Zoë Sobel, Alaska's Energy Desk - Unalaska
Zoe Sobel is a reporter with Alaska's Energy Desk based in Unalaska. As a high schooler in Portland, Maine, Zoë Sobel got her first taste of public radio at NPR’s easternmost station. From there, she moved to Boston where she studied at Wellesley College and worked at WBUR, covering sports for Only A Game and the trial of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Unalaska mayor will face recall election in 2018
Unalaska will have a mayoral recall election early next year, thanks to a successful petition submitted to city government. Listen now
Unalaska’s fire chief says he was forced to resign
Unalaska’s Fire Chief says he was forced to resign Friday and less than 24 hours later put on a plane to the Lower 48. Listen now
Coast Guard medevacs man experiencing symptoms of appendicitis
The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a man Saturday off a bulk carrier 122 miles southwest of Adak.
Come 2018, the state plans to dispose of F/V Akutan
The processor was abandoned in September following a disastrous fishing season in Bristol Bay where the ship’s owner went broke, the crew went unpaid, and it’s 158,000 pound haul of salmon was declared unfit for human consumption. Listen now
Unalaska mayoral recall petition delivered to city hall
The Unalaska City Clerks department is checking signatures on a petition to recall Mayor Frank Kelty.
King Cove closer to goal of 100 percent renewable energy
Funding for renewable energy projects in Alaska has dried up, but that has not stopped the City of King Cove from pursuing green power. Listen now
Eighty tons of contested Bristol Bay salmon trashed in Anchorage landfill
Even after a disastrous season where the F/V Akutan ended up disabled, the crew was hopeful the fish could be saved and they would get paid. That didn't happen. Listen now
In Unalaska, the F/V Akutan is everyone’s problem… but nobody’s responsibility
After strong winds pushed the F/V Akutan close to shore, the Coast Guard decided that it was time to remove all fuel and hazardous materials from the custom processor. Much to the City of Unalaska's dismay, there is no indication the Akutan will be moving any time soon. Listen now
King Cove and feds exploring options to build road without Congressional approval
With the Trump administration, King Cove is looking into new options to make their dream of a road to Cold Bay a reality. But environmental groups argue the road would harm wildlife in the Izembek Refuge and any plan should require public input and Congressional approval. Listen now
Bering sea crab fisheries face more cutbacks
For the second year in a row, crab fisheries in southwest Alaska are facing steep cuts. This year’s Bristol Bay red king crab fishery is 22 percent smaller than last year. Listen now
Unwanted Unalaska fishing nets find second life in Denmark
In Unalaska, unwanted fishing nets are everywhere. Now, for the first time, a company halfway around the world is recycling the nets. Listen now
Crew abandons F/V Akutan in Unalaska’s Captains Bay
After a disastrous fishing season as a processor in Bristol Bay -- the F/V Akutan's owner went broke, the crew went unpaid and now the ship is disabled and unable to move. Listen now
GCI looks into bringing fiber to Unalaska
GCI is looking into what it would take to bring faster internet to Unalaska. The telecommunications company is evaluating if fiber would be a financially feasible solution. Right now, they are in the exploratory process. Listen now
Want the freshest Unalaska fish? You’ll have to go to Europe.
Unalaska may be America's most productive fishing port, but you can't buy fresh fish in town.
Teaching the next crop of whale entanglement responders
Unalaska has experienced three entangled whales in the last two years. There used to be only one person on the island who could respond to the incidents. But thanks to a recent training, a new response team is in place. Listen now
After a rocky start, Unalaska’s subsistence salmon run hits target escapement
While Unalaska’s biggest subsistence salmon run got off to a slow start this season, it’s now at a sustainable level. Listen now
Eruptions can’t stop sealife from calling Bogoslof home
Before Bogoslof volcano started erupting, it was a haven for endangered Steller sea lions, fur seals and sea birds. But scientists did not know when and if animals would return to the eastern Aleutian Island. Listen now
Fast times and fat wallets – how Alaska got its pipeline
The trans-Alaska pipeline was the largest privately-funded construction project in the world, built across the biggest U.S. state and faced with unprecedented natural obstacles. It came with an $8 billion price tag, but true costs and benefits of the pipeline are still being calculated.
“Doesn’t he know it’s frozen?” How Alaska almost overlooked Prudhoe Bay
You could argue — and a lot of people do — that Alaska would be a completely different place if it weren’t for a man named Tom Marshall.
New equipment helps scientists keep tabs on Bogoslof now and study it later
There aren't many volcanoes like Bogoslof. But with an improved monitoring network, scientists are relishing every last eruption. Listen now