Public Radio for Alaska's Bristol Bay
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Bristol Bay and Beyond, Feb. 20, 2015

JoAnne Knight

Author Annie Boochever on her novel Bristol Bay Summer, a gas war in Dillingham?, some speakers who say Ni, and thoughts on Beaver Round Up.

Credit KDLG
This mid-May looking photo of Squaw Creek was actually taken this week. Bleh.

Do you have ideas or feedback for us? Maybe you've written a poem, song, essay, taken a photo, or have someone in mind we should interview for Bristol Bay and Beyond.

Send an email with your comments and suggestions to news@kdlg.org, or reach the host at dave@kdlg.org

The KDLG News line # is 907.842.2200.

Credit Matt Martin, KDLG
Are you finding the cheapest gas in town? KDLG's Matt Martin set out to find when and where consumers can find the best deals at the pump.

Last year, Vitus Fuels opened for business in Dillingham, selling gas out of the Teddy’s Convenience store on Lake Road and delivering heating oil. Between Vitus' entry (Dillingham's now third fuel retailer),  the lower than average fuel sales in town this winter, and a low price of oil on the world market ahead of spring deliveries, Dillingham customers are starting to see, finally, some competition at the pump.  

We sent our reporter Matt Martin to see just how good the deals around town are. 

022015_Gas_War_Final.mp3
First question Matt, where's the cheapest place to buy gas in town?

Credit UTBB
The Breach made its Alaska premier this week, beginning a statewide rollout in Anchorage. The BBRSDA, and other groups, are continuing to raise awareness about the fishery and the region in hopes of maintaining support against mines like Pebble.

A few weeks ago on this program, Tom Collier, the CEO of the Pebble Mine, discussed the lawsuit Pebble has filed against the EPA in federal court which has temporarily stopped the EPA from doing any more work towards what some call the preemptive veto of the Pebble Mine. Collier believes Pebble will prevail in this lawsuit. He also told us then that he’s confident the project will move forward to permitting.

On the other side, the coalition battling Pebble is continuing to press their case where they can. Joining us now to talk more about that is Alannah Hurley with the organization United Tribes of Bristol Bay. 

BBB_11_Alannah_on_Pebble_SEGMENT.mp3
Alannah Hurley of UTBB joins by phone from Anchorage, fresh off a trip to Washington D.C. where she and others continued to press the case for permanent wastewater discharge protections in Bristol Bay.

 

Bristol Bay Summer, by Annie Boochever, was published last May by Alaska Northwest Books.

You might’ve heard, hopefully you've heard by now, of a novel called Bristol Bay Summer. Set in the early 1980’s, this novel chronicles 12-year-old Zoey Morley, who accompanies her younger brother, her mom, and her mom’s bush pilot boyfriend to a setnet camp on Halfmoon Bay. It is a beautifully told coming of age tale vividly set here in our backyard. The author, Annie Boochever, is in Dillingham this week. 

BBB_11_Boochever_FINAL_Segment.mp3
I asked Annie to read a passage as Zoey picks her first fish out of a set net at the start of our conversation together this week.

Credit Dan Beishline
Annie's real children, age 4 and 6, on the real first trip to Bristol Bay back in the 1980s.
The Dillingham HS Speech and Debate Team in Anchorage for the state competition. Lookin' snappy. One for their homeys.

Their arena is not a court or a mat, and rarely will their events sell out the stands like other teams. But some impressive young men caught our attention this week as they prepared to travel to their own state competition in Anchorage. KDLG’s Hannah Colton stopped by the Dillingham Speech and Debate team during one of their final practices, and she brought us this report.

022015_State_Speech_FINAL_.mp3
Listen here ...

Credit Clark Fair
No snow wasn't a problem for these youngsters last year. The candy and ping pong ball drop proved a good alternative.

We’ll end this week’s show with an essay. As I read this I stare out at a mostly bare and soggy tundra on a warm, what feels like spring, day in February. It has not been a good winter for us, again. And next week’s Beaver Round Up will surely suffer a bit. But as our occasional essayist Clark Fair reminds us, the beloved annual celebration is about more than just the races, the prizes, and .... those beaver buns.  

BBB_11_Clark_Fair_BRU_Essay.mp3
Thanks to Clark Fair for contributing his essays to this program.

Credit KDLG
Not snow-go friendly. Squaw Creek is looking a little muddier than usual these days.

That's it for this week's Bristol Bay and Beyond, our weekly newsmagazine on KDLG. We hope you join us each Friday at 12pm and 6:30pm on AM670, and at 8:30pm on 89.9 FM.

Send comments, suggestions, and other fun feedback to news@kdlg.org or dave@kdlg.org.

Have you taken a stellar photo this week that be our cover photo? Send it to us! We'll credit you, and then hound you for more photos thereafter. 

Credit KDLG
Looking out towards the Snake River from the VOR Road in Dillingham on a February day.