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Week of Jun 1
Alaska's filing deadline turned the 2026 election from rumor into a real race
So many candidates, so little time left
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
Week of May 25
Eye Guys to visit 10 Alaska communities in June for AlaskaCare retiree exams
The Eye Guys will visit 10 Alaska communities June 1-28 to provide free comprehensive eye exams for AlaskaCare retirees covered under VSP vision benefits. Call (907) 376-3917 to schedule.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Week of May 18
Data center project promises rate relief amid public concerns over noise, power
Cryptocurrency data center would generate $2 million yearly and stabilize electric rates using existing power. • Residents worry about noise, fire safety, and power availability for future housing growth. • Company says facility quieter than old cannery equipment and willing to cut operations during peak demand.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Petersburg faces 53% wastewater rate hikes over 5 years for major projects
Petersburg wastewater rates to rise 53.5% over five years starting 2027 to fund three major projects worth 18.5 million dollars. • Average monthly bill jumps from 62.54 to 75.05 dollars in year one. • Assembly wants alternative rate schedules with flatter increases before voting.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Assembly hears call for tower rules as residents warn of land-use impact
Assembly delayed vote on cell tower rules as residents warned towers will rise without zoning limits. Planning Commission proposes overlay directing towers to borough and Forest Service land away from homes. Two companies seeking Petersburg sites. Mayor aims to introduce ordinance at next meeting if attorney approves.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg proposes area-wide property tax to balance FY27 budget
Petersburg adds 1.71 mills to property taxes to cover 5% budget increase. • Health insurance costs rise $90,000, plus vehicle replacement and wage raises. • Marine passenger fee increases from $5 to $8 per head starting January 2027. • Final budget vote scheduled for June 1.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg sees early revenue gains after senior sales tax exemption removal
Petersburg gained 26000 dollars in January and 22000 dollars in February sales tax revenue after removing a senior exemption. • The borough removed the exemption to balance its budget without drawing reserves. • The assembly will consider raising the 1200 dollar sales tax cap in May, the lowest in Southeast Alaska. • Voters must approve any cap increase. Final budget approval is June 1.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg voters to decide on sales tax cap increase in October
Petersburg Assembly voted 6-1 Monday to put a sales tax cap increase on the October 6 ballot, raising the single-purchase limit from $1,200 to $5,000 and the maximum tax owed from $72 to $300.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
More from Petersburg
Petersburg sewer rates to rise 20% as EPA bans mixing zone
Petersburg Assembly approved 20% sewer rate hike starting July 2026, adding $12 monthly to residential bills. • EPA banned mixing zones for wastewater, requiring $12-15 million in new treatment equipment. • Borough got $8 million federal funding but faces additional 10% annual increases through 2030. • Nine Alaska cities including Anchorage face similar EPA mandates.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Assembly advances cell tower ordinance requiring conditional use permits
Assembly votes to require Planning Commission approval for new cell towers in Petersburg. Companies must first try mounting antennas on existing structures before building new towers. Public hearing set for June 1 with comment deadline May 25. Ordinance needs two more readings before final adoption.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Petersburg Medical Center receives state approval for MRI service
Petersburg Medical Center won state approval to offer MRI scans and plans to install the machine within 30 to 45 days in its new Work Building.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago1 min read
Planning Commission maps cell tower sites to guide wireless companies
Petersburg Planning Commission identified cell tower sites on public and private land to guide wireless companies away from homes. Overlay zone ordinance would let companies build towers by right at approved spots, up to 200 feet tall. Commission drafting legal descriptions and ordinance language for June meeting before assembly vote.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 5mo ago2 min read
Petersburg anglers now required to carry rockfish release devices
Petersburg anglers must carry rockfish release devices on all marine vessels and return unharvested rockfish to capture depth or 100 feet. • Residents can keep one demersal rockfish daily year-round. Nonresidents only July 1 through August 25. • King salmon season opened May 15 in Wrangell Narrows and Blind Slough Terminal Harvest Area.
by Bill AlaskaNews5mo ago4 min readWeek of May 11
City Creek king salmon site permanently closed near Petersburg
Alaska Department of Fish and Game permanently closed the City Creek king salmon hatchery site near Petersburg, ending a program halted in 2022 due to funding and wild stock concerns.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readWeek of Apr 27
Alaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt
Alaska House panel advanced a bill Thursday requiring businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, responding to the federal government's halt of penny production in 2025.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Fish and Game Opens Two-Week King Salmon Fishery at Gunnuk Creek
Fish and Game opens Gunnuk Creek to king salmon fishing June 1-14, allowing residents two fish per day from hatchery surplus while most Southeast Alaska waters stay closed.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readAbout Petersburg
Petersburg, also known as Gantiyaakw Séedi, is a fishing community on Mitkof Island along Wrangell Narrows in Southeast Alaska. It is known for its Norwegian heritage, which gives it the nickname Little Norway, and for its salmon, halibut and shrimp fleets.
The Petersburg Borough assembly and planning commission handle land use, taxes and public services, from cell tower siting and data center rules to the landfill and wastewater rates. Voters decide ballot questions such as sales tax measures. Petersburg Medical Center provides hospital care and imaging on the island, and its finances depend on Medicare and Medicaid payments.
Drift gillnet fisheries in Districts 6 and 8 near Petersburg run on openings set by the state. The borough neighbors Wrangell, Sitka and other Southeast communities, and it draws hydropower from the Tyee Lake project of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, which also serves Ketchikan and Wrangell.