Author: kfskadmin

City staff and elected officials from Petersburg visited the city’s largest drinking water source Wednesday. The trip out to the Cabin Creek Reservoir was aimed at discussing solutions for the problematic water pipeline that brings Cabin Creek water to town. However, officials are also interested in the potential for hydro-power generation at Cabin Creek.

One of the first major expansions of Petersburg’s local power grid in recent years is going up along Cabin Creek road this summer. The three miles of poles and overhead power lines will bring electricity to about 140 mostly undeveloped residential lots in the Sandy Beach and Frederick Point subdivisions. At least six existing home owners have committed to connecting to city power once the line is complete. The transmission line will be built with raptor-safe measures to avoid eagle electrocutions. The project is expected to cost around 320-thousand dollars, payed for out of electric department reserves. However, new customers will pay a connection fee for their portion of the cost of the new line. Joe Viechnicki drove along the route with Petersburg Municipal Power and Light superintedent Joe Nelson last week.

Southeast Alaska’s commercial purse seine fleet has not caught many pink salmon so far this summer. Instead, the fleet is focusing on hatchery chum salmon returns in the early season.

Volunteers are back out at work this summer at a remote lighthouse in Frederick Sound, fixing up the historic buildings and repairing water and electrical systems. One of the first American lighthouses built in Alaska, Five Finger Light remains a working automated light and weather station, 40 miles north of Petersburg. The existing art-deco style light tower was built in 1935 but some smaller buildings from 1902 remain on the site and a group is working to fix up the structures. The Juneau Lighthouse Association wants to make a “self-serve” bed and breakfast operation on the island and they’re looking for help from Petersburg residents next month. Joe Viechnicki spoke with association president Jennifer Klein about the work they plan this year.

The Petersburg Marine Mammal Center has two new interns this summer. They hail from the heart of Texas and New England. The two are working over the next few months to increase the scope of the center as well as to attract new visitors. They’ll be organizing summer programs for kids and possible lectures from local researchers.