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.
Federal officials make formal apology for WWII internment of Unangan people
On Wednesday, Federal officials apologized for their role in the World War II internment of the Unangan people. Listen now
Elders reflect on Aleut evacuation during WWII
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Aleut evacuation. More than 800 Unangan people were removed from the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands and relocated to Southeast Alaska during World War II. Two elders share their memories.
Sea lion feeding hot spots have reliable, not necessarily abundant, food
New research could help wildlife managers better protect declining Steller sea lion populations. The study looks at why sea lions zero in on specific hunting hotspots. Listen now
Murre colonies struggle to reproduce following die-off
The massive murre die-off that left tens of thousands of dead birds on Alaska’s coast in 2015 and 2016 may be over, but the population is still struggling. In the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, surviving murres are failing to reproduce. Listen now
Decades of trawl surveys help Bering Sea climate change research
There’s a new tool to help scientists and others interested in monitoring how Bering Sea fisheries respond to a changing climate. Listen now
Two dead squid in two weeks: Coincidence?
The novelty of seeing a jumbo squid in Unalaska is not wearing off: a second one washed ashore Monday night. Listen now
Air pollution violations will cost seafood processing plant $3.2 million
A seafood processing plant in Unalaska is on the hook for $3.2 million for breaking air pollution regulations. Listen now
EPA retiree has advice for Scott Pruitt on his way out the door
For most people, the last day on the job before retiring is a celebration. But Michael Cox capped off his career at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a scathing letter to agency head Scott Pruitt. Listen now
Unalaska receives surprise visitor from the deep
What has eight arms, two tentacles and washed ashore on a beach in Unalaska Monday night? A more than six-foot long squid. Listen now
49 Voices: Shawna Rudio of Unalaska
This week we're hearing from Shawna Rudio in Unalaska. Rudio is a high school English teacher at Unalaska City School. Listen now
Scientists agree starvation killed hundreds of puffins, but did PSP play a role?
What caused more than 300 puffins to wash up dead in the Pribilof Islands last fall? Starvation. At least, that’s the consensus among most scientists. Listen now
Unalaska teen: If you like sushi, you better take care of the environment
Across the state, there’s a cohort of young Alaskans raising awareness for the rapidly changing Arctic environment. Cade Terada is one of 22 Arctic Youth Ambassadors. Growing up in Unalaska, America’s largest fishing port, he was immersed in the seafood industry. Listen now
Fish and Game says crab counts were low this season, fishermen disagree
The Bering Sea Bairdi (or Tanner) crab fishery stayed closed this year, for the first time in four years. State biologists decided there were too few crab to safely harvest. But fishermen are questioning that decision. They say there were plentiful Bairdi when they were fishing for other species. Listen now
Steller Watch lets anyone with internet access play wildlife biologist
In an effort to figure out what’s behind the mysterious decline of Steller sea lions, scientists are trying out crowdsourcing for the first time. The project is called Steller Watch. The idea is to convince the public to comb through pictures looking for sea lions. Listen now
Harvard class assignment: solve rural Alaska’s fossil fuel woes
Rural Alaska runs on diesel. Although many communities are open to alternative energy ideas, they don’t have the funding to even explore them. But help could come in the form of graduate students from Harvard University, who have been tasked with the assignment of solving some of Alaska’s fossil fuel energy woes. Listen now
49 Voices: Carlos Tayag of Unalaska
Now it’s time for 49 voices. This week we're hearing from Carlos Tayag in Unalaska. Tayag is the Teen and Leisure program coordinator for the city and moved to the island from Washington three years ago. Listen now
Stranded seal gets first-class rescue in Unalaska
Most of the time, a seal in Unalaska doesn’t attract too much attention, but a ringed seal is a different story. The marine mammals live near ice and typically are found further north. When a sick ringed seal appeared and then vanished last week, the community united to find it. Listen now
From fear to fervor, how this millennial is making the outdoors more inclusive
When you open a REI catalog or page through Outside magazine, what do you see? Do the people on the page look like you? Arctic Youth Ambassador Reth Duir is working to make that imagery more representative. Listen now
Murkowski backs bill to strengthen volcano monitoring
Senator Lisa Murkowski wants to bolster the nation’s volcano monitoring system. Listen now
From the ashes: Life returns to Kasatochi volcano
Nearly every year since Kasatochi erupted, scientists have returned to study how ecosystems respond to cataclysmic destruction. Listen now