Wrangell Sentinel -

While one part of the news was certainly somber at the informal end-of-year Outfitter Guide Meeting at the Wrangell Ranger District, the tone was light-hearted.

First, the somber news. The Wrangell Ranger District faces a 30 percent cut to its recreation budget in preliminary figures. Ranger Bob Dalrymple cautioned that if that number were to hold – although he’s seen budget cuts fail to materialize in the past – the Anan Bear Observatory could be shuttered. The observatory is a marquee attraction for tourism in Wrangell, and drew 2,873 visitors last year, according to figures provide...