Articles from the June 3, 2021 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 31
Borough moves closer to developing former Institute property
A preliminary plat for the first phase of developing the former Wrangell Institute property into residential and commercial lots, known as Shoemaker Bay Subdivision II, was approved by the planning and zoning commission Tuesday afternoon. There is...
Students bid farewell to school, hello to summer
"Middle school here I come!" said Silje Morse, one of 15 fifth graders at Evergreen Elementary, during her last day of school. Evergreen marked the end of the school year last Thursday with a...
Growing number of seniors receive property tax break
The number of senior citizens receiving a state-mandated property tax break on their homes continues to climb in Wrangell, totaling 280 homes this year and costing the borough $400,000 in lost tax revenues. Wrangell is not alone in the rising...
Rezone would allow cell tower next to waste transfer station
The borough assembly has rezoned several lots adjacent to Wrangell’s solid waste transfer site, allowing installation of a cell phone tower on the city-owned land if the developer can obtain a conditional-use permit for such use of the property. A p...
The Way We Were
June 9, 1921 The new school and community tennis court on the McCormack property received the attention of a large number of workers Monday evening from 6:30 to 9. A great deal was done. Wrangell autos helped the good work along and hauled sand and...
Remembrance for Sig and Helen Decker
Friends, family and community members came out to City Park and the Wrangell Mariners' Memorial last Saturday evening for a Celebration of Life for Sig and Helen Decker, who died July 27 in a car...
Composting resumes at community garden
In an effort to reduce waste and provide good soil for gardens, the Wrangell Cooperative Association is encouraging people to bring their compostable waste to the community garden, out by City Park. The WCA took over the composting project about a...
Letters to the Editor
Wrangell children need an OCS worker stationed here Because it often takes days for the state Office of Children's Services to send an investigator to Wrangell, I was forced to send a frightened kid t...
Editorial: Consider the source of cell tower 'facts'
It looks like Wrangell is dialing up for a fight over a cell tower proposed for construction next door to piles of old tires, city electrical equipment and the transfer site for garbage before it is...
From the publisher: Big PFD gets in the way of community needs
Wrangell has several multimillion-dollar problems: Replacing the water reservoir dams and repairing the piping; rebuilding the water-damaged public safety building; and reusing or demolishing the old...
City will pay for COVID testing of Sea Level employees
The borough again this summer will use federal funds to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing for Sea Level Seafoods employees. The borough assembly voted 4-3 at its May 25 meeting to appropriate up to $70,000 in federal funds to pay for testing this ye...
Borough provides schools the same funding next year
For the third year in a row, the borough will provide $1.3 million in funding for Wrangell schools, the largest spending category in the municipal budget. About $700,000 of the local contribution to next year’s school district budget will come f...
Fourth of July fundraising begins
The 2021 Fourth of July royalty contest kicked off Monday evening. Wrangell's two candidates, sophomore Cassady Cowan (left) and senior Emma Martinsen, thanked the public for their support at a...
Legislature hung up on dividend amid budget negotiations
Setting the amount of this year's Permanent Fund dividend - and deciding on how to pay the cost - continues to hold up agreement on a state spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The...
Wrangell receives first cruise tourists since 2019
Ending a long hiatus of cruise ship visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wrangell received its first cruise ship of the season last Friday. The Kruzof Explorer, operated by Sitka-based Alaskan...
State settles alleged political firing cases for $160,000
The state has paid a cash settlement to a second former employee who alleged her firing early in the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy was political, not based on merit or job performance. A former assistant public advocate for the state will...
Police report
Monday, May 24 Suspicious noises. Subpoena service. Agency assist: Alaska State Troopers. Illegal parking: Parking blocking roadway. Summons service. Driving complaint. Traffic stop: Verbal warning for expired plates. Tuesday, May 25 Criminal...
Petersburg defeats Wrangell at golf
Petersburg defeated Wrangell in this year’s Ray Pederson Memorial Ryder Cup golf tournament between the neighboring communities. The Ryder Cup play used a best-ball and best-score format the first day, May 22, and a best-ball and individual-score f...
Marijuana shop can stay open evenings
Wrangell’s marijuana shop can now stay open to 10 p.m., a change from 6 p.m. The borough assembly amended the closing-time law at its May 25 meeting, effective the next day. The change in municipal code passed unanimously, and there was no public t...
Genetically modified Atlantic salmon on its way to U.S. markets
More than five tons of genetically engineered Atlantic salmon are on their way to U.S. restaurants and food service outlets where customers will not be told what they’re eating. Federal labeling law “directs” companies to disclose genetically modif...
Crew vaccination cruise
The 102-passenger National Geographic Orion, a Lindblad Expeditions vessel, arrived in Ketchikan on May 24 - without any passengers. The ship carried 110 crew members to receive their COVID-19...
Evening stroll
A couple of geese make their way through City Park, past the stone pile, early last Saturday evening....
Former legislator, Sealaska president Albert Kookesh dies at 72
A former co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, former board president of the Sealaska Corp. and a retired Democratic state legislator died last Friday at his home in Angoon. Albert Kookesh was 72. Kookesh was fighting prostate cancer. Alaska...
Power agency will replace submarine cable next month
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency plans to begin an eight-day process July 1 of removing a damaged submarine electrical cable and replacing it with a new line between Woronkofski and Vank islands, SEAPA CEO Trey Acteson told the Petersburg borough as...
Canada says it will not hide from truth of residential school deaths
TORONTO - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday it's not an isolated incident that more than 200 children were found buried at a former residential school in British Columbia. Trudeau's comments...