Unalaska, AK – On this week's Speak Up, Unalaska!, Rep. Bryce Edgmon joined KUCB's Alexandra Gutierrez to talk about the state of the capital budget and what it means for the southwest region.

Unalaska, AK – After months of review, city council has finally adopted the comprehensive plan.

The Comprehensive Plan 2020 is meant to guide the future growth of the city, and it addresses issues such as infrastructure development and the housing shortage. The council unanimously approved the adoption of the comp plan, but not before a turbulent discussion took place.

Councilmember Dick Peck had some qualms about language concerning the future of renewable energy development. He thought that the existing language was too pessimistic and contained factual inaccuracies.

Unalaska, AK – This weekend, the Unalaska Raiders traveled to play in the Kotzebue Classic tournament. The boys came in second, while the girls placed third.

The boys played their first game against Point Hope Harpooners on Thursday, losing 87-42. But Coach Jim Wilson says that it was good practice playing against a team that's won the 2A state championship two years in a row.

"It's just a really good experience for the kids to learn how to play against a team that can bring some really intense pressure," says Wilson.

Unalaska, AK – After a month-long break, city council will convene for a monster meeting tonight. Everything from the comprehensive plan, to major budget amendments, to taxicab regulations is on the agenda.

The meeting will open with annual reports from the planning commission, the library advisory committee, and the PCR advisory committee. Following these presentations, council will take comment on the comprehensive plan and an ordinance that would reduce the number of taxicab permits.

Unalaska, AK – The Unalaska Raiders are facing an uphill battle in the Kotzebue Classic.

Despite weather-related travel delays, the boys and girls basketball teams were able to compete against Point Hope yesterday afternoon. In the boys game, the Harpooners beat the Raiders 87-42. The Point Hope Harpooners are the defending 2A state champions, having come in first two years in a row.

Unalaska, AK – Today, the House of Representatives passed an amendment proposed by Rep. Don Young that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency appeals board from reviewing air pollution permits for offshore drilling in the Arctic. The final vote was 243-185.

The amendment comes on the heels of a decision by Shell Oil to table their plan for drilling an exploratory well in the Beaufort Sea. That announcement came earlier this month, and the company listed EPA hold ups as a top concern. Shell continues to maintain a number of spill response assets in Unalaska.

Unalaska, AK – A missing person case involving an area fisherman was downgraded to inactive status on Tuesday, according to the Unalaska Department of Public Safety.

John F. Courage has now been missing for seven weeks, and the police have exhausted their leads. The 56-year-old fisherman disappeared on December 29, leaving his personal effects on the F/V Alaska Trojan, where he had been conducting boat watch. Sgt. Matt Betzen says that many interviews have been conducted in an attempt to establish Courage's whereabouts, but that they haven't provided any clues as to what happened to Courage.

Unalaska, AK – A vessel collision occurred between two large fishing vessels in Captains Bay early Tuesday morning.

The Alaska Spirit and the Kodiak Enterprise collided shortly after midnight. The Alaska Spirit had been moving away from a tramper after offloading, and the Kodiak Enterprise had left the OSI dock and was heading out fishing at the time of the accident. The Alaska Spirit, a 221-foot vessel that's part of the Fishing Company of Alaska, sustained damage to its bow. The Trident-owned Kodiak Enterprise is also in need of repairs. The starboard quarter and way of the gantry of the 262-foot vessel was struck and suffered substantial damage.

Unalaska, AK –
About a dozen crewmen and contractors are working to clean up an 800-gallon fuel spill that occurred in Unalaska yesterday.

The F/V Aleutian Lady was moored in Captains Bay when the spill occurred. According to Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Jason Munoz, the the crew was attempting to transfer 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel from the port-side tank to the starboard side when a vent on the receiving tank started to overflow. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation estimates that about 800 gallons of that fuel went into the bay.