News

FIRE— A fire destroyed three older and sparsely used school buildings, on Thursday, Feb. 2. No fire injuries were sustained but many residents were treated for smoke inhalation.

Fire destroys three buildings in Savoonga

By Diana Haecker Three old school buildings in Savoonga were destroyed by a fire on Thursday, Feb. 2. According to Savoonga Village Police Officer and Police Chief Michael Wongittillin, he received...

Nome man charged with 22 counts of sexual abuse of minors

By Diana Haecker A Nome man was last week charged with 22 counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree and two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree. Robert O’Connor, 72, was...

How will the Bering Strait respond to harmful algal blooms?

By Megan Gannon Emma Pate did not grow up hearing about harmful algae in the Bering Strait region. But now she spends about 75 to 100 percent of her time at work thinking about these tiny, toxin-...

BEFORE AND AFTER — Satellite images of a stream near Nome show just how quickly beavers can change tundra landscapes.

Beaver colonization around Nome is a ‘harbinger’ of Arctic changes

By Megan Gannon Though much of the Seward Peninsula remains untouched by development, one group of architects has been engineering steady changes: Beavers. They are expanding further into the Arctic...

Port director to resign effective May

By Diana Haecker Port Director Joy Baker confirmed her intent to resign, saying last year that she was going to tell leadership at city hall the effective date of her resignation by the end of...

Council sets state, federal priorities

By Diana Haecker The Nome Common Council discussed federal and state priorities at last Monday’s regular meeting and passed two resolutions to prioritize capital projects. On top of the state list...

Troopers identify polar bear mauling victims

By Diana Haecker The victims of last week’s polar bear attack in Wales were identified as 24-year-old St. Michael resident Summer Myomick and her one-year-old son Clyde Ongtowasruk. Alaska State...

RECYCLING AREA— Sorting and packaging of recyclables is taking place outdoors at this lot across from Kawerak, at Seppala Drive, limiting the amount of materials that can prepared for shipping out of the region. An enclosed recycling center could step up the region’s recycling effort and yield a better outcome.

Council hears of need for a Recycling Center

By Diana Haecker Kawerak Environmental Program Director Anahma Shannon made the case for a much-needed recycling center facility in Nome, presenting information from a feasibility study and several...

Polar bear kills woman and her child in Wales

By Diana Haecker A woman and a boy were killed by a polar bear in Wales, on Tuesday, January 17. Alaska State Troopers identified the mauling victims as 24-year-old Saint Michael resident Summer...

RECYCLING— Council members and Kawerak’s Environmental Program Director Anahma Shannon, center, listen to ideas regarding recycling efforts from members in the audience, at last Monday’s work session at City Hall.

City easing tax payers into acceptance of new collection system

By Diana Haecker A lot has happened since last summer and an ordinance passed last July has slipped people’s mind, but is now being implemented, as the city’s administration is rolling out a new...