Author: kfskadmin

Residents in the Petersburg and Kupreanof area will have a chance to learn more about Petersburgs borough petition and the state’s borough formation process during two upcoming discussions. The staff for Alaska’s Local Boundary Commission staff has scheduled two public, informational meetings for September 18th at Keene Channel down the Wrangell Narrows, and the 19th in Petersburg. LBC staff will be there to talk about state borough incorporation standards, the petition, and the petition process. It’s also a chance for LBC staff to hear from local residents, though it is not a public hearing. The public hearing, where people formally present testimony, is scheduled for next May. But right now, the state is collecting the first round of written public comments through October 26th. Then LBC staff will do an in-depth analysis of Petersburg’s petition. Last month, Matt Lichtenstein interviewed LBC staffer Brent Williams.

The company that wants to build a large hydroelectric plant in Thomas Bay near Petersburg met with local residents and officials again last week. Cascade Creek LLC’s controversial proposal has drawn extensive criticism from the general public as well as from state and federal agencies. That includes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FERC, which threatened to end the current licensing process earlier this spring after citing numerous problems with the company’s draft application. During the latest meeting in Petersburg, a Cascade representative gave another update in the face of on-going concerns.

This Southeast commercial salmon harvest is already one for the record books this year and it’s not quite done yet. While the seine fleet’s Pink Salmon catches in Southern Southeast have remained below expectations, the huge volume from the northern districts and high prices have made this season more valuable than ever. Matt Lichtenstein has an update on the seine, gillnet, and troll harvests.

It was the first day of school for Petersburg students on Monday, but teachers, administrators and other staff started preparations a week ago or more.
Matt Lichtenstein visited the schools Friday afternoon to gather some thoughts from the staff and a few students as they looked forward to a new year of classes.

A team of volunteers from Petersburg freed a young grey whale that was tangled in what appeared to be foreign gillnet gear Friday. The animal was about 20 to 25 feet long and looked to be in bad shape but rescuers are hopeful it will at least be able to feed again, now that it’s no longer entangled.