Unalaska, AK – Fall sports are winding down. Volleyball and swimming have completed their seasons, and wrestling has just two more tournaments to go before it wraps up.

The wrestling team attended the ACS tournament last weekend. Alex Magalong placed sixth in the 103-lb weight class, and Unalaska City School principal Glenn Cole says that each teammate gave a good showing.

"All of the wrestlers won at least one match while they were there," says Cole.

Unalaska, AK – This month, the Alaska commissioner of education nominated Unalaska City School for the U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon Award. The program recognizes exceptional schools, as well as schools with a high rate of success with disadvantaged students.

The state is able to nominate three schools out of the more than one hundred that operate in the state. Chugach Optional School and Houston High School also received nominations.

Unalaska, AK – Last night, community members met at the school library to discuss the future of the health and physical education curriculums at Unalaska's schools. All of the school's curricula is on a rotating review schedule. Physical education and health were last reviewed six years ago, and now it's their turn to be evaluated, says Eagle's View Elementary Principal Laurie Scoles.

"We'll be looking at the trends in P.E. and health education that have been going on in the last six years, since we took a look at this curriculum," says Scoles. "Taking a look and seeing what has changed and making sure that we're offering kids all of the current P.E. and health education standards, and adding to the curriculum as it's appropriate."

Unalaska, AK – While pollock is common at sushi joints and grocery stores, it might also be making its way into hospitals in the form of gelatins. A team of scientists is trying to find a way to convert the fish byproduct into a gelatin that could be used to dress wounds or even help repair damaged organs.

For years, the United States Department of Agriculture has worked with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to maximize the value of pollock, says Peter Bechtel, a food technologist at the Subarctic Agricultural Research Unit in Kodiak.

Unalaska, AK – This weekend, a small oil spill was spotted near the light cargo dock. Petty Officer Jeffry Crews from the Coast Guard's marine safety detachment reported the incident. The sheen was about 50 wide and 2,000 feet long.

John Brown is with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and he says that the spill was likely composed of hydraulic oil.

"It had a light bluish color, so it must have been a fairly good concentration," says Brown.

Unalaska, AK – Today, the Department of Public Utilities made its first big move to bring two new generators online. At about 1:10pm, a Wartsila engine was powered up and connected to the city's electrical grid. While the city had prepared for power outages during these tests, none occurred.

"The critical time was when we were bringing the Wartsila online, and switching the power from the old plant to the new plant here," says Public Utilities Director Dan Winters. "It went really smooth, and we're really pleased."

Unalaska, AK – Last night, city council met to consider zoning rules.

The meeting opened with the swearing in of Justin Swangel as a new police officer.

Council then transitioned to the work session, where they discussed the Fiscal Year 2012 budget and the Capital and Major Maintenance Plan (CMMP) calendar. Council will be directly addressing the CMMP in its December meetings.

Unalaska, AK – The National Marine Fisheries Service has released its draft assessment of the eastern Bering Sea walleye pollock stock. Abundance of the fish has increased, with the acceptable biological catch being placed at approximately 1.3 million metric tons.
The acceptable biological catch and the total allowable catch that can be harvested by fishermen are often one and the same: Last year, both were set at 813,000 tons. Jim Ianelli is a research biologist with NMFS, and he headed the work on the draft assessment.

Unalaska, AK – Yesterday afternoon, a Coast Guard helicopter medevaced a fisherman from the vessel Cape Reliant. Tom Webster, 26, reportedly suffered a head injury at around 1:25pm, while the vessel was 55 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor.

Crew members from the nearby Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley promptly attended to the vessel, providing medical assistance until the Jayhawk rescue helicopter was able to medevac Webster at 4:20.