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Sentinel writer When you look at a website, a business card, or just about any sign or graphical image you can imagine, you can expect to see information. That information is usually one-dimensional and does not extend beyond what you might see with your own eyes. A group of students from Wrangell High School are working to change that, however. An after-school “AVATAR” club led by WHS teacher Michele Galla has been working on developing a technology that will “augment” the reality of images...
STEPHEN PRYSUNKA Why should you be appointed to the Borough Assembly to fill the vacancy left by William B. Privett? I think that I should be appointed to the vacant position because I will bring an open mind to the council. I have no agenda or preconceived notions regarding any of the issues currently facing the Borough. I will be open to all opinions and will educate myself to the best of my ability on the various topics. I will work with other council members and city staff to ensure that our...
Two young ladies from Wrangell are making a difference through their art and a philanthropic streak that will help both locally and abroad. Sisters Jing and Sophie O’Brien were the winners of the joint Wrangell Medical Center and Alaska Island Community Services poster contest in the third through fifth grade category. With their win they took home the honor of having their art featured – and also a cash prize that will be utilized both in Wrangell and across the world in Nepal. The cash prize o...
Alaska Island Community Services unveiled their new “NextMD Patient Portal” program at the Wrangell Health Fair on Saturday, April 6 at the James and Elsie Nolan Center. The application, which is a web-based method of communicating with your physician or other medical staff is now online and provides a way to request, book or cancel appointments, receive and review your medical documents, request medication renewals, send messages to health care staff, and update personal medical information. The system, while online, is secure – and allow...
The Wrangell Medical Center Board of Trustees took no action on three key proposals at their March 20 meeting at the James and Elsie Nolan Center, instead deciding to hold off on making any decisions for the near term. The first item the board considered was whether or not to allow attendance at executive or other closed sessions by electronic means, including telephone, Skype or other methods. After a lengthy discussion by the members, board president Woody Wilson restated the feelings of the...
William Dennis Eastaugh 1941- 2013 William Dennis Eastaugh died quietly at Wrangell Medical Center very early Tuesday morning, March 19, 2013. He was born in Wrangell at the old Bishop Rowe Hospital on August 25, 1941 and, as it happened, was the very first cesarean delivery ever in Wrangell. He attended grade school in the big old white schoolhouse that stood next to our library. The family lived on Greif Street in the old pink house opposite the Roman Catholic Church. As with many young boys,...
THANK YOU The WRANGELL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT is to be commended for their superb handling of Dennis Eastaugh from home to the hospital. Several obstacles impeded the way: a steep incline in the path which was partly paved and partly loose gravel, tight corners within the house and a steep pitch to the driveway. Nothing insurmountable but certainly difficult. You entered the house and did what needed doing in a most professional way. You worked well together as a team, not just smoothly but flawlessly. How kind of you to have driven so cerem...
The 2013 Wrangell Medical Center Health Fair is scheduled for April 6 at the Nolan Center – and this year’s fair will include a new Vitamin D level test in addition to the normal Health Profile, Thyroid Screen, Prostate Screen and Hemoglobin A1C diabetes screens. For the past 19 years, WMC has sponsored the event – which has grown in size each year. Cathy Gross, WMC’s Director of Health Information Management, said the event is unique in Southeast Alaska. “Wrangell Medical Center sponsors...
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...
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...
After more than a year of legal and administrative actions regarding Dr. Greg Salard’s credentialing at Wrangell Medical Center, the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Trustees has granted the physician unrestricted privileges at the hospital for the next two years. The notification came, Salard said, in the form of a letter signed by the board and delivered to him on Tuesday, Feb. 26. A group of former board members, most of whom were recalled last year, acted as a “fair hearing committee” and made the decision to deny Salard privileges on Fr...
The Wrangell Borough Assembly appointed Ernie Christian to fill the seat vacated by Mayor David Jack at their Feb. 26 regular meeting at City Hall. Assembly member Bill Privett had initially motioned to appoint Wrangell resident Billie Younce to the seat, but the motion failed for lack of a second. Assembly member James Stough then motioned for Christian’s appointment, with a second coming from member Maxi Wiederspohn. The Assembly voted 3-2 to appoint Christian, with Privett and Jack voting “no.” Christian, who was traveling on business durin...
The terms of a modified settlement agreement between the City and Borough of Wrangell and former Wrangell Medical Center CEO Noel Rea, as well as a group of former WMC board members, was disclosed during the Feb. 20 meeting of the WMC Board of Trustees. Board president Woody Wilson revealed the terms after presenting the quorum with an email sent from Borough Manager Tim Rooney to the Mayor and members of the Borough Assembly. While the original terms of the agreement, which were previously...
