Articles written by Chris Basinger
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Fire destroys most of Catholic church in Petersburg
A fire has left Petersburg's St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in ruins. No serious injuries were reported and the fire did not spread to any surrounding buildings, though smoke from the...
Forest Service approves plan for Kake to run cultural healing center
The U.S. Forest Service has approved the Organized Village of Kake’s request to operate a cultural healing center at a seldom-used building at Portage Bay, according to an announcement from the agency last month. The village plans to establish a pr...
Wrangell IGA owners buy Trading Union grocery store in Petersburg
It was a week of change for a 100-year-old Petersburg institution: The Trading Union was officially renamed Petersburg IGA on Feb. 20, as new owners Mike Ward, his daughter Caroline Bangs and her husband Travis Bangs took over the grocery store....
Village of Kake wants to turn unused Forest Service facility into healing center
The Organized Village of Kake is looking into using a U.S. Forest Service facility at Portage Bay, on the north end of Kupreanof Island, as a cultural healing and rehabilitation center. The goal of the program would be to reconnect people with their...
Southeast pink salmon harvest came in at 53% of 10-year average
The 2022 Southeast Alaska salmon harvest is estimated at 29.6 million fish, mostly comprised of 17.6 million wild stock pink salmon, according to Troy Thynes, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's regional management coordinator for commercial...
Ukrainian fisheries worker succeeds in bringing his wife and daughter to Petersburg
When Ukrainian Arsen Tatizian arrived in Petersburg in February he did not think he would be staying in Alaska beyond the end of his contract with OBI Seafoods, much less with his wife and his...
Petersburg sets up task force to look for solutions to lack of housing
The Petersburg Borough Assembly, which is creating a task force to look for solutions to the housing shortage in the community, held a work session Aug. 29 to get a better understanding of the challenges in developing or purchasing homes. Assembly...
Petersburg swimmer tried but could not reach the mainland
At 8 a.m. on July 30, Andrew Simmonds, 60, entered the chilling waters of Sandy Beach in Petersburg, setting out to prove that age has not slowed him down. His goal was to swim across Frederick Sound...
Petersburg assembly opposes 'landless Natives' legislation
The Petersburg Borough Assembly has voted to write a letter opposing federal legislation that would transfer federal land to new Native corporations proposed for Petersburg, Wrangell, Haines, Ketchikan and Tenakee Springs. The assembly action was...
Fisheries Board adopts new king salmon management plan for next year
The Alaska Board of Fisheries has adopted a revised king salmon Southeast management plan in a compromise that will see sport fishery limits set before the start of the season based on a tiered system of abundance instead of changing during the...
Petersburg assembly decides not to seek home mail delivery
The Petersburg Borough Assembly has decided not to request home mail delivery. Assembly members on Dec. 20 defeated a resolution that would have asked the U.S. Postal Service to send carriers around town delivering mail, giving residents and...
Petersburg continues mask mandate to Jan. 3
The Petersburg Borough Assembly has voted to extend an emergency ordinance requiring masking in indoor public buildings. The Petersburg hospital reported 230 COVID-19 cases in November — infecting more than 7% of the community’s population. An...
Petersburg may ask Postal Service for home delivery
While Petersburg continues to endure limited hours at the post office service window, long lines and a lack of masking enforcement in the building, the borough assembly is considering asking the U.S. Postal Service to offer home delivery. A draft...
Petersburg decides against enforcement provisions in face mask ordinance
The Petersburg borough assembly last week adopted a new emergency ordinance requiring face masks in indoor public places amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the community the past couple of weeks. The assembly, however, deleted from the draft...
Southeast pink salmon harvest 6 times last year's catch
This year’s overall Southeast Alaska salmon harvest is headed toward 58 million fish, with pink salmon leading the tally at 48.2 million — more than 40% above the 10-year average for pinks. This summer’s pink catch was six times last year’s...
