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Wrangell’s school buildings need a lot of expensive work, which is no surprise for 40- and 50-year-old structures with a lot of wood. Fixing everything will cost millions, and the school district and borough are hoping for state money to supplement $3.5 million in municipal spending approved by voters in 2022. The district’s No. 1 priority in its capital improvement plan is $10 million to cover a long list of repairs at the elementary, middle and high school buildings. The goal is that the state will come through with $6.5 million to add to...
The Wrangell School District has increased its annual state travel fee for student athletes from $350 to $400 to help cover the cost of travel to state meets. It also clarified its policy in which those funds, if not used by the end of the school year, would be deposited into an account to pay for future state travel. The fee increase was implemented for this school year in an effort to catch up with increasing costs, bolster the district’s overdrawn state travel account and shore up funds for future years. District representatives said the p...
The year’s only high school cross-country meet in town is set for Saturday, Sept. 9, with runners from nine Southeast schools scheduled to travel to Wrangell for the competition. Starting time for the 10-team meet is 1 p.m., said Wrangell coach Mason Villarma. The public is welcome to watch the runners in the 5K race at the Muskeg Meadows Golf Course as long as they pay attention to the flags that direct spectators to stay off the racers route — which is mostly on the golf cart path, Villarma said. The course will be closed to all golfers — d...
Wrangell sophomore Boomchain Loucks was the fastest runner at the first cross-country meet of the school year, turning in a time of 17:23.23 at the meet on Saturday, Sept. 2, in Klawock. Wrangell’s Keegan Hanson was right behind, taking second place at 17:33.14. Junior Daniel Harrison placed eighth at the Klawock meet with a time of 18:22.84. Jackson Powers ran the course in 19:55.26 to place 13th. Alana Harrison led the Wrangell girls cross-country runners with a time of 23:37.11 to place third in Klawock. Jackson Carney, Cooper Powers, T...
On a visit to Alaska last month, the leader of the national community service agency AmeriCorps said the group plans to increase its investment in the state. AmeriCorps received an additional billion dollars for its nationwide budget as part of the American Rescue Plan in 2021. Last year, more than 400 people worked or volunteered with AmeriCorps in Alaska. The federal program spent more than $4.3 million in the state by funding community-led initiatives in schools, youth centers, health clinics and shelters. AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith said...
HELP WANTED Wrangell Public Schools is accepting applications for the following positions for the 2023-2024 school year: - Activities Director: The Activities Director organizes and administers the district’s program of interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities including the development and support of school “spirit.” This is a contracted position with the district. The successful applicant should expect to work some evenings and weekends to support the activities program as needed and is expected to travel to regional event...
The Wrangell School District has received the green light to buy an electric school bus through a federal clean energy grant. In his report to the school board on Aug. 21, Schools Superintendent Bill Burr said the Environmental Protection Agency approved the district for a grant that will go toward a newly built electric bus and charging station. The grant was almost a no-go just a few months ago. Working with the district’s contracted bus company, Taylor Transportation, Burr submitted the grant to the EPA about a year ago. The program r...
A new generation of runners is preparing to follow in the footsteps of Wrangell High School’s state championship-winning cross country team. For the first time this fall, a middle school team will lace up their sneakers and get ready to race. Laura Davies, a teacher at Stikine Middle School, is organizing and coaching the program. She hopes that it will support the existing high school team by improving young runners’ endurance and preparing them to race at the regional level once they become freshmen. “If you look long-term, we have a high...
The deadline to file for a seat on the borough assembly, school board or port commission in the Oct. 3 municipal election is 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31. And for residents not registered to vote in Alaska, the deadline to register to vote is Sunday, Sept. 3. Two seats on the assembly and one each on the school board and port commission will be on the ballot. As of Monday, Aug. 28, incumbent Anne Morrison had filed for reelection to the assembly, as had challenger Michael J. Ottesen; assembly incumbent Ryan Howe had not yet filed or announced his...
Wrangell certainly has its challenges. Those include a shortage of housing and available workers, weather-damaged and age-worn public buildings that need millions of dollars in repairs, limited state ferry service that makes it hard to send out a vehicle for fixes or to bring in independent summer travelers for vacations. Despite the challenges, the community has a lot going for it — led by its volunteers. It seems there isn’t an event, activity or program in town that happens without them. Monday’s Fix-It Clinic, put together by WCA’s Tl’átk...
The sixth annual Family Resilience Fair will bring games, prizes and educational resources to the community on Oct. 14 at the Nolan Center. BRAVE Wrangell, a domestic violence prevention organization whose name stands for Building Respect and Valuing Everyone, is organizing the event. Since the fair is a little over a month away, BRAVE is seeking community organizations to get involved, specifically those that support families, explained member Kay Larsen. “School groups, faith communities, health-related agencies … anything with a special foc...
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...
Four elected positions will be on the municipal ballot on Oct. 3, and as of Monday it was uncertain if all of the incumbents will seek re-election. Two seats on the borough assembly, one on the school board and one on the port commission will be on the ballot. All four are three-year terms. Esther Aaltséen Reese, the only incumbent on the five-member school board whose term expires this year, said last week she is undecided as to whether to run for the position again or not. Anne Morrison, who holds one of the assembly seats that will be on...
