Unalaska, AK – Thursday the House of Representatives passed their budget without including funding for six Marine Advisory Program rural agents, including the one in Unalaska. The governor did not include the $614,000 in his original budget. Nome Democratic Representative Neal Foster tried to amend the budget to include the necessary $614,000 when it was still under review by the Finance Committee on Monday, but they voted against the amendment 7 to 3. The failed amendment does not put the entire program into jeopardy, however it does mean that the offices in Unalaska, Dillingham, Kodiak, Nome, Petersberg, and Cordova will have to continue seeking grants to fund their agents.

Unalaska, AK – In honor of International Women's Day, KUCB is working in conjunction with USAFV to interview women from around the world whose lives have brought them to Unalaska. Their stories vary and each brings to the community different lessons and experiences. In our third interview, Juliette Vries talks with KUCB's Anne Hillman about what is normal.

Unalaska, AK – Gonorrhea infection rates in Alaska jumped up 69 percent in 2009 and the highest rate increase is in Southwest Alaska. It's also affecting more people who are 25 years old and younger.

It's unclear exactly what the rates are in Unalaska. Susan Jones with the state's department of epidemiology said statistics are kept based on the infected person's permanent residence. Though fewer than five people who identified Unalaska as their home tested positive, there are no records on how many people who live here on a part-time basis and transit through the town are infected or were treated for infections here. That means this community is not necessarily a risk-free area.

Unalaska, AK – According to the recently released community vision statement, two of the community's top ten priorities focus on the Iliuliuk Family Health Clinic. Priority number six is to improve clinic administrative functions, such as billing, scheduling, and customer service. Clinic executive director Sonia Handforth-Kome said the clinic is already addressing those issues.

"Certainly today I have staff going to customer service training. We have on-going customer service training. We had the problem last year, almost a year ago now, that we had some pretty extensive turnover in our admin department. So what we are trying to do is decrease turn over and increase training."

Unalaska, AK – In honor of International Women's Day, KUCB is working in conjunction with USAFV to interview women from around the world whose lives have brought them to Unalaska. Their stories vary and each brings to the community different lessons and experiences. Our second interview features a woman who is more likely to ask about you than to ever tell about herself. But she spoke with KUCB's Anne Hillman over a couple of good eats: Terry Abarro.

Unalaska, AK – The city council voted Tuesday to fund a slightly scaled-back version of the new small boat harbor.

Since the February 23 council meeting the proposed price of the Carl E. Moses boat harbor had risen $4.6 million, from $39 million to $43.7 million, because of rising costs of materials and land acquisition. That price included the inner harbor, contingency funds and road and uplands construction. It also included funds for additions to the base bid selected by the entire council at previous meetings such as $1.8 million for a drive down dock to help boats load and offload gear and $2.4 million to extend the C-float and make room for larger boats.

Unalaska, AK – In honor of International Women's Day, KUCB and USAFV are interviewing women from around the world whose lives have brought them to Unalaska. Their stories vary and each brings to the community different lessons and experiences. Our first interview starts fairly close to home. Katie Hallgrin originally comes from rural Wisconsin, but works in Unalaska so she can pursue her passion.

Unalaska, AK – The Western Alaska 3A conference championship ended this weekend. Barrow and Nome will both be sending both boys' and girls' teams on to state.

On the girls' side, Friday night Bethel and Barrow faced off for the first place slot. It was a very close match, but in the end Barrow won 39 to 35. After the Nome girls beat Dillingham on Saturday morning 46 to 28 they went on to challenge Bethel that evening. Still flying on the morning's high, they beat Bethel 46 to 33 and took the second place title.

Unalaska, AK – The Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a $31.9 million contract to build the new Akutan boat harbor. Knik Construction Company will build two rock breakwaters and dredge an area large enough for 58 boats ranging up to 180 feet in size. The federal government is covering 90 percent of the costs, or $28.6 million, with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Aleutians East Borough will pay the remaining $3.27 million and later will repay the federal government an additional ten percent of the total cost minus the amount the borough already spent on purchasing the land.