Sorted by date Results 4648 - 4672 of 7980
Celebration is a large, biennial cultural event for all Southeast Alaskan tribes across the region. For four days in June, according to the Sealaska Heritage Institute's website, tribal citizens from all over Southeast Alaska and beyond come together in Juneau for traditional songs, dances, and crafts. It is one of the largest gatherings of Southeast Alaskan tribes in the state. Next year's Celebration will be extra special, as members of Wrangell's native community have been named 2020's lead d...
The Alaska House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 2002 on Monday, July 29. S.B. 2002 funds the capital budget, which allows Alaska’s private sector to access $1 billion in federal funds for highway and construction projects. The legislation also contains important “reverse sweep” language, which reverses the governor’s unprecedented action to zero out university scholarships for 12,000 students, increase rural energy rates by eliminating Power Cost Equalization, and take away grants from organizations that serve domestic violence victims...
Elected union leaders representing 400 public ferry workers who operate Alaska’s Marine Highway System are describing their meeting over the weekend with federal mediator Beth Schindler as “very positive and constructive.” “There were positive steps in our meeting that should allow both sides to reach a solution,” said Trina Arnold, Director of the Alaska Region Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific, an affiliate of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. “The process was productive and positive,” she said. “We want the ferries to ge...
Four hundred public ferry workers who operate Alaska’s Marine Highway System are providing a “behind-the-scenes” look at the events which led up to a strike that began Wednesday afternoon, July 24. The strike is ongoing, although union officials have made it clear they are ready to talk when a settlement is within reach. “We didn’t want to take this action and urge the Governor’s negotiators to work with us on a contract,” said Trina Arnold, Director of the Alaska Region Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific, an affiliate of the International L...
July 2: Dustin Lee Haviland was found guilty of reckless driving. Judge Kevin Miller sentenced him to 30 days imprisonment, with 30 suspended, and he was fined a total of $1,150, and must complete 24 hours of community service. July 9: James Linden McCormack was found guilty of driving under the influence. Judge Kevin Miller sentenced him to 18 days imprisonment, with 15 suspended. He has also been fined a total of $1,766. He must also undergo a substance abuse treatment assessment, had his license revoked for 90 days, and will be on probation...
The State and the Inland Boatmens Union have reached a tentative agreement. AMHS is resuming service, to see the new schedule click link below: https://www.dot.state.ak.us/oars/reservations/CalendarFM.amhsf?selectMonth=August+2019&selectPort=Wrangell&selectVessel=All+Vessels&action=Get+Schedule Call 1-800-642-0066 with questions. Due to the high volume of calls, it may take time to connect with a customer service representative. AMHS staff will never request credit card information from...
Sea otters are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a federal law that prohibits the harvesting of marine mammals. However, this law does allow for some exceptions. Under section 101 of the act, on page 16, it reads that "... the provisions of this Act shall not apply with respect to the taking of any marine mammal by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who resides in Alaska and who dwells on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean if such taking-(1) is for subsistence...
State Wildlife Trooper Kyle Freeberg moved to Wrangell back in April. As a state trooper, Freeberg's job includes patrolling old logging roads during the hunting season, and watching the commercial and sport fishing in Wrangell's waters. Of course, being the only trooper in Wrangell means he has a lot of ground to cover, literally and figuratively. As such, he said that he wants to increase the amount of collaboration between himself and the people of Wrangell. This is not only to help him do a...
August is just around the corner, meaning it is almost time for Wrangell's annual fishing derby. Fishing derbies have been a longstanding tradition in Wrangell, and for many years the king salmon derby was a very popular event for locals and tourists. However, the king derby was set aside last year due to struggling stock numbers, and replaced with a coho salmon derby. Last year's coho derby saw 240 tickets sold and 106 salmon weighed in. This year, the chamber of commerce is offering tickets...
Wrangell District Ranger Clint Kolarich, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is closing the June 21 – July 31, 2019 Federal subsistence Sockeye Salmon fishery in the Stikine River. The closure will be effective Sunday, July 21, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in effect through the rest of the 2019 season which ends July 31. The 2019 preseason forecast for the Stikine River is 90,000 Sockeye Salmon which is below the average 153,000 fish. The forecast includes 66,000 T...
Suicide is an important topic in Alaska, as the state has one of the highest suicide rates per capita in the country. According to the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council, in 2014 there were 22.3 suicides per 100,000 people across Alaska. As such, several community members have wanted to know how they can help those around them who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. Along with some cafe-style discussions on the topic of suicide prevention put together by SEARHC, “safeTALK” training was held at the Nolan Center last Thursday and Fri...
The Nolan Center hosted a grand opening presentation for its most recent exhibit last Tuesday, July 16: "Muybridge in Alaska: 1868." The exhibit has been traveling around the state this year, first being shown in the Alaska Native Heritage Museum in Anchorage, then in the Sheldon Museum, in Haines. The Nolan Center will house this exhibit until the end of August. "Muybridge in Alaska" is, among other items, a collection of photographs taken by Eadweard Muybridge of Southeast Alaska in the late 1800s. These are some of the first photographs of...
