Sorted by date Results 653 - 677 of 1054
Predictability and dependability. More than anything else, that's what the communities served by the Alaska Marine Highway System need. The communities need to know the schedules further in advance so that they can plan school sports, scholastic and musical events, regional festivals, and confidently market to tourists in a post-COVID world. Residents need the dependability of ferry service for medical appointments, commerce and shopping, vehicle repair appointments at dealers, and of course...
Thanks to all who helped with Polar Plunge and Dip Thanks to all who participated in the 2021 Polar Plunge and Dip. Also, a big thank you to all the folks who came out to help and donate, including the folks who supplied firewood for the burn barrels: Bob Lippert, Todd Torvend and Rolland Howell. Thanks also to John Taylor and Tim Buness of the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department, the Wrangell Public Works Department and Parks and Recreation Department, and Stephanie Cook at the Wrangell...
Last Friday, Governor Dunleavy released his proposed budget for the 2022 Fiscal Year (FY22). The budget, which includes all departments and services but not the PFD, totals $3.81 billion in Unrestricted General Funds. It is slightly less than this past budget (FY21), which was approximately $3.83 billion. The primary difference is that FY21 included one-time COVID-19 funding in the Department of Health and Social Services that is not included in this upcoming year's budget. FY22 also has a smaller Education budget by $26.8 million because...
To the Editor: A big thank you to the people in Wrangell who operate our elections. Sarah Whittlesey-Merritt and Kim Lane and their teams do a great job. Our election process goes smoothly here, pandemic or not. Sarah and Kim are part of a national army of election workers and volunteers who are dedicated to ensuring fair voting in every election. I’m disturbed to see people shouting ‘Fraud’ against conscientious people who do their jobs like Sarah and Kim, accusations of hiding ballots or counting votes twice. There are always reasons why a...
Last week, the Alaska Marine Highway Reshaping Group released a report it had been working on for several months throughout the pandemic. Even though this group has finished it’s task, I will continue to work to find ways to increase ferry service and reliability throughout Southeast Alaska and the rest of our state, at a level that is sustainable, functional, safe, and efficient. The Reshaping Group made several recommendations, many of which focused on the need for the ferry system and the ferry budget to focus on long-term service goals, r...
To the Editor: I am extremely concerned that the State has decided to cut ferry service over the winter months to the community of Wrangell. The Alaska Marine Highway has determined that Ketchikan and Petersburg will each have 10 stops while Wrangell will have just two. We will have one north bound vessel in November and one south bound vessel in January. How is this possible? We are literally right between Ketchikan and Petersburg. The explanation provided by the State is that timing the tides...
The Aspen Daily News in Aspen, Colorado runs a statement every day on their front page Flag that states: “If you don’t want it printed, don’t let it happen.” It’s a bit brash for our taste, but the words apply to this newspaper when it comes to public record reporting that appears on our pages. Recently we’ve had three persons request that we remove police and court reports that pertain to cases they were involved in. They cite invasion of privacy concerns and correctly state that the information will jeopardize future hiring opportuniti...
To the Editor: My dad lived in Wrangell from 1944-1949. There was a gentleman who worked at the power house and handmade boats. He gave my dad one and it is amazing. My dad, now 85, was wondering if anyone knows his name and if his family is still in Wrangell. I know this is a long shot but he said that he should email the Sentinel. He however cannot see well so I am emailing you. My dad's name is Charles Milles and his mom was a teacher, Grace Montana (Logan) Milles. Any suggestions? Michelle (Milles) Evans, Phone: 907-322-1461. Email:...
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the online Southeast Conference Annual Meeting. The organization has a long history of advocating for our region’s people and economy. Did you know that it originally started as a group to promote the creation of a transportation system in Southeast, which went on to become the Alaska Marine Highway System? Of course, since then, it has grown to include all industries pertinent to Southeast, such as mining, timber, tourism, and fishing and m...
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska has faced its share of monumental challenges. The testing of all incoming travelers, providing relief for devastated tourism businesses, creating a new unemployment program from scratch. Yet none compared to the challenge of protecting our critical seafood industry and the communities that rely on their economic production. We commend Alaska's seafood industry for successfully navigating the most difficult season Alaska has ever experienced. Captains,...
Over the past six weeks, I’ve had multiple people reach out to me with issues pertaining to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The most vocalized concern is that the Ketchikan DMV is no longer giving road tests, which means new drivers must travel to other communities to take their road test. Another concern recently brought to my attention is the temporary closure of the Wrangell DMV office. Although some delays and changes are to be expected during the pandemic, the lack of access over t...
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in ways we could not have foreseen. One particularly cumbersome issue is Alaskans’ inability to travel to and through Canada. Most notably, our unique southern southeast town of Hyder - which shares a border with Stewart, British Columbia - is negatively impacted by travel restrictions. Hyder is unique because of its relationship with Stewart; these neighboring communities rely heavily on each other and are economically tied together. In normal circumstances, Hyder residents frequently travel a...
