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Wrangell has proven its boundless resilience, compassion and generosity the past two weeks. Individuals have donated, volunteered, hauled, organized and pitched in seemingly 24 hours a day since the deadly landslide tested the community’s faith and took over everyone’s emotions. And it wasn’t only individuals helping out. Just about every business on the island donated services, goods or money. Whether food for first responders and volunteers, groceries for families, temporary housing for people displaced by the slide, taxi rides, airpl...
Interim Borough Manager Mason Villarma and other local officials were in Washington, D.C., last week to ask for federal help for the community after its deadly landslide. “In terms of impact, the community is scared, I think, and rightfully so,” Villarma said in an interview with Anchorage TV station KTUU. “We’ve lost six of our community members of a town of 2,096. … That’s proportionate in Juneau of over 80 people. In Anchorage, that’s 800. ... It’s very personal.” The borough team met Nov. 28 with U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who attended midd...
An early loss against Chugiak's Birchwood Christian School at the state championship volleyball tournament threw the Lady Wolves off their game, and though they fought hard in the losers' bracket, the Metlakatla MissChiefs took them out of the running in the third round of play. Wrangell finished fourth overall in the tournament, held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Palmer. Metlakatla took home third place in the high school tourney. After a first-round win against Glennallen, three sets to one, the...
The Wrangell Wolves hosted the Tom Sims Invitational Wrestling Tournament last weekend, coming away with 62 wins and 21 losses with 48 pins in the matches, including exhibitions. The wrestling team came in second to Ketchikan overall by just 2.5 points, but placed first as the group with the most pins in the least time and the best winning percentage over the two-day tournament Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, at the high school gym. A large, cheering crowd of spectators gathered for the tournament on Saturday, and head wrestling coach Jack...
Jeanie Arnold, who started work as the new director at the Nolan Center on Nov. 27, said she wants to "provide an overall sense of joy to the community of Wrangell through artistic exposure and historical storytelling." She replaces Cyni Crary, who is moving out of state. Crary had been in the job since July 2018. Arnold said some of her goals include broadening the scope of the center with new exhibits and events targeted at a wide variety of interests. She also hopes to collaborate with the...
Alaska Airlines looks at the calendar when it makes flight plans each year to accommodate Alaskans who want to fly out of state during the holiday break at schools. It’s not so much what day of the week Christmas and New Year’s fall on, but when school lets out. School breaks are heavy travel times out of Alaska, and districts are all over the calendar, said Scott Habberstad, managing director for the airline’s Alaska market. The last day of school for Wrangell students is Dec. 15, same as Ketchikan and Sitka. The last day in Petersburg is Dec....
HELP WANTED Wrangell Public Schools is accepting applications for the following positions: - Paraprofessional: This is a part-time, 9-month classified position, working 5.75 hours per day. Salary placement is in Column A of the Classified Salary Schedule. Job duties include but are not limited to working with students individually and in small group settings in Special Education. A High School Diploma or equivalent and an associate degree or the ability to pass the ParaPro Assessment is required. Start date: ASAP. - Middle School Volleyball...
A massive landslide 11 miles from town destroyed three homes on Nov. 20 - including one that housed a five-member family - and stranded more than 70 residents who lived south of the slide. Timothy Heller, 44, Beth Heller, 36, Mara Heller, 16, and Kara Heller, 11, have been confirmed dead. Derek Heller, 12, and Otto Florschutz, 65, were missing as of Monday night, Nov. 27. Christina Florschutz, a teachers aide at Evergreen Elementary School, survived. The slide occurred shortly before 9 p.m. and...
Christina Florschutz, an aide at Evergreen Elementary School, survived the 11-Mile landslide that killed at least four people Nov. 20 - even after debris destroyed her home and trapped her overnight. The evening of the slide, Florschutz went upstairs to take a shower. After she got out, she heard "a horrible noise, a very loud noise." Before she could react, the landslide slammed into her house, tossing her "like a piece of weightless popcorn" around the room until she lost consciousness. When...
State officials have released the names of the four people killed and two others still missing from the Nov. 20 landslide that hit just past 11-Mile Zimovia Highway. As of Monday, Nov. 27, searchers had found the bodies of Timothy Heller, 44, his wife, Beth Heller, 36, and their daughters, Mara, 16, and Kara, 11. Mara was a high school junior and Kara was in fifth grade. Searchers found Mara's body the night of the slide, during the initial search operations by first responders able to reach the...
Growing up in central Virginia and later moving to the Washington, D.C., area, natural disasters took the form of thunderstorms, hurricanes, floods, snowfalls and ice storms. I even experienced an earthquake in Silver Spring, Maryland in the summer of 2011. But until last Monday, my only personal experience with the word “landslide” was when I first heard it on Nov. 7, 1973, when reporters and political pundits used that same word over and over to describe Republican Richard Nixon’s overwhelming victory in the presidential election again...
Counseling and behavioral health services are available as the community comes together to help those in need after the deadly landslide. SEARHC has been providing counseling at no cost, and a private practitioner in Haines also is offering free assistance. Former Wrangell resident and therapist Riley Hall, who is offering free counseling to community members, was living in Haines in 2020 when a landslide killed two people there. The rain continued after the slide, adding to people’s anxiety. “It was really difficult for people to feel saf...
The strong storm system that hit Wrangell on Nov. 20 struck across Southeast Alaska, dumping snow in the north, rain in the south and heavy winds throughout. A landslide closed parts of North Tongass Highway in Ketchikan on Nov. 20 and Alaska Power & Telephone reported that several slides and snapped poles took out power on Prince of Wales Island, including at Hydaburg, Thorne Bay, the Klawock-Hollis Highway and between Craig and Klawock. A road was also washed out in Coffman Cove. The Klawock School District opened up its gym for people stuck...
