Author: Joe Viechnicki, KFSK

Petersburg’s borough assembly Monday voted down a resolution calling for a forensic audit of two Tongass National Forest timber sales. The assembly back in May also voted against sending a letter on lost revenue from the sales and the impact to Petersburg.

With less than a month to go until the state general election, the incumbent leads in fund raising for the state house seat representing Petersburg, Sitka and other Southeast communities but he’s being outspent by his opponent.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this year has released a draft report on dredging planned for Petersburg’s South Harbor. The environmental review considers the need for the project, estimated cost and plans for disposing of the dredge spoils. Project planners are looking at dumping the sand and clay dredged from the South Harbor basin in several underwater sites near Petersburg or in Thomas Bay.

There’s about a week left in the month-long moose hunting season around Petersburg, Wrangell and Kake and the central Southeast harvest is on the rise. At 68 bulls shot this season, it’s still well below last year’s total, when the count was 117 moose killed.

The newest members of Petersburg’s borough assembly say they’ve got some homework to do to get caught up on issues coming before the assembly this fall and winter. One says he’ll be at meetings starting this month while another says it could be the middle of next month before he takes his seat.