Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 302
The members of the Wrangell Economic Development Committee know they’re entitled to about 800 acres of land. The next trick will be figuring out which land to select. Discussion at the committee’s March 6 meeting focused around the land issue in general, a holdover issue stemming from the borough’s 2008 incorporation. The land is part of the borough allotment, originally set at about 200 acres, but increased to 800 acres after lobbying at the state legislature, said Economic Development Officer Carol Rushmore. Any land the borough doesn...
A Juneau designer presented three draft options on Monday for a potential layout to the Mariner's Memorial at a public workshop. An octagonal lighthouse pavilion is part of each design, but could be located toward the envisioned entryway for the memorial, at the memorial's midpoint, or at the end. All three drafts used landscaped vegetation to screen the memorial from the noise and bustle of nearby Heritage Harbor and the boat ramp, to create a solemn ceremonial air with a strong connection to n...
Eleven new seafood products from seven companies are set to be showcased at the upcoming Symphony of Seafood galas in Seattle and Anchorage. In its 21 years the event has introduced and promoted hundreds of new Alaska seafood items to the marketplace. “Developing new products is really hard,” said Julie Decker, new executive director of the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation which hosts the event. (Decker replaces Jim Browning who retired,) “It costs a lot of money, takes a lot of time and attention, and sometimes the products are wonde...
The Chief Shakes House rededication was easily the biggest event of 2013 in Wrangell. However, the year was filled with events and news stories big and small. On the first edition of 2014, the Sentinel pauses to recollect the stories throughout the year. January An electrical fire damaged the fish tank at the Nolan Center, causing it to be removed. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off of Craig Jan. 4, rattling windows and nerves in town. The quake caused no major damage in town, but...
Alaska’s seafood industry worked hard again in 2013 to ramp up its message to policy makers, most of whom still tend to overlook the industry’s economic significance to the state and beyond. What is that message? That “the industry” is made up of thousands of small businesses – the fishing boats that each supports one or several families. That the seafood companies in coastal towns provide one of the state’s biggest tax bases. And together, fishing and processing provide more jobs in Alaska than oil/gas, mining, tourism and timber combined. S...
In the Sentinel 75, 50 and 25 years ago. November 18, 1938: The Hospital Auxiliary staged a very successful benefit for the Bishop Rowe General Hospital on Armistice Day when 65 persons registered between the hours of 3 to 5 and attended the annual silver tea, postponed from last May. Perhaps the greatest surprise to the tea patrons was the fact that quantities of garden flowers, particularly snapdragons, had been saved from the heavy frost of preceding days and were used to center the daintily arranged tea tables and wherever a vase could be...
Name: John Yeager Age: 45 Occupation: Fishing Guide and co-owner of Alaska Charters & Adventures. What is your previous experience on boards or other relevant experience related to the position you are seeking? I have been on the Port Commission for a few years now and have had the privilege of serving with some positive, community driven individuals. I like the diversity and combined years of experience our current Commission has. I feel that a Commission with members that represent all aspects...
ASSEMBLY Name: Julie Decker Age: 40 Occupation: self employed – commercial fishing and seafood development What background or experience do you have that qualifies you to be an Assembly member? I have served on Wrangell’s Economic Development Committee for the past seven years. I have also served on the Board of Directors of the Southeast Conference, which is the economic development organization that represents the municipalities and businesses of Southeast Alaska. Why are you running for the...
A series of capital projects led the way in Borough Manager Tim Rooney’s final report to the Borough Assembly last week as he highlighted the improvements on-going or planned in the Borough. Starting off, Rooney informed the Assembly about a number of projects related to the city’s Harbor Department, including upgrades at the Marine Service Center pier. “Pool Engineering has begun work on the pier upgrades and good progress is being made,” Rooney wrote. “The two new batter piles have been driv...
The Borough Assembly approved a change order in the amount of $34,600 for the 300-ton marine hoist purchased by the City and Borough of Wrangell this week. The city is under contract with Italian firm Ascom S.p.A. to manufacture and assemble the new 300-ton capacity vessel hoist. The bid documents required a backup control system for use in the case of failure of the wireless remote control, which Ascom is providing as a redundant, plug in, wired remote control. In a memo to the Assembly, Wrangell Public Works Director Carl Johnson explained...
The Borough Assembly officially accepted the resignation of Borough Manager Tim Rooney during their June 25 regular meeting and cleared the path for Borough Clerk Kim Flores to advertise the position both statewide and nationally. After a unanimous vote accepting the resignation, Assembly member Christie Jamieson spoke about her feelings on the tenure of Rooney as the administrative head during the past three-and-a-half years. “I would like to thank Tim for all of his hard work and efforts,” Jam...
Work crews fill a roadway with cement as a project to pave the Marine Service Center continued last week. The work is being done to accommodate a 300-ton marine hoist the City and Borough of Wrangell will install next year....
Anyone driving down Shakes Street during the past two months probably couldn’t help but notice the massive steel rebar structure going in at the Marine Service Center – a steel design that will reinforce massive slabs of concrete that a new marine hoist will ride on in years to come. The project, which is Phase II of the MSC renovation, includes two sections of rebar and concrete construction that was awarded by the Borough Assembly to Southeast Roadbuilders on March 12 as a base bid and alt...
