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With a growing number of COVID-19 cases in the community - 36 between Thursday and Wednesday morning - Petersburg officials have elevated the community risk level to red. The number of active cases are the most in Petersburg since the pandemic started a year ago. "The cumulative total of cases is growing larger by the day," the Petersburg emergency operation center said in a statement at 4 p.m. Tuesday. "Many of these cases are still under investigation and contract tracing is difficult." The...
Just shy of 20 months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the new $30 million Wrangell Medical Center is fully operational. The final department to relocate from the old quarters - emergency services - moved in last Friday. Long-term care residents moved in Sunday, said Hospital Administrator Leatha Merculieff. Departments began a staggered move from the old hospital, next to Evergreen Elementary School, to the new building on Wood Street in late January. There was a slight delay in moving he...
Testing for COVID-19 will continue at the Wrangell airport, and at other airports throughout Alaska, even though the state pandemic disaster declaration expired Sunday. However, the testing will be optional rather than mandatory, except in those communities with their own rules. The Alaska Legislature was unable to agree on a new disaster authorization for the governor, who declined to issue a declaration without legislative action. "As of now we will continue with airport screening and...
As part of ongoing efforts to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the chief medical officer of the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium stood in front of a Wrangell audience - live and on Zoom - to take questions. The Wrangell Cooperative Association had invited Dr. Elliot Bruhl to town, where he explained how the vaccine works, how it was developed, and answered questions from the public Feb. 4 at the Nolan Center. As of Feb. 4, 680 people in Wrangell had received their...
The new Wrangell Medical Center is nearing the end of construction and will start a staggered opening on Saturday, with the long-term care unit first on the list and the rehabilitation unit scheduled for a Feb. 3 opening. "Departments are currently undergoing a phased relocation as finished punch lists are allowing for staggered staff move-ins," according to a press release Monday from SEARHC. "Patients scheduled for rehabilitation, imaging, laboratory or outpatient services will be contacted...
Monday, Jan. 11 Vacation check requested. Domestic violence order papers granted. Dog complaint. Failure to stop for a school bus. Tuesday, Jan. 12 Power outage. Citizen assist. Courtesy transport. Bear complaint. Disturbance. Minor in possession charge. Summons service. Citizen assist. Welfare check. Wednesday, Jan. 13 Disturbance. Subpoena service. Agency assist: Court. Agency assist: Fire. Thursday, Jan. 14 Citizen assist. Friday, Jan. 15 Theft of a firearm. Courtesy transport. Theft of services. Agency assist: Adult Protective Services....
A few minutes before 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, an 87-year-old driver pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake on his truck and launched from the parking lot into the water of Heritage Harbor. The driver was helped from the truck and did not appear seriously injured, said Police Chief Tom Radke. The chief said it was his understanding that the driver hit the wrong pedal. A medical incident may have led to the accident, but Radke said the exact cause was uncertain. The vehicle pushed through a...
July July 2: With recent national attention on racial bias and police brutality, the community met via web conference June 29 for an evening town hall meeting to discuss policing practices in Wrangell. The meeting provided an opportunity for residents to ask questions of Chief Tom Radke and to share their opinions on the Wrangell Police Department. Those who spoke in the meeting, by and large, expressed support for the police and their current practices. July 9: The cities of Wrangell,...
The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium will host a training program for certified nursing assistants in Wrangell, starting next week. While the program has existed in Wrangell in the past, it is still a relatively new program under SEARHC leadership. This will be the third CNA training program offered by the Wrangell Medical Center. Issabella Crowley was one of six people who completed the first SEARHC CNA program in Wrangell in 2019. She has worked as a CNA with the hospital for a...
January Jan. 2: Along with the lights, trees and carolers, the Salvation Army's red Christmas kettles are a common sight during the holiday season. Lt. Jon Tollerud, Wrangell's new corps officer, said the red kettles brought in $10,469. Jan. 9: The Nolan Center celebrated the new year Dec. 31 with a murder mystery party. As this new year marks a new decade, a return to the '20s, the party had a 1920s theme to it. With jazz music, themed costumes and masks, partygoers had the chance to return to...
A few minutes before 1:30 p.m. Saturday, an 87-year-old driver pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake on his truck and launched from the parking lot into the water of Heritage Harbor. The driver was helped from the truck and did not appear seriously injured, said Police Chief Tom Radke. The chief said it was his understanding that the driver hit the wrong pedal, and a medical incident may have led to the accident, but the exact cause was uncertain Saturday afternoon. The vehicle pushed through a barrier of boulders between the parking lot...
Construction of the new Wrangell Medical Center, ongoing since a groundbreaking ceremony in May of 2019, is nearing completion. According to a Dec. 22 press release from the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, the project has reached 95 percent completion. "WMC staff are excited to begin caring for patients in the new facility," said SEARHC Vice President and WMC Hospital Administrator Leatha Merculieff in the press release. "Select staff have already relocated to completed...
On December 22, the first allocations of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination arrived in the communities of Wrangell, Klawock, Haines, Hoonah, Kake, and Angoon. SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) providers and staff are working with medical leaders to coordinate vaccine protocols in respective communities. The shipments were delivered to SEARHC facilities just four days after the vaccine received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration. "We are...
