Sorted by date Results 6376 - 6400 of 10681
October 3 Alaska Wildlife Troopers onboard the P/V Enforcer contacted the F/V Talon (ADFG #58859) in Zimovia Strait near Thoms Place, after observing two sea cucumber divers in the water after the fishing period had closed at noon. The divers were identified as permit-holders Tristan Schwehm, age 20, and Franklin Hayward, age 28, both of Metlakatla. Further investigation revealed that a crewmember onboard, Trevor Dundas, age 32, also of Metlakatla, did not have a commercial crewmember license. Schwehm and Hayward were both issued strict...
Wrangell’s wrestlers continue their season with a handful of first placements and other top-three showings, following a pair of tournaments the past two weekends. At the Pilot Invitational in Juneau October 20 and 21, eight Wrangell High School students participated after one was pulled for an injury. Of them, in bracket play two wrestlers finished with first placements, two with seconds, and two with thirds. “They jumped in there, they really wrestled tough,” commented coach Jeff Rooney afterward. Competing in round-robin play in the 106-p...
Longtime Wrangell resident Harry S. Sundberg died September 16, 2017 in Bellingham, WA, as a result of a fall at his assisted living facility. He was 95. Harry was born June 27, 1922 in Hemnesberg, Norway. He was the second child of Jens and Hanna Sundberg. The family emigrated to the US in 1925 and in 1928 settled in Wrangell, where Jens had procured a job building gillnet boats for the Stikine River fishery. Harry helped his father build the family home on Case Avenue in which he resided for t...
With October finally gone, Don and Bonnie Roher remind the community that Thanksgiving is on the way, which means it’s time to prepare their annual food baskets. The couple has been putting together food baskets for families and single residents in need for the past 15 years, with 2017 marking their 16th. Neighbors and friends nominate those they think might benefit best from the drive, which makes sure there’s a turkey and trimmings on every table this November 23. Volunteers bring together the ingredients, arrange the baskets, then distribute...
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Alaska Gov. Bill Walker unveiled a plan Monday to address a rise in the state's crime rate and said a stable economic process would help. People training to put their lives on the line in state jobs connected to fighting crime should be assured they will not be repeatedly targeted for layoff notices every May during state budget deliberations, Walker said. “Alaska needs fiscal certainty,” the governor said at a news conference in Juneau. “They need to know now and into the future they're not going to have another...
A new group of shooting enthusiasts has formed in Wrangell with the intent of forming a competitive trapshooting group for local youth. Friends of the NRA – referring to the National Rifle Association, a gun rights advocacy group – is its own nonprofit group with chapters located around the country. State committees raise money for the NRA Foundation, which in turn allocates half of all net proceeds back to the state of origin. In the form of grants, these funds then go toward programming and projects related to shooting sports. Since its start...
This year open enrollment in the state’s health insurance marketplace has been shortened to six weeks, beginning yesterday and running through December 15. Enabled through the Affordable Care Act, Americans meeting certain criteria can apply for government subsidies for participating insurance plans. Before the start of each calendar year, they are required to prepare submissions for new or renewed coverage through the HealthCare.gov website during this open enrollment period. As previously announced last month, Southeast Alaska Regional H...
The Alaska Marine Highway System has put forward its draft summer schedule for next year, one which is similar to 2017 sailings. The proposed schedule covers service between May and September 2018. Nine of the system’s 11 vessels will be operational during the season, Wrangell will be serviced through the summer by the Malaspina and the Columbia. The Malaspina will sail from Prince Rupert to Skagway once per week, and from Prince Rupert to Juneau once per week. It will make southbound stops into Wrangell Monday mornings and Thursday e...
Cash flow problems have again been ailing Wrangell Medical Center, with the public hospital putting forward a request for $250,000 to the city on Tuesday. At its own board meeting on October 18, WMC’s chief financial officer, Doran Hammett, explained the situation. Cash on hand had by the end of September dropped to $311,069, down from $838,604 at the start of the fiscal year on July 1. It costs around $28,000 a day to operate the hospital, meaning WMC had only around 11 days’ worth available for its payroll and other expenditures. The hos...
Just under a dozen students at the local middle and high schools took part in a two-week hunter education course, earning their certifications in the process. The course was led by Winston Davies, who teaches the district's Alaska skills course. "It's the first time to my knowledge that hunter safety has been taught here in years," he explained. The state-approved curriculum provides a well-rounded course, covering firearms safety training, wildlife conservation, and respect for natural resource...
November 1, 1917: Beginning with tomorrow Nov. 2, letter postage will be three cents. Postals and post cards will be two cents. Drop letters in towns without carrier service will remain one cent. November 6, 1942: The appearance of the three horses destined to be pack animals for the Groundhog Basin mine properties was nothing short of a spectacular event for at least forty one Wrangell youngsters, who had never before seen a horse. Not only were a number thrilled by their first sight of the first equine visitors in Wrangell for many a long...
