David Scott Cowper has sailed around the world multiple times, and he’s the first person to have made it through the Northwest Passage alone. He and his boat the Polar Bound in Unalaska this week, and KUCB’s Alexandra Gutierrez talked to him about his voyages.

This weekend’s Fourth of July fireworks display drew plenty applause. But despite the clear skies and big crowd, the city’s demonstration didn’t go perfectly smoothly. Sparks and ash from the fireworks caused three small tundra fires on the Mount Newhall hillside.

According to the Unalaska Department of Public Safety, the fires were extinguished quickly.

“We had firefighters who were on standby for precisely that kind of activity. They went up on the hillside with their bunker gear and extinguishing equipment, and successfully put them out,” says Sgt. Jennifer Shockley. “I think the largest one was reported to be about 10 feet across.

The first of July is usually a bad day for Unalaska’s subsistence fishermen. By regulation, restrictions are usually put on salmon fishing at Wislow for the first part of the month, limiting fishing opportunities.

But this year, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is permitting subsistence fishing in Reese Bay to the end of the McLees Lake stream outlet, instead of closing off a 500 yard section. That’s because ADFG met their minimum escapement goal of 10,000 sockeye salmon.

The minimum escapement goal at Wislow was achieved last week. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has set the escapement goal at 10,000 to 60,000 fish, and as of Thursday, more than 11,000 sockeye salmon had passed through the weir at McLees Lake.

On the same day last year, a total of just over 1,500 fish had been counted.

A pair of suicide prevention counselors is in Unalaska offering training workshops to adults and teenagers. The specialists from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium have been holding sessions this week with about 18 community members of different ages participating. They are discussing ways to recognize warning signs and find ways to engage peers who might be at-risk.

Hillary Strayer is an injury prevention specialist with ANTHC. She’s traveled to about a half-dozen communities to discuss suicide prevention and says that in recent days she’s heard many concerns.

Unalaska, AK – An Australian cruise ship on its inaugural voyage stopped over in Unalaska Wednesday on its way to Russia and Japan. KUCB's Jacob Resneck reports.

Unalaska, AK – With less than two weeks into the season, the salmon run at Cape Wislow had nearly met its minimum escapement goal. As of yesterday 9,331 sockeye salmon have been counted at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service weir at McLees Lake. Counting began June 10 and the minimum goal is 10,000 fish.

The subsistence sockeye fishery at Reese Bay is off to an early start with escapement numbers nearly nine times higher than this time last year. The state escapement target is between 10,000 and 60,000 fish. Last year's escapement was about 32,000 sockeye an improvement over the previous two years which did not break the 10,000 mark triggering closures. Historic highs have ranged around 100,000 fish in the past decade.

Unalaska, AK – This week, the Coast Guard presented the crew of the Tor Viking II with a Meritorious Public Service award for their rescue of the disabled cargo ship Golden Seas.

The 738-foot vessel went adrift in near Adak in December when it lost propulsion. It was carrying nearly half a million gallons of oil and fuel, and was in danger of grounding in Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge land. The icebreaker Tor Viking assisted the Coast Guard by traveling out from Unalaska to tow the Golden Seas to safety.

Unalaska, AK – Nearly 40 people of all ages ran 2 miles Monday in the annual Unalaska Summer Solstice Run. KUCB's Jacob Resneck was there.