I’ve lived in Ketchikan for almost my entire life and have seen the waves of different industries in Southeast crest and fall. Whether it is commercial fishing, timber, or tourism, our economy relies on working with what is available to us: fish, trees, and beautiful sites. A growing, healthy industry utilizes what we have in abundance: our coastline. The mariculture industry responsibly utilizes what we already have in abundance, and I am pleased to support it as it continues taking root in S...
Beginning on June 1st, small businesses were able to apply for AK CARES Act relief funding, which is Federal funds intended to help support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) and AIDEA have had difficulties getting the money to applicants; of the $290 million in relief funds allocated by the Legislature in May, only a small percentage of those funds have been distributed to local businesses. In...
Over the past eighteen months, Alaska’s ferry system faced unprecedented challenges: a reduced budget, a strike, unanticipated mechanical and structural issues with five aging ships, and a global pandemic. This spring, as the pandemic hit, AMHS had four of those ships scheduled to enter service, a workable budget in place, and expected sufficient revenue to provide reliable ferry service throughout the year. Due to the dramatic decline in revenue as commerce all but stopped, the financial impacts on AMHS have been severe. Because ticket s...
To the Editor: As the marine highway workgroup strides into August, I want to provide an update on what we have been doing, and where we are heading. Our meetings have been streamed live on Facebook, and recordings are available online at http://dot.alaska.gov/comm/amh-reshaping-workgroup/ if you wish to hear our specific discussions. In line with Governor Dunleavy's Administrative Order No 313, we have reviewed the Northern Economic draft report of January 2020 as well as reports prepared for...
To the Editor: I feel compelled to share information so we can all realize what our town will be faced with this year in economic loss. This information should have been put out long ago so our citizens and businesses could better prepare for what we are now faced with. I have projected how much our community's economy will be down this season. In plain words "What's not coming down Main St. Wrangell" this season. What's not coming to our town this year is about $40,000,000 in revenue, or...
To the Editor: The controversy rages on how to start school. Some schools are virtual learning only; some favor face-to-face as if things were normal, and some favor a combination of normal contact with masks and distancing. I favor the choice of virtual learning only with no face-to-face contact. I lean that way for several reasons. Number one is I have not heard of any kid who died of lack of socialization but I have of Covid 19. Lack of normal contact does cause mental and physician issues...
We've had phone calls from a handful of people about our use of the photo and page one coverage of last week's fatal Mitkof Highway crash. It saddens us to have to report on such a tragedy that impacts the lives of so many in both Wrangell and Petersburg. We don't take pleasure in covering such stories. It wasn't covered to sell newspapers. We covered the story because it is our job to provide information about a tragic event that struck close to home. We placed it on page one because it was...
To the Editor: I am appalled by what was displayed on the front page of Thursday Aug. 3rd newspaper. I understand that some see this as a news article, but for those who have loved the people in that horrific crash have some compassion, decency, and respect for those grieving such a terrible loss. A smaller blurp toward the back of the paper would have sufficed. Ava Hay To the Editor: This letter is voicing my concern about having the fireworks up in the ballpark area. This is right across from...
The implementation of the CARES Act, which are the funds provided by the federal government to states to combat COVID-19, is constantly evolving. Earlier this month, after three Alaska House Labor and Commerce Committee meetings and hours of public testimony, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) decided to make changes to their grant program. Thank you to everyone who gave public testimony input and helped shape these changes. The three main changes are: 1) businesses that received up to $5,000 in...
At a time when the fiscal future of many states looks uncertain, Alaska made the smart choice to protect the state's future income for our children and grandchildren. On June 30, $4.9 billion was transferred from the Permanent Fund's Earning Reserve Account to its principal account. Once deposited in the principal account, the funds cannot be spent without a vote of the people. But they will produce earnings, a percentage of which will provide for dividends and essential state services. Alaskans...
Barbara Cecilia Crabtree, 82, passed away May 3 in Wrangell, Alaska, after a short but recurring bout with cancer. She was born on August 13, 1937 in Ketchikan, Alaska. She lived most of her life in Southeastern Alaska. She lived most of the 1970s in Petersburg and has lived in Wrangell since 1984. Barb was mainly employed waitressing and as a cannery worker. Barb enjoyed cooking, especially baking, gardening and crocheting. She enjoyed playing cards and was especially competitive when playing...
Throughout my life, my grandma, Mary Jane Fate, imparted the importance of education on my brothers and me. We understood early on that education is the means through which we can make a difference in the world. She led by example, and I've carried this message with me each and every day. Education looks very different today than it did 50 years ago. We can no longer rely solely on pen and paper to learn. The way we learn is influenced by technology, which is evolving at an unprecedented rate,...
Just eight years ago the Wrangell Sentinel published 648 pages for the year. By 2019 that number dropped by 100 pages to 548 pages. We certainly didn’t have any less news to print. The reason for the drop in page count was from retailers opting to not make use of the Wrangell Sentinel’s advertising services. The Wrangell Sentinel has many ways for businesses to promote themselves. Even during tougher economic times, there are still benefits to keeping in touch with the people patronizing your business. SPONSOR PAGES: These pages promote com...