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Omid Rahmanian Wrangell Baha'i Community In a spirit of resilience, akin to the enduring warmth of Christmas, we stand united, transcending differences, fostering kinship and embracing a collective commitment to collaboration, cooperation, reciprocity and harmony. Each day, the community's generosity shines through diverse acts of service, from the fuel train and meal train to vibrant gatherings at the park and pavilion. Our first responders, educators, coaches, musicians, artists and every inhabitant, young and old, embody devotion,...
The chamber of commerce board has chosen veteran media entrepreneur Tommy Wells as the organization's new executive director. "I'm excited about it. I think it's a great opportunity," Wells said in an interview before leaving Texas for Wrangell. He arrived in town on Saturday, Dec. 2. "He is a publisher and understands media and person-to-person communications," chamber president Bill Burr said in an email on Nov. 21. "He has experience in Alaska and really has a positive attitude to move...
Several store owners and managers are talking about the need to form a business association of some kind to work toward drawing more locals to shop downtown. Wrangell residents are spending an increasing amount of their dollars online, ordering from Amazon and other remote merchants. About 10% of the borough’s sales tax collections last year came from online shoppers — and the number is growing. Forming a downtown business association isn’t about competing with or abandoning the chamber of commerce, the store owners said. The chamber serve...
Normally, I would use this space to share my opinions with readers. That’s what newspaper columnists do: They give their opinions, the facts behind those views, and hope to educate, enlighten or at least entertain readers. But this week is different. I want to hear readers’ opinions. Actually, I need to hear from the Sentinel’s non-readers, which makes this column particularly difficult. I am writing this for people who won’t see it. Their choice, of course, but I want to understand why many people don’t read newspapers, the Sentinel in particu...
Even Halloween tricksters need a treat. Ellie Gillen was among the many children who enjoyed the treats and activities at the chamber of commerce Pumpkin Patch event at the downtown pavilion on Saturday, Oct. 28....
School district administrators have recommended using a collection of unspent accounts and general fund reserves to cover the $44,000 deficit in the travel account from past state competition, while acknowledging that does not address the funding problem for the current or future years. The school board will consider the staff recommendation for wiping out the negative balance in the state travel account at its Nov. 20 meeting, along with discussing options for covering travel costs for this...
Oct. 25, 1923 Volume 1, Number 1, Buy 1, of the School News of the Wrangell Public School is off the mimeograph. The publication is brim full of interesting reading pertaining to school life in general and the Wrangell school in particular. The School News, like every other publication that has appeared on the journalistic horizon during the past 300 years, “fills a long-felt want.” For the past quarter-century or more, there has been a class in English in the Wrangell school each year, with students eager for an opportunity to make use of the...
The Wrangell Athletic Club, created to raise money for school sports activities, has elected high school cross-country coach Mason Villarma as its first president. The group held its second organizational meeting Sept. 27, with its next meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, in the chamber of commerce office at the Stikine Inn. The new board is working to get its IRS nonprofit status, which would allow the group to raise money and accept donations. Leslie Cummings, who was elected club secretary, reported high school wrestling...
The state of Alaska, a coalition of business groups and a pair of electric-power organizations have opened a new round in the generation-long fight over environmental protections in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. On Sept. 8, the state and two other groups of plaintiffs filed three separate federal lawsuits to challenge a Biden administration rule restricting new roads in parts of the forest, which is home to some of America’s last stands of old-growth trees. Each lawsuit asks U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason to ove...
Sept. 13, 1923 Wrangell’s first clown and the first clown for the majority of youngsters here paraded down Front Street Saturday afternoon, leading his “Company” of the youngsters of town who took part in the pet parade. The parade was part of the Chautauqua program and the participants were in costume and carried pets of all kinds. The parade was led by Barney Google (Gertrude Goodrich) and “Spark Plug,” followed by a baby elephant. These mirth-provoking features were the clever work of Mrs. H. W. Gartley and Miss Dorothy Chisholm. Both “Spark...
More than half-a-million cruise ship tourists will have visited Sitka this summer — a record number — and slightly more are expected next year, Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal owner Chris McGraw told an audience at the online chamber of commerce meeting Sept. 6. He said it looks like the end-of-summer number will total 271 cruise ship stops in Sitka, which includes vessels that pull into his terminal and others that anchor offshore and lighter their passengers to city facilities. He estimates the year’s traffic will total 514,000 passengers at hi...
HELP WANTED KSTK/CoastAlaska is seeking a development director. Responsible for securing financial support for KSTK and CoastAlaska stations, planning and executing KSTK events. Full time, with benefits. Send resume and letter of interest to cindy@kstk.org. HELP WANTED Wrangell Chamber of Commerce is looking for an executive director. Contact the chamber in person or email info@wrangellchamber.com, or call 907-874-3901 with any questions and how to apply. Pay DOE. HELP WANTED Wrangell Public Schools is accepting applications for the following...
HELP WANTED Seeking KSTK/CoastAlaska development director. Responsible for securing financial support for KSTK and CoastAlaska stations, planning and executing KSTK events. Full time, benefits. Send resume and letter of interest to cindy@kstk.org. HELP WANTED Wrangell Chamber of Commerce is looking for an executive director. Contact the chamber in person or email info@wrangellchamber.com, or call 907-874-3901 with any questions and how to apply. Pay DOE. LAND FOR SALE Two Stikine River properties on the west side of Farm Island in King Slough:...
