Sorted by date Results 1026 - 1050 of 1101
Hello and welcome to Peggy’s Corner of the House. I’m excited to be back in Juneau representing our new District 33 in the State House. This is my third year serving as House Majority Whip. Through this leadership position, I assist the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader to coordinate ideas and garner support for proposed legislation, and whatever other help they may need. If the majority leader is absent I fill in for him in the House Chambers – I once even filled in for the Speak...
To the Editor: As I sit looking out my window I clearly see gathering storm clouds upon the horizon. These clouds are formed from indifference — do they belong to you? With the ending of Paul Southland’s contract at Thomas Bay, we are headed for a fiscal cliff of our own. This opening could result in a weak leader at Thomas Bay, someone not suited to stand up to the hostile take over that SEAPA represents. These SEAPA carpet bagger would fire all of our home grown skilled labor. Deprive this community of $500,000.00 worth of income from the...
To the Editor: Being relatively new to Wrangell, it has been my pleasure to begin to know and understand this portion of Alaska. However reflecting upon this great and new to me area I must ask, why is there a web site called Work Place Alaska, when no employer seems to use it? Several jobs that I have applied to stated this lack of usage to the point of ignoring it altogether. We finally have a school that is warming up food in it's own kitchen to serve our students, hurrah for them, is it more then just defrosting and opening cans? I ask...
To the Editor: I read the letter to the editor from Wayne Spencer. Good job, but it sounds like you and I are the only ones concerned about it. I went to the council meeting and asked the mayor and all the council members, those exact questions. Don McConachie was the main one I questioned about giving our money to Rea, also who paid the city the $250,000. Our own insurance company paid it to the city. I also asked what and when the city was going to pursue charges against the old WMC board, he said they were not. Also when Dave Jack was...
To the Editor: To the people of S.E. Alaska that are served by SEAPA organization, seems that the $400,000.00 dollars they have saved from not hiring workers, is now slated to be spent on propaganda. And an as of yet unnamed PR company will be quite glad to come get these dollars (you paid them in your electric bill) to come up here and put a spin on what they are attempting to do for your own good. It is just another smack in the face by what is known in the South as a Carpetbagger. Look it up, the term was used after the civil war when it was...
Dawn Hutchinson – Stevens, 66, passed away on December 5, 2012 with family by her side. Dawn was born April 11, 1946 in Wrangell to Fanny Stepetin (Nauska) and Henry Bradley. Dawn picked up the nickname of Butchie as a young child and some still called her that. She was also proud of her Tlingit name - Glaintz. She graduated from Wrangell High School in 1964 and obtained a BA in Fine Arts from Washington State University in 1982, with a minor in Native American Studies. Dawn returned to W...
To the Editor: Wrangell, many of you have prayed for and with us this past year since our son’s massive stroke, then aneurysm, craniotomy, cranioplasty and nine months later ruptured appendix. Many Wrangellites contributed financially to their need. This past Sunday their church, Mountainside Bible Chapel in New York, celebrated the one year mark of the stroke. It was a grand day, all of his current therapists and their families were there and upon being introduced the crowd gave them a standing ovation - they were touched and saw first hand ho...
To the Editor: I have been an electrician for over 30 years in the lower 48. I have also been a witness in the decline of America, by experts. Some of these experts claimed that ENRON was too big to fail. Others thought it was a good idea to ignore Bernie Madoff’s claims of near instant wealth, just trust your money to him. Now we have SEAPA, an organization of experts (just wait they will tell you), trying to save you money. Let me tell you how they intend to do this. $500,000 of employment from this community gone. Ignoring OSHA laws like 1...
To our fellow community members, Joyous holidays are upon us. What community in the world does not wish to create the best living conditions for its people? What parents do not desire the best life for their children? The town of Wrangell is no different from others who are striving to create a wholesome and vibrant way of life. History has shown that no society can achieve healthy and sustainable living conditions except on a foundation of honesty and justice. The Baha’i sacred writings attest to the value of such efforts in creating a b...
To the Editor: Dear WMC Board Members, It is my sincerest hope that you will read and consider this letter during the course of your meeting tonight as I write, once again, in my never ending support of Doctor Salard and the members of our community and hospital staff. I have been an R.N. at Wrangell Medical Center since June of 2010. On the date I accepted my position, there were four full time physicians on staff at this hospital and available to our community. Thank Heavens for our wonderful Dr. Prysunka, who works brilliantly but...
To the Editor: Wrangell has always been a great place to live. Growing up we could play anywhere on the island and our parents wouldn’t worry about our well being. As an adult we have freedoms that are unthinkable anywhere else. I grew up knowing that my door would be unlocked at home, that I could leave my keys in my car and that if I misplaced something it would most likely find its way back to me. Last weekend a Little Giant ladder was stolen from our job site at the Community Center. Earlier on the job a row of vapor barrier was folded u...
To the Editor: I would like to publicly thank Dr. McCandless for his guest commentary in the last Sentinel. It’s obvious that he still has his heart in this community that he faithfully served for so many years. I particularly like his opening statement that he has always considered his patients and the community to be his employers. This coincides with my own belief that the people of Wrangell own our medical center. ALL the people. And, therefore, ALL the people are responsible for “fixing” the dysfunction that he wrote about. By the time...
