News / Wrangell
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 4722
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State ferry traffic into Wrangell down 90% from a decade ago
More than 6,700 passengers a year boarded a state ferry in Wrangell 2010 through 2015, and more than 6,900 a year walked or drove off the ships during that six-year period. In calendar 2021, those numbers were down to 690 passengers boarding a ferry...
New staff among biggest changes at schools as classes set to begin
With the first classes just over two weeks away, students are getting ready to return to their education-filled days. Before that can happen, administrative and teaching staff are prepping classrooms, curriculum and registrations to welcome back...
Good deed uncovers stone stairs built in early 1900s
Uncovering historical items can have its ups and downs. In some cases, that's the literal truth. Somewhere around 1915, a set of stairs was built that saw a lot of use over the next 80 years. But...
New principals preparing for start of school year
As students start school on Aug. 25, two new administrators will be joining them. Ann Hilburn is the new principal for Evergreen Elementary and Bob Burkhart is new the principal for Wrangell High and...
School board approves four new hires
The school board Aug. 1 held a special meeting to take care of a few last-minute items before the start of classes on Aug. 25. Board members approved the hiring of four staff members for vacant positions. The district hired Krysta Gillen as a...
Alaska voters will select new member of Congress next Tuesday
Alaska voters will go to the polls next Tuesday to mark their ballots in a couple of firsts: The first election under the state’s new ranked-choice voting system, and the election of Alaska’s first new member of the U.S. House in 49 years. The...
Candidacy filing for municipal elections closes Aug. 31
There are three weeks remaining for candidates to file for election to the borough assembly, school board and port commission, and as of Monday no one had submitted their paperwork to run for office, with most incumbents reporting they were still...
Fundraising just starting for Wrangell legislative races
The candidates to represent Wrangell in the state Legislature have filed their first campaign finance reports for the Aug. 16 primary election. Not surprisingly, House and Senate incumbents have the lead in fundraising. Rep. Dan Ortiz is looking to...
Assembly moves toward putting building repairs bond issues on ballot
The borough assembly has taken the first step toward seeking voter approval for borrowing up to $15 million to pay for long-needed repairs at the Public Safety Building and school buildings. The assembly last week voted to hold a special meeting...
School maintenance crew prepares buildings for return of students, staff
One by one, facilities staff is checking off their to-do list in preparation for the first day of classes Aug. 25. Each building in the school district has items that need fixing, patching, painting a...
Invasive European crabs found at Annette Island
An invasive species with the potential to wreak havoc on important commercial and subsistence fisheries has been found in Alaska for the first time. Biologists with the Metlakatla Indian Community...
Class gives tips on staying safe in bear country (hint: carry pepper spray)
It's safe to assume that people can avoid bear encounters if they stay out of a bear's natural habitat. Since that's likely not to happen in Southeast, a BearFest safety course offered advice on stayi...
Borough hopes to start clearing land at former Institute property next year
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving ahead with its review of the borough’s wetlands fill permit application to develop the former Wrangell Institute property for residential lots. The borough hopes to start ground-clearing work next year,...
Borough will use surplus property website to try selling former hospital
The borough will list Wrangell’s former hospital building on a nationwide surplus public property website, hoping for better results than efforts the past two months which resulted in not a single bid. “We’ve got to get rid of this,” Mayor...
Candidacy filing opens for municipal elections
Candidates have until 4 p.m. Aug. 31 to file their declaration and signature petition at City Hall for a spot on the Oct. 4 municipal election ballot. The offices of mayor, two borough assembly seats, three school board seats and two spots on the por...
Smokey joins in bear-themed afternoon of reading
Downpours sure to quell any blaze didn't stop kids blazing a trail to the Irene Ingle Public Library for the final Reading with a Ranger story time for the summer. About 20 children joined U.S....
'Once-in-a-lifetime' broadband expansion will take years to roll out in rural Alaska
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it’s putting $29 million toward connecting just over 1,200 people, a school and 45 businesses in Craig and Klawock on Prince of Wales Island and also Hyder to high-speed internet. That...
Bear-y pie contest sweet success for five winners
In one of the sweeter decisions of their lives, judges sliced into the task of picking the best berry pie entered in this year's Bear-y Pie contest last Wednesday on the first day of BearFest. Thirtee...
State closes troll fishery for 3 days for coho preservation
After the longest summer king salmon troll opening in nearly 20 years, the Southeast Alaska commercial troll fishery closed to the taking of all salmon for three days as a coho conservation measure, the Department of Fish and Game announced July 25....
State ended summer Dungeness season early last Saturday
The summer Dungeness crab commercial season ended Saturday, with reports of low catch rates. “On a regionwide level, there are no bright spots, and generally regionwide catch rates have been down,” said Joseph Stratman, the lead Southeast crab bi...
Borough considers whether to borrow money for building repairs
The borough assembly is considering whether to seek voter approval to sell $10.5 million in bonds for the first phase of rehab work at the rot-damaged 35-year-old Public Safety Building, and $4.5 million in bonds to help pay for roof, siding and boil...
Financial help available for licensed child care providers
More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, parents across Alaska are still struggling with long wait lists, high costs and limited capacity at child care centers. Federal grant funds administered by the state and a child care nonprofit are...
Moose sculpture drifts to new home at Alaska Waters
It would be hard to miss a nearly 7-foot moose in downtown Wrangell. Such is the case with a new addition in front of the Alaska Waters and 56 North storefront. A driftwood statue of a moose gifted...
BearFest promises full schedule of workshops, food, music and more
From Wednesday through Sunday, the schedule for BearFest is loaded with something for all ages, whether games and art workshops or food and educational symposiums. Since the event is focused on...
Wrangell businesses in the running for $25,000 start-up prize
Two businesses based in Wrangell and one looking to be based here are among a dozen Southeast finalists for a pair of $25,000 cash prizes. Path to Prosperity, a competition for small businesses and start-ups in Southeast, announced 12 finalists, two...
