Annie Ropeik, KUCB - Unalaska
Annie Ropeik is a reporter for KUCB in Unalaska.
Unalaska Police: Missing Hiker’s Body Found In Pyramid Valley
Unalaska police have confirmed that a person found dead in Pyramid Valley on Monday is 33-year-old Jessica Acker. She went missing while on a hike in the area on Sunday.
Shishaldin Volcano’s Eruption Hits One-Year Mark
If you’ve taken a PenAir flight between Unalaska and Anchorage in the past year, you’ve been traveling over an erupting volcano.
Unalaska Locals Hope Proposed Watershed Fixes Are First of Many
Unalaska Lake and the Iliuliuk River run through the heart of Unalaska. The watershed used to be habitat for thousands of salmon. But after decades of development and little consideration for containing runoff, that fish population seems to be on the decline.
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Two Indicted After Break-In at Sand Point Post Office
Two Sand Point men are facing federal charges after allegedly breaking into the town’s post office in late December. Sheldon Shuravloff, 21, and Keith Lee Wilson, Jr., 18, were indicted Thursday on charges of burglary with intent to commit larceny, and conspiracy to commit burglary.
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Experiment Looks for Slow Earthquakes Under Unalaska
Earthquakes are an almost hourly occurrence in the Aleutian Islands. But most are too tiny to feel, and even the bigger ones are usually over in seconds. Just last week, a 4.7M quake went all but unnoticed in Unalaska.
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AK: Starring
Last week’s Russian Christmas in Unalaska looked a little different than elsewhere in the state. Over the years, the town has evolved from a Native village into an industrial hub. Now, it has miles of roads and thousands of residents from countless different faiths.
So the little congregation of the oldest Russian Orthodox Church on the continent has had to evolve, too. KUCB’s Annie Ropeik has more on how their Slaaviq has become a community celebration.
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10 Years On, Selendang Ayu Spill’s Legacy Still Evolving
This week marks 10 years since the bulk carrier Selendang Ayu ran aground off Unalaska Island. The ship lost power and broke in half against the shore, spilling oil and its soybean cargo, and leaving six crew members dead.
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Alexandria House Project Hits Permitting Snags
Plans to turn an old bar into a way to raise money for emergency housing in Unalaska are slowing down. That’s after the city discovered that the nonprofit Alexandria House had worked on the project all year without a building permit.
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Search Goes On for Missing Crew of Sunk Pollock Boat
Rescuers have recovered the bodies of 11 more crew members from a South Korean pollock boat that sank in the Bering Sea on Monday.
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South Korean Trawler Sinks in Russian Far East
At least one person has died and dozens more are missing after a South Korean trawler sank in the western Bering Sea early Monday morning.
Industry Blames Pirate Fishing as Red King Prices Drop
The Bering Sea red king crab fleet finished catching 10 million pounds of quota last week -- and they're facing some lackluster prices as the crab goes to market. It could be due to higher catch limits in Alaska and Russia.
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NMFS Expands Fishing Near Steller Sea Lion Habitat
The National Marine Fisheries Service will re-open fisheries in the Western Aleutian Islands that have been restricted for years to protect a population of Steller sea lions.
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Tremors and Ash Seen at Pavlof Volcano
Pavlof Volcano is awake again on the Alaska Peninsula. The Alaska Volcano Observatory reports that Pavlof, "has entered a new phase of eruptive activity.”
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Court Rejects Shell Suit Against Environmental Groups
An appeals court has tossed out a request by Shell Oil to block future challenges from environmental groups against Arctic drilling operations.
Refuge Proposes Shooting Caribou that Swim Off Adak
Adak Island is home to something you won’t find much of elsewhere in the Aleutians: a herd of caribou, introduced in the 1950s as a hunting option for the naval base. The base has since closed, but the caribou are still there -- and lately, some have been striking out for new pastures. It’s got wildlife refuge managers looking to keep a herd from forming where hunters can’t follow.
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Drifting Barge Heading for Arctic Sea Ice
A small fuel barge is drifting toward Arctic sea ice, north of Prudhoe Bay - and the Coast Guard says it’ll probably be stuck there until next summer.
Fuel Barge Still Adrift In Beaufort Sea
An unmanned fuel barge adrift in the Beaufort Sea hasn’t run aground yet. A Coast Guard aircraft from Air Station Kodiak got a visual on the small Canadian barge Friday.
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Small Fuel Barge Adrift In Beaufort Sea
A small, unmanned fuel barge is adrift in the Beaufort Sea and may be heading toward Prudhoe Bay after its tow line snapped in a storm on Monday.
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Unalaska Clinic Shares Ebola Response Plans
Concerns about Ebola are running high in Unalaska. The town’s unique geography and large international workforce have residents wondering how they’d be affected by an outbreak. Local medical providers are trying to calm those fears.
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Bering Sea Crab Fleet Hopes For Big Haul As Season Begins
Wednesday marked the opening of the Bering Sea crab season. Quotas are up almost across the board. But one species that usually takes a backseat is outshining the rest – and that’s got some fishermen changing their game plans.
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