Unalaska, AK – The city sold $25 million in bonds yesterday at 5.46 percent interest to pay for the construction of the new powerhouse. City Manager Chris Hladick said the sale was just good luck--a month ago the bond market was very uncertain and the city was told interest rates might be as high as 8 percent. Had the city sold at an 8 percent interest rate, total payments would have been $15.24 million dollars higher over the 30-year payback period. To avoid that, the city developed a plan to loan itself the money. That plan is no longer necessary.
Unalaska, AK – The Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday morning for the fisherman who fell overboard off of the F/V Seabrooke on Tuesday. Forty-three year-old Keith Criner of Stockton, California went overboard after becoming entangled in a crab pot line and fell from the 109-foot fishing vessel at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday. The crew was fishing for Tanners approximately 22 miles northwest of Cold Bay. The Seabrooke , is home ported in Kodiak and owned by Seabrooke Enterprises of Freewater, Oregon. The ship returned to Unalaska Wednesday morning.
Unalaska, AK – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released new data on job creation and sales generation by the commercial and recreational fishing industries. Alaska does not rank number one. Of the $103 billion dollars in commercial fishery sales for 2006, the year from which data was complied, only $3 billion came from Alaska. Alaska ranked number 9 for overall job creation with 40,000 jobs. California ranked number one with $9.8 billion dollars in sales and 179,000 jobs.
Unalaska, AK – Followers of the Russian Orthodox faith get to celebrate Christmas twice--once on December 25 and again on January 7. Community members from Unalaska gathered at the Senior Center today to sing carols and share traditions. KUCB's Anne Hillman joined the festivities.
Unalaska, AK – A crab fisherman aboard the F/V Seabrooke fell overboard Tuesday morning when his foot became tangled in a line while he was setting crab pots. The 109-foot boat is home-ported in Kodiak and was fishing for tanner crabs about 22 miles northwest of Cold Bay. Coast Guard Petty Officer Walter Shinn said they do not think he was wearing any sort of flotation device and the crew could not see him after he fell into the 34 degree water with four foot seas. Two Coast Guard helicopters and a C-130 began searching for the 40-year-old man at about 11 am and will continue until sunset. He is presumed dead.
Unalaska, AK – Unalaskans gathered in the high school this weekend to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Alaska's statehood with a potlatch and with memories of Unalaska 50 years ago. KUCB's Anne Hillman attended the event.
Unalaska, AK – January 3rd marks the 50th anniversary of Alaska's statehood. The proclamation was signed in Washington, D.C. by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his words reverberated statewide. Unalaska's Mary Turnpaugh talks about the excitement of the day with KUCB's Anne Hillman.
Unalaska, AK – The city council meeting opened last night with comments from Public Safety Employee Association president Jennifer Shockley. She spoke against the Council's decision regarding the public safety union's contract.
"In a remarkable display of ethical bankruptcy the city council decided to pick and choose which parts of this contract they would honor and which parts they wouldn't. This is insulting and demeaning to every employee at public safety," she said. "We spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year upholding both the letter and the spirit of the law for the city of Unalaska only to find that our employer can't be bothered to do the same thing for us."