If you call 911 or go to the clinic or hospital, what are you looking for? I would hope to find PEOPLE trained to care for whatever problem I might have. It would help to know they have some experience, regular training updates, quality supplies and equipment, and decent facilities to work in. I’m not just talking about doctors, these PEOPLE may be any type of health care provider, such as EMTs, nurses, medical aides and all kinds of technicians, therapists, and counselors who work directly with people to improve or help cope with health p...
To the Editor: Attention Wrangell Voters, especially the 180+ voters that signed the hospital board recall petitions. Don McConachie and Pam McCloskey along with Wilma Stokes tried to deny us our right to vote on the recall. I for one have not forgotten that. I believe neither one of them should be on the assembly or Mayor. I will not support either one of them. Jerry Buthe Sr....
Why I left Wrangell by Dave McCandless, MD I have always considered my patients and the community to be my employers, no matter who signs my checks. Having cooled off a little, this is my “exit interview” to my employers on why I chose to leave Wrangell, which may be helpful in recruiting and retaining the health care providers you want in the future. It is interesting to me that no board member of AICS (Alaska Island Community Services) or WMC (Wrangell Medical Center) have asked about this. I suppose it is because they accept what they are...
Fall Is In the Air Frequently you hear the words, “fall is in the air”! Some look forward with anticipation to the crisp cold of fall with all the winter sports just around the corner. Others just dread it, feeling depressed just thinking of the long dreary nights ahead. It’s definitely a time of change, as earth’s life-cycle clock keeps ticking on, year after year. What sense do you make of it all? What’s life all about? Does it make sense to you? King Solomon, the wisest man ever, summed life up this way, in his book Ecclesiastes. “The thin...
To the Editor: Attention moose hunters: There are tree thinners on the island thinning trees so expect hunting inconveniences. Jim Collier...
To the Editor: The August 23 Wrangell Sentinel article regarding commercial blueberry harvest raised concern. My understanding is that Trail Mountain Harvesters would get the resource (the blueberries) for free and pay the pickers fifty cents per pound. That is about one-tenth of what domestic blueberries run in the grocery store on sale. I have picked Alaskan blueberries for over forty years, and consider blueberries and other berries to be an important part of our family diet. Wild blueberries run about 4.5 to 5 pounds per gallon, so TMH...
Psalm 12:5-6a NIV “Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise”, says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the Lord are flawless. I believe that there is way too much that we try to do alone. And one of those things that we try to do is judge others. Not as in the court, but in our hearts. And then we often sometimes even go farther than that, we speak out. In the emotion of the moment we tell someone what we believe is the truth or the right of it all, text so...
Like many residents of Petersburg, fish often determines how I vote. As a former Executive Director of United Fishermen of Alaska and Southeast Alaska Seiners, I write to strongly encourage your readers to Vote Fish and support the coastal management initiative on August 28. You may be surprised to learn that Alaska’s fisheries have benefitted from the Alaska Coastal Management Program for more than 30 years. The Alaska Coastal Management Program has helped protect fish habitat and ensure harbor and waterfront development for the fishing indust...
To the Editor: Wrangell has recently gone through a major change of the WMC board of directors and our CEO was fired. I had a short opportunity to see him while he was moving his things out of his office. He seemed very depressed; I can’t blame him he has a family to care for and no means to provide now. It’s not over yet, why can’t it just stop. It seems now our care providers are getting it. In the past few years I’ve gone through some major medical issues. Some very professional medical providers have seen me. I try to ask all the questio...
To the Editor: Obama and the Democrats are happy that Obamacare was found constitutional including the mandate that every American purchase health care insurance. If someone here in Wrangell does not buy health care insurance a tax will be imposed on that individual. Of course I consider this move by the Democrats to increase the government in my life outrageous. I also believe Obamacare will lower the quality of healthcare here in Wrangell and make healthcare more expensive. I think we should have allowed the Republican alternatives like...
To the Editor: As a long time subscriber to the Sentinel, it gives me great pleasure to compliment you for the recent very substantial improvement to the newspaper’s coverage and quality of content. The changes in the past few editions are really noteworthy. I thought the July 12 edition with the pictures and written coverage of the 4th, the ravens’ damage, the local prominent people activities and even the police activity report were very good. Very informative and a real pleasure to read. Frank Roppel...
To the Editor: Peggy Wilson has been our representative for 12 years. During that time she has helped our community with many projects both large and small including Heritage Harbor. Our boat yard improvements include new concrete and a 250-ton boatlift. These are just a few of the projects Peggy has helped with. Our economy is picking up. Our schools are the best in the state. The primary election is August 28. Peggy is up against two Ketchikan opponents in the primary. It will be a tough race for Peggy but she can win if we get out and vote...
To the Editor: I would like to thank the Community of Wrangell for the loyal support year after year given to the Wrangell Senior Center. While comparing our building to the majority of centers statewide, we are lacking. Our center is old, has limited space, and very limited parking, in comparison to the majority. But in community support and pride Wrangell is light years ahead of many of the spacious beautiful facilities. For the past eight years I have had the privilege to serve on the State of Alaska Commission on Aging. The Commissioners...