Wrangell businesses that are behind on their sales tax payments could see their names published on the borough website as part of an effort to collect on delinquent accounts.

The borough assembly unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance on July 28 designed to tighten enforcement of the sales tax code. If approved in a second reading after a public hearing, the new rules would allow officials to post delinquent accounts on the borough website and levy fines on business owners who ignore financial audits.

Residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed ordinance during a public hearing scheduled for the Aug. 25 assembly meeting.

Under the proposed ordinance, the borough would have the authority to list businesses that fail to turn in tax filings or owe back taxes, penalties and interest. The public listings would display the company name, unpaid reporting periods and delinquency status.

Sales taxes not paid within a month of the due date are charged a 5% penalty for the first month and a monthly interest rate of 1% from the date of delinquency, compounded. The borough expects to collect about $4 million in sales taxes this fiscal year — its largest source of revenue.

In addition to public listing of delinquent accounts, the measure would add a penalty for businesses that fail to comply with tax audits.

Businesses would be required to supply requested receipts, ledger books and supporting records to the sales tax inspector on time. Failing to submit those files within 30 days of receiving a written notice will result in a $500 civil penalty.

During the meeting, Assembly Member Jim DeBord cautioned that public naming should strictly serve as a last resort after all communication attempts fail.

He said, “I just want to make sure that we’re doing 1000% of all that we can, to make sure that the delinquent account holders are contacted before we print any names.”

Finance Director Rob Marshall reassured DeBord that staff will exhaust every outreach process before publishing any business details online.

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Electric bills will see an annual surcharge this month as utility customers absorb the financial impact of a 10-day regional hydropower shutdown.

The additional cost comes after the municipal utility relied on back-up diesel generation while the Southeast Alaska Power Agency temporarily cut off hydroelectric power from Lake Tyee for annual line and plant maintenance in June.

Generating that replacement electricity came with a heavy price tag: The community burned through 48,073 gallons of diesel and 331 gallons of lubricating oil. In total, running the diesel generators added $250,857 in costs.

Those expenses translate into a fuel surcharge of nearly 48 cents per kilowatt-hour, which will be passed along to customers on their August billing statement.

For an average residence in Wrangell that consumes around 900 kWh per month, the diesel surcharge will add about $100 to their bill.

Looking ahead, administrators hope to cushion the blow of future maintenance shutdowns.

“We are continuing to work with our regional partners on projects that may reduce future diesel generation costs,” Borough Finance Director Rob Marshall said. “Once SEAPA’s solar project is operational, we are hopeful that it may help offset a significant portion of the costs associated with annual diesel runs.”

The power agency plans to erect a $6 million solar panel farm on 44 acres of borough land uphill from Zimovia Highway, between Shoemaker Harbor and the 6-Mile Mill site. The agency is targeting a 2028 completion date for the project.

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Two Wrangell creatives have been awarded Arts Ambassadors for the State of Alaska. That’s according to a press release provided by Vivian Faith Prescott. Laura Davies, a public-school teacher, and Vivian Faith Prescott, a local author, are part of a cohort of a dozen Arts Ambassadors, all Alaska-based artists, culture bearers, educators, and community leaders who are actively practicing, teaching, and inspiring others through arts and cultural traditions across rural and urban Alaska. Cohort members serve as ambassadors for creativity in their communities and contribute to a growing network of professionals committed to integrating the arts and culture into public education. 

The Ambassadorship is a partnership between the How Are You Creative? Initiate of the Alaska State Council on the Arts. The award supports the Ambassador’s creative, cultural, and community-based work.

Laura Davies, a middle and high school teacher in Wrangell, founded a thriving place-based documentary program for local youth following her 2023 training with See Stories. By engaging in photography, community interviews, and youth-led film production, students strengthen key skills in communication, collaboration, creativity, and confidence. Under her leadership, Wrangell students have produced over 45 films since 2024. She and her students have traveled to festivals in Vancouver and Banff to screen their work, building lasting relationships with professional filmmakers who continue to mentor Davies and inspire her teaching. Davies’ long-term goal is to build a sustainable, regional youth film festival that brings guest filmmakers to Wrangell to lead workshops for the broader community.

Vivian Faith Prescott is a local writer and author of fourteen books and is also a multi-media mosaic artist. She makes mosaic art to help support Wrangell’s Food Pantry. Prescott’s approach to creative, cultural, community, and arts practices is sharing knowledge through mentoring. Working with the guidelines of the grant, she’s looking to re-establishing the Wrangell Arts Council that would be aligned with the How Are You Creative? (HAYC?) goals of bringing people together to support individuals and the community of Wrangell through the arts. “Regarding my small community, one of my main missions is to help revitalize our arts council.” Anyone who wants to assist with re-establishing a Wrangell’s Arts Council may contact Vivian Faith Prescott via Facebook Messenger, email: doctorviv@hotmail.com, or phone (text) 907-738-0083.