The Wrangell Port Commission passed a resolution last week that will prioritize Shoemaker Bay Harbor as the next renovation and replacement project for the Borough’s Harbor Department. Shoemaker emerged as the lead candidate for replacement after a March discussion by commissioners. They weighed the issue of whether Shoemaker or Inner Harbor would be next on the list. Before passing the resolution, resident Frank Roppel spoke to the commission about his feelings on the harbor project. “I wou...
In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago. April 24, 1913: On the vote for passage for the third reading, the fish trap bill was killed in the Senate last Saturday. Sen. Sutherland, Tanner and Roden voting for passage and Freeling, Tripp, Millard and Ray against the measure. Sen. Sutherland, father of the bill, made a spirited talk in its defense and filed notice to reconsider when the reading had been voted. April 22, 1938: Official observation of May Day-Child Health Week will begin in Wrangell on Saturday April 30. On that day at 2:30...
The most recent Port Commission meeting discussed a number of issues related to the ongoing Mariner’s Memorial project, lease space at the Marine Service Center, and a determination of whether Shoemaker or Inner harbors would receive priority in renovation efforts. In harbormaster Greg Meissner’s report to the commission he caught the commissioners up to speed on issues regarding Heritage Harbor. “The signage will be going in soon,” Meissner said. “We’ll put the parking signs in and the rules signs for the boat launch and all that. It sounds l...
The Borough Assembly undertook one of their longest and most productive sessions in recent months this week as they attempted for a second time to form an “energy committee,” approved a number of contracts and construction projects, and took under consideration a recent protest over use of the former Wrangell Institute property for storage of timber from an Alaska Mental Heath Land Trust land sale. The formation of an energy committee, which would be tasked with looking at the possibilities of d...
After a civic presentation on “Lemonade Day 2012” by Wrangell teen Helen Decker, three attempts to pass a motion that would have set up an “energy committee” to study future divestiture plans from the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, the decision to form such a committee was halted after disagreement over membership was raised. Assembly member James Stough modified the original motion, saying he wanted to see membership in the committee include citizens or officials from Petersburg and Ketchik...
A possible change to a City ordinance dealing with the long-term storage of vessels at the Marine Service Center was one of the topics discussed during the Wrangell Port Commission meeting held March 11 at City Hall. A discussion about prioritizing renovations at either Shoemaker Bay or Inner Harbor also took place before the regular meeting during a workshop session. According to Harbormaster Greg Meissner, a possible renovation of Shoemaker would cost as much as $9.75 million and would add...
Now that you have been appointed to the Wrangell Borough Assembly, what are the top three goals you would like to see accomplished during you tenure? I will move forward on securing ownership of the Tyee Hydroelectric project for the energy security for Wrangell and Petersburg. I have been and will continue to be an advocate for the building of the AK/BC Intertie. By providing a connection to the North American grid, the AK/BC Intertie would provide energy security to the communities currently...
Now that you have been appointed Mayor, how will you accomplish some of the goals you set out, such as building the new hospital? By encouraging the Medical Center Board and the Assembly to work together to find the best way to complete the project. What do you see in the future for the Marine Service Center? Will your administration seek additional property where the Borough can expand its operations? I believe the Marine Service Center is a bright spot in the community. I see it as being a...
The Wrangell Port Commission discussed the storage of boats in the Ritchie Yard at the corner of Case Avenue and Shakes Street during their regular meeting on Feb. 11 – and also talked of plans to open up new lease space at the Marine Service Center. Harbormaster Greg Meissner said the reason for opening up new space for storage, as well as four new working lease areas is simple. “We’ve just run out of room,” he said. While the MSC space leases will be used for repair work, the Ritchie propert...
DAVID JACK Why should the Borough Assembly appoint you as the next Mayor of Wrangell? I have served on the Assembly for over three years. I am familiar with issues before the Assembly. The office of Mayor requires a great deal of time on the part of any person serving in that capacity. I am retired and have the time to give to the position. What are some of you top priorities should be named as Mayor of the City and Borough of Wrangell? First is to continue toward building a new hospital and...
Borough Manager Tim Rooney has rejected a Canadian firm’s protest over the recent acceptance of a bid for a new travel lift at the Marine Service Center. Rooney, who also acts as the Borough’s procurement officer, informed the Vancouver-based Kendrick Equipment Company on Jan. 22 that their protest of a winning bid by the Italy-based firm of Ascom S.p.A. was rejected – and that his office would recommend entering into a contract for the new machine with the Italian company. In their prote...
The sales agent for Marine Travel Lift, the brand of haul-out machine currently in use at the Marine Service Center in downtown Wrangell, is none too happy about the Borough Assembly’s recent decision to accept an Italian bid for a new haul-out at the yard. Bill Kendrick, the owner of the Vancouver-based Kendrick Equipment Ltd. – and high bidder for a new vessel haul-out unit – is taking advantage of a 10-day protest period to challenge the decision by the Wrangell Port Commission to appro...
