Wrangell’s municipal and tribal governments are entering a new era of collaboration. This follows the City and Borough of Wrangell approving the transfer land to the Wrangell Cooperative Association during their August 25 meeting for a memorial park honoring  students who attended The Wrangell Institute, a federally run Native boarding school at the site decades ago.

The borough assembly kept up the momentum on September 8th by formally adopting a joint work plan with the tribal government. The vote was unanimous. Tribal Administrator Albert Reinhart says that the tribe has also adopted the work plan.

Borough Manager Mason Villarma addressed the borough assembly.

Because the relationship has kind of been reinvigorated, and we have a renewed partnership with WCA, we want to kind of just lay out a work plan annually, and I think that’s a better instrument to accomplish our shared goals.

The joint work plan is intended to establish a coordinated government-to-government partnership between the borough and the tribal corporation. 

The plan does not include any borough funding, but Villarma says it outlines projects that they could work together to seek funding for in the future.

The plan lists two areas of focus: transportation, recreation and quality of life are listed as one, and tourism, culture and heritage the other. The two governments have worked together on transportation-related issues since at least 2010 with the Shtax’héen paving project in the residential area above the state housing rentals, their first joint roadway project, but the emphasis on tourism is new.

Priority projects include upgrading Petroglyph Beach access, a potential connecting trail between Mount Dewey Trail and the beach, the Alder Top Memorial Park and bilingual street signs.

I think that we have a really good opportunity to get some great things done for the community. So we plan on bringing a work plan each year to the city council, city assembly and the tribal council.

The community garden site at the old ball field out Zimovia Highway was also highlighted as a priority. Villarma says he would like the two governments to find a use that improves the space while respecting the cultural significance of the surrounding grave sites.

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Student scientists from the Wrangell High School Shakes Glacier monitoring team and University of Oregon graduate student Victoria Benson, last week, gave a two-part presentation on the nearby Shakes Glacier.

Together, their research showed how the glacier – located just up the Stikine River – has changed over time and the mechanisms impacting its behavior today.

Silje Morse, a high school junior, shares.

In Alaska, there are an estimated 100,000 glaciers, and despite this, there are roughly 27,000 recognized glacier bodies, which are the larger ones. Only about a third of glaciers in Alaska have actual names.

Shakes Glacier drains from the Stikine Icefield and terminates at Shakes Lake. Senior Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch says they’ve seen big changes.

The glacier has receded about 10,000 feet, or 1.9 miles, since 1999 through 2023. It has recessed 7,500 feet since 2011, when the Stikine River glacier survey started.

Graduate student Victoria Benson’s research focuses specifically on glaciers that terminate into a lake. She says the research shows that while marine glaciers are losing mass, lake-terminating glaciers have lost a lot more by comparison.

Her work compared the behavior of two Southeast Alaska glaciers – Shakes and Mendenhall, in Juneau.

They mapped the topography underneath the lakes to better understand what characteristics might be at play. Benson explains.

We can collect water depth by having basically a big fish finder or a sonar that can tell us how deep the water is.

They then measured the water temperature and how much sediment was suspended in the water column at different depths to build a temperature profile of the lake.

Benson says that the water at Mendenhall became cooler throughout the summer. This indicated that increased summer glacier melt was cooling the system.

But Shakes Lake showed the opposite behavior. The lake warmed through the season, as would be expected in a non-glacier lake. Benson says that doesn’t mean the glacier was not melting. She says the lake may be too big for glacier melt to dramatically change its temperature.

To address whether there is melt happening, they were able to map the front of the glacier using drones, which showed caves forming in the base of the glacier face. She says that, along with the mildly cooler temperatures near the face and increased sediment in the water,  showed there was likely glacier melt coming out through cracks at the base of the glacier.

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SEARHC Behavioral Health is marking National Recovery Month, Domestic Violence Prevention Month and World Suicide Prevention Day with a community potluck at the Nolan Center on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

The gathering, scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., aims to bring residents together to remember those lost to suicide or addiction and to celebrate the people and services supporting recovery.

It marks the second year for the event in town.

Ken Hoyt, cultural healing clinic lead with SEARHC Wrangell Behavioral Health, said the response to last year’s inaugural dinner encouraged him to bring multiple partner agencies on board for this year’s observance.

“This year we have the WCA, the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp No. 4 and Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp No. 1 participating with us,” he said. “There will be some form of representation for each group to answer questions and to speak to people and provide information.”

Wrangell ANS Camp President Sandy Churchill said she had no hesitation about joining the effort when asked.

“I immediately put in an order for 30 long-sleeved orange shirts,” Churchill said.

Orange Shirt Day, observed annually on Sept. 30, honors Indigenous children who survived residential and boarding schools and remembers those who never returned home. Churchill said ANS will give away the shirts during the event.

