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By Valerie Massie Have you ever been awake? Have you ever seen up close the blue in ravens’ wings, the green between waves, the lightness at the end of a hard-lived day? Have you ever let the world just be around you? Have you ever heard the clicker-clack of rocks on the beach in the dark when no one else is awake? When your heart is pounding in your throat as you fumble for the warm headlamp against your neck and the cold canister by your sleeping bag? Have you ever tried to harness the ocean with two slim paddles, rain lashing sideways and w...
The Alaska Legislature gaveled into session last week. The Legislature’s main duty is creating and passing a budget for the state. To do this, we start by considering last year’s budget and the budget proposed by the governor. I’d like to tell you a bit about the governor’s proposed budget for this upcoming year, Fiscal Year 2023, which starts July 1. The governor is proposing a budget about $80 million more than last year’s budget, or a 2% increase, which is in line with the original assumption for inflation. Inflation rates have jumped mu...
The successful conservative management and investment philosophy of the Alaska Permanent Fund must be restored. The importance of the Permanent Fund’s contribution to the economy of Alaska cannot be overstated. Its current value is more than $83 billion. The earnings from the fund account for about two-thirds of total state revenue. Without that revenue, we would be close to becoming wards of the federal government, like we were as a territory. Alaskans need to be kept informed of what the trustees are doing with their money. The public must b...
For those of you who knew Chuck Helland, you knew that he loved everyone. There is nothing more that he loved than a good conversation with a friend and a shared smile. Pops knew he was loved and in turn we knew we were loved. Pops and mom had moved to Juneau because mom’s health was fragile and the closest medical facility that could help her was in Juneau. When we lost mom in 2006, our sister Alora took pops home with her and Irene in Wrangell. After two years, they felt that pops was strong enough to get an apartment at senior housing. S...
Early last January, our weekly papers included very nice Mark Kelley 2021 calendars as we welcomed Larry Persily’s return as the Sentinel’s owner and editor. I have enjoyed my calendar all year, along with our improved, expanded local paper. Thanks for a great first year, and for the calendar! Alice Rooney...
In fourth grade, my daughter, Dawson, said she wanted to be a doctor and I thought, “Oh, isn’t that cute.” She said it again when she was in eighth grade, and I thought, “Oh, that’s weird, she still thinks she wants to be a doctor.” Then she told me again when she was in 10th grade, and it drove me to my knees. I went to bible study that week, and with a broken spirit and tears rolling down my cheeks, I told the people at bible study that my daughter wants to be a doctor and there is no way I can afford schooling for her to be a doctor. And...
We just wanted to thank everyone who helped out with Lester Schultz’s memorial on Nov. 14. A big thank you to Jake Harris for letting us use the Stikine Inn for the services last minute, Spenser Stavee with Breakaway Adventures for taking us to Olive Cove to spread his ashes, and to all who brought food, helped set up and helped clean up. We really appreciated the help throughout the day. Krystal and Shayna Schultz...
Congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the Irene Ingle Public Library. Bringing the joy of reading and love of learning to the people of Wrangell for a century is certainly worthy of celebration. The Wrangell library holds a special place in my heart as it was there that I was first introduced to the magic that a library holds. As a young child, I remember sitting on the floor of the library on rainy days, flipping through picture books. My first library card ever was from the Irene Ingle Public Library and was likely issued by Irene...
Regarding the opinion column “From The Publisher” in the Nov. 10 Sentinel, “Accuracy and fairness count in headlines, too,” the author, Larry Persily, only presents us with one side of how headlines can be biased. Yes, the headline, “CDC says go ahead and shoot the kids with Pfizer Covid vaccine,” from the Must Read Alaska website, was slanted, but how about also showing us one with a different perspective. For instance, there was a headline from the New York Times, dated Oct. 10, 2021, “FDA says Pfizer vaccine’s benefits outweigh risks...
As commercial fishermen traveling to and from the fishing grounds, we saw an increase in air and water pollution by the cruise industry — the summer of 2019 was very concerning. The mixing zone between Chatham Strait and Frederick Sound where it is legal for the cruise ships to dump their gray water was streaked with blackish, foamy water pollution miles long and hundreds of feet wide. The hillsides were lined with blue smoke from their exhaust scrubbers that clung to the trees all summer long. The Department of Environmental Conservation o...
On Saturday, Baha’is and their friends in Wrangell will commemorate with millions in communities across the world, the 100th anniversary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was the eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh, prophet-founder of the Bahá’i faith. He is regarded as the Perfect Exemplar and living embodiment of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, which impressed upon society that religion is a cause for well-being through balanced spiritual and material advancement. He announced that the long-awaited time for humanity to unite had arrived. As a 9-yea...
