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A pair of Australian kayakers navigated their way to Wrangell over the weekend, part of a three-month excursion down the Pacific Ocean's northeastern coastline. Starting in Glacier Bay National Park a couple of weeks ago and terminating in southern British Columbia, their trip is one with two purposes: to raise funds for marine conservation and to raise awareness about the impact of plastics on the world's oceans. Lucy Graham and Mathilde Gordon come from Cairns, a seaside city in Australia's...
It's a royal rumble this month, with the competition to see who gets crowned this year's king or queen of Wrangell's Independence Day celebrations starting off on May 31. Arranged by the Chamber of Commerce, the competition is meant to raise funds both for the summer festivities and for the candidates themselves. Typically individuals have used what they raise to support higher education or some other project. This year's group is no exception. Recent graduate McKinley Bosdell intends to head...
After a series of meetings and public presentations last week, a proposed acquisition of Wrangell Medical Center by a regional health group looks more probable. Southeast Alaska Rural Health Consortium has expressed interest in administering the municipal hospital, which has been in a prolonged state of financial difficulty. At the Wrangell Assembly's most recent meeting last Tuesday, WMC chief executive officer Robert Rang reported having only 13 days' cash on hand with which to cover...
There was a spate of mischief afoot this month with a pair of break-ins and some possible mischief being considered related events. Pastor Nettie Covalt at First Presbyterian Church reported an intrusion at the house of worship on May 22. Home to a summertime hostel for travelers, the church is generally left accessible, she explained. So she was surprised to find the premises in a state of disarray. Door jambs to the church office had been broken through, while a television and other items were staged near the doorway as though the intruding...
With the addition of funds by the Alaska Legislature into next year’s budget, treated soil at the former Byford junkyard site will be shifted to a staging area for transport off-island. For decades used as a private scrapyard, the four-acre site was significantly contaminated with lead, petroleum and other toxins by the time it became the subject of an extensive cleanup led by the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2016. While 62 containers of the most heavily contaminated materials and debris were shipped southward for disposal, t...
Wrangell is still preparing to deal with nuisance abatement, though it will be approaching with an amiable cautiousness. City manager Lisa Von Bargen updated the City and Borough Assembly last week on progress so far made in reducing the various collections of junk and scrap to be seen around town. City code proscribes such gatherings, both on public and private property. The Port Commission has long had in its sights the removal of abandoned vehicles from its harbor facility parking lots, and since last fall the city assembly has taken a...
A group of Tlingit residents had a unique opportunity for an historical site visit with state archaeologists last week at Anan Creek, revisiting a traditional fishing ground. Now known best for its bear observatory, what draws those bears is the creek's yearly run of salmon. This salmon run at Anan has long been a source of food for the nearby population as well, as attested to by the remnants of a tidal fish trap still near the creek on Sealaska Corporation lands. The United States Forest...
This year's candidates for Wrangell's Fourth of July Royalty competition were announced at the Stikine Inn during a meet and greet Monday. Three young people will be running during next month's competition, which raises money both for themselves and for the annual Independence Day festivities. The competition stands out from others in recent years with the inclusion of two candidates for king, and for including already-graduated students. For example, Robbie Marshall graduated from Wrangell...
PETERSBURG – Gov. Bill Walker stopped in Petersburg for a brief visit Friday, making the rounds for meetings and taking some time to participate in its Little Norway festivities. "It's perfect. I can't complain about a day like today," Walker commented, noting the afternoon's cloudless sunshine. He had attended Petersburg's distinctive festival before, but this year's trip was his first since being elected as governor four years ago. "I came down obviously to meet with various folks, but I wa...
The 30th Legislature drew its latest session to a close earlier last week, pushing forward a budget deal that would tap into earnings from Alaska’s Permanent Fund to draw down its spending deficit from the billions to around $700 million next year. Back home in Ketchikan, independent Rep. Dan Ortiz of District 36 thought the package left something to be desired, which under the circumstances was a good thing. “I feel it’s a good example of a good compromise budget,” he reflected. “Nobody really got everything that they wanted, but it reflects...
As Wrangell's high school of seniors prepares to receive their diplomas on Friday, last week 17 students took time to showcase their capstone projects at the gym. Required for graduation, the self-driven projects encourage students to give back to the community as best they can. Projects last at least 25 hours each, which can be difficult to arrange when fitting them in with other priorities. Many of the projects students picked reflected their interests. "I did fire safety training with the...
Money appears to be available for Wrangell’s Byford yard cleanup that would allow remaining contaminated soil to be shipped off-island rather than disposed of in a local monofill. At the behest of Gov. Bill Walker, the Alaska Legislature approved $5 million of additional funding to be allotted to the project in its FY19 capital budget. A capital and operating budget had both been passed by the Alaska House and Senate on Sunday, bringing to an end their extended session. Sen. Bert Stedman (R-Sitka) noted it was the first year in a while the r...
A series of meetings between Southeast Alaska Rural Health Consortium and the City and Borough of Wrangell are planned for early next week. The regional health group is entertaining making an offer to assume control of Wrangell Medical Center, a municipally-run critical access hospital which has in recent years fallen into financial difficulties. Starting Sunday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday, SEARHC will hold a series of meetings with city staff, hospital transition steering committee members and the wider community, in order to go...
