Unalaska, AK – Starting this month, the ping of a text message can alert you to important safety messages. The Unalaska Department of Public Saefty has registered with Nixle, a service that routes community notifications to a person's cell phone or e-mail account.

Public Safety will be using Nixle to send Unalaska residents messages related to four categories: alert, advisory, community, and traffic. The alerts can be used to notify community members of emergencies like tsunami warnings, volcano eruptions, or hazmat incidents. Advisories will be used to for high wind warnings or level 3 road advisories, for example. Community alerts will cover things like rabies vaccinations. Sgt. Jennifer Shockley anticipates that Nixle will primarily be used for traffic updates.

Unalaska, AK – Today, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game released its Climate Change Strategy. The report looks at the potential impact that climate change would have on the state's wildlife and fisheries - and what it might mean for commercial fishermen and subsistence users.

The report anticipates that fire regimes might increase, that the distribution of the state's freshwater might change, and that sea ice in the Arctic will continue to shrink. Alaska's crab fishery could be affected both by ocean acidification and by the increased presence of invasive species like green crab. A rise in ocean temperatures could cause pollock to drift northward, and could potentially increase commercial fishing opportunities in the Arctic. In addition to affecting distribution of fish, climate change could also lead to earlier salmon runs.

Unalaska, AK – November is National Native American Heritage month and it's Alaska Native Heritage Month here in this state. It's celebrated with a parade in Sitka, and classrooms across the state give special attention to the history of Alaska Natives during this time.

Here in Unalaska, residents have found more personal ways to celebrate. Wendy Svarny-Hawthorne is the president of the Ounalashka Corporation, and she worked with her sister Sharon Svarny-Livingston to acquire a group of nine Unangan baskets this month.

Unalaska, AK – It's the end of November, and the season for Bristol Bay red king crab is now 97% complete. Just under 13 million pounds have been harvested, and about 400,000 pounds remain. The total allowable catch, including the CDQ quota, is 14.8 million pounds.

There have been 210 deliveries made by 64 boats. Now, only 12 vessels are still fishing.

Assistant Area Shellfish Biologist Jeanette Alas says the season has kept pace, and been mostly uneventful.

Unalaska, AK – Two years ago, pollock biomass declined substantially, and some biologists and conservationists warned that the Bering Sea's pollock fishery could potentially collapse. Now, they are recommending cautious optimism.

Pollock biomass has since increased, doubling from 4.6 million MT to 9.6 million MT. The allowable biological catch (ABC) for 2011 has been put at 1.267 million metric tons, a 56% percent increase over last year's ABC of 813,000 metric tons.

Unalaska, AK – A crew member on the fishing vessel Frontier Explorer has been charged with sexual harassment and sexual assault of a National Marine Fisheries Service observer.

Victor Chavez-Ramirez, age 28, was arrested on Thursday in Unalaska by NOAA special agents, and his arraignment took place on Monday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Skrocki alleged that Chavez-Ramirez verbally harassed and groped a NMFS observer while aboard the vessel Frontier Spirit from August to October 2008.The harassment and assault also impeded the NMFS observer's ability to monitor bycatch and collect data -- another criminal offense for which Chavez-Ramirez is being charged.

Unalaska, AK – It's the day before Thanksgiving, and the grocery store is filled with shoppers preparing for the big meal tomorrow. KUCB's Alexandra Gutierrez asked Unalaskans how they're celebrating the holiday - and, what they're making.

Unalaska, AK – Last night, city council addressed zoning issues and the preferential use agreement with Horizon Lines.

The meeting opened with a public hearing concerning the zoning classification of a parcel of land at Devilfish Point. During the regular session, an ordinance that would change the classification from a holding zone and marine-dependent industrial portion of land to an unzoned native allotment went into second reading and was approved unanimously.

Unalaska, AK – Tonight, city council will meet to discuss zoning issues and the Preferential Use Agreement with Horizon Lines.

The meeting will open with a public hearing concerning the zoning classification of a parcel of land at Devilfish Point. During the regular session, an ordinance that would change the classification from a holding zone and marine-dependent industrial portion of land to an unzoned Native allotment will be considered.