Unalaska, AK – As the City considers energy relief measures, they are also keeping in mind long-term alternative energy options. Public Utilities Director Dan Winters recently flew over Makushin volcano to examine the terrain for a potential geothermal project. He said development of the area seems difficult.
"The terrain is pretty rugged through there. It's going to take a $20 million bridge just to come off of ST-1, which is one of the big producer wells," he said. "Then you have a canyon you have to go down and across the valley."
Unalaska, AK – As energy costs continually rise, the City of Unalaska is considering ways to help residents make it through. KIAL's Anne Hillman found out about the short- and long-term energy relief options before the council.
Unalaska's proposed energy relief options:
-$51 monthly rebates on all residential power bills for the next 14 months -Adding $1 to COPA to reduce power bills in winter months and when fuel costs rise -Suspending 3% sales tax on residential heating fuel City funded rebates for purchasing energy star rated appliances -City funded rebates for home weatherization -Fully funding the waste heat units to increase powerhouse efficiency and saving $400,000 per year -Fully funding powerhouse renovations, reducing all power bills by $0.01 per kwh
Unalaska, AK – Members of the Resource Development Council toured Unalaska last week to see what role the community can plan in the development of Alaska's natural resources. The group included representatives from oil & gas, fishing, mining, tourism, and forestry industries. R-D-C executive director Jason Brune says the group tours a different community each year and looks at what roles the industries can play there.
Unalaska, AK – The City of Adak is in the middle of another power crisis. It cannot afford to pay its bills and plans on starting rolling blackouts. The City will only provide power for 11 hours per day. KIAL's Anne Hillman tried to find out what's causing the problems and what they are doing to fix them.
Correction: The Aleut Corporation has 3,500 shareholders, not 35,000.
Unalaska, AK – Students returned to class in the Aleutians School District yesterday, but their numbers may not be high enough to support separate schools in Adak, Atka, and Nikolski. District Superintendent Joe Beckford says it's not certain that any of the individual schools will have 10 students, the minimum number required to keep the schools open.
"In 1999, we had 48 students just in Adak and we had anticipated growth here. Instead we've had the district contract in size and the communities are less," he says. "So now we watch very carefully to make sure we can make the required 10 at our sites."
Unalaska, AK – The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge stretches from islands in the Gulf of Alaska to the end of the Aleutian chain. It's managed as a resource for Alaskans, though most won't get to experience it until now. KIAL's Anne Hillman spoke with the photographers who are trying to bring the maritime refuge to land.
Aleutian Islands, AK – Archaeologists have collected prehistoric artifacts from around the Aleutians for close to a century. Some say they know all they need to about the Aleut cultures that date back 9000 years. Others say, they've only scratched and plundered the surface. KIAL's Anne Hillman explored some of the sites with regional archaeologists.
Adak, AK – When Kasatochi volcano erupted in August, it did more than release massive clouds of ash and sulfur - it remade the face of an island. KIAL's Anne Hillman learned about the before and after.
Unalaska, AK – Unalaska Resident Jane Bye is at the DNC convention in Denver, Colorado. She says that the highlights of her trip included the speech by Michelle Obama. "She was awesome and inspiring, and there were a lot of tears in the hall with everyone relating to what she was saying, Bye said. The convention began on Monday with a delegate breakfast at 7 am and lasted until 10 o'clock that evening. Bye also got to see Senator Teddy Kennedy from Massachusetts and Caroline Kennedy at the convention. Other highlights included Wolf Blitzer, John King, and Katie Couric. Bye also got to see Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and others give their speeches at the convention. A lot of people are asking us about the Ted Stevens race, ANWR, off shore drilling and others, said Bye. The Alaska delegation is all wearing matching kuspuks, traditional Yupik jackets with the state on the back, and everyone is complimenting us on those, so it's been a lot of fun to be with the Alaska delegation. Bye is attending the delegation as an alternate. On the third tier, not on the floor, delegates come and get, circulate up and down, sit on the floor for a part of the time. I don't do anything official unless a delegate is missing, I kind of have the best of both worlds because I get to experience everything, but I don't have a whole lot of responsibility and I can wander around and check things out, Bye said. Bye said she doesn't anticipate having to step up and fill in for a vote. The first night was the opening session and there were several speakers including Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and other members of congress. There are meetings and caucuses going on. A panel that Bye sat in on and listened to was about alternative energy. In the place called the Big Tent Bye ran across all of the bloggers including the Daily Post and Ariana Huffington. There was a little spa room Ariana Huffington set up to get healthy food, a massage, or you can do yoga, Bye said. So I went to do yoga for 20 minutes one day. Bye is a social work by training, and she had the opportunity to meet and go to a social workers meeting for delegates. This evening, Bye will be in more meetings. Social workers are here, and we got a chance to get together, discuss issues and network, Bye said. Bye said that most people are excited about Barack Obama's choice of Biden as a running mate. She said that she hasn't seen Obama yet because he is out of state, but he did call in and was on the live-video feed after his wife Michelle Obama gave her speech. The convention ended Thursday night after Obama gave his acceptance speech.