The potluck is open to the public, and organizers encourage all community members to attend.

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Alaskans who filed online for this year’s dividend and selected direct deposit will see $1,200 in their accounts on Oct. 1, according to the Permanent Fund Dividend Division.

Alaskans who filed paper applications, and those who asked for their payments by check rather than direct deposit, will have to wait until the end of the month. The division said it plans to mail out checks from Juneau starting on Oct. 22.

The single payment includes two legislative appropriations: A $1,000 PFD, the same as last year, plus a $200 energy-relief addition to help Alaskans pay the higher costs of gasoline, heating oil, marine fuels and electricity driven by rising oil prices due to the U.S. war against Iran and its hit to global oil supplies.

The Legislature voted to share some of the higher oil tax and royalty revenues coming into the state general fund with individual Alaskans.

The dollars will come from the state general fund, which gets much of its money from investment earnings on the state’s oil-wealth savings account, along with oil taxes and royalties.

For PFD applications still under review, the division said it will send out payments on a monthly basis as it determines eligibility.

Individuals can check the status of their application, submit updated information or questions, and find other details about the dividend program at pfd.alaska.gov.

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The Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department is working to put out a large fire that broke out at the Marine Bar shortly after 3 a.m. today.

No injuries have been reported from the fire. In addition to the bar, the building houses Hungry Beaver Pizza restaurant and apartments.

“The Wrangell Fire Department is actively working a structure fire at the Marine Bar,” according to an alert issued by the borough at about 7 a.m.

The borough announced that the Nolan Center is open for people affected by the smoke and who need a temporary place to shelter.

Shakes Street is closed in the area of the fire, and borough officials have asked residents and motorists “to avoid the area and allow emergency responders room to work.”

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The 71st Wrangell fishing derby – a three-in-one event this year – came to an end last week.

The sportfishing derbies for king salmon, coho salmon and halibut opened June 7 and closed Sept. 7.

The chamber of commerce sponsors the annual derbies and had decided to try a longer contest this year to see if it would generate more interest.

The chamber promoted the contest with a $1,000 prize for each winner of the three derbies.

First prize for the largest king went to Diana Nore-Ellison, with a 27.9-pound catch, followed by Jody Clark, at 27.7 pounds, and Marlin Benedict, at 23.2 pounds, according to records provided by the chamber.

There were 11 entries in the king salmon contest.

There were nine entries in the halibut contest, which was won by Bristol Wagner, of Cherry Valley, California, with a 133.6-pound catch, followed by Jeff Murtaugh, of Arizona, with a 111.2-pound catch, and Charlie Wagner, also of Cherry Valley, at 87.4 pounds.

The top prize among the 29 coho entries went to Corey Ostrander, at 14.7 pounds, followed by Jeff Rooney Jr. with a 14.7-pound coho, and Jeff Rooney Sr. at 13.1 pounds.

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Summer is coming to a close, the kids are back in school, and September has arrived. That can mean only one thing, the moose hunting season is upon us. 

This year’s moose season for central Southeast – near Wrangell, Petersburg, and Kake –  kicks off Sept. 15 and will run until Oct. 15. So hunters will have exactly one month to bag their moose.

Wrangell State Wildlife Trooper Alisha Seward says hunters should make sure they get the right permit.

So first off, they want to get an RM 038 permit that covers unit three and 1b for most people going up the Stikine River.

Unit 3 encompasses the area islands south of Admiralty and north of Prince of Wales, like Kupreanof, Kuiu, Mitkof, and Wrangell Islands. Unit 1B includes some of the mainland.

All hunters are required to watch a video called “Is This Moose Legal?” beforehand. Out-of-state hunters must also complete an official nonresident moose hunter orientation and carry proof of completion with them in the field. Both are available on the Fish and Game website.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game limits this hunt to one bull per hunter. There are also specific restrictions based on the antler size.

For a legal bull, you’re looking at a spike or fork, 50 inches, two by two brow tines on each side, or at least three brow tines on one side.

Each hunter is responsible for verifying whether the bull is of legal size before attempting to take it.

Seward says law enforcement understands that mistakes can happen, and that if you’ve misidentified the size of a moose, it’s best to let them know up front.

Successful hunters must punch their card immediately and report their kill within five days.

To do so, they have to complete a hunt report, which can be done online, and present the jaw and antlers to the appropriate authorities.

In Petersburg, these can be taken to the Fish and Game office, but in Wrangell they have to go to the U.S. Forest Service since there is no Fish and Game office in town. 

Obviously we want people to go out there, have fun, have a blast. It’s moose hunting. People love this time of year. The only thing I’d say is that if you make a mistake or something, give me a shout, and we can deal with it.]

Unsuccessful hunters must also report their efforts within 15 days of the season’s close.