Oral arguments over Dr. Greg Salard’s administrative appeal of his denial of privileges at Wrangell Medical Center have been put aside after First District Judge Kevin Miller dismissed his appeal – a move that will allow the WMC Board of Trustees to act on his request to work again at the hospital. On Feb. 14 Judge Miller ordered that Salard’s administrative appeal be dismissed without prejudice, a move that would allow him to refile another appeal if he is not credentialed by the board. In his written decision, Miller laid out some backg...
Monday Feb 11 -Citation issued to Britany Lindley, age 23, for Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance and verbal warning for faulty equipment. Tuesday Feb 12 -Parking Complaint: Vehicle moved from Episcopal Street. -Criminal Mischief. Wednesday Feb 13 -Officer responded to domestic dispute. -Person requested welfare check. -Officer responded to a driving complaint UTL. Thursday Feb 14 -Citation issued to Aundria Cummings age 24 for No Proof of Insurance. -Agency assist: line department. -Report of deer carcass in dumpster. -Agency Assist Wrangel...
Pok Sun (Sue) Fields passed away February 8, 2013 at the Wrangell Medical Center Long Term Care Facility. Sue was born in Korea in 1942 to Father, Chan Ho Choe and Mother, Su Kyo Kim-Choe. Both her parents were killed in the Korean War and Sue at 8 years old was raised by her sister. She met Ron Jones a U.S. soldier and married him when she was 25 years old. They spent some time in Germany when Ron was stationed there. Living in the U.S. Ron was a truck driver; Sue would accompany him doing...
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...
After narrowly losing the election for Mayor of the City and Borough of Wrangell last year – by a mere two votes – Borough Assembly member Dave Jack was appointed to the position during the group’s regular meeting on Feb. 12. Jack was appointed to the position after being unanimously approved. Member Maxi Wiederspohn was not present at the meeting. Mayor Jack was also absent from the meeting as he is attending the Southeast Conference in Juneau. He will be sworn in at the next regular meeti...
Wrangell Medical Center is utilizing the skills and techniques taught by a consultant to improve the “culture” and “performance” of departments at the hospital – and saving money in the process. WMC administrator Marla Sanger recently brought in Dr. Marv Erisman to help bridge gaps in hospital administration and operations. “Wrangell Medical Center is working to strengthen its culture of teamwork and collaboration for the purpose of improving performance within and across departments...
To the Editor: Hospice of Wrangell is interested in you. We are stretched thin to meet the needs of our community. We need your help. Organized in 2001, we've supported those living with a life-threatening illness and those at the end of life. Hospice philosophy believes that the end of life is not a medical experience, it is a human experience that benefits from supporters bringing comfort, self-respect, and tranquility to people in the final experience of life. Hospice of Wrangell is an all-volunteer program. Volunteers offer their time,...
Citing health concerns and a recent 11-day medical trip to Seattle, Wrangell Mayor Don McConachie relinquished his gavel last Thursday night as he resigned from his position on the Borough Assembly. In a letter written by McConachie that he read to the other members of the Assembly he explained his reasoning behind leaving his post in city government. “Since 1998 it has been my privilege to serve on the Assembly of the City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska. Many things have happened during t...
Wrangell Police Department officers are investigating allegations of an assault that led to the hospitalization of a 17-year old Wrangell High School student. The incident, which is alleged to have occurred at a residence near the corner of Case Avenue and Front Street in the late evening hours of Saturday, Jan. 12, involved a party where allegedly a number of minors and at least two adults were present – and where WPD Lieutenant Merlin Ehlers said alcohol was a major contributing factor. “We are investigating a number of individuals who wer...
The end could be near regarding the lawsuit filed by the City and Borough of Wrangell against former Wrangell Medical Center administrator Noel Rea and six former members of the WMC Board of Directors. According to Borough Manager Tim Rooney, Borough attorney Robert Blasco, along with Rea’s attorney, David Shoup, held a phone conference with Judge Trevor Stephens on Friday, Jan 11 to schedule a settlement conference in the case. As a result of that meeting, the settlement conference has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19, in K...
A new confidentiality agreement related to credentialing of medical staff, and changes to a number of personnel policies at Wrangell Medical Center, were the main topics of discussion and action during the Jan. 16 WMC Board of Trustees meeting. The board began with a new agreement that each member must sign agreeing to, “hold as confidential all credentialing and privileging information obtained during the course of and following my association with the Wrangell Medical Center Governing Board.” Members will also not be allowed to make copies of...
Customers of GCI in Wrangell lost Internet, cable television and cell phone coverage in the early hours on Saturday, Jan. 5 after a massive earthquake rattled the coast of Southeast Alaska. The 7.5 magnitude temblor, which was located 110 kilometers west of Craig and was approximately six miles under the earth’s surface, struck just minutes before midnight on Friday, shaking houses across the region – and knocking out the communications provider approximately half-an-hour after the initial sho...
