Author: kfskadmin

Local tribal groups sought recognition for millennia of tribal history on the island. Under a new classification, the Forest Service must consult with tribes about any potentially disruptive projects in the area, including mining activities.

The city of Petersburg has filed one of only three legal challenges statewide to the Alaska Redistricting Board’s plan for new legislative boundaries. Two other lawsuits on the plan come from the Fairbanks area. Petersburg’s city council met in a closed door executive session with its attorney on the case Monday and the state redistricting board did likewise earlier in the day.

A celebrity chef from the British Isles is visiting Southeast Alaska this month to film a few episodes of a TV show focusing on sustainable seafood. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is bringing chef Phil Vickery to several spots in Southeast, including Petersburg, to film episodes for his series called “Coastal Cuisine.”

Alaska’s congressional delegation has introduced legislation that would exempt Alaska’s two national forests from the nationwide Roadless Rule. The rule prohibits new roads and development on nearly 60 million acres of unroaded forest across the country, including parts of Alaska’s Tongass and Chugach National Forests. However Alaska’s senators and congressmen say the rule will limit timber and mining jobs along with energy development.

Alaska state senator Bert Stedman says he’ll take a second look at funding for three Petersburg capital projects that were vetoed last month by governor Sean Parnell. The governor cut half a million dollars for upgrades to Petersburg crane dock, $100,000 to plan for renovations at Petersburg’s police station and $150,000 for renovations at the Sons of Norway Hall. Petersburg projects will receive over $2.7 million in state grant money in this year's capital budget, with most of that, $1.8 million going to fund a commercial vehicle drive-down dock in the harbor. Stedman, who represents Petersburg in the state senate and is co-chair of the Senate finance committee, visited Petersburg this week. Joe Viechnicki spoke with him about project funding and commercial fishing issues from this year’s legislative session.