Author: kfskadmin

Petersburg mayor Al Dwyer has retracted part of his statement about a private hydro-electric power company made during last week’s city council meeting.

The Forest Service has won a court decision in a lawsuit over a proposed timber sale on northern Kupreanof island near Petersburg. A federal judge ruled last month that the agency’s planning for the Scott Peak project complied with the law. The suit had originally been filed by a forest service biologist who passed away early this year.

The Viking Wrestlers will head to state as southeast champions once again. Runner-up Wrangell hosted the regional tournament and gave Petersburg a tough battle. This is the 18th regional title for Petersburg in the last 22 years.
Five Vikings took home first place medals.

As the price of crude oil has plummeted since the summer, Alaskan consumers have been questioning why gas prices in our state have not dropped nearly as fast as those in the lower-48. Alaska lawmakers have held hearings and proposed legislation on the issue.
At the pumps in southeast Alaska this past week, prices varied, from just around three dollars in the Juneau, to three-sixty or seventy in Petersburg and Sitka, to four-eighty-nine in Wrangell. Meanwhile, average prices in Washington state dropped below two dollars a gallon.
But fuel companies say Alaska’s costs and market dynamics are very different from the lower-48. One of southeast’s major fuel sellers blames the slow price-drop on a slowly-draining inventory of fuel that it purchased back when the cost was much higher. Petro Marine Services purchases its fuel for southeast Alaska in large quantities and ships it up from the pacific northwest. The company says the regions customers should continue to see prices drop as its old inventory is sold off and replaced with new, cheaper gas.
Matt Lichtenstein asked for an explanation from Petro marketing director Smokey Norten, who says the company has received a “tsunami” of questions from the public.

Petersburg’s city council was in agreement about one issue Monday. Councilors said they did not have much interest in partnerting with a private company to develop hydro electric power plants in Thomas Bay, on the mainland north of town.