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Last week, Jim Kauffman, director of U.S. Capitol grounds and Arboretum at the Architect of the Capitol, selected one of seven Southeast Alaska finalists for the official 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree. The winner is a secret, for now. All seven finalists are located within the Wrangell Ranger District of the Tongass National Forest. This means that when the tree is harvested in October - an operation that requires multiple cranes and an 82-foot-long trailer - it will be paraded through Wrangell's...
Alaska’s population is set to decline by 14,000 residents by 2050, according to a new forecast from the Alaska Department of Labor, with Wrangell showing the highest rate of annual population loss over the period, dropping on average by 1.5% annually. The community’s population is forecast to drop to under 1,400 people by 2050, continuing its steady decline from 2,369 residents in the 2010 U.S. Census and 2,039 in last summer’s state estimate. The ongoing loss of working-age residents is a leading cause of the statewide population decli...
When Dan Trail took his dogs to play fetch on June 20 at Petroglyph Beach, the last thing he expected was to find himself involved in a statewide baby seal rescue mission. But when he reached for his tennis ball and noticed it lying on the tail of a 1-week-old lost seal pup, he sprang into action. The seal - now called Rocky by her rescue team - was extremely dehydrated when Trail found her. Wedged in between two rocks, high above the receding tide, she was sucking in air on a warm June day....
In closely watched oral arguments on July 18, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals indicated that it is unlikely to grant an environmental group’s petition for an order that could halt — at least temporarily — a valuable Southeast Alaska king salmon fishery. In May 2023, a judge in the U.S. District Court covering western Washington issued an order that said federal officials were allowing Alaska fishermen to harvest king salmon at rates that harmed an endangered population of killer whales in Puget Sound. The whale...
Heat pumps, which can be a cost- and energy-efficient upgrade from traditional heating systems, are growing in popularity in Southeast Alaska - especially in Wrangell. Charlie Hazel, one of two licensed contractors who installs the units in Wrangell, said when he moved to town in 2013, 60% of homes used electric boilers for heat. In the past 11 years, Hazel has installed around 120 electric heat pumps. For context, Wrangell has just over 1,000 residential properties. While most models cannot...
Sam Pausman, the Sentinel's newest reporter, switched coastlines to start work in Wrangell on July 15. He moved from Maine to Alaska. "I wanted to see something totally new, nothing close to anywhere I had ever been before," Pausman explained. The closest he had ever been to Alaska was Chicago. A May graduate from Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine, he majored in history, with a focus on journalism. He worked on the college newspaper, including a stint as editor-in-chief his senior year,...
The Arts in the Cove festival, formerly known as Arts and Seafood, is scheduled for Aug. 9 and 10 in Coffman Cove. The festival — about 40 boat miles southwest of Wrangell on Prince of Wales Island — promotes local artisans and features everything from handmade fine art to crafts, soaps, candles, oils, jams, jellies, syrups, fur, seafood, smoked meats and fry bread. The festival also will feature live music and entertainment, along with prize raffles throughout the two days. The festival, which is free to attend, will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Fri...
Wrangell's deer hunting season will open on Aug. 1 and remain open through Nov. 30. The dates for archery season are the same for rifle hunting. Hunters are permitted two bucks over the course of the four-month window, and no doe harvest is allowed to protect the herd's population for future years. Hunters must always carry their harvest tags with them while they hunt. Harvest tags are free, but an annual hunting license will cost residents $45, or $5 for low-income residents. Nonresidents will...
Wrangell Cooperative Association’s Earth Branch, Tl’átḵ, is working with the U.S. Forest Service to install temperature loggers (data recording devices) in selected salmon streams on Wrangell Island to help get a better understanding of the impacts of thermal variations on salmon populations. The two agencies are planning to deploy three to six temperature loggers on the island. As of July 15, two had been installed. Alex Angerman, Earth Branch coordinator, said “monitoring stream temperatures is crucial for assessing the health of salmon p...
Bearfest this week provides an opportunity for people to try their artistic skills at making holiday ornaments. In the shape of bears, of course. But nothing ordinary about these ornaments — they will hang on the national Christmas tree on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Forest Service has selected a tree from the Wrangell Ranger District of the Tongass National Forest — they won’t say which one yet — and the agency has called on Alaskans to create 10,000 ornaments for the big tree and multiple smaller trees that will be display...
Somewhere in the Wrangell district of the Tongass National Forest lies a prize package — a special holiday ornament containing a possible winning ticket, among other surprises. The U.S. Forest Service hid ornaments in each of the nine districts of the Tongass to raise awareness for the 10,000 ornaments that Alaskans are being asked to create for the Capitol Christmas Tree and multiple smaller trees that will be on display this holiday season in the nation’s capital. This year’s premier holiday tree will come from the Tongass. It comes from...
Ottesen's Ace Hardware is restoring the outside of the former fire hall on Front Street to bring back its original appearance. The fire station was completed in 1941 and was active until 1986 when the department moved into the Public Safety Building on Zimovia Highway. The building later became part of Ottesen's. When David and Boots Roehildt bought the hardware store in 2022, the sign that said Ottesen's Inc. was removed to reveal that the original Wrangell Fire Department lettering was still...
