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The annual Wrangell King Salmon Fishing Derby has been set for two weekends in June. Rather than have the competition run over a full two weeks from mid-June to the beginning of July, it is scheduled for June 16, 17 and 18 — Father’s Day weekend — and the following weekend June 23, 24 and 25. Fishing derby committee members met May 30 to discuss details and even whether or not to hold the event. “People are going to be really disappointed if we cancel ours,” said Luana Wellons, assistant executive director of the chamber of commerce, which org...
Since its creation in 2011, Hannah's Place has provided resources for pregnant women and families, from clothing and newborn supplies to educational materials. Now, after 12 years of serving Wrangell, the nonprofit has closed its doors due to a lack of need. Monday was the last day the organization operated at 206 Church St. in the building provided by the Presbyterian church next door. It started as a ministry by Maryann Landers to help young women in need. "(She) had a heart for young women wh...
The chamber of commerce is getting a bailout from the borough as it prepares to put on the community’s elaborate Fourth of July festivities. However, these funds may be the last that the chamber gets for the next few years, as the borough encourages the organization to become self-sustaining. At its May 23 meeting, the borough assembly approved the chamber’s request of up to $25,000 to help fund Fourth of July festivities. All assembly members except David Powell voted in favor of the additional contribution. Assembly Member Brittani Rob...
A federal judge has denied the state of Alaska’s request for a stay of an order that could close down the Southeast king salmon troll fishery this summer and winter. The last option to open the fishery this season is another appeal. After the judge’s ruling last Friday, the state immediately filed a request with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for a stay that would — if granted — allow trollers to work while the National Marine Fisheries Service attempts to better justify the fishery, as required by the judge’s May 2 order. “The stat...
With a quiet demeanor and a head for mathematics and physics, one teacher has helped Wrangell's students understand all those calculations for a quarter of a century. After 25 years, teacher Donna Massin has decided X plus Y equals retirement. Last Thursday, she dismissed class for the last time at Wrangell High School and began a new chapter in life. Born in Mount Edgecumbe, she has lived in Anchorage, Ketchikan, Seward and Gulf Port, Mississippi. "I kind of bounced around," she said. Massin's...
Creative thinking has led to a new home for the Wrangell Art Gallery. This Saturday, during the community market, the gallery and its members will hold a grand opening at its new location inside the Nolan Center next to the administrative office. Earlier this year, the gallery lost its lease in a building on Front Street, where it had resided for many years as a gallery and social workspace. The members closed the storefront, put items in storage and continued to meet at founding member Olga...
The borough has cut the salary of the Irene Ingle Public Library’s head librarian as it seeks to replace outgoing Library Director Margaret Villarma. At its May 23 meeting, the assembly voted to reduce the position’s salary by roughly $10,000 a year, depending on where the employee falls on the pay scale. The change will make the library director Wrangell’s lowest paid department head. The job’s duties, responsibilities and qualifications have not changed — only the compensation. Villarma plans to retire this summer and though the pay cut will...
The annual Wrangell King Salmon Derby is tentatively set for June 15 through July 2. Though the chamber of commerce, which is still organizing the event, hasn’t officially set the dates or prizes, the derby typically runs for about two weeks, with prizes for the largest fish and other categories. Entry fees also have not yet been determined. In past years, there has been a kids 12-and-under category, and the adult category encompasses ages 13 and up. Entrants need to have a state sportfishing license and a state king salmon stamp. Alaska r...
Bring a fishing pole and plenty of enthusiasm to Pats Lake for an annual event sure to lure in the whole family. Family Fishing Day on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will have something for everyone, from lure making to casting practice and even a free lunch. The U.S. Forest Service Wrangell District is hosting the event along with the Wrangell Cooperative Association’s Indian General Assistance Program and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Special youth fishing regulations will be in place the third and fourth Saturday and Sunday at P...
Though Wrangell’s grid runs on hydroelectric power, the borough has five diesel generators on standby to provide the community with supplemental electricity in case of a blackout. Four of these five generators are housed in a deteriorating building that was constructed prior to 1948. At its May 23 meeting, the borough assembly approved over half-a-million dollars for engineers to put together plans to demolish and replace a concrete-built warehouse attached to the power plant, and replace the roof structure and a wall of the steel building t...
Volunteer firefighters and paramedics may be eligible for a small property tax break next year. Though the volunteers won’t save much on their taxes, borough officials see the change as a expression of appreciation for the essential work firefighters and paramedics perform. At its May 23 meeting, the borough assembly unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would offer a $10,000 property tax exemption to qualified firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. Before the change becomes official, the borough must h...
The siding on the exterior of the pool building is deteriorating and local contractor Johnson Construction and Supply has been awarded a contract to take on the repairs. The $474,497 contract is funded through a combination of borough funds and state grant money from the Lost Revenue Relief Grant. The state distributed the federal money to Alaska municipalities as a form of pandemic relief, to help compensate for reduced sales tax and other revenues. It can be used for maintenance of old infrastructure and new builds. The siding project will...
The borough’s contract with waste disposal company Republic is up for renewal and the company has proposed a 25% price increase for its services to Wrangell. Other Southeast communities have contracts with Republic that are set to expire next year, so Wrangell hopes to join with them and bargain collectively for a more affordable contract. “We talked about partnering with them to get a bigger contract and have a little more negotiating power,” said Borough Manager Jeff Good. However, that approach won’t be possible for Wrangell in the short t...