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Wrangell is getting closer to a major expansion of its downtown waterfront, building a new rock wall and adding fill to gain a couple of acres for expansion of the Marine Service Center, a public park, covered pavilion, parking and possible future commercial development along Campbell Drive.

The overall project also includes an extension to the City Dock.

City Hall staff briefed the borough assembly on plans at a work session July 28.

The entire project could total around $15 million.

The borough has requested $10.3 million from the federal Economic Development Administration, with a decision on the grant application anticipated later this summer.

The borough also has more than $4 million available from a bond issue approved by the assembly in April 2025 to put toward waterfront development.

The extent of the fill and development of the new uplands will depend on how much money is available and the costs when the borough goes out for bids.

Much of the federal grant would go toward adding a 150-foot-long floating extension to the north end of the City Dock, to better accommodate cruise ships at various tides than the fixed dock.

That project also would include a new gangway and also a new mooring dolphin at the south end of the dock.

The marine center expansion would create new uplands between the Nolan Center and the water to allow more boats and a larger work area for the busy facility.

A big driver for the expanded downtown fill is to accommodate American Cruise Lines, which plans to install a 300-foot floating dock and ramp next year.

 American Cruise Lines operates two 170-passenger ships in Southeast Alaska and is scheduled to add a third ship, with 130-passenger capacity, next summer.

The line is converting its unused paddlewheel cruise ship, the American Empress, into a floating dock. The ship’s superstructure was dismantled last winter at Tideline Construction’s yard at 6-Mile in Wrangell, then the hull was towed to the JAG Marine Group shipyard in Ketchikan for refurbishing and painting.

American Cruise Lines will bring it to Wrangell next spring, where it will go to work after the company has piles driven to hold it in place.

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Wrangell’s Parks Department is overhauling its outdoor play spaces, pivoting from three aging sites to two modern, well-maintained sites.

The shift comes as decades of Southeast Alaska weather and deferred maintenance have taken a toll on recreational facilities. Director Lucy Robinson explained that the department is dismantling outdated structures — starting with the full removal of City Park’s playground — while stripping back unsafe components at the Kyle Angerman Playground and Shoemaker Park.

The overall strategy focuses resources on two improved playgrounds rather than spreading maintenance dollars too thin.

The former playground space at City Park is proposed to be transformed into a memorial for veterans featuring the Freedom Rock, while future playground equipment upgrades will target Angerman and Shoemaker Park.

At Angerman, plans call for fresh play equipment, updated seating, new fencing and a restored basketball court.

Robinson said she is hopeful there will be at least one new playground by summer 2027.

Assembly members last week expressed strong support for moving forward with improving playgrounds. Assembly Member Bob Dalrymple gave full backing to rehabbing the Angerman Playground, while emphasizing that snow storage must end at the site.

“The only thing I have strong feelings about” is to no longer use the playground areas as a snow dump, Dalrymple said. “It is just not appropriate to have that dual use.”

Villarma said he and the public works director would explore alternative snow storage locations.

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The Sentinel reported on July 8 that there had been “three recent fentanyl overdoses in Petersburg,” with Wrangell Police Chief Gene Meek, who told the Sentinel of the Petersburg fentanyl cases, warning residents about the lethal drug’s presence in the region.

However, Petersburg Police Chief James Kerr, in a July 30 letter to the newspaper, stated: “Based upon the records, investigations and information maintained by the department, I can state unequivocally that the (Sentinel) reporting goes beyond general public safety education and contains significant inaccuracies concerning incidents alleged to have occurred in Petersburg.”

The Sentinel has asked Meek for comment on the Petersburg police chief’s assertions about the information provided by the Wrangell Police Department; Meek declined comment on Aug. 1 until he could discuss the issue with the Wrangell borough manager this week.

The Sentinel will publish a further correction, clarification or explanation when it has more information.

KSTK radio reported the same information, as provided by the Sentinel, and is awaiting further information on the facts.

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Bearfest opens Thursday and will run for four days. There will be workshops and symposiums and demonstrations to learn about bears — and also foods to enjoy.

The first edible event will be the “beary pie” contest at noon Thursday at the Nolan Center, when judges will select the best entries made from local berries. Bakers must get their pies to the Nolan Center by 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Next up on the schedule for food fans is the Friday dinner and fundraising auction at the Stikine Inn, with Lauren Thompson, head chef at Seattle’s Cafe Lago restaurant. “The dinner will be a classic Tuscan menu, with a touch of the Pacific Northwest,” said Bearfest organizer Sylvia Ettefagh.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 6 p.m. Only four tickets, at $120 each, were available as of last Friday. Call 907-874-3006 for ticket information.

The community market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Nolan Center will feature baked goods and other homemade foods from Wrangell residents.