Designating this May as Older Americans Month in Alaska, Gov. Bill Walker recognized Wrangell's oldest resident along with other centenarians across the state. In a special luncheon at the Wrangell Senior Center, Lawrence Bahovec was presented with a personalized commendation as a distinguished citizen. At 101 years old, Bahovec is one of 83 Alaskans who have reached the milestone, and was among the 21 other residents of the state so honored with this month's commendations. Celebration...
Second and third budget workshops this month were held Monday and Tuesday night as the city moves closer to a final budget draft for the coming year. A fourth workshop has been scheduled for this evening, to deal with the Wrangell Public Schools budget. Afterward a public hearing of a draft completed budget is anticipated next Tuesday evening during the Wrangell Assembly's regular 7 p.m. meeting. During Monday's session, assembly members and city staff contemplated its revenue outlook for the...
The steering committee for an upcoming mariners’ memorial will be holding its first spring fundraiser this weekend. Taking advantage of the warmer weather, an outdoor fish fry event has been scheduled for 5 p.m. this Sunday at Heritage Harbor. The meal will also feature a silent auction for a number of submitted items. A monument dedicated to Wrangell’s seafaring traditions and its community members lost at sea has been a goal for a decade and a half. After financing designs for a memorial at Heritage Harbor, by early 2017 the Port Commission e...
At a public presentation at the Nolan Center on Monday, staff with the Department of Environmental Conservation and its contractors updated Wrangell on the status of a proposed monofill site on the island. A designated monofill to house around 18,500 cubic yards of contaminated earth from the former Byford junkyard is planned to be sited at a state-owned rock pit. Accessible by Forest Service roads along Pats Creek, the project’s nearness to the popular fishing stream has been a point of c...
In a draft plan outlining action on borough-wide nuisance abatement, Wrangell manager Lisa Von Bargen advised a cautious approach to the City and Borough Assembly. Since last September assembly members have had tidying up the stacked junk and discarded vehicles around the island in their sights. Municipal ordinance proscribes such eyesores, whether on public lands or private property, and enforcement was something members wanted to see done. Meanwhile, letters were issued to around 20 residents who were out of compliance, while the city waste...
As the city tries to contend with junk vehicles and collected waste (see Assembly story), other efforts to clean up Wrangell’s act have been underway. In April annual community-wide cleanup of parks and roadsides were undertaken by volunteers for Wrangell Pride, while running group Southeast Beasts encouraged people to collect and dispose of litter throughout the month while footing about the island. Some problems are greater than just the odd can or bottle. Surrounded by wilderness, out of convenience or simple habit some residents have t...
A regional nonprofit will be conducting a survey of Wrangell’s watersheds this summer in an attempt to encourage wetlands conservation. Angie Flickinger is the Wrangell area coordinator for Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition, a regional consortium of community organizations interested in managing watersheds and resources. What the group would like to do is inspect streams, culverts and other aquatic habitats and identify opportunities for their improvement or restoration. Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, wetlands and watersheds a...
Construction of a designated monofill site to store treated soil from a contaminated site cleanup will begin next week, after nine months’ delay. To be interred at a state-owned rock pit off Pats Creek Road, the site will house around 18,500 cubic yards of earth pulled from the former Byford junkyard property along Zimovia Highway’s 4-Mile stretch. During 2016 the Department of Environmental Conservation led efforts to remediate the disused junkyard, which had extensive contamination after decades of battery and junk vehicle storage. The sca...
Wrangell high schoolers participating in this year's Close Up trip to Washington D.C. and New York City returned on Monday, after spending more than a week on the East Coast. Taking off on the evening of April 21, nine students traveled with advisor Sarah Merritt to the nation's capital. The intent of the Close Up program is to educate young Americans on their political system, informing them of their rights and civic responsibilities in the process. As with previous years, the trip is...
The city is inching toward a planned purge of the island’s abandoned vehicles and assorted clutter. The unsightly problem has been a longstanding issue in public parking spaces such as at Shoemaker Bay Harbor, with unroadworthy vehicles left there to the elements. But under municipal code junk vehicles on private property are also not allowed, and the rule extends to other collections on display deemed to be a “nuisance” by authorities. This means disused vehicles like cars and boats, rusting piles of scrap or broken equipment, and other items...
At last week's 21st annual Stikine River Birding Festival, increasing public involvement in conservation efforts was a strong theme. The festival's focus always centers around the diverse bird species found around Wrangell and the Stikine River, highlighting different ways for residents and visitors alike to understand and enjoy them. From birdwatching to outdoor photography, using them thematic in the arts or enticing birds to backyards with self-built houses and feeders, the birding festival...
Three athletes from Wrangell Swim Club competed with 450 other swimmers from around the state last weekend, participating at the Alaska Junior Olympics in Anchorage. Coach Jamie Roberts reported it was the second time Nikolai Siekawitch and siblings Jack and Renee Roberts have participated at the event, among the state's premier annual swimming competitions. "All three swimmers had great races, got to see old friends and make a few new ones, spent time with family, and had some fun adventures in...