The budget that legislators approved last week and will send to the governor for his signature into law or veto would provide about $425,000 in one-time additional state funding to the Wrangell school district for the 2023-2024 classroom year. That would deliver almost a 9% boost to the district’s total operating budget revenue, which is comprised of state money (more than 60%), a borough contribution (32%) and federal dollars. “It will still need to pass the governor, so it’s not guaranteed,” Bill Burr, Wrangell schools superin...
There were plenty of smiles, hugs and tears of joy in a ceremony lasting nearly two hours. Not a moment of the Wrangell High School 2023 graduation was wasted as speakers and video presentations reflected on the lives of 20 seniors taking the step into the next phase of their lives. Salutatorian Brodie Gardner and co-valedictorians Nikolai Bardin-Siekawitch and Kiara Harrison focused on the positive traits of their classmates and the dedication of their teachers. "They go above and beyond for...
Alaska lawmakers reached a compromise on the state budget and adjourned after a one-day special session last week, approving a $1,300 Permanent Fund dividend for this fall with the possibility of a second, smaller payment next year if oil revenues exceed projections. The amount of the PFD and the capital budget — construction and maintenance projects in legislators’ home districts — were the final items that forced legislators into a special session after the regular session ended May 17 without a budget. The governor called them back to work...
As Wrangell prepares for its biggest event of the year - the Fourth of July - one teen has taken it upon himself to ensure that the celebration will be prosperous for years to come. Though Ander Edens is the only contestant in this year's royalty fundraising competition, he is setting his sights on a record-breaking run. The ticket sales are the main fundraiser for the chamber of commerce, which organizes the holiday festivities. The current fundraising record is $126,408 in raffle ticket sales...
Trident Seafoods is on schedule with preparation work to reopen its processing plant on the Wrangell waterfront after a three-year closure. “We expect to start handling fish the week of July 10,” focusing on chum and pink salmon, Southeast regional manager John Scoblic said May 15. The company expects to have 100 to 110 workers on the job, somewhat under the count of past years, he said. Trident has said weak chum returns were behind the decision to keep the plant closed since 2019. Some workers will start before the first salmon come into the...
Though pandemic restrictions were hard on all community members, they were particularly hard on elders, many of whom endured long-term isolation because of the risks COVID posed to their immune systems. Now that the federal government declared the pandemic public health emergency over this month, Hospice of Wrangell is encouraging community members to reach out to their grandparents, older friends and long-term care and Senior Apartments residents. Homebound elders and Senior Center or long-term care residents “still want to be part of the c...
Wrangell’s recreational infrastructure is about to get a much-needed makeover in the coming months and years thanks to federal maintenance dollars from the Forest Service. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), signed by then-President Donald Trump in 2020, directed $8.1 billion over five fiscal years — 2021 to 2025 — to fund maintenance and repair work that had been put off due to budget or workforce issues. The money is for projects on federal lands, like trails, bridges, monuments and campgrounds. In past funding cycles, the Wrangell Range...
Whether you prefer working up a sweat on the court, concocting delicious dishes in the kitchen or taking a relaxing stroll through the woods, the Parks and Recreation department will be offering community members of all ages ways to stay active, connected and engaged this summer. In past years, Parks and Recreation offered near daily activities for kids, but this year, due to staffing issues, the programming will be more spread out. “What we’re going to do, rather, is sprinkle in activities,” explained Devyn Johnson, recreation and aquat...
Look out, Martin Scorsese You've got some up-and-coming competition on your hands. Stikine Middle School students spent the past two weeks recording video footage and conducting interviews as part of the See Stories project, which creates documentaries to tell the stories of Alaska. What began 10 years ago as a way to tell Alaska's diverse stories through videos and podcasts from a youth perspective has grown into an award-winning program that has produced 150 short documentaries and podcasts by...
Mike Lewis, the owner of Tiny's Taxi, is committed to offering 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service, even if he has to sleep with his phone and headset to do it. The new business has been giving rides around town since it opened April 13. After graduating from Wrangell High School in 1988, Lewis spent about 30 years moving around the western United States doing construction jobs. He lived in Anchorage, Soldotna, Washington state, Colorado, Los Angeles and Palm Springs in California, Hawaii, Arizona...
Summer vacation may be the best time of the year for kids, but it can be tough on working parents to provide lunches for their children during the day. The Salvation Army is partnering with the borough’s Parks and Recreation Department to keep the community’s children nourished and active throughout the summer. The program, which started about two years ago, will provide lunches Monday through Friday to kids entering kindergarten through fifth grade, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 1 to July 31. In past years, kids would pick up meal vou...
The Hubbard pulled away from the dock at the Ketchikan Shipyard on May 18, headed for its first passenger sailing — more than four years after it was built at a cost of about $60 million. Carrying a crew of 24 — with newly installed sleeping quarters for crew — the Hubbard headed to Juneau, where it was scheduled to start work Tuesday, running six days a week between the Capital City and the Lynn Canal communities of Haines and Skagway. The Hubbard is not scheduled to visit Wrangell this summer. With the Matanuska out of service for repai...