Also on Saturday, Chef Thompson will demonstrate and instruct how to make ricotta cavatelli at 11:30 a.m. at the Nolan Center. The session is limited to 10 people, at $50 per person. Call 907-874-3006 to sign up.

A contest to judge Wrangell’s best seafood dishes is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, also at the Nolan Center.

The last food event of the four-day weekend will be a pasta feed at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Nolan Center for runners and walkers in Sunday morning’s marathon, half-marathon and 5K races to load up on carbohydrates.

The dinner is free for all runners, walkers and volunteers.

Registration for the runs starts at 7 a.m. Sunday, with runners taking the starting line at 8 a.m. for the marathon and half-marathon, and 8:30 a.m. for the 5K runners, walkers and bikers.

The full schedule of events is online at alaskabearfest.org

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An Iowa muralist landed on the island on July 20 and quickly went to work with his paint brushes to transform a 6-foot boulder pulled from the rock pit near the airport into Alaska’s first “Freedom Rock” to honor veterans.

Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II started work by preparing the stone’s surface for the patriotic artwork, a process that involved applying a base layer to most of the area.

While he has never painted in such a moist climate, he feels confident in his chosen materials.

“What I use is BEECK mineral paint,” he said. “It’s made specifically for masonry and rock-like surfaces. It’s really durable and holds up for a long time.”

Sorensen is scheduled to finish painting the veterans memorial in early August.

Though he is working on the boulder in a building at the Marine Service Center, the borough’s intent has been to permanently display the memorial somewhere at City Park.

The borough is paying the cost of the supplies, Sorensen’s fees and building a permanent shelter over the artwork.

The tradition of Freedom Rock memorials began in 1999 in Adair County, Iowa, when a 19-year-old Sorensen felt inspired by the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” He painted what he called “a massive thank-you message to veterans” on a large boulder.

Since that initial project, he has repainted the original Iowa boulder every year for Memorial Day to showcase a new theme. He has also expanded the effort by creating Freedom Rock murals in 10 other states.

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The state had been sitting on $37.5 million it collected but never spent over several years from its cruise ship passenger tax. The Legislature decided this was the year to put the money to good use. Lawmakers drained the account and sent the funds to 16 communities, based on their cruise visitor counts.

Wrangell will receive $375,000, which it can spend on waterfront projects or other infrastructure and services that would benefit cruise ships and their passengers.

“It didn’t serve a public purpose building up an account balance,” Juneau State Senator Jesse Kiehl said of the money sitting unused in the state’s commercial vessel passenger tax account.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy had not proposed spending from the account, leaving it to accumulate since 2022.

Kiehl is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which added the spending to the state budget in May. The governor signed the spending bill last month for the fiscal year that started July 1.

“The $37.5 million basically empties the account,” said the director of the Legislative Finance Division.

The state collects a tax of $34.50 per passenger from cruise ships of more than 250 passengers. Half the money is shared with cruise-destination communities which receive $5 per passenger, which includes Wrangell, and the state keeps the other half.

The tax originated with a citizens initiative approved by Alaska voters 20 years ago.

Under state law, the money can only be used “for projects to repair, maintain and upgrade port facilities and harbor infrastructure, enhance passenger safety and provide services to vessels and passengers.”

Those same restrictions apply to the funds shared with municipalities — both the annual allocation of $5 per passenger and this year’s $37.5 million one-time cash-out of the account.

In addition to $375,000 coming to Wrangell, the legislative appropriation directs $9 million to Skagway, almost $6.9 million to Ketchikan, $6 million to Juneau, $4.5 million to Sitka and $3 million to Hoonah, among the larger distributions.

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Becky Ferguson is bringing fresh produce to residents of the Wrangell Senior Apartments, while demonstrating the accessibility of small-scale agriculture.

Several varieties of lettuce are growing in a hoop house on the yard at the apartments, using a technique described by Ferguson as the easiest form of hydroponic gardening.

By placing plants directly above nutrient-rich water, roots naturally absorb both moisture and oxygen as the water level recedes. Because the system requires no pumps, timers, electricity or complex machinery, it offers a simplified option for growers of all experience levels.

Her project, which started at the end of June, was funded by the Alaska Micro-Grants for Food Security Program, an initiative administered by the state Department of Natural Resources Division of Agriculture using federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The competitive program provides money — up to $5,000 for individuals — to help Alaskans expand local food production through small-scale gardening, greenhouses and passive hydroponic setups. Wrangell’s Oceanview Gardens, as well as John and Artha DeRuyter, are also recent recipients of the same micro grant.

Ferguson wants to show that fresh produce can be grown almost anywhere — whether in a greenhouse, home, apartment or on a porch — using simple containers like quart jars, five-gallon buckets or repurposed totes.

She said that if a person brings her a five-gallon bucket, she will demonstrate how to craft the necessary lid and will provide a starter kit including nutrients and a food-grade bucket liner.

People can contact Ferguson through her Facebook page or by stopping at the hoop house at the senior apartments.

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