Author: kfskadmin

Firefighters responded quickly to reports of an ammonia leak at Icicle Seafoods in downtown Petersburg Friday. No one was injured, and company officials later said the release turned out to be pretty small. But Icicle staff and firefighters spent a while at the scene Friday night, making sure the leak did not pose a threat.

Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of Statehood for Alaska. On January 3rd, 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the proclamation that officially made Alaska the 49th state. One of the key figures in the campaign for statehood was Petersburg’s Eldor Lee, who served as a delegate to the territory’s constitutional convention in 1955 and 1956. Lee was one of 16 delegates from southeast and 55 from around the state. Lee passed away in 2002, but his legacy lives on in the historic document that serves as the foundation for Alaska's state government. Matt Lichtenstein recently spent a morning visiting with Lee's widow, Polly, and produced this report:

Statewide wrestling champs, City Council conflicts, Little Norways 50TH… These were just a few of the stories in Petersburg's local news in 2008. Here’s a brief look back at some of last year’s local headlines. (checkout our southeast news page for more looks back from around the region)

Petersburg Mental Health Services is compiling the results from a recent city-wide survey focus on attitudes about substance abuse, suicide, domestic violence and other dangerous behaviors. It also touched on other social and economic concerns. The agency sent the questionnaire out to 18 hundred local box holders. Over 270, people responded…..most of them over 45. Mental health clinician and substance abuse specialist Kim Kilkenny says many respondents went beyond the yes or no questions to comment extensively about their concerns. Kilkenny spoke with KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein:

Petersburg’s Lutheran church this month has been hosting two visitors from northeastern Tanzania. Eden and Rogathe Kaombwe are from the town of Monduli, near the city of Arusha. They are friends of Lutheran pastor Al Solmonson, who has traveled in Africa with the church. Eden teaches at a Lutheran school in Monduli and it’s the first time in the United States for the couple. They have been giving presentations on Tanzania to classes in Petersburg’s schools and to various other groups. Joe Viechnicki spoke with Eden and Rogathe about their country, and started off with questions about the Arusha region, a center for tourists coming to visit Tanzania and its spectacular wildlife.