Isabelle Ross

The Dillingham City Council voted Friday to require testing at the end of a 14-day quarantine in Dillingham, effective May 22, as well as a series of protective measures in the community which are effective immediately. We also parse through the trial and acquittal of Brian Vane Clark, who was arrested in 2016 for the murder of Ella Olsen. Clark was found not guilty by an Anchorage jury in March. 

Many Alaskans are feeling stressed and anxious during the coronavirus pandemic. But a virtual series of yuraq and Yugtun sessions from a teacher who grew up in the Bristal Bay region aims to connect people even as they are physically apart. 

The Dillingham City Council passed an ordinance Thursday extending its travel permit requirement for entry into the community until June 29. It also extended its requirement to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. It did not vote to require testing. 

Alaska Airlines will be providing year round service for the community. The Dillingham City Council extended its permit system and quarantine requirement, but incoming travelers don't need to get tested — for now. And the state says the fishery can operate safely, as long as people follow the mandates, but some local leaders are concerned that there isn't enough enforcement and no clear plans in place for if people get sick. 

Thousands of fishermen coming to Bristol Bay will be operating under a strict set of guidelines this season, laid out in the new mandate released last week by Governor Mike Dunleavy. But some local leaders say it’s not enough. 

The governor releases a mandate laying out guidelines for commercial fishermen, while Bristol Bay's health corporation opposes opening the fishery this season. Communities continue to prepare for the arrival of fishermen and workers. And a virtual yuraq series kicks off today — we hear from one of the people running the sessions.

This year, concerns about COVID-19 are hanging over the Bristol Bay fishing season. Along with the millions of reds returning to spawn in the streams and lakes around the region, thousands of commercial fishermen, processors and cannery workers are starting to arrive in the region.

Bristol Bay's health corporation and the Camai clinic in Naknek are continuing to prepare for the upcoming fishing season, when the region expects thousands of fishermen and workers from around the country to come to the region. 

There is still no consensus between the state, communities, and local entities on what the rules will be for the Bristol Bay fishery. Regional organizations are demanding strict safety measures, saying that if they are not met, the fishery should be closed. The state is moving forward with efforts to create safety plans while keeping the fishery open. 

BBAHC continues to prepare for a potential outbreak of coronavirus in the region. The state introduced new guidelines for sport fishing this week that will shape Bristol Bay's summer tourism, and the Brooks Camp Development in Katmai National Park will close until at least July 1.