December 17 Jamie Roberts, with the Wrangell EOC, reported that there are currently no active cases of COVID-19 in the community. Statewide, Alaska’s case count is 41,859 as of yesterday. This is an increase of 3,151 from last week. Wrangell received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 16. According to SEARHC, following guidance from the Alaska Vaccine Advisory Council, vaccinations will be given to frontline health workers first, along with first responders, and l...
November 30 Civil Standby. Warrant Arrest: Casey Seimears, 38, charged on Failure to Appear Warrant. Dog Complaint. Traffic Stop. December 1 Agency Assist: Harbor Dept. Agency Assist: Fire Dept. Agency Assist: Line Crew/D.O.T. Agency Assist: Line Crew. December 2 Traffic Stop: Ceona Koch, 24, Citation issued for Speeding. Traffic Violation. Agency Assist: Fire Department. Agency Assist: Line Crew. December 3 Traffic Stop. December 4 Parking Complaint. Agency Assist: Wrangell Medical Center. December 5 Traffic. Motor Vehicle Accident. Debris in...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly met last Thursday evening, Nov. 5. This was only a discussion meeting, to take in public opinion and decide whether or not a mask mandate would be worth considering in a formal meeting. This mandate was being considered at the behest of the local Emergency Operations Center, who requested the city look at the possibility. The potential mandate, outlined in the meeting's agenda packet, would require all individuals to wear a mask or face veering while "indoors in...
November 2 Agency Assist: Department of Public Works. False Alarm. Agency Assist: Petersburg P.D. Agency Assist: Alarm. November 3 Traffic Stop: Tykan Daly, 28, Citation issued for Failure to provide proof of insurance. Paper Service/civil standby. Traffic Stop: Olivia Stead, 33, Citation issued for speeding in a school zone. Traffic Stop: James VandeBunte, 58, Citation issued for Failure to use turn signal. November 4 Agency Assist/Paper Service: Domestic Violence Order paper service. Traffic Stop: Tykan Daly, 28, Citation issued for Speeding...
The Coast Guard pulled a man out of the water last Sunday evening, Nov. 1. The incident occurred in Union Bay, near Meyers Chuck, south of Wrangell. Petty Officer Janessa Warschkow, with the Coast Guard, said that they were notified of a man in need of rescue at about 4:46 p.m. Warschkow said, in an email, that they were on-scene at 9 p.m. According to a Coast Guard press release, an air crew from Sitka and the cutter Anacapa were sent to conduct the search and rescue. A 70-year-old man was foun...
Construction of the new Wrangell Medical Center is nearly done, according to a press release from the SouthEast Alaska Health Consortium. They are about 85 percent complete with the project, the release reads, and the entire project remains on budget and slightly ahead of schedule. The hospital, according to previous reports, is aiming to be ready for use by early-2021. Drywall work is nearly complete, according to the press release. Siding on the hospital's exterior is finished everywhere...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly met Tuesday evening, Oct. 27. The main focus of the meeting was a discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic, and the situation across the state. Multiple guest speakers from the state were invited into the discussion, to answer questions and talk about what people need to do to stay safe. Guests included DHSS Commissioner Adam Crum, Bryan Fisher with Alaska's COVID-19 Unified Command, DHSEM Deputy Director Paul Nelson, and Eliza Muse with DHSS. It is pretty clear that Ala...
The Prysunka family, Dr. Lynn and Mayor Steve, met with KSTK and Wrangell Sentinel reporters on the afternoon of Oct. 20 to talk about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Wrangell has seen a total of 20 cases of the virus since the pandemic began. The most recent case was announced on Sept. 14. All of these cases have recovered, though, and Wrangell has not seen an active case in about a month. However, across the state and the country, cases continue to rise. The Alaska Department of Health and...
The new Wrangell Medical Center is nearing completion, according to a press release from SEARHC. Several crews are on-site working on siding, concrete, drywall, and other aspects of the construction project. According to the press release, the facility is 80 percent complete. Installation of exterior siding is nearly complete, with only the courtyard walls and south-facing side of the facility left. The majority of plumbing has been completed, as well. Electric crews are currently installing...
The local Unified Command continues to meet weekly to consolidate the local COVID-19 response. During the meeting on Wednesday, September 16, local representatives expressed concerns for gatherings, provided updates on flu clinic preparations, and shared information on local testing programs. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continues to monitor large gatherings, according to EOC Director Dorianne Sprehe. She stated that such crowds are currently not an issue but concerning. Sprehe urged...
Royann Churchill, 71, of Wrangell, Alaska passed away on September 5, 2020 at the Wrangell Medical Center. Condolences can be sent to Kathy Binkie, PO Box 1574 Haines, AK 99827, Leonard Vazquez, 932 Lindberg Ave. Alamogordo, NM 88310. An obituary will be released at a later date. Due to coronavirus at this time, no services are planned....
Fred P. Thruston Sr., died of a heart attack at Wrangell Medical Center on May 26, 2020. An obituary will follow and a memorial service also at some point....
