Author: kfskadmin

Petersburg’s Northern Nights Theater celebrates 13 years in business this weekend with the showing of harry potter and the deathly hallows. Thanks to the student-run non-profit, Petersburg residents can still watch first-run movies on the big screen.
Northern Nights was created in 1997, after the towns commercial theater had shut down. The local organization was one of 13 community projects funded through a state grant program called COMPASS or community partnerships for accessing solutions and success. 13 years later, northern nights theater is the only compass program still in existence and it continues to support itself while providing jobs and scholarships for students.
Matt Lichtenstein spoke with board members Janette Ness and Dave Berg about the history of the theater.

Petersburg’s newest police officer joined the force this week. 24-year-old Kalin Pitta-Rosse hails from Williams Lake, British Columbia. He comes to Petersburg after living for three years in Homer, where he worked for a mental health agency. Pitta-Rosse put himself through a law enforcement training academy in Fairbanks before he started up the job in Petersburg. Joe Viechnicki spoke with Pitta-Rosse and Police captain John Hamilton about his new job.

The Alaska Longline Fishermans Association is hoping to generate more interest and involvement in its Fishery Conservation Network. The network has been focused on two main issues for fishermen- controlling rockfish bycatch and deterring whales from stealing black cod off longlines.
ALFA, Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, and the Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance are holding a meeting to talk with longliners and others about the network on monday (this moring). Matt Lichtenstein spoke with ALFA executive director Linda Behken, who says the network was created in 2009:

Petersburg Medical Center Clinic this week confirmed it has treated a case of pertusis or whooping cough in a local family. The respiratory disease is highly contagious and can be especially dangerous for infants. It initially comes on as a cold but eventually leads to severe coughing that can last for weeks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, localized outbreaks of whooping cough are not uncommon. Several states reported them in 2010, however California had a unusually large statewide epidemic, affecting thousands.
Health care officials are working to avoid an outbreak in petersburg by trying to identify and treat people who may have the illness, and by encouraging people to make sure they are up to date on their pertusis immunizations.
Matt Lichtenstein spoke with Petersburg Medical Center staff physician Dr. John Bergren about the issue:

A state agency says a private hydro-power company has circumvented the public process, in its pursuit of a new development at a remote lake near Petersburg.
Cascade Creek LLC says it’s moving forward with its federal license application. But the company’s recently-revised plans have prompted additional concerns from the Alaska Department of Fish And Game, which says there should be more review.