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced July 22, nonresident anglers may not retain king salmon from August 1 through September 15 in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat marine waters, except in designated sport fish terminal hatchery areas in the vicinity of Juneau and Ketchikan. Resident king salmon regulations remain unchanged. This period of nonresident king salmon nonretention will be effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, August 1, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 15, 2019. The Southeast...
As the debates over the state budget and Governor Mike Dunleavy's vetoes continue, many Alaskans are left to worry about how they will be affected. In a Facebook post on July 22, Mayor Steve Prysunka said that the state is looking at a total of $749 million in cuts from the state budget, the largest portion being about $444 million in line item vetoes. Among the 182 line items reduced or eliminated by the Governor, according to an article in the Anchorage Daily News, was the elimination of the...
The borough assembly held a second reading of a proposed amendment to Wrangell's municipal code during their meeting Tuesday. The amendment would be to chapter 15.12, Electricity, and would add a section that covers rate stabilization. This amendment was first brought up during the city's recent budget workshops, according to the meeting's agenda packet, where the assembly requested a "rate stabilization fund" be created to help offset increased power costs to residents in case the city had to s...
JUNEAU – Hundreds of public ferry workers who operate Alaska's vital Marine Highway conducted a vote this week – and decided by a margin of 86% to reject the package of harsh measures proposed by Governor Dunleavy's administration, that included the following: 1. Cancelling 28 negotiated settlements reached during almost three years of contract bargaining. 2. No wage increases in over 5 years. 3. A one year contract instead of the normal and more efficient three year contracts. 4. The use of...
Juneau, Alaska (AP) - A spokesman for a union representing workers for the Alaska ferry system says the union has gone on strike. Hundreds of ferry workers went on strike Wednesday after failing to reach agreement on a contract with state negotiators. Robb Arnold, a spokesman for Alaska's Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific, said the strike began Wednesday afternoon after a meeting with state officials did not yield an agreement. He said the union remains open to a deal. "Unfortunately, we had... Full story
It is no secret that Southeast Alaska is a hot tourist destination. Every year, the region is flooded with nature enthusiasts, retirees, and other tourists. According to a calendar from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, Petersburg will receive a total of 62 cruise ship stops in the 2019 season. Ketchikan, one of the larger cruise ship destinations in Southeast Alaska, is expecting 576 cruise ship stops this year, bringing in a total estimated 1.15 million passengers. The tourist industry is...
Sea otters are considered by many people to be an adorable animal, an important part of the ecosystem, and also a nuisance that is threatening other marine life populations in Southeast Alaska. In Wrangell, many people have talked about the need for better population control when it comes to otters. The Wrangell Borough Assembly talked about loosening restrictions on hunting the creatures last September with Sebastian O'Kelly, a federal lobbyist. Back in May, fifth-grade student Brody Knecht...
Wrangell resident and attorney Michael Nash, 68, passed away in a plane crash near Ketchikan last Thursday. Alaska State Troopers were notified by Ketchikan Flight Service of an overdue aircraft around 3:07 p.m., July 11, according to a dispatch on the department of public safety's website. Nash was flying his plane, a PA-24 Comanche, and was due to land in Ketchikan at 2:15 p.m. "The US Coast Guard, Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad, Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Saxman VPSO responded to the...
Amy Gulick is an acclaimed nature photographer and writer. According to her website, amygulick.com, she has 20 years of experience taking pictures and writing about the great outdoors. She specializes in helping people understand the interconnectedness of nature, her website reads, and why conservation is important. Some of her written works include "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" and "Salmon in the Trees." Her most recent book, "The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind," looks at the...
With the recent retirement of Doug McCloskey, who has been Wrangell's police chief since 2003, the borough has been working hard to find a suitable replacement. City officials have been considering several candidates. Among these is Heath Scott, the chief of police in Haines. A meet and greet with Scott has been scheduled for Friday, July 19, at 5:30 p.m. at city hall. The public is invited to come meet with the candidate and get to know him better. Scott has over 22 years of "progressively resp...
Alaska Bearfest is a fun half-week of activities and workshops in Wrangell. Running from July 24 to 28, people can look forward to an art workshop, bear safety courses, bear-themed symposiums, and even a marathon. This year, the Wrangell community will also have the opportunity to eat better than even the bears at Anan do, with a special seafood dinner on July 26. The dinner will be hosted at the Stikine Inn, and prepared by Chef Dana Tough of Seattle. According to his website,...
On June 27, according to a press release by the Forest Service, a lightning strike ignited a fire near Southeast Cove on Wrangell Island. The fire is located less than a mile northeast of the cove on public land, according to the press release. Paul Robbins Jr., with the Forest Service, said that the fire is burning on a steep, inaccessible ridge, and the Forest Service has been monitoring it regularly. On July 9, aerial reconnaissance of the area located smoke in the southwest corner of the...
In a special meeting on July 11, the Wrangell School Board adopted various amendments to their FY 2019 budget as well as the recently adopted FY 2020 budget. Superintendent Debbe Lancaster said that the 2019 budget needed to be revised to show the actuals for the end of the year, what money was actually made and what was actually spent. Budgets go through various revisions through the school year, she said, and is more or less a constant process of revision to stay as accurate as possible. “It’s a real dynamic process through the year, unt...