The holiday season is generally a time of gathering and happiness. It can also be a time of great sadness, mourning those who are no longer present to celebrate. Since 2003, Hospice of Wrangell has offered the Dove Tree and Dove Tree ceremony as a way to remember lost loved ones. This year’s ceremony is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, in the Nolan Center lobby. The community is invited for readings, a homily by the Rev. Suellen Bahleda of Island of Faith Lutheran Church, and special music by Cindy Martin, Sarah Scambler, Bonnie Demerjian and Al...
By Frank Murkowski There has been a concentrated effort the past few years to develop a long-term solution to the many problems of our ferry system. The effort has been led by the Alaska Department of Transportation. The department has hired several consulting firms over the years including the Spaulding Group, McDowell Group, Northern Economics and the governor's "reshaping work group," at a cost to the state of several hundred thousand dollars. These reports have done a good job identifying problems, yet very few of their proposed solutions...
The Wrangell borough assembly recently passed a resolution calling for a pause in mine development in the British Columbia/Alaska transboundary region until a binding international agreement on watershed protections is developed that would ensure upstream mining operations in British Columbia do not harm fisheries or water quality in the Taku, Unuk and Stikine rivers. But there is one mining-related activity that B.C. should be aggressively pursuing — shutting down and cleaning up the abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine in the Taku watershed. The B...
The internet is first and foremost a business platform. Content (books, videos, articles) is now created only AFTER it can be verified that people are searching for it. “Monetization” drives a person or business to create content, making it available for free and receiving a payment for each view of an advertisement. The battle for clicks/views directly influences how content creators operate by analyzing search keywords and trends. This method is perfect for entertainment and technical information. A validation process is built in — the more...
The family of Al and Lovey Brock would like to thank the community of Wrangell for all of the support we have received since Al has been sick. We were showered with many delicious meals, air mattresses, a vehicle to use, thoughts, prayers and love. A special thank you goes out to the incredible doctors, nurses and other staff at Wrangell Medical Center. This is what makes living and growing up in a small community special....
Kudos to the Wrangell Mariners’ Memorial Committee. Your years of meetings, emails, fundraisers and hiring “smart hands” have resulted in a stunning project. I hope you realize the impact, and recognize that your time has been well-invested. The primo accessible location, panoramic view, architectural design, spacing of elements, silhouette, variety and quality of materials will elicit responses for decades. It’s always intriguing when hard, cold elements, like metal, cement and nightlights, can meld and touch soft souls. Well done. -- Cindy M...
A steady stream of families came through the door at the BRAVE Resilience Fair on Oct. 16 at the Nolan Center. At least 125 people attended, with many informative conversations about scores of resources available to assist a wide range of needs and interests. Spirits and energy levels were high, and children were fully engaged in challenges, games and opportunities designed with them in mind. The fair included 18 tables of information and services — including a table filled with good quality used clothing for children, all free. The fair a...
Mayor should conduct himself in a more professional manner I would like to personally thank Bob Lippert (letter to the editor, Oct. 7 Sentinel) for standing up for his belief, and the belief of others within this community and elsewhere. Thank you for your forthrightness and courage to speak up. There are people (like myself) who aren’t overly adept at social media platforms. Without the letter you put in the newspaper, I would not have known the mayor’s apparent disdain for myself and others he purports to serve. It is human nature to dis...
Many thanks to our St. Philip’s family for the caring tribute to honor the memory of Leonard on Oct. 8. Our family and friends extend a sincere thanks to the nurses at Wrangell Medical Center for the wonderful care they provided, the over-the-top service from the dietary team, Dr. Lynn Prysunka for her years of care and more recently Dr. Victor Harrison, the CNAs plus the kindness of the hospital staff. The family is humbled by the cards, food donations, support from friends, and the Wrangell Fire Department for their presence in our lives. K...
The unvaccinated are not idiots. They have been conned, and I feel sorry for them. There are a few who have legitimate health reasons to not get vaccinated, but that number is far fewer than the number of unvaccinated. The reasons most have for not getting vaccinated are rooted in the fear of the unknown and misinformation. I am unfortunately limited by 400 words, and cannot cover all of the science and history here, but I will highlight a few points. Vaccines as a technology have been around for more than 200 years, and have come a long way...
Thanks to Haig Demerjian for his many years of volunteer service on the Wrangell Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Cindy Martin...