After a dominant showing in the regional volleyball tournament Nov. 15-17 in Petersburg, the Lady Wolves won the Southeast high school championship for the second year running and will head to state in Palmer Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. The girls are "pretty much ready for it," co-coach Brian Herman said of the team as they prepare to take on Alaska's best players. "They're playing the best they've played all season. They're playing at a level that's high enough to be competitive there (at state)."...
Borough staff presented their plan for selling the first 20 lots of the Alder Top Village (Keishangita.'aan) subdivision to the Economic Development Board and members of the public at a work session Nov. 16. The plan is to sell the first row of 10 lots - the ones with waterfront views - at a public auction and the second row of 10 using a lottery system. The auction is tentatively scheduled for May 2024 and the lottery for June 2024, with buyers receiving access to their land in September, thoug...
Nov. 22, 1923 Today at noon at the Wrangel Hotel the accommodations were taxed to capacity by an unusually large group that attended the regular weekday luncheon. Commissioner L.D. Henderson told of the progress of the educational movement and the great need in Wrangell for a better school building. The value of an education and the imperative need for catering to the future through the training of youth were urged in a convincing way. Nov. 19, 1948 O.F. Ohlson, receiver for Alaska Asiatic Lumber Mills Inc., reported that no bids were received...
Tables and seats were organized for students and guests along the walls of the elementary school gym, with "Happy Friendsgiving 2023" coloring pages scattered on the tables, ready for crayons. The main serving area was in the center, with long tables placed end to end full of ham, meatballs, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, rolls, casseroles and other foods. As the time drew near for the second festive lunch of the day to begin, Angela Allen, who serves on the boards of the...
Often, the best decisions are a compromise. Which is exactly what borough staff is proposing for the sale of 20 lots next year at the Alder Top Village (Keishangita.’aan) subdivision at the site of the former Wrangell Institute boarding school. Selling the residential lots to the highest bidders would earn the most for the municipal treasury, which would help taxpayers. But it could shut out potential buyers who can’t keep up if the auction drives prices beyond their budget. Selling the parcels at a fixed price by lottery would give eve...
State officials today released the names of the three people killed and three others still missing from the Monday night landslide at 11-Mile Zimovia Highway. Searchers have found the bodies of Timothy Heller, 44, his wife, Beth Heller, 36, and their daughter, Mara, 16. Mara was a high school junior. Searchers found her body on Monday night. Crews found Timothy and Beth Heller on Tuesday. As of Friday morning, searchers had not found Derek Heller, 12, Kara Heller, 11, or Otto Florschutz, 65. Derek was in sixth grade; Kara in fifth grade....
A massive landslide 11 miles from town destroyed three homes on Nov. 20 — including one that housed a five-member family — and stranded more than 70 residents who lived south of the slide. Timothy Heller, 44, Beth Heller, 36, Mara Heller, 16, and Kara Heller, 11, have been confirmed dead. Derek Heller, 12, and Otto Florschutz, 65, were missing as of Monday night, Nov. 27. Christina Florschutz, a teachers aide at Evergreen Elementary School, survived. The slide occurred shortly before 9 p.m. and destroyed the Florschutz residence and an unoccupi...
The Wrangell School District has a packed schedule of events as it heads into the holiday season. On Friday, Nov. 17, Evergreen Elementary School will hold its annual “Friendsgiving” lunch, where students can invite an adult friend to share a meal with. Food is prepared and served by members of the Parent Teacher Community Club. Schools will be closed on Nov. 23 and 24 so that teachers and students can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. On Nov. 29, the elementary school will be transformed into an art gallery for the biannual “Art Walk,” where f...
Nov. 15, 1923 Word was received from John Hooper, president of the Tourists’ Society, that in addition to giving a number of newspaper interviews regarding his trip north, he will set different topics for each address, dwelling principally upon Wrangell and Juneau as the great centers from which tourists can head out for scenic, hunting, fishing or other trips. He will also put up a strong argument for the paper and pulp industry possibilities in the Juneau and Wrangell districts. Nov. 19, 1948 Lt. Col. J.D. Alexander arrived in Wrangell l...
Certainly, people enjoy reminiscing about happy moments, inspiring stories, proud accomplishments and successful endeavors. History can be heartwarming and motivating. It can be exciting and fun. It also can be educational, particularly when the past reminds us of the world’s mistakes, mistreatment and violence over the years. That kind of history teaches how not to treat people, lessons that may prevent some of those same bad things from happening again. Not that mankind learns everything from those examples but, in time, maybe enough to make...
Wrangell middle and high school students wore hats last week to raise money to buy headwear for medical patients who lose their hair. Students paid a $2 fee upon arriving at school on Wednesday, Nov. 8, and received a hand stamp allowing them to wear a hat for the rest of the day. Principal Jackie Hanson came up with the idea after learning about the Heavenly Hats Foundation, a small nonprofit organization that collects and distributes new hats of all kinds to people of all ages who lose their...
The Wrangell Elks Lodge has been active in town since 1935 and could use a few more active volunteers to help with its weekend dinners, chores around the building and public services. “It is getting worse over time,” said Dawn Angerman, one of the volunteer club managers. “It’s not just the Elks, it’s everywhere.” Multiple community groups in Wrangell have struggled in recent years with finding new people to serve on boards or volunteer for work projects. “COVID didn’t help,” Angerman said. “People just haven’t broken out of that yet,” with ma...