Opinion
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From the publisher: Alaska elections will be different next year
Yeah, I know, it's 14 months from Alaska's 2022 primary election for governor, legislative seats and two of the state's three members of Congress. And who wants to spend the summer of 2021 fretting ov...
Editorial: Borough has good plan for Institute property
It was 25 years ago last month that Wrangell received title to the former Institute property near Shoemaker Bay. The 134 acres have mostly been unused since the Bureau of Indian Affairs shut down the...
Letters to the Editor
Ortiz supports cautious draw on Permanent Fund The state budget is currently being negotiated in a House-Senate conference committee, with its final passage through both the House and Senate hopefully occurring this week. When the Alaska Legislature...
Letters to the Editor
Wrangell children need an OCS worker stationed here Because it often takes days for the state Office of Children's Services to send an investigator to Wrangell, I was forced to send a frightened kid t...
Editorial: Consider the source of cell tower 'facts'
It looks like Wrangell is dialing up for a fight over a cell tower proposed for construction next door to piles of old tires, city electrical equipment and the transfer site for garbage before it is...
From the publisher: Big PFD gets in the way of community needs
Wrangell has several multimillion-dollar problems: Replacing the water reservoir dams and repairing the piping; rebuilding the water-damaged public safety building; and reusing or demolishing the old...
From the publisher: Postal Service needs to get back its ZIP
I know things change and I too sit around with friends and bemoan how it used to be, how we miss the old days, how much better things were then. Good thing I went online to complain to friends instead...
Editorial: COVID is still here, especially for unvaccinated
Just a couple weeks ago, Ketchikan reported 20 new COVID-19 cases in a single day and had more than 100 active cases in the borough. A week ago, the community still had more than 80 active cases and...
Letters to the Editor
We need to preserve the biggest of the kings Tyee is a Native word that has several meanings. The Big One is the one that describes a 30-pound or bigger king salmon. At the south end of Wrangell...
From the publisher: What, no one has any opinions?
I know Wrangell people have opinions and viewpoints and all sorts of interesting thoughts in their heads. I hear them in the stores, see them on Facebook and listen when people talk with me on the street. But I don’t read them in the Sentinel. I...
Editorial: Governor's PFD plan teaches misleading math
To steal the line from a country-western song of almost 30 years ago — “Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it” — Gov. Mike Dunleavy is sticking to his story that the Permanent Fund dividend is just about the most important thing in...
Letters to the Editor
Music survived a challenging year Before the May 11 mini-concerts performed by the middle and high school bands and high school choir, our last in-person concert was in December 2019. It has been challenging this past year. We play with special...
From the publisher: Follow the laws, but fix them when they don't work
Consistency is a good thing, whether it’s parents applying rules to their children or elected officials following the law. Inconsistency can mean children misbehave because they know they will sometimes get away with it. And inconsistency can...
Editorial: Keep politics out of fight against COVID
As if COVID-19 wasn’t destructive enough, politics has made it worse. It delayed vaccination drives and turned the needle into a political statement, dissuading millions from getting the shot. That needs to stop. If people choose not to get...
Letter to the Editor
Herring eggs much appreciated Wrangell Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA) would like to thank Trixie Kalkins-Bennett of the Ketchikan Indian Community and fishermen from Ketchikan, Colleen James-Olson and Esther Reese,...
From the publisher: Release the brake on state motor fuel tax rate
The last time Alaska changed the state tax on motor fuel, gasoline cost about 36 cents a gallon at a Lower 48 pump, the average home price in the United States was $24,000, and the average price of a...
Editorial: Ferry system needs Matanuska backup plan
The Matanuska is old, no question about it. Even after a $47 million rebuild in 2018-2019, it will continue to suffer from the ailments of age as a 58-year-old ship in salt water. But Alaskans should...
Letters to the Editor
Federal bailout does not build an economy The news story on Page 3 of the April 22 Wrangell Sentinel, “Federal aid helps Southeast second time in 25 years,” compares apples to oranges (comparing federal aid for the timber industry 25 years ago...
From the publisher: Lack of fiscal plan adds to Alaska's struggles
"Confidence in an economy matters," Dan Robinson, research chief at the state Department of Labor, told the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this month. "There is an economic cost of not...
Editorial: Spend federal aid to do the most good
With more than $1 billion in federal pandemic aid heading to the state treasury, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska's 60 legislators are busy figuring out the best way to spend the money. Our elected...
Opinion: Southeast cities should band together to operate ferries
I saw a falling star last night and it reminded me of our Alaska Marine Highway System. Both are in a free fall. We cannot do much about the star, but maybe we can rescue our ferry system. We cannot...
From the publisher: Political party labels don't tell you enough
I wrote my first news story 52 years ago last week for my college paper. That year and every year since, I was taught, reminded, practiced and adhered to Associated Press style and always identified...
Editorial: Sharp idea for tourism marketing
States and cities have tried a lot of creative slogans over the years to entice people to come visit. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." The iconic "I Love NY" slogan and logo. And there's the ro...
Letters to the Editor
College student looks at ethics of gene editing Is it morally right to gene edit? There are people with various ideas on both ends of the spectrum; some believe by having the power to gene edit you... Full story
Editorial: Good advice on taxes
Though the Legislature is not looking to adopt a state sales tax or income tax this year, most lawmakers know it is inevitable. And most Alaskans should know it too, considering how we have dipped...
