For the second time in three years, one of Unalaska’s schools has been nominated for the National Blue Ribbon award. In 2010, it was Unalaska City School. This time, it’s Eagle’s View Elementary School. Superintendent John Conwell says it’s no surprise that Unalaska’s schools are eligible for recognition as being among the nation’s best.

“We’ve been, I believe, in the top three performing school districts in the state for several years now.”

The Blue Ribbon award takes into account student scores on statewide assessments, as well as community involvement with the school, teaching methodology, and the school’s non-core curriculum. Alaska can nominate just three schools a year -- and schools can only receive the award once every five years

For the first time since the fishery reopened in 2009, crabbers have caught the entire quota of St. Matthew’s blue king crab. The last of 89 landings was made on December 8, bringing the total catch to just 14,000 pounds shy of the 1.6 million pound quota.

Last year, fishermen landed roughly the same amount of crab, but the quota was 30 percent higher and severe weather hampered the season. This year’s catch rate was slightly up, at 10 crab per pot, compared to nine last year, while the average weight was the same. The season closes on February 1.

Senator Lisa Murkowski has hired a new fisheries and Arctic policy advisor. Jay Sterne is a former federal lobbyist, and he comes to Murkowski’s office from Windward Strategies, a consulting group. In a press release, Sterne is described as “a twenty year veteran of fisheries and Arctic policy discussions.” He’s lobbied for several Alaska fisheries clients, including Alaskan Leader Fisheries, Prowler Fisheries and Clipper Seafoods. According to Murkowski’s press office, Sterne has recently been working on Steller sea lion-related fisheries closures in the western Aleutian Islands on behalf of the fishing industry.

A provision in the recently passed Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill hones in on the strategic importance of the Pribilof island of St. George. The community’s harbor is the only one in the Bering Sea that’s ice-free year-round, and with vessel traffic increasing in the Arctic, Mayor Pat Pletnikoff says the community needs to be ready for the possibility of maritime disasters.

Governor Sean Parnell released his proposed capital budget for fiscal year 2014 Friday, and two of Unalaska’s projects made it onto the list. Gov. Parnell recommended $6 million for Unalaska’s water and wastewater treatment facilities, both of which need upgrading by the end of 2014.

Mayor Shirley Marquardt says she’s very pleased.

“It really feels good to know that not only has the Governor’s office heard our concerns, but really appreciates the tremendous financial hit that the City of Unalaska, and everyone who works here or lives here has to pay in order to try and keep up with these mandated projects. And every little bit helps -- and that’s not a little bit, that’s a really good chunk. So, hopefully it’s going to be quite helpful when we take another look at the rates.”

Starting next year, harbor workers will only need to make one in-person visit to get a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC card. Previously, first-time TWIC enrollees have had to stop into one of seven TWIC offices in the state of Alaska to register for the card -- and then come back again, weeks later, to pick up the printed security badge.

Congress relaxed the requirement as part of the Coast Guard reauthorization bill, which is about to be signed into law. 

The National Weather Service is predicting another icy winter ahead for the Bering Sea. Lead ice forecaster Kathleen Cole released her winter outlook on Thursday. She’s predicting the eastern Bering Sea – including the Pribilof Islands – will have heavier ice accumulation than usual, in keeping with a multi-year trend for region.

Cole estimates the ice edge will reach St. Paul Island by mid-January and St. George by late January. That’s roughly the same timeline as last year, but in the outlook, Cole says the ice edge will likely follow its normal pattern of advance and retreat, instead of sticking around like it did last winter. That’s good news for snow crabbers, who struggled with persistent ice cover last winter that repeatedly shut down the fishery and ultimately ended up extending the season into June.

After two months of votes and debates, city council has approved $202,000 in grants for an extensive renovation at the Museum of the Aleutians. But a separate plan to pay off the grant using funds for tourism and cultural projects failed.

That means that the grant will be paid from the general fund. And typically, nonprofits don’t receive money from the general fund outside the regular nonprofit funding cycle. When Council considered the grant as part of a budget package last month, it failed by a 3-1 vote, since four votes are needed to approve any legislation. Councilor Zac Schasteen, who cast the “no” vote, said he couldn’t support the grant as long as the city faced expensive capital projects.

The biggest demand for water in Unalaska hits during the winter months, when groundwater is frozen and fish processors are at their busiest. At those times, the city’s water supply can fall short of demand by as many as 4 million gallons.

Last night, city council starting considering short-term solutions to those shortages, along with some costly new wells to permanently boost the water supply.