Ron Castle, 89, passed away at home on June 30 in Lewiston, Idaho, after battling cancer. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on June 18, 1934, and was the eldest of four siblings (Marcia, Connie and Gerald). While growing up Ron spent much of his spare time off the farm, going fishing, hunting and playing basketball and baseball. He went on to play baseball for four years for Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, "and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of the game with...
After cutting costs and taking on event sponsors, the chamber of commerce’s financial struggles have substantially decreased after putting on the Fourth of July celebration. The chamber had requested an additional $25,000 from the borough in May to help fund the Fourth — money that the borough would reimburse to the organization for insurance and utilities on an as-needed basis. However, at a July 14 meeting, chamber officials and board members discussed not putting in for any reimbursement. “We still need funding,” said Board Preside...
The Fourth of July celebration literally heated up over the four days of festivities as the Tongass Toughman Triathlon kicked things off with a cold, gray and rainy swim on July 1 and the street dance closed it out on July 4 when the temperature topped out at 72 degrees. From endurance contests and games of skill to a dog show and fireworks and everything in between, the various events packed the streets of downtown with locals, visiting family and friends and tourists. Despite concerns over...
Alaskans are having a harder time accessing child care now than they were five years ago, an expert told a new task force charged by Gov. Mike Dunleavy with developing a plan to make child care in the state more available and affordable. The task force, which Dunleavy formed in April, had its first public meeting on June 28 via Zoom with about 60 people, including the dozen task force members, in attendance. The group has until the end of December to deliver an initial plan to address the state’s child care challenges. At stake is the welfare o...
June 28, 1923 Wrangell now has an express office, having been duly established here this week with the mercantile firm of Walker & Russell as agents. For some time there has been an urgent need for an express office to take care of the town’s growing business, especially in the shipment of furs. Recently, the Wrangell Commercial Club took up the matter. A cablegram was sent to the American Railway Express company pointing out the urgent need for an express office here, and recommending the appointment of Walker & Russell as local agents. Two d...
From towering Christmas trees to black light Halloween parties, Wrangell goes hard for the holidays. With the community's most spectacular celebration - the Fourth of July - just around the corner, event organizers are putting the finishing touches on the event schedule. Here are some of the highlights that attendees can look forward to: The festivities kick off with a picnic and pie-eating contest at 1 p.m. Saturday outside the Irene Ingle Public Library. On Sunday, kids will fish at City Dock...
In past years, organizers of Fourth of July street games and other competitions handed out cash prizes to winners. After some temporary confusion about whether such prizes would be allowed this year or replaced with ribbons, trophies or other non-cash alternatives, the chamber of commerce has decided to stick with tradition — cash prizes will be permitted during the Fourth celebration. At its June 19 meeting, the chamber board heard public comment on the issue, then voted unanimously in favor of allowing cash prizes. The short-lived ban on c...
A total of just 15 salmon were caught and entered the past two weekends for Wrangell’s 68th King Salmon Derby. The top three adult entries won cash prizes, as did the top three kids ages 12 and under. In the adult category, John Fernen caught the biggest king at Point Ward on June 25, weighing in at 42.5 pounds. Second place went to Mark Soeteber with his 30-pound king, caught at Burg Bay on June 17. Neal Soeteber landed in third place with a 27-pound king caught at Kindergarten Bay on June 25. The prizes were $800, $400 and $200, r...
Volunteers are still being sought for Fourth of July events scheduled July 1 to 4. The chamber of commerce needs people to assist in setting up, running and taking down the 17 events that are set to take place over the celebratory weekend. Chairpersons for all the events except the log rolling competition have been recruited, but those chairpersons need help. Meanwhile, a past event that wasn’t held last year is returning much to the delight of its volunteer chair, Adrienne McLaughlin. She will oversee the greased pole competition, something h...
June 7, 1923 A much needed improvement at the school house is the storeroom that has been built in the basement, at the front of the building, by Supt. Gross. Since the re-arrangement of the interior of the building about five years ago, the school has had no place to store such things as costumes used for entertainment and programs, extra books, Christmas tree trimmings and many other articles. The result has been that many things have been lost or so scattered that they had to be replaced. Considerable damage by mice has been done to...
Summer presents an important economic opportunity for businesses as tourists and other visitors sweep through Wrangell. However, many businesses are struggling to find the staff they need to take advantage of the season’s full potential. Staff shortages have prevented City Market from transitioning to its expanded summer hours. “We have just enough staff here right now that are available to have one shift,” said store director Kristina Decker. Summer hours bring a noticeable bump in sales, but the store just hasn’t had the capacity to open an...
May 31, 1923 The first aerial mail ever received through the Wrangell post office came from Lake Bay Wednesday morning, having been brought by the seaplane Northbird piloted by Roy Jones with Glen Day as engineer. Mr. Jones stated that the flight from Ketchikan to Lake Bay was made in 55 minutes. Arriving here, it soon became known that the Northbird had brought mail and there were many visits to the post office with the result that about a dozen persons received letters within 45 minutes from the time they had left Lake Bay. While the...