Last Friday and Saturday, WCA, Tlingit & Haida and the American Legion distributed backpacks and other school supplies to help prepare the community's youth for the academic year. A long line of students and families snaked out of the WCA Cultural Center on Friday morning, Aug. 18, as parents and children geared up for the task of backpack selection. "This is an important program to make sure that we're supporting our children and also our tribal families with school essentials," said Tribal...
Aug. 23, 1923 Mrs. Stephen Grant has resumed her duties as community nurse following a vacation which she took for the purpose of entering a summer class in community nursing given in Portland under the auspices of the Red Cross. Mrs. Grant finished the six-week course in five weeks by diligent work, and has been given a university credit for her efforts. Her work with the Junior Red Cross will begin with the opening of school activities and promises much for the good of Wrangell. Aug. 20, 1948 B. Frank Heintzelman, regional forester for...
Though not all children had enrolled before the scheduled start of school on Thursday, Aug. 24, due to migrant status or other reasons, district staff reported an increase of two students over their enrollment estimates from last November, which will help with a very small increase in state funding. A couple more students could add maybe $20,000 or so in state money to the overall $5 million school district operating budget. The budget for the 2023-2024 school year is based on 263 students, however, after the updated enrollment estimate, that n...
Ever wanted to learn how to hem a pair of jeans? Fix a bike? Patch a tire? Drain the fluids from an old car so that it’s ready for disposal? The Wrangell Cooperative Association’s upcoming fix-it clinic will help the community learn to maintain and repair household items, promoting sustainability and reducing waste. The event will be held at the covered basketball court on Monday, Aug. 28, from noon to 4 p.m. Marilyn Mork will be available to share her sewing and mending expertise, particularly hemming and attaching loose buttons. She pla...
Attracting people to run for public office in Wrangell can be as difficult as finding a snow shovel to borrow in a winter storm — they are all busy. Nonetheless, they are essential. Quality candidates for borough assembly, school board and port commission are invaluable for the community. The elected bodies control spending in excess of $20 million a year in taxpayer, state and federal money. The members make decisions that affect the life of more than 2,000 residents and the life span of public buildings. It’s a lot of work and a lot of res...
The whistle trills. "50 freestyle! Take your mark!" The athlete gets into position on the platform. The horn sounds. "Go! Let's go!" SPLASH! With the reopening of the community swimming pool, the high school swim team was able to jump into practice and get their feet - and the rest of their bodies - wet for the upcoming competition. As the swimmers finished up their practice sprints on Aug. 17, with coach Jamie Roberts monitoring their form, they began to cool down. "It's especially important th...
James "Jim" Wellington Abbott passed away at age 83 on Aug. 15 in Wrangell. A celebration of life will be held at the Harbor Light Assembly of God Church at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, with a reception to follow from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, to Arnoldine E. and Emmett W. Abbott. He and his parents resided in Greenfield, Iowa, where Jim attended elementary school and graduated from high school. After graduation, Jim attended the University of Oklahoma...
Gary Albert Stevens, 53, passed away in June in his Las Vegas home of natural causes. His memorial service will be at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, at Chief Shakes House on Shakes Island in Wrangell, followed by a reception and potluck at the American Legion Hall. He was born to Gary James and Susan Georgina Stevens on March 28, 1970, in Wrangell. He was Tlingit and Haida of the Naanyaa.iee clan. His Tlingit names were Gush Tlein, Ts'eil and "Eagle Looking Out on the Ocean." He was the first gran...
Charles William Kangas passed away on May 30, in Anchorage after a short illness. He was born in Wrangell to Charles Edward and Sanra K. Kangas on Oct. 25, 1963. He graduated from Wrangell High School in 1981. Charles worked in various commercial fishing jobs with his father and at the Wrangell sawmill. Later, he worked at Ketchikan Pulp Mill. In Anchorage he worked as a sales representative for Spenard Builders Supply for more than 20 years. "Ever since he was a young man, he enjoyed...
It's beginning to look a lot like fitness at the Parks and Recreation Department. For the past several months, department staff and work crews have been laboring to finish projects, add more amenities and make the community healthier. One of the recently completed projects was a major fix to the swimming pool, which reopened on Aug. 7. The pool had been closed since last November to repair a leak and to upgrade the ventilation system. "We haven't had any major water loss, which means the repair...
When was the last time you had an excuse to let loose and dance or “cut a rug” like cool people said 100 years ago. On Saturday, Aug. 19, from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, the adult prom will give partygoers the chance to live it up and help a community-based nonprofit at the same time. “It’s going to be your high school prom but better,” said event organizer Devyn Johnson. “It’s a retro disco, so you can choose any past decade you’d like to dress up as.” Proceeds from the prom will benefit Wrangell Burial Assistance, an organization John...
In an age of cash-strapped school budgets, teachers and support staff have found themselves getting creative in order to give students all the tools needed to succeed in their education. A teacher at Stikine Middle School had such success with an extracurricular class last year that she began fundraising to continue the program this year, reaching her goal in a short amount of time. Sixth grade teacher Laura Davies worked with Juneau-based Seth Bader and the See Stories program last spring. The...