Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN - Juneau

After a week of harsh weather, responders were finally able to remove fuel from a tug that grounded off the Alaska Peninsula. The Polar Wind was carrying about 20,000 gallons of diesel when it — and the barge it was towing — ended up on the rocks. About 6,000 gallons were lost after the accident, but there have been no reports of oiled animals.

Two grounded vessels have been leaking fuel in the Aleutians. The tug "Polar Wind" and a barge went aground last week on Ukolnoi Island in the Aleutians - between Cold Bay and Sand Point.

An explosion aboard Shell’s Noble Discoverer drill rig sent fire crews in Unalaska scrambling this morning. Ports Director Peggy McLaughlin says she felt the blast from the harbor office, which is about 200 yards away.

So far there have been no signs of a spill after a tug and barge went aground on Ukolnoi Island in the Aleutians - between Cold Bay and Sand Point. Five crew members from the tug "Polar Wind" were rescued. The owner, Northland Services, has joined a Unified Command team to respond to the grounding. The tug was 20 miles from Cold Bay when it became separated from the barge in 6-8 foot seas and 40 mile per hour winds.

Five crewmembers from the Polar Wind were rescued after the tug and the barge it was towing went aground. The Northland Services tug was 20 miles from Cold Bay when it became separated from the barge it was dragging behind it. The two vessels went adrift while the crew was trying to reconnect the towline. According to Coast Guard Petty Officer David Mosley, weather was a factor.

Elections are over, and candidates and political groups reported spending nearly $10 million on state races this year. But where did that money go? While a lot of it went to consultants and media buys, plenty was also spent at Alaska’s brick and mortar stores. Hundreds of cups of coffee were bought for voters and volunteers, thousands of dollars went to helium balloons, and a small fortune was spent on t-shirts and hats. But of all of the businesses that profited from this campaign season, Alaska’s print shops saw the biggest windfall.

The bipartisan coalition as it’s currently known is done, and as a result Unalaska may lose some pull when it comes to getting projects funded. Ten Republicans gathered at an Anchorage office building on Wednesday to announce that the bulk of the party had organized a majority. They also announced leadership roles. Charlie Huggins, of Wasilla, is the new Senate president, and John Coghill, of North Pole, is the majority leader. Both had been a part of the Senate’s tiny 4-person minority until this point.

Last night’s election has shifted the balance of power in the State Senate toward the Republican Party. At least six members of the bipartisan working group will not be returning to the legislature in January. Members of the Senate have been meeting today to discuss its leadership and have just announced the plan for reorganization at a news conference on the west side of Anchorage.

Bristol Bay red king crab is a major moneymaker for Alaska, and this year it’s expected to bring fishermen about $60 million. Industry players say that amount could be even higher if pirate fishing weren’t distorting the international market.

Illegal fishing in Russian waters could negatively impact crab prices this year. The advance price for Bristol Bay red king crab was set last week at $7.25 per pound, putting the early value of the fishery at $57 million. Last year, the advance price was slightly higher and was revised to more than $10 a pound. Meanwhile, the advance price for St. Matthew Island blue king crab is $3.75 per pound. It was $4.25 in 2011.

"Right now, DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON." At 10:18 this morning, those instructions blared over the speaker system at the Unalaska City School. In the library, at least a dozen kids huddled under tables and gripped on to the legs. They were taking part in the world’s largest earthquake drill – the “Great ShakeOut.” In Alaska, over 60,000 people registered for the drill, and across the world 14 million people have committed to participate.

The Bering Sea’s most famous fishery is underway. The Bristol Bay red king crab season opened today, and the quota is 7.8 million pounds – a small increase from last year. As of Monday, no pricing information was available. Eighty-four vessels pre-registered, but just 42 have gone out so far, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. About 60 vessels usually participate in the fishery.

In 2010, voters passed an initiative requiring minors to inform a parent 48 hours before getting an abortion. This week, the Anchorage Superior Court upheld most of that law, and even okayed portions that were initially viewed as too burdensome. But while the court determined the law was constitutional, it didn’t endorse it as good public policy.

The Anchorage Superior Court released a decision upholding Alaska’s parental notification law on Monday. In the process, it also reversed itself on a controversial provision allowing doctors to be prosecuted for knowingly providing abortions to minors without the notification of at least one parent.

Police have cracked down on gambling at an area seafood processing plant. Eileen Ceralde, Marlyn Baker, Luisa East, Amelito Maglasang, and Perla Salacup have all been charged with promoting unlawful gambling. The crime is a Class A misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for the crime is a $10,000 fine and a year in prison.

For the past month, Shell has been drilling top holes in the Chukchi Sea. Now, they're doing preparatory work in the Beaufort, too. The drill rig Kulluk went into action Wednesday afternoon and will spend the rest of the month developing two 1,500-foot casings in the Beaufort. Shell plans to extend those top holes down into hydrocarbon layers next summer.

Fake money was floating around an Unalaska bar bar last week. According to the Unalaska Department of Public Safety, a counterfeit $100 bill turned up in a bank deposit on Monday. Officers concluded that the bill had been used at the Harbor View Bar and Grill, and that it had been mixed in with employee tips.

With fuel stores dwindling and temperatures already dropping below freezing, St. George spent last week anxiously awaiting a resolution to a potential energy crisis. The city’s supplier, Delta Western, had reached the end of a 20-year agreement with village Native corporation Tanaq to deliver fuel to the remote island, and it was unclear how residents were going to heat and power their homes.

As the closest deepwater port to the Arctic, Unalaska is set to play a major role in the region’s economic development. Now, the city is positioning itself to influence Arctic politics, too.