Articles from the January 11, 2023 edition

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 By Marc Lutz    News    January 11, 2023

Holland America schedules two stops in Wrangell in 2024

As the old saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life,” and Wrangell must have made a good impression for Holland America to change its menu for 2024. The cruise line made a late-scheduled stop near the end of the 2022 season, bringing more than 2,3...

 
 By Sabine Poux    News    January 11, 2023

New federal law will allow halibut charter fleet to buy commercial quota shares

The halibut charter boat fleet in Southeast and the Gulf of Alaska will be able to collectively buy quota shares from commercial fishermen under a provision in the federal omnibus budget bill passed at the end of December. The program would be funded...

 

Community gym fires up workouts for cold winter months

Whether you want to incubate a godlike physique during the winter months, brush up on your weightlifting form or just enjoy an early morning sweat session with friends, the community gym's new...

 

2022 in review: The stories that captivated Wrangell

From impressive athletic successes and community celebrations to business closures and painful losses, Wrangell's 2022 was full of engaging stories, both triumphant and tragic. Last January was a mont...

 

The Way We Were

Jan. 11, 1923 M. O. Johnson has ordered a small roadster, which he will convert upon its arrival into a delivery car for his laundry. The car was bought from J.O. Gross, who has an automobile business in Tacoma and who is a brother of W. L. Gross....

 
 By Marc Lutz    News    January 11, 2023

Schools drop COVID testing requirement for traveling athletes

As part of its ongoing review and update of the schools’ mitigation plan, the Wrangell School District has dropped the COVID-19 testing requirement for athletes traveling for games. The requirement was dropped at the start of the year. Schools S...

 

Record rainfall recorded at Juneau last year, but nothing special about Wrangell's wetness

Juneau saw record-breaking levels of rainfall in 2022, but National Weather Service measurements and the observations of local amateur meteorologist Bill Messmer suggest that Wrangell was spared the w...

 

FedEx 'remote surcharge' applies to Wrangell, much of Alaska

Shoppers who have items shipped via FedEx can probably assume higher charges come the end of the month. On Jan. 30, a surcharge of $13.25 per package will be added to any delivery the company has deemed “remote.” The fee applies to FedEx Express and...

 

The Legislature deserves your attention

There is more to state government in Alaska than just the amount of the annual Permanent Fund dividend. Though voters certainly might think otherwise, judging from the campaigns of many candidates in recent years. But the campaigns are over — at leas...

 

Alaskans heading south, which is not good

For the 10th year in a row, more Alaskans moved out last year than new residents moved in. That’s a draining fact, with no real plan to plug the leak. To confirm the Alaska Department of Labor’s statistics about population and persistent out...

 
 By Marc Lutz    News    January 11, 2023

High school senior believes his survey data could help improve the community

It's an ambitious senior project that doesn't involve building something, volunteering, painting or reading to the sick or elderly. But it could help make Wrangell a better place to live. Will...

 

New area sportfish manager moved into job from commercial fisheries

Whether locals or visitors, newbies or experienced sportsmen, recreational fishers who cast their lines in the Petersburg-Wrangell management area have a new resource for all things sportfishing. After spending the past 18 years working in the...

 

Borough to absorb wholesale electric rate hike until rate reevaluation in spring

The Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) has approved an electricity rate hike of a quarter of a cent per kilowatt hour. The additional charge went into effect for its three municipalities — Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg — on Jan. 1, but Wra...

 

Federal spending bill includes advance funding for Indian Health Service

Health care services for Native Americans and Alaska Natives will be bolstered by a provision included in the government spending bill approved by Congress in the final hours of the 2022 session. The measure provides more certainty for a federal...

 

Demonstration project pellet mill will go on Gravina Island, across from Ketchikan

A demonstration project wood-pellet mill is scheduled to be built on Gravina Island, across the Tongass Narrows from Ketchikan, in mid to late 2023 by the region’s economic development organization, the Southeast Conference. The nonprofit o...

 
 By Marc Lutz    News    January 11, 2023

Job training program teaches work and life skills to special education students

Keely Good excitedly showed her friend Carter Hammer around the thrift store, pointing out where various items could be found. After that, she showed him how to ring up customers with the cash...

 
 By Yereth Rosen    News    January 11, 2023

State Senate leader lists school funding, teacher retention as priorities

As the Alaska Legislature’s 2023 session approaches, a state Senate leader last Thursday highlighted the potential benefits of that body’s newly formed bipartisan majority coalition. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel said the nine Dem... Full story

 
 By James Brooks    News    January 11, 2023

Alaska House still without leadership coalition a week before session starts

As Americans watched the U.S. House struggle to elect a leader, Alaskans may soon see a similar situation develop in the state House of Representatives. “These proceedings back east, it’s a stark reminder to a lot of us that we could be going thr... Full story

 
 By James Brooks    News    January 11, 2023

Birth rate helps make up for loss of residents who left Alaska last year

Alaska’s population rose in 2022 according to new estimates released Jan. 5 by the Alaska Department of Labor, marking a second consecutive year of increases after four years of declines. The new Alaska population estimate, 736,556, is the highest s... Full story

 

State forecasts continued jobs recovery in Southeast this year

Southeast Alaska saw a “stronger than expected” 6.5% increase in jobs in 2022 compared to the previous year, due to ongoing recovery from being one of the state’s hardest-hit regions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Alaska Department of La...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    January 11, 2023

Average wait time 90 to 120 days for state to process Medicaid applications

Alaska has violated state and federal law by failing to process Medicaid applications in a timely manner, according to an Anchorage-based civil rights law firm that settled a class-action lawsuit in federal court with the state three years ago. The A...

 
 By Yereth Rosen    News    January 11, 2023

Federal spending bill includes fisheries disaster funding for Alaska

Aid to Alaska fishermen, seafood processors and marketers and communities was included in the year-end congressional appropriations package that won final passage last month. The $300 million in aid follows official disaster declarations issued by... Full story

 
 By Scott Bowlen    News    January 11, 2023

Ketchikan police chief on paid leave after indictment on assault charge

Ketchikan Police Chief Jeffrey Walls has been placed on paid administrative leave after being indicted for felony third-degree assault and five lesser charges related to an incident Sept. 10 at Salmon Falls Resort. “Chief Walls is currently on a...

 

Police report

Monday, Jan. 2 Agency assist: Bank. Found property. Agency assist: Ambulance. Agency assist: Ambulance. Paper service. Tuesday, Jan. 3 Missing person. Abandoned vehicle. Traffic stop: Failure to stop at stop sign. Traffic stop: Expired registration....

 

Governor bans TikTok on state-owned computers and smartphones

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a memorandum last Friday prohibiting the use of social media platform TikTok on state-owned devices. In doing so, Alaska follows in the footsteps of more than a dozen other states. Several predominantly Republican-led...

 

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