Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 298
Three of Wrangell's Girl Scout Troop 4156 were able to experience a unique opportunity, traveling to Anchorage Feb. 7 to participate in the annual Alaska Forum on the Environment at the Dena'ina Center. It was a first for Wrangell's troop, and the girls were the only group representing Southeast. Jing O'Brien, Sophie O'Brien and Laura Helgeson made the trip along with some chaperones. At the forum, the three delivered a presentation about their findings during last summer's "Camp'Phibian," a... Full story
There was a good turnout for the boatyard storage fees workshop before the Port Commission's monthly meeting Feb. 5. Wrangell's Harbor Department is looking at altering two fees, for both storage and work spaces at its Marine Service Center. At the moment, ground rates are per diem set at 50 cents per square-foot. The department has been looking at raising this to 75 cents. “I think that's too big of an increase,” said one local vendor, Don Sorric. “That's not small potatoes.” He was concern... Full story
The Nolan Center was all decked out with hearts and other Valentine's Day decoratives Saturday night, as 160 people came together for Wrangell's Chamber of Commerce Annual Fundraising Dinner. The Chamber premiered its new video promoting the annual Fourth of July celebration. Chamber director Cyni Waddington also announced the theme for this year's Independence Day festivities: "Hometown Heroes," recognizing the contributions of military personnel. "We always try to make it something that... Full story
A team of architects and civic planners appeared before Wrangell officials and residents last week to start drafting a master plan for the city's future waterfront development. The eventual goal is to develop the fill area along Campbell Drive into a mixed-use property for businesses, locals and visitors to enjoy. Chris Mertl of Corvus Design, James Bibb of North Wind Architects, Dick Somerville of PND Engineers and Meilani Scheijvens of Rain Coast Data make up the team assembled to develop the... Full story
An ordinance amending Thomas Bay Power Advisory Committee's role in Wrangell's Municipal Code passed the Wrangell City and Borough Assembly on first reading. A second reading featuring a public hearing will be held on Jan. 27. The principal change would make the committee advisory to the Wrangell and Petersburg assemblies. This follows the transfer of Lake Tyee hydroelectric power management to Southeast Alaska Power Agency last summer. Borough Clerk Kim Lane explained the proposal was first drafted by Petersburg and submitted to Wrangell for r... Full story
After spending seven terms in the Alaska State House, Wrangell's long-serving Rep. Peggy Wilson announced her intention to retire last April, declining to run for reelection in November's general election. "It's really family more than anything else," she explained. One concern is the health of her mother, who lives in Iowa. "I was only getting to see my mom twice a year. That really got me thinking." Wilson described politics as very time-consuming, limiting the time she had to spend with her... Full story
The Bay Company’s requests for the City and Borough of Wrangell to vacate and sell portions of an adjacent alleyway have finally cleared their first hurdle, being approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission after considerable discussion at its Jan. 8 meeting. Bay Company’s manager, David Powell, filed the request on behalf of his employers, to vacate the remainder of an alleyway adjacent to lots A and C of the Bay Company replat. The request would also allow the Bay Company to purchase portions of lots 1 and 2, Block B, of the Sortyard Sub...
A pair of meetings will be held at the Nolan Center Jan. 12 and 14 to collect public input on the City and Borough of Wrangell’s upcoming waterfront master plan. The Borough has been working with private firms to develop a master planning project for the waterfront area between the Marine Service Center and City Dock along Campbell Drive. The overarching goal is the creation of a site-specific master plan intended to direct development of social and economic opportunities in that location. This will include possible commercial development and p... Full story
It may be a new year, but Wrangell's Port Commission was greeted with a lot of ongoing business when it met Tuesday evening, from finalizing plans for the Mariner's Memorial at Heritage Harbor to preparing to pursue replacement of the Shoemaker Bay Harbor floats. In one bit of new business, Josh Young of J&R Protective Coatings came before the commission to ask for help with a problem with his leased lot at the Marine Service Center. Young is the current lease holder of Lot 6 in the yard, and... Full story
Kicking things off with a new borough manager in Jeff Jabusch, 2014 for Wrangell was not only a period of changes, but also one of building and continued development. Pavement was poured at the Marine Service Center, a number of roads were resurfaced or due to eventually see improvement, and the city was able to showcase itself to other regional communities by hosting several prolific functions. January Wrangell Cooperative Association collected 210 registrations for Tlingit-Haida members at... Full story
As 2014 comes to a close, Wrangell's Marine Service Center is looking better and brighter for it. The facility was one of the centerpieces of the year's Southeast Conference in September, demonstrating the economic opportunities possible in the region. At the start, the center already touted a 150-ton mobile boat lift, a 40-ton hydraulic trailer, a federally-approved washdown area and upland storage for 85 boats. The self-service yard gives boat owners the option to rent space and conduct work... Full story
Wrangell's Planning and Zoning Commission finally had a quorum when it met for its Dec. 11 session. Commissioners were last able to meet on Sept. 11, with a number of items pending for their review. Still under discussion are requests by Bay Company manager David Powell to vacate the remainder of the alleyway adjacent to lots A and C, Bay Company Replat; vacate and purchase a portion of Silvernail Work Road adjacent to Lot C; and purchase portion of lots 1 and 2, Block B, Sortyard Subdivision. The road largely exists conceptually, cutting... Full story
Recently-elected Alaska House District 36 Representative Dan Ortiz paid Wrangell a visit Tuesday, meeting with Mayor David Jack and Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch at City Hall that afternoon. Since the Nov. 4 election, Ortiz explained he has been connecting with his constituent communities, and gathering input for setting goals for the next legislative session when it starts in January. As Wrangell's future representative, he said three local projects stood out. The first was final phasing for the Wrangell Marine Service Center, which is...