Preliminary harvest and value figures for the 2017 commercial salmon fishery indicate the season was a step up above the previous year's disastrous harvest. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported a 66.7-percent increase in exvessel value between the two years, with 224.6 million wild salmon worth around $678.8 million brought in by the state's fishing fleet. Chum salmon saw the biggest boon of the year, breaking records with 25.2 million fish, worth about $128.3 million. The haul...
Wrangell High School's volleyball team is poised to be in contention with the region's leaders, following a busy game schedule two weekends ago. Leaving on the ferry October 12, the Lady Wolves took part in the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza over the following two days. The tournament gave the team an early opportunity to play against an array of schools in quick succession. First up were the girls at Thunder Mountain High School, who won 25 to Wrangell's 13. The Lady Wolves...
A statewide assessment of grade schoolers taken this spring has suggested education has some room for improvement. The Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS) exam was administered for the first time to students between third and 10th grade, testing for proficiency in mathematics, English language arts and science. Mirroring standards used in the widely-used National Assessment of Educational Progress, PEAKS provides a snapshot of student performance in relation to grade-level standards. Overall, schools across the state did not a...
Members of the Wrangell Assembly commiserated with Wrangell Cooperative Association leadership Tuesday evening to discuss possible alternatives to a proposed monofill for the Byford cleanup. The Department of Environmental Conservation proposes interring 18,350 cubic yards of treated, lead-contaminated soils in a rock pit managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The material was removed during cleanup of acres of property at the former Byford junkyard, which the city had previously acquired through foreclosure. DEC stepped in to manage...
At Wrangell’s regular meeting of the Borough Assembly Tuesday, members opted not to withdraw their opposition to a proposed timber sale package. The United States Forest Service has over the course of years been putting together a timber sale for Wrangell Island, of which it manages 93 percent of the borough’s land area, which has been nearing its final stages. In August the city responded to the project’s final draft record of decision with an objection letter. After speaking with staff, Tongass National Forest supervisor Earl Stewart propo...
Kupreanof Island – 48 Stikine River – 25 Mitkof Island – 13 Thomas Bay – 8 Farragut Bay – 8 Wrangell Island – 4 Kuiu Island – 4 Zarembo Island – 3 Wrangell mainland – 2 Petersburg mainland – 2 Woewodski Island – 1 Total – 117 Note: 12 of the bulls checked in this year failed to comply with local antler restrictions, following a typical rate of noncompliance seen in other years. Antler configuration percentages 2x2 brow tines – 45 bulls (38% of harvest) Spike fork – 45 (38%) Three or more brow tines – 14 (12%) Spread 50 inches or greater ...
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The state of Alaska is challenging the constitutionality of a proposed ballot initiative aimed at protecting salmon habitat. The state says it is appealing a court decision that called for allowing backers of the measure to begin gathering signatures. The matter went to court after Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott last month refused to certify it, citing a Department of Law opinion. The department maintained that the measure would limit the Legislature's ability to decide how to allocate anadromous streams among competing uses a...
A group of local musicians banded together to raise funds for the school music program, performing at the elementary school last Thursday evening. Dubbing themselves the Wrangell Bear-oque Players – a portmanteau of bear and baroque, referencing past appearances together at Bearfest and the musical style – the ensemble was actually divided into two groups for the evening. A woodwind and strings set performed pieces of classical music, while a brass quintet played jazz. The evening was org...
The Alaska Legislature heads back to Juneau for a fourth special session on Monday. By proclamation of Gov. Bill Walker on September 22, lawmakers will have two bills to consider during their 30-day extra session. One will be Senate Bill 54, which revises the criminal justice reform package passed back in 2016 based on recommendations by the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission. In particular, the bill would tighten up penalties for class C felonies and repeat thefts, violations of release and sex trafficking offenses. The bill had been passed...
Hunters still have until tomorrow to get their harvest reports in, but the 2017 moose hunt has already broken the RM038 district record. As of Tuesday afternoon some 117 animals had been logged by hunters in the Wrangell and Petersburg area. It surpasses the 111 taken last year, and marks the fourth year in a row where the harvest has exceeded 100 moose. The month-long season started September 15 and wrapped up Sunday. The majority of moose were taken on surrounding islands, with 48 taken on...
A group of residents last weekend took part in a march meant to remind the community that slavery is still a problem in the world today. The United Nations' International Labour Organization estimates that over 40,000,000 people around the world are involved in modern slavery, which involves work or situations performed involuntarily and under threat of violence or penalty. That averages out to 5.4 people for every 1,000, with a quarter of those being children. Just under 25 million enslaved...
