Annie Ropeik, KUCB - Unalaska

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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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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.” Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio

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. Download Audio