In his monthly report to the Port Commission on Dec. 4, Harbormaster Greg Meissner explained that plans to replace the dock at Shoemaker Bay Harbor are at the point where an engineer can be brought on site to draw up designs. Showing a preliminary design to commissioners, Meissner said Shoemaker would be looking at having five main fingers, with additional berths for 54- and 60-foot vessels. The materials used would consist of polyethylene tubs, doing away with wood or iron in the water and... Full story
Students taking vocational instruction courses at Wrangell Public Schools have been making use of some exciting new pieces of equipment. Under instructor Drew Larrabee, the shop's new Universal Laser, 3D printer and computer numerical control (CNC) router should broaden students' future prospects. These devices incorporate traditional craftsmanship with computer technology and are effectively setting a new course for industrial production. The laser-cutter can make precise cuts in wood with... Full story
At its Nov. 12 meeting, the Wrangell City and Borough Assembly approved its list of capital project requests for the 2015-16 fiscal year. Assembled by city staff and Assembly members, the annual list prioritizes projects in order of importance and gets circulated in Juneau and Washington D.C. by the borough's lobbyists, also serving as a target for finding funding opportunities. Topping the list are pool facility improvements, which could be as high as $1.5 million. Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch... Full story
Wrangell’s Planning and Zoning Commission twice lacked a quorum at its scheduled evening meeting Nov. 13 and midday Monday rescheduling. Due to scheduling difficulties, Commission chair Terri Henson and Economic Development Coordinator Carol Rushmore were alone in the City Hall chambers at the Thursday night meeting. All seven commissioners were then notified of a rescheduling to Monday, but only Henson, Dorothy Hunt-Sweat and Don McConachie were able to attend. “Sorry everybody,” Henson said, as some residents had shown up to Monday’s meeting...
Wrangell seems to be in a fine position to prosper as attention in Alaska turns toward strengthening the region's various maritime industries. The Fishing, Seafood and Maritime Initiative (FSMI) has been developed by the University of Alaska and other public and private partners with the intention of supporting a strong and sustainable maritime workforce in the state. With over 500 firms and 70,000 employees, the maritime industry represents Alaska's largest employment sector, and its various "b... Full story
Drawings for the future mariners' memorial at Heritage Harbor were unveiled at Wrangell's monthly Port Commission meeting on Nov. 6 in the City Hall Assembly Chambers. Drawn up by architect Christopher Mertl of Corvus Design in Juneau, the memorial plan calls for a concrete plaza designed to resemble wooden planking, a pavilion and weathered steel patina memorial wall evocative of the prow of a ship. "When it takes that curve it rakes out," explained Harbormaster Greg Meissner, going over the dr... Full story
The big, predominately green, bear-stymying garbage receptacles ubiquitous to the island may be soon partnered up with a blue variety as Wrangell weighs the benefits and costs of investing in a curbside recycling program. Members on the Borough's Economic Development Committee were abuzz with the idea at their Thursday night meeting following a public presentation for a solid waste recycling management plan submitted by consultants Richard Hertzberg and Chris Bell the previous evening. The bigge...
Tuesday's Regular Borough Assembly meeting was preceded by a public hearing on Ordinance 887 being proposed, an amended section of the Wrangell Municipal Code largely dealing with the control of animals within City and Borough limits. The revised ordinance has already been sent back to the Ordinance Review Board before for retooling, and this latest appearance would be its second reading. A number of the island's residents showed up to express their concerns that the wording of several sections... Full story
Candidates for Alaska House District 36 met in Wrangell Thursday evening for an on-air forum hosted by radio station KSTK. Republican candidate Chere Klein and Independent Dan Ortiz – both from Ketchikan – are running in the Nov. 4 election to represent the district's communities in the State Legislature. KSTK's director Cindy Sweat acted as the evening's moderator. Candidates were given five minutes apiece for opening statements, alternating who got to answer questions posed by the public fir... Full story