Author: Joe Viechnicki, KFSK

Petersburg’s police department now has three vacancies to fill with the impending retirement of a long serving member of the force. Captain John Hamilton is retiring in September after around 25 years with the department and he is taking leave this summer, which started at the end of June. Local police were already looking to fill a vacant officer’s position and a sergeant’s job with the promotion of Jim Kerr, hired as the new police chief in June.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is scheduled to visit Prince of Wales Island Thursday, July 5th along with Senator Lisa Murkowski. Perdue is on four-state tour through Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska, meeting with farmers and foresters along with business and community leaders.

The Alaska Marine Highway has cancelled another week of sailings on the 418-foot ferry Columbia. The ship was evacuated because of exhaust onboard after the ship had docked in Bellingham, Washington last Friday, June 29. This week and next week’s sailings are cancelled as the ferry system works to repair a damaged exhaust and turbo charger.

Voters will be deciding on a proposed end to Petersburg’s senior sales tax exemption this fall. Petersburg’s borough assembly Monday agreed to put the issue on the October ballot.