Lauren Rosenthal, APRN Contributor
Magone Sells Renowned Marine Salvage Business
After 40 years in western Alaska, salvager Dan Magone is selling his namesake diving and marine rescue business. But, Magone will still be there to help when disaster strikes.
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Shell Agrees to $1M Fine for Arctic Air Permit Violations
Shell will pay the Environmental Protection Agency $1.1 million in fines for allegedly violating air permits during their 2012 drilling season in Alaska.
State Panel Debates Arctic Policy In Unalaska
The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission has a big mandate – to figure out what kind of Arctic policy the state should have. They inched toward that goal during a meeting in Unalaska last week.
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Unalaskans Question Funding for Arctic Research
A lot more scientific research is needed if the United States wants to beef up its presence in the Arctic. The U.S. Arctic Research Commission met in Unalaska this week to figure out what work takes priority. But as KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal reports, locals were mostly concerned with how the government plans to pay for it all.
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Arctic Councils Test the Waters in Unalaska
Legislators, scientists, and industry stakeholders are flocking to Unalaska this week to work out a plan for exploring the Arctic and they want input from locals. The United States Arctic Research Commission convened at Unalaska’s Grand Aleutian Hotel today. The independent agency is made up of eight commissioners with diverse backgrounds in fisheries, science, and education.
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USCG Admiral Talks Arctic Strategy
The highest ranking leader in the United States Coast Guard stopped in Unalaska today to talk about Arctic strategy.
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With Arctic Growth Looming, Airlines Put Off Planning
Executives at Alaska Airlines and Peninsula Airways admit that their service to Unalaska isn’t perfect. Lopsided demand for flights and rough Aleutian weather already make it tough for them to serve the community. But huge demand from Arctic oil employees might make it even tougher. As KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal reports in a follow up to yesterday’s story, Unalaska faces an uphill battle to get better air service before growth picks up in the Arctic.
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In Unalaska, Crossed Wires Trip Up Air Travelers
For the past nine years, Alaska Airlines and Peninsula Airways have partnered to provide regular passenger air service to Unalaska. That service has been plagued by delays, and has also suffered from the airlines’ failure to communicate – with passengers, and even internally, with each other.
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Russian Fire Bomb Washes Up Near Chignik
Coast Guard helicopter dropped an elite team of explosives experts near Chignik last week. Their mission: to detonate a suspicious bomb that washed up on a remote beach. On paper, it was a standard assignment for the Army's explosive ordnance disposal team. But, the case still managed to turn up some surprises.
AKDOT Unable to Find Tustumena Stand-In
An open call for vessels that could fill in for the Tustumena ferry has ended, and the state came up empty-handed.
Unangan Elder Mary Nicolai Bourdukofsky Passes Away
The Pribilof Island of St. Paul lost an important elder this month. Mary Nicolai Bourdukofsky passed away at age 90. As KUCB’s Lauren Rosenthal reports, Bourdukofsky was devoted to preserving Unangan culture and history.
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Pavlof Eruption Strands Some Peninsula Travelers
Peninsula communities still aren’t reporting any ashfall from Pavlof Volcano's newest eruption, which started on Tuesday.
State Searching For Potential Tustumena Ferry Replacements
In less than six weeks, the Tustumena ferry is supposed to wrap up repairs and set sail to Southwest Alaska. But the shipyard says that delivery date isn’t looking realistic. As the state faces yet another blown deadline for getting the Tustumena back in service, they’ve started looking for other ships to pick up the ferry’s route. And it doesn’t have to be a perfect fit.
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Pavlof Eruption Loses Steam
There’s still some rumbling beneath the surface, and a few small explosions here and there. But for the most part, Pavlof Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula has quieted down.
Cloud Cover Making Pavlof Observation Difficult
Heavy cloud cover over the Alaska Peninsula is making it tough for scientists to monitor Pavlof Volcano. The Alaska Volcano Observary hasn’t been able to get a clear picture of the peak by satellite for almost two days.
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Bering Sea Factory Trawler Catches Fire
A factory trawler that frequently participates in the Bering Sea pollock fishery caught fire Monday afternoon.
Regional Flights Canceled Due to Volcanic Eruptions
Pavlof Volcano isn't showing signs of slowing down. It erupted all through the weekend, though not at levels that disturb international air traffic. But as KUCB's Lauren Rosenthal reports, the volcano's done enough to stop regional air service to Western Alaska.
Pavlof Ash Falls On Sand Point
Pavlof Volcano continued to erupt over the weekend, spitting a plume of ash that reached 22,000 feet into the sky.
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AK: Exploding History
It's been more than 70 years since Unalaska came under attack during World War II, but you don't have to look hard to find the remnants. The community is littered with old gunnery installations, battered Quonset huts and bunkers – some of which are being preserved for posterity. But there's history, and then there's hazard, and the shells and bombs that keep washing up on Unalaska's shores fall somewhere in between.
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Atka Searches for Funds to Replace Aging Health Clinic
Atka is home to just 71 people. But that’s about to change. The city’s processing plant wants to quadruple its workforce -- and with that, the community is ramping up a campaign to replace its dilapidated clinic.
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