Author: kfskadmin

Which of Petersburg’s city workers are too critical to health and safety to be allowed to go on strike? That was the basic question on the table at a hearing before members of the Alaska Labor Relations Board in Petersburg this week. The employee’s union says nearly half its membership falls into the no-strike category. That's more than twice as many as the city claims. Both sides laid out their arguments and called witnesses in this week’s strike-class hearing.

While Congress was in the midst of its budget battle last month, a group of 28 Petersburg teenagers was also in the nation’s capital, learning how the government is supposed to work. Through the national Close-Up program, high school students from around the country spend a week in Washington D-C. Petersburg's contingent took part in a mock congress with other schools, visited monuments and museums, and met with Alaska’s Congressional Delegation. Matt Lichtenstein spoke with teacher Bev Sierks and students Shirly Yip and Adam Erickson when they got back early last week.

A small air-carrier in Wrangell just bought one of its counterparts in Petersburg, where the long-time owner is retiring. Sunrise Aviation last week completed its purchase of Pacific Wing Air Charters, which will now be called Pacific Wings LLC. Sunrise says Pacific Wings employees will keep their jobs and there will be little change in local operations.

A Juneau organization hopes to do more improvement work on the historic Five Finger Lighthouse in Frederick Sound north of Petersburg. The lighthouse, still operational, was the first manned station completed in the state in 1902 and the last to be automated in 1984. In 1998 it became the property of the Juneau Lighthouse Association. That group last year finished up renovations on the interior and exterior of Five Finger light, paid for by a 2004 Save America’s Treasures grant of just under 200-thousand dollars. The association has applied for another grant to do further upgrades on the island and the site is closer to eventually opening to paying guests. Joe Viechnicki spoke with association president Jennifer Klein about the work completed in the past five years and other news from the lighthouse.

Nationally-touring singer-songwriter Sarah Sample plays in Petersburg this weekend courtesy of the Petersburg Arts Council. Sample just released her fourth album, Someday Someday, last fall. Matt Lichtenstein asked Sample about some of her favorite tracks this week. NOTE: Friday's performance has been canceled. We'll air an announcement on KFSK if it's rescheduled.