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Canadian wildfire smoke blankets Southeast

A thick, smokey haze blanketed the region early this week. The smoke comes from wildfires burning across the border in Yukon Territory and British Columbia.

Sponsors turn in council recall petition

Petersburg voters this fall will decide whether a city council member stays in office. Sponsors of a recall petition last week turned in enough signatures to put the recall of councilor Lee Corrao to a vote.

Mixed reactions on federal fishing safety regulations

Commercial fishermen in Alaska have mixed reactions to newly proposed federal regulations on fishing safety. The proposals, currently under consideration in Congress, would impose new construction standards on fishing vessels, require more training for skippers and mandate Coast Guard inspections.

Icicle Seafoods founder passes

One of the founders of the company that became Icicle Seafoods has died. Bob Thorstenson Sr. passed away this week. He was 77 years old.

Icicle Seafoods founder passes

One of the founders of the company that became Icicle Seafoods has died.
Bob Thorstenson Sr. passed away this week. He was 77 years old. Thorstenson was part of a group of Petersburg fishermen who decided to purchase the Pacific American Fisheries cannery in 1965. The new company, owned by fishermen, later became Icicle Seafoods and expanded its processing plants throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. According to Brad Warren’s 2005 book “The Rise of Icicle Seafoods,” Thorstenson worked at PAF plants in King Cove and Petersburg before becoming the company’s youngest cannery superintendent in 1960 at the age of 29. He married Pam Martens of Petersburg in 1963.
When the owners of the PAF cannery planned to shut down the petersburg plant, Thorstenson helped hatch the plan for Petersburg fishermen and residents to buy the cannery. In April of 1965, the couple sold their home in Bellingham and all their possessions, including a herd of beef cattle, and headed north to Petersburg, where they lived for 12 years.
Thorstenson was named to the United Fishermen of Aaska Seafood Industry Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The family is planning a graveside service for Wednesday August 5th at 3:30 p.m. in Petersburg. A reception will follow at the Sons of Norway Hall.