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Potential investors present plan to turn old hospital into senior living center
The borough has been trying to get the old hospital property off its hands for the better part of a year. After a $360,000 price cut and months of languishing on a public surplus website, the property has attracted its first potential investors. Jim...
School district draft budget draws on reserves to balance revenues and spending
If not for drawing on its fund balance, the Wrangell School District’s 2023-2024 budget would come up short. However, by drawing $112,000 from its general fund balance, the first draft of the budget matches revenues with expenditures. Tammy...
Friends wrangle words in new community Scrabble group
Wordsmiths, fans of crossword puzzles, word nerds and casual spellers alike now have a place to test their knowledge and battle it out with friendly competition. A new community Scrabble group...
Federal legislation makes Wrangell eligible for final round of pandemic aid
Last September, the borough was excluded from the final round of federal pandemic aid, which distributed $27 million to Alaska communities through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. However, recent legislation will make funding available to...
Business manager and IT director resign from school district
The Wrangell school district’s business manager and information technology director have both resigned from their positions. Bob Russell, the IT director, will finish out his contract and leave the district at the end of the school year. Tammy...
New podcast episode tells the morbid tale of Deadmans Island
When podcaster and historian Ronan Rooney came home from college in the summer, he got a job guiding tourists around Wrangell, showing them the island's sights and sharing its stories. When they'd...
Teens use project to help preserve cultural heritage
Five benches on Shakes Island that have been there possibly more than 50 years are showing signs of their age. Thanks to two Wrangell teens, the benches will soon be replaced with all new ones....
Ferry system says it has enough crew to run summer schedule
Other than still needing crew if it is to put the Hubbard into service for the first time since it was built a few years ago, the Alaska Marine Highway System believes it has enough staff to operate the confirmed runs of its proposed summer schedule...
NOAA work says fishing nets pose risk to Wrangell area porpoises
There are at least two distinct populations of harbor porpoises in Southeast Alaska waters, and one of them — which swims around Zarembo and Wrangell islands — appears to be particularly vulnerable to deaths from entanglements in commercial... Full story
WCA needs dancers and storytellers for tourism season
The steady drumbeat and voices singing in unison, mixed with formline artwork regalia are unmistakable as Tlingit storytellers and dancers share their Native culture while curious visitors look on. It’s a way to share the past and keep tribal tradi...
Library digitization project will make Sentinel's full archives accessible online
Armchair historians and amateur genealogists rejoice — the entire Sentinel archive will be digitized and easily searchable online. The Friends of the Library has received a $17,000 Rasmuson Foundation grant, which, combined with community...
Anan bears photographer wins national award
Juneau photographer Mark Kelley has been to Anan Wildlife Observatory 13 times, which turned out to be a lucky number for his portfolio of bear photos. A collection of his 10 favorite Anan photos...
Governor names Sitka judge to Alaska Supreme Court
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has appointed Jude Pate of Sitka to the Alaska Supreme Court, making him the first justice to come directly from someplace other than Juneau, Anchorage or Fairbanks since 1960. Before Pate, the last justice who met those standards... Full story
State sues to stop transfer of Tlingit and Haida Juneau parcel into federal trust
What was described by a Southeast tribal leader as a benchmark achievement has led to what could become landmark litigation over Native lands. The state of Alaska filed a lawsuit Jan. 17 against the federal government over a small plot of land in...
Registration open for Alaska Native Traditional Games in Juneau
Long jumps, high kicks, feats of strength, epic displays of agility, balance and coordination — all this and more will be on display at the 2023 Traditional Games in Juneau. Registration is open for the Traditional Games, also known as the Alaska...
State sued over monthslong delays in issuing food stamps
Ten Alaskans are suing the state, saying it failed to provide food stamps within the time frames required by federal law. The complaint, filed Jan. 20 in Superior Court in Anchorage, said the state had failed to provide needed services and “has sub... Full story
Study shows kelp can remove carbon and nitrogen pollution
The water-filtering abilities of farmed kelp could help reduce marine pollution in coastal areas, according to a new University of Alaska Fairbanks-led study. The paper, published in the January issue of Aquaculture Journal, analyzed carbon and...
Republicans organize state House by including lawmakers from Native rural areas
JUNEAU — A newly formed House majority — comprised of 19 Republicans, two Democrats and two independents — finalized its membership last Thursday, signaling a rightward shift in the chamber after six years of bipartisan coalitions composed...
Polar bear kills mother and son in Northwest Alaska village
A mother and her young son died Jan. 17 in an extremely rare attack by a polar bear in the Northwest Alaska village of Wales, the state’s first fatal polar bear mauling in more than 30 years. Alaska State Troopers identified the victims as 24-year-...
Matanuska out of service; Columbia coming back; no ferry until Feb. 17
The state ferry Matanuska will not return to service from its winter overhaul as scheduled next month and will require millions of dollars more of steel replacement work if it is ever to get back to work. In its place, the Alaska Marine Highway...
New borough community development staffer to bolster tourism sector
With its gorgeous landscapes and wide array of recreational opportunities, Wrangell offers a wealth of attractions to would-be tourists. However, due to the day-to-day demands of municipal government, borough officials have been unable to devote as...
Bird flu scrambles egg supplies
Check in on your omelet-loving friends and comfort your quiche-consuming relatives because the global egg shortage has reached Wrangell stores. An outbreak of avian flu has affected poultry around...
Stikine Stitchers quilt their way to a pattern of fun activities
In a room decorated with bright, quilted wall hangings and filled with stacks of quilting pattern books, the Stikine Stitchers discussed upcoming projects, swapped tricks of the trade and displayed...
Governor believes state can make millions storing global-warming carbon emissions
For decades, Alaska’s economy has depended on the harvest of natural resources — industries like pumping oil out of the ground and cutting timber. Now, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy wants the state to make money by leaving trees standing, and by...
Alaska author Paul Greci shares his work with young readers
During his presentation to young readers at the Irene Ingle Public Library on Jan. 14, Alaska author Paul Greci shared the formula that helped him produce his first novel, "Surviving Bear Island" - ex...