Sorted by date Results 526 - 550 of 610
PETERSBURG – Petersburg recently found out that it has won Yachting Magazine’s ‘2013 Best Towns’ competition. Dan Harding, Associate Editor for Yachting Magazine, wrote in an article, “Joining the ranks of Oxford, Maryland and Beaufort, North Carolina, the Alaskan fishing village has reminded us that the appeal of a destination is not always measured in amenities and attractions, and that natural beauty and character are what make a place truly special.” And the same sea lion plaguing boaters this year might be the same animal Harding inc...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. November 13, 1913: The growing population of Wrangell has made it necessary to install 66 new boxes at the Post Office this week. The growing business that the local post office is doing has made the equipment too small, hence the installing of the new boxes which are right up to date. O.S. combination boxes of 2 sizes, 54 of one size and 12 a size larger. November 11, 1938: Upon recommendation of Mayor Fisk prompted by many applications he has received for further relief work, the city council at...
Spooks, vampires, and ponies descended on downtown Oct. 12 for the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce Pumpkin Patch. Organizers said the event was a success. Activities included a cake walk, face painting, pony rides, and other family-focused activities. Chamber officials estimated the attendance at about 140 people. “We had about 200 pumpkins, and at the end of the day we had very few left,” said Cynthia Waddington. “It was a huge success.” Organizers were grateful to all organizations and busines...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. November 13, 1913: Yesterday at high noon at the Presbyterian Church which was beautifully decorated for the occasion occurred one of the prettiest weddings of the season, when Mr. J.G. Bjorge and Miss Bessie Swift were united in Holy Wedlock by Rev. J.S. Clark. Just at High Noon the bridal party was ushered in to the strains of Lohengren’s Wedding March. Mr. Roy Cole gave the Bride away. The Bride was charming in a gown of white satin charmeuse with a chiffon over dress of pearl beading and wore a...
October 30, 1913: Martin Hofstad has been a busy man during the past two weeks getting the new General Merchandise Store of Martin and Richard Hofstad into shape for the opening the latter part of next week. The store is situated in the new Uhler Building and will carry a full stock of general merchandise. Both men are well known in Wrangell and are sure of their share of their patronage. October 28, 1938: The gas screw Etolin, fishpacker owned and operated by Capt. Manuel Loftus, was reported a total loss by flames last Saturday morning in Red...
The borough assembly certified the results of the Oct. 1 election on Monday. The official results presented by borough clerk Kim Lane to the council are identical to informal results announced after the polls closed Oct. 1, except they include absentee vote totals as well. New members of the assembly include Julie Decker – who ran unopposed for Seat E and has served by appointment on the assembly since her appointment in September – and Daniel Blake, who ran unopposed for Seat F’s three...
Wrangell voters insurmountably rejected a proposal to lower the sales tax, retained their sitting mayor, and removed one member of the assembly in municipal elections Tuesday, officials said. The unofficial results, read aloud shortly after the polls closed at 8 pm, put the vote tally for the contentious tax proposal at 451 votes against lowering taxes from 7 percent to 5.5 percent, and 172 votes in favor of the change. Sitting mayor David Jack tallied 455 votes while Kipha Valvoda scored 118....
Barbara Ellen Maenhout (Peters), 72, of Wrangell, Alaska, passed away Sept. 21, 2013 surrounded by friends and family. Barb was born in Sister Lakes, Mich. Nov. 1, 1940 to Walter and Matilda (Toots) Peters. She graduated from Dowagiac Central High School in Dowagiac, Mich. in 1958. She was married to Dale Maenhout in May of 1961. Barb moved to Wrangell with her family in 1970 and began working at the Wrangell Sentinel newspaper and helped found the Petersburg Pilot with Jamie Bryson. She started...
To the Editor: Let’s pull at the heart strings here and I speak of our seniors, children and animals and lowering the sales tax. Again there is no reason to cut one thing. Boy they must want your over charged taxes bad by hitting below the belt. One our children’s education: Explained to me how our borough government can approve $100,000.00 reimbursement for moving expenses with no receipts, not budgeted for and when it was presented didn’t even know which fund of our governments monies this would come from? In the same breath our government th...
Name: Cynthia Waddington Age: 39 Occupation: Wrangell Chamber of Commerce Office Manager What background or experience do you have that qualifies you to be on the Wrangell School Board? I believe that education is the key to success. I am a college graduate and fully support the goal of ensuring that our students excel to their potential. I am currently the Executive Director of the Chamber Board of Directors, and understand the importance of conducting productive meetings. My business...
A proposed 1.5 percent sales tax cut in the City and Borough of Wrangell has split the community ahead of an Oct. 1 vote. The borough administration sent out an informational flyer this week outlining the details of cuts approved with the budget May 28, sparking at least one accusation of advocacy against the cuts. Business owners and citizens have taken out an advertisement against the reduction in the Sentinel. Assembly members and citizens have spilled ink for and against the proposal in letters to the editor. The proposal’s author and a...
To the Editor: It seems like doomsday if the sales tax is lowered. Let me explain how the sales tax came to be. In the late 1940s the first sales tax was to pave our front street from the bottom of the Post Office Hill to the Thunderbird Hotel. When this was paid for the sales tax went away. Then when the City needed money for another worthy project, it came back. The people didn’t seem to mind paying for what we needed. We have been paying 7% sales tax for over 20 years, the highest sales tax in the State. So, the “Johnnies-come-lately” are s...
