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Wrangell awaits governor's review of $4.1 million for water plant
High oil prices paid the way for legislators to spend more money on public services and construction, a little more on schools and a payout to Alaskans this fall almost triple the amount of last year’s dividend. Legislators and their constituents...
Class of 2022 graduates look back over school life
By 8 p.m. last Friday, the Wrangell High School class of 2022 had graduated and each member was embarking on the next chapter of their life. The evening honored the 15 graduates in front of a full...
Assistant principals set to retire after decades in education
Two of Wrangell's lead educators are closing the books on their lesson plans and graduating to retirement. In June, Bob Davis, assistant principal of Wrangell High School and Stikine Middle School,...
SEARHC, borough settle on 10 years of annual $45,000 payments
The borough assembly and SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium have come to an agreement of voluntary payments by SEARHC of $45,000 per year for 10 years on property owned by the nonprofit health care provider in town. In negotiations that...
Art gallery doubles as social club, unique gift shop
For more than 50 years, members of the Wrangell Art Gallery have come together once a week to work on projects, give each other feedback, and to spend time with artistic-minded friends. Along with...
Wrangell wins $15,000 in Vans shoe design art contest
The grand prize winner has been announced in the Vans Custom Culture nationwide art contest and, unfortunately, it was not Wrangell High School. Vans announced last Thursday that Moanalua High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, was selected as the grand...
SEARHC to add four rooms at long-term care facility
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium plans to break ground in June on a four-room expansion to the 14-bed long-term care facility at Wrangell Medical Center. The 1,800-square-foot expansion was prompted by the community’s need for...
Assembly looks again at options to repair or replace Public Safety Building
The borough assembly is looking at updated cost estimates and options to repair or replace the ailing Public Safety Building. If the assembly settles on a plan, it could go to voters this fall to seek approval to issue bonds to pay for the work. Asse...
Elementary holds second art walk; includes plant sale to raise funds for EATS
The turnout was so nice, they did it twice. Due to the popularity of the Evergreen Elementary art walk held on Dec. 1, the school's social-emotional learning teacher Tawney Crowley worked with staff...
High school students earn achievements, scholarships
An award and scholarship ceremony held May 13 at Wrangell High School lauded the achievement of many students and presented seniors with scholarships to further their educations. Teachers Lisa Brooks,...
Cleanup of abandoned float debris needs high tides in October
A cleanup of abandoned pieces of old harbor floats the tribe was trying to get done this spring may be delayed until October. Project lead Kim Wickman said the high tides they need during daytime...
Legislation directs schools to help students with low reading scores
By the narrowest of margins, 21-19, the House on the last night of the legislative session passed a bill implementing a statewide approach to how school districts intervene when students have difficulty reading. The session’s original reading...
Back at work
Port Director Steve Miller pulls newly repaired float tanks from the Marine Service Center to the barge ramp near the City Dock on the morning of May 10. Workers at Dave's Welding and Repair patched...
Borough will need to compensate for wetlands loss in Dewey trail project
The borough will be required to pay an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 to fulfill a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mitigation stipulation in order to obtain authorization to fill wetlands for the Mount Dewey trail extension project. The nearly $1 million...
Legislature passes tax on vape products; fails to pass motor fuel tax holiday
Lawmakers on the final day of the legislative session May 18 passed a bill to impose a tax on electronic smoking products, such as e-cigarettes, vaping sticks and refills. The tax, at 35% of the wholesale price, was in part a compromise between the...
Pandemic-era Medicaid benefits will continue until fall
JUNEAU (AP) — The Alaska Legislature has passed a measure to formally recognize tribes in the state. The House on May 18 voted 37-2 to accept a Senate version of the bill that passed a week earlier on a 15-0 vote. The bill next goes to Gov. Mike...
Search suspended for ship passenger who fell overboard
JUNEAU (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 40-year-old Texas woman who fell overboard off a cruise ship in Lynn Canal, north of Juneau. The Coast Guard ended the effort May 17 after searching for Selena Pau Pres, of Houston,...
Medical center in need of volunteer patients for disaster drill
On June 7, Wrangell Medical Center will hold its annual mass casualty exercise to prepare staff for real emergencies. But they need bodies. “We’re looking for up to 10 volunteers that would be a part of the patient base,” said hospital...
Legislature passes bill to formally recognize tribes
JUNEAU (AP) — The Alaska Legislature has passed a measure to formally recognize tribes in the state. The House on May 18 voted 37-2 to accept a Senate version of the bill that passed a week earlier on a 15-0 vote. The bill next goes to Gov. Mike...
Dunleavy selects Corrections commissioner as his running mate
Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced Monday that Nancy Dahlstrom will be his running mate as he seeks reelection this year. Dahlstrom, a former state legislator from Eagle River who has led the state Department of Corrections under Dunleavy,...
Legislature updates 40-year-old definition of consent in sexual assault
On May 18, the last day of the legislative session, the House and Senate voted unanimously to change how sexual assault can be prosecuted by modernizing the definition of consent. “Alaska took a gargantuan step forward in updating our laws,...
Searchers find body of man who swam near cruise ship
The body of a man who had gone missing for a day after swimming near a docked cruise ship in Skagway was found in the water Saturday, according to Alaska State Troopers. The man, whom troopers identified as William Anthony Rodriguez, 32, from Miami,...
Sitka Seafoods raises $130,000 for Ukraine, also donates canned salmon
Silver Bay Seafoods, which started in Sitka 15 years ago, has connections that reach more than 5,000 miles across the world to Ukraine, prompting the company to reach out with sizable monetary and food donations to help those affected by Russia’s...
Legislature creates pathway to try out tribally operated schools
Legislation that creates a roadmap for establishing tribally operated public schools has passed the Alaska Senate and House and is headed to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 34 directs the state Board of Education to work with Alaska Native tribal...
Judge again rules against redistricting map that benefits Eagle River voters
JUNEAU (AP) — A state court judge said a majority of members on the board tasked with redrawing Alaska’s legislative district boundaries appeared to have adopted a map that splits the Eagle River area into two Senate districts for “political...
