voted 6-0 to hold a public hearing Feb. 11 about potentially turning the high-traffic Brueger Street, which runs in front of City Hall to a high-traffic intersection between Bobs’ IGA grocery store and First Bank near the Nolan Center, into a one-way street. They also tabled an agenda item about the creation of a permanent standing energy committee, following a procedural discussion concerning a letter from TBPA manager Mick Nicholls. Assembly members voted 6-0 to add t...
Wrangellites looking for child-friendly weekend activities now have one more option. The Wrangell Museum has started offering Weekend Family Workshops focusing on aspects of Wrangell and Alaska history. The second workshop – focusing on dinosaurs found in Alaska - was held Saturday morning. The workshops are offered on the third Saturday of every month, and feature crafts based around the theme. A workshop held Dec. 21 focused on using locally available materials to construct Christmas o...
The Chief Shakes House rededication was easily the biggest event of 2013 in Wrangell. However, the year was filled with events and news stories big and small. On the first edition of 2014, the Sentinel pauses to recollect the stories throughout the year. January An electrical fire damaged the fish tank at the Nolan Center, causing it to be removed. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off of Craig Jan. 4, rattling windows and nerves in town. The quake caused no major damage in town, but...
To the Editor: Concerning the Wrangell Mariners Memorial: In order to encourage more community involvement and add depth to Wrangell’s Mariners Memorial, I would like the community to consider adding a series of kiosks depicting the history of maritime culture associated with Wrangell. The addition of educational kiosks sponsored by specific organizations would help this project obtain additional grant funding. The Nolan Center has interpretative kiosks outside the building conveying site information. I would like the community to consider a s...
Volunteers were hard at work in the Nolan Center Nov. 26 preparing to bring a little holiday cheer into the community. The annual Christmas Tree Lane display and Christmas tree auction opened Tuesday. About half the proceeds from the annual auction go to volunteer hospice care, organizers said, though it's up to community groups and individuals who sponsor individual trees to decide how much to give. Volunteers provide decorative sometimes-intricate trees typically built around a central theme....
It didn't matter what Ben Florschutz might have wanted. He wasn't going to get a sucking chest wound. "No chest wounds tonight!" said Fire Department administrator Dorianne Curley, putting the kibosh on Florschutz's plans. The wounds in this case were thankfully all simulated, though you wouldn't know it with a casual glance at Wrangell High senior Hannah Armstrong's left arm, which dribbled fake blood from a fake gunshot wound as she cradled it in the auditorium of the Nolan Center Thursday...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly clarified questions to be put to an attorney relating to the ongoing debate over the Thomas Bay Power Authority. Discussion focused around questions to be put to a power attorney – borough manager Jeff Jabusch mentioned one of the attorneys who drafted the original Long-Term Power Sales Agreement, which dictates the terms under which electricity from Tyee Lake power plant and Swan Lake dam are sold as a possibility – as the borough resolves questions about the future of the Authority. The scope of the que...
Wrangell voters insurmountably rejected a proposal to lower the sales tax, retained their sitting mayor, and removed one member of the assembly in municipal elections Tuesday, officials said. The unofficial results, read aloud shortly after the polls closed at 8 pm, put the vote tally for the contentious tax proposal at 451 votes against lowering taxes from 7 percent to 5.5 percent, and 172 votes in favor of the change. Sitting mayor David Jack tallied 455 votes while Kipha Valvoda scored 118....
Shoppers and vendors milled around the last farmer’s market of the year in the Nolan Center Saturday with commerce on their mind. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask them about the annual boost to the economy known as the Permanent Fund Divident, said to be $900 by state officials Sept. 19. That amount is between nine and four times what the average vendor will make at the market in a weekend, planners and vendors said. It was not enough, apparently, for most people at the market, t...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly will likely travel to Wrangell September 10 to discuss with its assembly the viability of Thomas Bay Power Authority. According to a memo sent out by Wrangell Interim Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch, the two municipalities created TBPA to jointly maintain and operate the Tyee Hydroelectric power plant. Southeast Alaska Power Agency, SEAPA, owns the facility and pays for its operations and maintenance. There’s an additional expense associated with the TBPA budget that the two boroughs traditionally split. It’s cal...
The 2013 Bearfest celebration came roaring back to Wrangell last Wednesday as the Shtax’Heen Kwaan dancers presented a moving and eloquent recitation of traditional Tlingit dance and language – and fed the nearly 60 visitors with fresh baked and smoked salmon dishes at the Chief Shakes Tribal House. Wrangell Cooperative Association president Tim Gillen said the sharing of food is important to the Natives of Southeast Alaska as a way of keeping ancient Tlingit culture alive. “From my persp...
Monday, July 22 - Officer requested for a deer carcass. - Vacation check requested - Person reported a theft and found the missing item. - Officer responded to report of intoxicated man in someone’s apartment. Man was gone on arrival. - Officer responded to report of disturbance. Warnings were given. Tuesday, July 23 - Person reported a theft. - Officer responded to a possible break-in. - Person brought in a dog that was running loose. Owner picked up dog. - Person brought in a bike that they found. - Officer responded to speeding complaint. -...
BEARFEST GOLF TOURNAMENT Saturday, July 27 – 18 Hole Best Ball 1st place – Net score: 33, Handicap: 33 Greg Scheff Ed Rilatos Rafael Nunez Hal Rhodes Sunday, July 28 – 18 Hole Best Ball 1st Place – Net Score: 21, Handicap: 15 Jeff Davidson Ken Davidson Hal Rhodes Randy Littleton BEARFEST MARATHON RESULTS Marathon – Men Brian Asher: 3:21:30 Eric Wartman 3:36:19 Dale McMurren: 3:40:49 Kent Johnson: 3:48:49 George Southgate: 5:42:23 Jim Simpson: 7:34:44 Frank Bartocci: 7:34:44 Laurence Macon: 7:...
Monday, July 1 - Officer unlocked a vehicle. - Traffic stop - Verbal warning for faulty brake lights. - Traffic stop - Verbal warning for driving habits. Tuesday, July 2 - EMT requested and notified to check oxygen tubing. - Officer responded to a report of a possible DUI. Unable to locate. - Person called reporting a house fire. Fire department dispatched. - Report of an MVA. - Officer responded to a driving complaint of someone driving too fast. - Fire Department notified of someone having boat problems. Wednesday, July 3 - Title 47. - Found...
The Nolan Center is currently undergoing work to beautify and improve the look and feel of the facility, according to Borough Manager Tim Rooney. The majority of the work is on the waterside green space. “Staff hopes to have the grass planted soon,” Rooney stated. “This area will become ‘Pet Free’ in order to have an area where citizens and visitors can sit on the grass. There has been a new picnic table donated by the Murkowski family that will be installed under the covered area. According...
