Joe Viechnicki, KFSK - Petersburg
Joe Viechnicki is a reporter at KFSK in Petersburg.
Petersburg Becomes 19th Borough In Alaska
It’s official. Petersburg is now a borough. The state’s Division of Elections certified the town’s borough vote Thursday January 3rd and the final results did not changed from the initial counts in December. The final tally is 782 votes in favor and 600 opposed.
State Looks At Southeast Alaska Wolf Control Programs
Southeast game managers are working on new wolf control programs for Southeast Alaska. The state’s Board of Game will hear about the plan when it meets in January in Sitka. The Department of Fish and Game is looking at reducing wolves near Petersburg and Ketchikan to help boost deer numbers. Predator control efforts are underway in other parts of the state but these new programs would be the first of their kind in decades for Southeast.
Low Forecasts For Two Southeast King Salmon Runs
Low forecasts for next year’s Stikine and Taku river king salmon returns will mean no opportunity for commercial fishing fleets to target those king runs early next May. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game this month released its forecasts for Chinook expected to return to the two rivers in Southeast Alaska next spring and summer.
Petersburg Voters To Decide On Creation Of New Southeast Borough
While the rest of the Alaska is done with elections for a while, one is heating up in Petersburg. Voters there are deciding this month whether to create a new borough in Southeast. The proposal would dramatically expand municipal boundaries and the tax base for Petersburg and increase the population by about 10 percent.
Juneau State Legislator Gets To Know Expanded District
Juneau Democratic state representative Beth Kerttula is spending time this fall getting to know the residents and issues in several smaller Southeast Alaska communities that will be part of her district in 2013. Because of redistricting, Kerttula’s House District 32 will include Petersburg, Kupreanof, Gustavus, Tenakee and Skagway. She’s running unopposed for the seat and considers it an opportunity to represent an expanded district.
Campaigning Heats Up For Petersburg Borough Vote
Petersburg is far from the presidential swing state circuit and does not even have any contested state legislative races to weigh in on this fall. However, yard signs are up around town showing a political campaign of a different sort heating up this fall. Supporters and opponents of the creation of a new Petersburg borough are making their case through mailings and on the airwaves, editorial page and online.
Juneau Appeals Decision On Petersburg Borough
The City and Borough of Juneau is appealing a decision by the state’s Local Boundary Commission on the northern boundary of a proposed Petersburg borough.
State Awaits Outcome of Remaining Roadless Forest Lawsuits
The state of Alaska has the only remaining legal challenge pending against a nationwide ban on logging and road building on roadless forest lands. That’s after the U.S. Supreme Court decided this week not to hear an appeal on a lawsuit brought by the state of Wyoming and a mining industry group from Colorado.
Icicle Settles EPA Complaint for Refrigerant Leaks
Icicle Seafoods has agreed to pay a fine over refrigerant leaks at some of the company’s seafood processing vessels and plants.
Report Blames Current, Maneuvering Error For Ferry Crash
The Alaska Marine Highway has concluded that a strong tidal current and a maneuvering error by the captain of the state ferry Matanuska resulted in the May 7 crash with a seafood processing plant in Petersburg.
School Funding Programs Extended For A Year
A federal funding program key to Southeast school districts will remain in place for another year. An extension of the Secure Rural Schools Program is part of a recently passed transportation bill. The program has been a mainstay for districts in or near National Forests in and outside of Alaska.
Fish Processor Won’t Reopen This Summer After Crash
Ocean Beauty Seafoods won’t be processing fish at the company’s cannery in Petersburg this summer because of damage from the state ferry Matanuska.
Ocean Beauty To Keep Petersburg Plant Open
The seafood processing company Ocean Beauty says it will keep its Petersburg plant open in 2012, despite another low pink salmon forecast.
Judge Harpoons Petersburg’s Redistricting Challenge
A Superior Court judge has ruled against Petersburg’s legal challenge of the Alaska Redistricting Board’s plan for new legislative districts.
Group Calls for Protection of Prince of Wales Island Flying Squirrels
A western conservation group wants Endangered Species protection for flying squirrels on Southeast Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island. The group says logging on Tongass National Forest land is a threat to the animal’s survival.
Fairbanks Seeks to Dismiss Redistricting Lawsuit
The Fairbanks North Star Borough is seeking to dismiss its lawsuit over Alaska’s redistricting plan. The decision comes after the city of Petersburg decided to drop the bulk of its claims it made in suing the Alaska Redistricting Board.
Dive Fisheries see High Prices
Southeast Alaska’s commercial dive fishing seasons are underway this month (October) for red sea urchins, sea cucumbers and geoduck clams. The dive fisheries continue to see impacts from the region’s expanding population of sea otters.
Federal Agency Says Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Needs More Input
A federal agency wants the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to provide more input before implementing a controversial catch sharing plan for halibut in Southeast Alaska and the central Gulf.
Native Corporation Finds Haida Canoe Near Kasaan
The Sealaska Corporation has uncovered an old Haida canoe on the corporation’s timber land near the Prince of Wales Island community of Kasaan.
Troll Fleet Finishes First King Salmon Opening
Southeast’s commercial troll fleet finishes up their first summer king salmon opening just before midnight Tuesday night.