PETERSBURG – The Petersbug Borough Assembly approved a sales tax-free day scheduled for Saturday, October 5. Assembly member Susan Flint said sales tax revenues are ahead of budget this year and the time period would be good for residents. “October is a month where it’s pretty much residents living in Petersburg, or shopping in Petersburg,” Flint said. “I think it would be a better time to have it than when it was in May when we’re full of visitors.” The Chamber of Commerce Retail Committee proposed a sales tax-free day last May but the assembl...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. August 21, 1913: Dr. Shurick of the Shurick Drug and Jewelry Company says the money is coming in so fast that the old register wouldn't hold it so he had to get a new one and while he was at it got the best, of course. The new one is a National and every time you ring up you get a receipt which are redeemable at the rate of $1 in cash for every $20 worth of receipts from that machine. August 12, 1938: The Aleutian, scheduled to arrive at Wrangell at 1 o'clock Wednesday morning, was two hours late....
JUNEAU (AP) — The state is looking at whether the proposed merger of two shipping companies would constitute a monopoly in southeast Alaska and violate antitrust laws, the attorney general’s office said. The office is studying the proposed purchase of Northland Services by Lynden Inc., the parent company of Alaska Marine Lines. Northland Services is a tug and barge carrier providing service between Alaska, Seattle and Hawaii. Senior Assistant Attorney General Ed Sniffen said that while the companies operate throughout Alaska, it’s the porti...
6 Queen’s Ticket Sales 1st place —Darian Meissner (57,183) 2nd place — Kayla Rooney (37,503) 3rd place — Jennifer Ludwigsen (28,124) Chuck Oliver Logging Show Power Saw Bucking 1st place — Brad Heathers 2nd place — Ralph Austin 3rd place — John Minter Ax Chopping (Underhand) 1st place — Brad Heathers 2nd place — Scott McAuliffe 3rd place — James Montgomery Cross Cut - Idaho Style (2 man) 1st place — Scott McAuliffe and Shelly Raines 2nd place — John Minter and Duane Ricker 3rd place — James Montgomery and John Sliger Cross Cut - Alaska...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. July 17, 1913: A terrible accident occurred in the Sheep Creek tunnel of the Alaska Gastineau Mining Company on Tuesday at 5:20 a.m. resulting in the death of one and injury to a score of the workmen. One man was killed, three seriously injured and eight bruised and powder burned. The full crew night shift working under shift boss Miller was preparing for another round of shots with three machines working. After the previous explosion it was noticed that a small portion of the charge in one of the...
A celebration of the 2013 Wrangell King Salmon derby was the highlight event in downtown last Thursday as the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards ceremony at the James and Elsie Nolan Center. Jeannie Easterly took home the top prize of $6,000 in the annual event, which saw Mark Soeteber and Jeff Soles take second and third place, respectively. After the ceremony, Easterly recalled her memories of the derby – and the moment she hooked her King. She related that she and her h...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. June 26, 1913: Yesterday was a red-letter day in Wrangell. For weeks the citizens have been hearing that soon the Alaska Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce contemplated a trip through Alaska and their itinerary would bring them to Wrangell. They were also informed that many notable men of the newspaper would come as guests but were not prepared fully for the great surprised that awaited them. At 9:30 o'clock last night the Jefferson steamed into port conveying 125 of the “liveliest bunch” tha...
There was a time when the front page of the Wrangell Sentinel was bracketed by the phrase “Founded in 1902 – Lumber capital of Alaska.” Those days ended in the 2000s, when Silver Bay’s operation at 6 Mile Zimovia Highway shuttered its doors for good, and with the demise of the mill site came a downturn in the industry that built Wrangell – timber. Even though the industrial side of logging is long gone in the Borough, the memory of what came from our forests still lives on in the Chuck Oli...
You know it’s getting close to summer in Wrangell when the boats and skiffs of locals are on the water looking for King Salmon – and especially when the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce puts out their scale to weigh the incoming fish for the annual King Salmon Derby. The 61st annual derby began on May 11 and will run through June 9, with a total of $30,000 in cash and prizes available to the winners, including a $6,000 first place award. Chamber of Commerce manager Cyni Waddington said the eve...
Concern over a proposed tax rate reduction for the City and Borough of Wrangell – from its current 7 percent down to 5.5 percent – led off Borough Manager Tim Rooney’s report to the Assembly this week saw testimony from two local women brought to the forefront over the issue. The initiative, which will appear on the October ballot, seeks to reduce Wrangell’s sales tax down by 1.5 percent. Currently, Wrangellites pay a 7 percent tax on all goods and services in the Borough. The plan has drawn criticism from Rooney’s office, as well as citizens...
The Borough Assembly approved the collection of property taxes for the next fiscal year at their May 28 meeting, continuing the mill rate currently paid by residents of the City and Borough of Wrangell for another year. The Assembly voted 7-0 to approve the rate. The ordinance will, except for property that is exempt by law from taxation, set the mill rate at 12.75 mills for the tax year 2013, 4 mills for the Wrangell Service Area, 4 mills for property outside the Service Area, and 4 mills for the tax differential zone. Taxes due and payable...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. May 29, 1913: A deal was consummated Saturday whereby L.G. Pruell and T. Berthelson became proprietors of the Kirmse Jewelry and curio store, and took possession on that day. The buy is a good one as the store has a nice local trade in jewelry and curios in addition to the repair work and captures a great deal of the tourist trade. The two new owners are both well known in Ketchikan as being energetic young businessmen, Gus as assistant manager at the Tongass Trading Company with which he has been...
The Borough Assembly held a public hearing regarding the draft form of the 2013-14 Fiscal Year budget for the city on Tuesday, May 14 at City Hall, taking testimony from two citizens. Cyni Waddington, the manager of the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce spoke first in support of the budget, adding that her organization relies on funding from the city to survive. “Speaking on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, in regard to the amount that is provided to us, we absolutely need that money,” Wad...