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Following a surge of student interest, the Wrangell School Board has approved new middle school clubs for swimming and cheer.

The board granted the approval after students and parents generated support for the programs over the past year.

Momentum for a cheer program built during the previous basketball season, according to Middle and High School Principal Greg Clark.

“Paige Hoyt graduated last year, and her senior project was coaching a middle school cheering camp. She had a pretty big turnout,” Clark said.

Heather Armstrong, activities director for the school district, said her push for a swim program began after seeing younger athletes train alongside their older high school peers, and she felt encouraged watching middle school students practice at the pool with the high school team.

“I started hearing from other students and parents who wanted to know about getting their middle school children into a swimming club,” Armstrong said. The swim club officially started on Aug. 31. The club will be active through six weeks and it will culminate with a community swim meet.

The cheer club still needs leadership before taking to the sidelines at events. Armstrong said there is currently no middle school cheer coach, but the district will advertise to fill the volunteer position.

The school board approved the new clubs last month.

Both Clark and Armstrong view the new programs as vital steppingstones for student development.

“It’s good to see these clubs starting, because they serve as good feeder programs for the high school,” Clark said. 

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An additional two building lots at the Alder Top Village Keishangita.’aan subdivision are listed on an online auction site, with plans to add four more parcels before winter.

That will bring the total number of lots to 26, as the borough is looking to add to an earlier successful auction of 20 parcels this past winter and spring in the largest sale of municipally owned land for residential development.

One change for bidders on the two lots currently listed at publicsurplus.com is that the winners will have five years to complete construction on their lot. The assembly voted Aug. 25 to add the new condition to the land sale.

The first 20 lots did not include any deadline for construction.

The subdivision, near Shoemaker Bay, is zoned single-family residential.

Borough Manager Mason Villarma told the assembly that five years time to build is a reasonable deadline. “People can sit on these for 20 years if they wanted to,” he said, adding that it’s in the public’s best interest to see the land developed for new housing in a timely manner.

The auction on the latest two lots for sale closes Oct. 25.

There is street access and buried utilities to both parcels.

The borough plans to list four more lots for sale, probably sometime in October, after a survey and final plat, said Kate Thomas, economic development director. Bidders would have a couple of months in that auction.

Those four lots are in the row directly behind the initial 20 parcels, with access to the streets and buried utilities that were put in for the first round of sales.

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Crab fishing is practically synonymous with Southeast Alaska, but in recent years the Dungeness crab fishery has become less reliable. Many say that recovered sea otter populations are responsible for the decline.

Now, after the summer Dungeness season closed 20 days early, Wrangell is seeking a local disaster declaration. Here’s Wrangell Borough Manager Mason Villarma.

There’s been little to zero action at a regional level to address the sea otter issue, and there’s not very many avenues to work within and get some sort of relief. The salmon fishermen get relief all the time, so why not the shell fishermen?

He was speaking at an August 25 borough assembly meeting.  The borough assembly voted unanimously in support of  a local disaster declaration after the Dungeness closure.

The declaration is intended to bring federal relief to crab fishermen and catalyze the formation of a Southeast shellfish fishing association.

Sea otters are voracious eaters that must consume up to 30% of their body weight – that’s around 25 pounds of food daily for a large male. Their diet consists primarily of shellfish, including clams, oysters, and crabs.

As otters have rebounded from near extinction, they’ve needed more and more food to support their population. In recent years, this has put them directly at odds with Alaska crab fishermen.

The Wrangell assembly vote approves the Borough to ask Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to support and request a federal fishery resource disaster determination.  If the U.S. government approves a disaster declaration, it could bring financial compensation for the 60 Dungeness crab permit holders residing in Wrangell.

But Villarma says that he understands federal support could be difficult to secure.

What we’ve seen under this administration is a low chance or probability for fishery disasters to be subsidized.

Even without federal support, Villarma says the declaration brings more awareness to the issues fishermen face. It also may push the formation of a shellfish-specific fishing association in Southeast Alaska, which doesn’t exist.

There is currently no such association in the region like there are for seiners, gillnetters, long-liners, and fish processors. Associations like this can give fishermen more agency in addressing issues concerning their livelihood. It can also allow them to pressure government organizations like the National Marine Fisheries Service to fulfill mandated stock assessments and population surveys.

Villarma says the borough will be bringing in an expert to work with fishermen over the next few months to discuss such an organization. He says it will be up to participating groups to decide what the makeup of that association will be.

Whatever the form. I would imagine that it’s going to be a broad array of different user types, but the fishermen being probably the strongest sub user in the association.

The disaster declaration isn’t the first resolution to address the sea otter issue. Last year, Wrangell, Haines and Petersburg passed resolutions seeking a sea otter management plan and for the federal government to relax sea otter protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

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