Articles from the May 20, 2021 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 31
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Borough again offers to help fund OCS office
It didn’t work a year ago, but the borough and Wrangell’s state House member are trying again to restore the Alaska Office of Children’s Services caseworker position in the community. Same as last year, the borough is offering to cover half the e...
Alaska will quit federal program that pays extra jobless benefits
JUNEAU (AP) - Alaska will stop participating next month in a federal program that provides an additional $300 a week in unemployment aid to thousands of people, the state labor commissioner announced last Friday, saying it’s “time to help people get...
Music has returned
Sixth grader Madeline Davies was among the high school and middle school musicians and choir members who performed their first concert in more than a year on May 11, striking a positive musical note...
The Way We Were
May 19, 1921 The U.S. Fisheries Service boat Auklet made an emergency trip to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, during the week for the merchants of Wrangell. The Auklet left here early Saturday morning and returned yesterday morning. Needed supplies...
Graduates earn almost $175,000 in scholarships
Wrangell graduating seniors received scholarships that could total almost $175,000, with many extending through four years of college. The scholarships were announced at the high school awards ceremon...
High school graduation back indoors Friday
Wrangell High School graduating class wanted to do something different this year and the students were looking forward to staging the ceremonies on the city dock. But an unkind weather forecast pushed them back into the community gym, where...
From the publisher: What, no one has any opinions?
I know Wrangell people have opinions and viewpoints and all sorts of interesting thoughts in their heads. I hear them in the stores, see them on Facebook and listen when people talk with me on the street. But I don’t read them in the Sentinel. I f...
Editorial: Governor's PFD plan teaches misleading math
To steal the line from a country-western song of almost 30 years ago — “Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it” — Gov. Mike Dunleavy is sticking to his story that the Permanent Fund dividend is just about the most important thing in Alaska toda...
Letters to the Editor
Music survived a challenging year Before the May 11 mini-concerts performed by the middle and high school bands and high school choir, our last in-person concert was in December 2019. It has been challenging this past year. We play with special masks...
Governor calls special sessions for budget, larger PFDs, federal pandemic aid
uld begin this week, the day after the current regular session of the Legislature is scheduled to end, if lawmakers are unable to finish work on the state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. He also called legislators back to work to...
Summer projects at museum look to old and new woodwork
The Wrangell Museum has two projects underway, both dealing with wood. One is a new sign, being carved from a 20-foot-long yellow cedar log. The other is the ongoing effort to preserve and display...
City adds north end of island to aerial imaging project
For not much more money - less than $10,000 - the city is able to add 411 acres at the north end of the island to an aerial imaging project that already covers 957 acres of downtown, Wrangell's water...
Mt. Dewey Trail extension work possible next year
The Mt. Dewey Trail extension project could go to construction next year, including a new trailhead parking area on Bennett Street, just north of U.S. Forest Service offices. The borough assembly May...
Wrangell IGA golf winners
The team of Jerry Bakeburg, Frank Roppel, Doug Nelson and Eric Kading took first place May 8 in Wrangell IGA 9-hole best-ball play at the Muskeg Meadows golf course. The team of Rocky and Rodney Littleton and Marva Reid took first place in May 9...
Former resident Gina Smalley dies of COVID
Gina Rose Smalley, 52, died at her home in Chehalis, Washington, April 9. The cause was COVID-19, the family reports. Born on Feb. 9, 1969, in Ketchikan, Gina later moved to Wrangell, where she... Full story
Summer reading program returns this year at library
After going online last summer, the Irene Ingle Public Library summer reading program for kids is back this year — just like it was for 25 years before the pandemic. “We’re excited to get things a little back to normal this year,” library directo...
Students pick up the beat after COVID absence
Wrangell Schools Music Director Tasha Morse conducted middle and high school students in their first performances since December 2019 at the covered basketball court at Evergreen Elementary School on...
U.S. Senate votes to allow cruise ships back in Alaska
The U.S. House is the next stop for legislation granting a temporary waiver of federal law so that large cruise ships could come to Alaska this summer, avoiding a Canadian COVID-related ban on the ships stopping in that country’s ports along the w...
Police report
Monday, May 10 Agency assist: Vehicle unlocked. Agency assist: Theft of fuel from vehicle at the airport. Vacation check. Agency assist: Ambulance. Tuesday, May 11 Subpoena service. Motor vehicle accident. Disturbance. Wednesday, May 12 Arrest for...
SEAPA fire
The Southeast Alaska Power Agency reported "minimal damage to the structure and its contents" from a fire May 13 at its warehouse and office building at 4408 Zimovia Highway. "The root cause and...
Former hospital on possible standby as temporary home when public safety building undergoes major renovations
One option for the former Wrangell hospital building would be to use it as temporary quarters when the public safety building undergoes major renovations. There is no date set for the renovations, which have been estimated at more than $13 million,...
Ordinance would extend pot sales hours
The borough assembly will hold a public hearing at its May 25 meeting on a proposed ordinance that would extend the closing time for retail marijuana sales to 10 p.m. from the current limit of 6 p.m. The assembly was asked during recent public...
Seafood marketing agency asks for slice of federal aid
Alaska’s lone seafood marketing arm gets zero funding from the state and, to date, has received no federal pandemic aid funds. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is hoping to get something from the more than $1 billion coming to the state general...
State sending out rental relief payments
As of last week, almost half of the 99 Wrangell applications for financial help with rent and utilities had been approved or were pending a final decision, according to the state agency running the federally funded program. The Alaska Housing...
Ketchikan cancels king salmon derby
Just three days after announcing the Ketchikan king salmon derby would return after a three-year absence, organizers reversed course and said there will be no derby next month. Organizers had planned for two weekends of derby fishing — June 18-20 a...