Though it may be of little solace to people who struggle to find available housing, Wrangell continues to rank among the lowest-cost communities in the state for apartment rents. This month’s Alaska Economic Trends magazine, published by the Alaska Department of Labor, shows the median monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment — utilities included — at $1,081 in Wrangell and Petersburg, which are lumped together for the annual survey. That’s the lowest of the 11 areas covered in the report. The Kodiak Island Borough topped the survey at $1,713...
When paddlers from around Southeast departed from Wrangell in canoes toward Juneau, they had not just a physical journey ahead of them, but a journey of personal healing too. They were heading to Juneau for Celebration, the biennial festival that honors Southeast Alaska Native culture and heritage. The week-long journey May 29 to June 4 was a time for many of the close to 70 people aboard six canoes to reflect on life and to heal from past traumas. "We're in this gorgeous bay, with the glacier...
Due to cruise ship cancellations, summer tourism numbers could come in slightly below last year. Matt Henson, the borough’s marketing and community development coordinator, said that based on the number of cruise ships scheduled, he now expects 21,000 to 23,000 visitors. Last year’s count totaled 23,000. Before the season started, Wrangell expected close to 30,000 cruise visitors, if all the berths were filled. The canceled stops have cut into that number. Jeanie Arnold, Nolan Center director, said revenue is down from last year. “The numbe...
After developer Wayne Johnson withdrew his offer last month to purchase the former hospital, the borough now is in the process of deciding how to move forward with the property. Mayor Patty Gilbert said in an interview July 10 that the assembly will discuss options at its next meeting, scheduled for July 23. The assembly will need to regroup and think about all the options, she said. Gilbert added that there are a few parties interested in the property, but said to her knowledge there have been no formal offers. The borough owns the 1.94-acre...
The candidacy filing period opens Aug. 2 for this year’s municipal elections for mayor, borough assembly, school board and port commission. Candidates will have until Aug. 30 to complete the declaration form, which will be available starting July 31 at the borough clerk’s office in City Hall. Mayor Patty Gilbert’s two-year term expires this fall and will be on the Oct. 1 election ballot, along with the assembly seats currently held by Bob Dalrymple and Jim DeBord. The assembly seats are for three-year terms. Gilbert, who is finishing her first...
Wrangell schools online student registration will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 7, for grades K-12 at wrg.powerschool.com/public/. For those who need assistance, in-person registration will be held Monday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the elementary school gym. The first day of school for students is Thursday, Aug. 22, with teachers starting earlier in the week. This year’s holiday break will start after classes end on Friday, Dec. 20, with school reopening on Monday, Jan. 6. Student fees remain unchanged from last year and are due at the t...
Tommy Wells was taking down Fourth of July decorations downtown on July 11 as he talked of his decision to resign as chamber of commerce executive director, effective Aug. 1. He submitted his resignation late last month. His reason was very close to home. "My oldest son was in a car wreck about three years ago, left him paralyzed," he said, adding that, back in Texas, his son has been dealing with subsequent medical issues which have lately worsened and necessitated his being hospitalized for...
First Bank is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a special event for the community from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 19, at the Nolan Center. The public is invited. The Southeast Alaska bank’s board of directors and staff will host the event, one of several planned for communities where the financial institution operates. First Bank is headquartered in Ketchikan and is the only commercial bank headquartered in Southeast Alaska. It opened its doors in 1924. The locally owned bank has branches in Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell and Craig. T...
The following list of winners was submitted to the Sentinel by the chamber of commerce and event organizers. Volunteers tried their best to get everyone's name correct. These winners are in addition to the names published in the July 10 Sentinel. Boat races Unlimited (head-to-head, at up to 99 mph on the course) First: Randy Easterly Second: Curtis Kautz Third: Gary Allen Jr. Limited (circular course, at 115-hp and under) First: David Gillen Second: Brett Abrahamson Third: Curtis Kautz Greased p...
The chamber of commerce awarded prizes for last month’s king salmon derby at a ceremony July 11 at the Nolan Center. Charlie Webb, of Anchorage, won the $1,500 cash prize for the largest fish of the derby, at 43.5 pounds. Wrangell’s Diana Nore took second place, and $750, for her 38.1-pound catch. Mike Ramsey, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, won $500 for finishing third with his 37.3-pound salmon. The king derby — in its 69th year — ran June 15-30. Connor Blake won $100 for the largest salmon in the 12-and-younger age division with his 22.6-po...
Alisha Armstrong won this year's Fourth of July royalty contest with a fundraising tally of $84,582, while Kayla Young raised $60,500 - setting a new record with their effort. The combined total of $145,082 more than doubled the numbers of the past couple of years - $53,704 in 2023 and $56,260 in 2022 - when only a single royalty candidate signed on for the annual fundraising effort to help pay for Wrangell's Fourth of July celebration. The totals were announced prior to the start of the talent...
Bearfest is returning for its 15th year on July 24 – 28. The annual event is dedicated to bears and the surrounding environment, where attendees can enjoy symposiums, cultural and educational activities, art and photo workshops, fine dining, marathons, a bear safety session and more. In two of the workshops, kids and families are invited to create bear-themed ornaments to decorate the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree and smaller companion trees that will represent Alaska in Washington, D.C., this holiday season. The trees are coming from the T...
