Joe Viechnicki, KFSK, Author at KFSK

Driver facing murder charges in fatal July 4 Petersburg van crash

The driver of a van that crashed on July 4th, 2016 in Petersburg has been charged with murder and manslaughter for the deaths of two of young women in that accident. A grand jury in Juneau Thursday returned a five-count indictment against 24-year-old William Christopher “Chris” Allen. Allen is facing two charges of murder in the second degree and two charges of manslaughter for allegedly causing the death of 18-year-old Molly Parks and 19-year-old Marie Giesbrecht.

Petersburg coach among finishers in new extreme triathlon

Imagine a swim of over two and a half miles in the chilly waters off Alaska’s coast, after that a bike ride of 111 miles and to finish it off a run of 27 miles. That’s what 159 athletes from around the world completed in Resurrection Bay and around Seward July 15th. It was the first year for an event called the Alaska Man Extreme Triathlon and Petersburg high school math teacher and cross country coach Tommy Thompson was among those finishing the grueling course in its first year.

Catch rates higher than expected in first Southeast summer king troll opening

Southeast Alaska’s commercial salmon troll fleet had higher than expected catch rates of king salmon during the first summer opening at the start of the month. Kings are managed under the Pacific Salmon Treaty between the U.S. and Canada and Alaska’s troll fleet catches a mix of hatchery and wild king salmon mostly returning to British Columbia and Pacific Northwest states.

New Coast Guard cutter makes port call in Petersburg

One of the U.S. Coast Guard’s two new fast response cutters in Southeast Alaska, the John McCormick visited Petersburg this week and welcomed the public in for tours. The Coast Guard nationwide is phasing out smaller 110-foot cutters like the Petersburg-based Anacapa in favor of the larger and more seaworthy patrol ships.

First licensed pot sales start in Petersburg

There were no lines but there were customers for the first legal sales of marijuana this week in Petersburg. Shortly after noon Tuesday, people started trickling in to the new business called “The 420” off a side alley on main street.