Normally bustling with workers, Peter Pan’s boardwalks and bunkhouses are now empty.
By Hal Bernton for ProPublica and Nathaniel Herz, Northern Journal
This article was produced in a partnership with ProPublica, Northern Journal and the Anchorage Daily News.
Last summer, an unsettling quiet cloaked the isolated Southwest Alaska community of King Cove as the town’s economic engine — a sprawling seafood processing plant — sat shuttered.
Bunkhouses, once filled with hundreds of workers during the peak salmon harvest, were vacant. Four diesel generators that had rumbled day and night were stilled. The plant docks, once lined with boats and circled by fish-scavenging gulls, were empty.
The closure resulted from the financial implosion of the plant’s owner, Peter Pan Seafood. Some local fishing boat captains directed their ire at company leaders who accepted their seafood, then failed to pay them. (more…)
Maggie Nelson.
Sand Point is without access to fuel after a fire broke out at the local Trident Seafoods plant.
The fire started early Thursday morning, pausing the processor’s operations, including its fuel sales, which the small eastern Aleutian community relies on.
Sand Point Police Chief Benjamin Allen said the lack of fuel is the biggest concern at the moment.
“Nobody can get gas right now,” Allen said. “[Trident] has to get clearance from the Coast Guard before they can start the gas pumps back up again.”
Allen said he doesn’t know how long that will take, but Trident has been working to get things going again.
“During the incident, their generator threw a connecting rod out the side of the engine block and it ruptured the fuel line to the generator,” Allen said. “And there was a good bit of diesel on the surface of the water that Trident’s been cleaning up.”
The small fire started in the generator room of the facility around 1 a.m. Thursday, according to Trident’s Vice President of Global Communications Alexis Telfer.
(more…)
Sand Point City Council will hold a meeting on Tuesday, February 11th, 2025 at 7PM.
KSDP will air the meeting live & place an archive of the audio here:
http://apradio.org/mp3/2025-02-11-sdp.mp3
Always check here for the latest Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/agendas–packets.html
Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/uploads/2/7/6/7/27677223/february_11_2025_sand_point_city_council_regular_meeting_packet-final.pdf
Sand Point City Council held a meeting on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 at 6PM.
KSDP did not air the meeting live & will place an archive of the audio here:
Always check here for the latest Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/agendas–packets.html
Agenda, no Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/uploads/2/7/6/7/27677223/january_28_2025_sand_point_city_council_special_meeting_agenda.pdf
Sand Point City Council will hold a meeting on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 at 7PM.
KSDP will air the meeting live & archive the audio here:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2025-01-14-sdp.mp3
Always check here for the latest Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/agendas–packets.html
Agenda+Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/uploads/2/7/6/7/27677223/january_14_2025_city_of_sand_point_council_packet-final.pdf
###SENT JAN. 2nd###
Good morning,
I am collecting a list of names and phone numbers of people from households that need to get their REAL IDs. Please review the documents listed on the attachment and let me know if you need your real ID and have all the documents required. I’ll be providing a list of names and phone numbers to Aleut (Corporation) as they arrange for someone from the DMV to come to Sand Point to provide this service. (February or March) Please share with your coworkers.
I’ll be posting this on Facebook this afternoon, but wanted to make sure our employees all get the message as well.
Please feel free to call me at the office or email me.
Happy New Year!
City Clerk
###
PUBLIC NOTICE – ALASKA DMV REAL IDS COMING SOON TO SAND POINT
We are happy to announce that Aleut is partnering with the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to bring a Mobile DMV representative to our community to assist with obtaining Alaska Real IDs!
The Alaska Real ID deadline is May 7, 2025.
Before the DMV considers travel, the community needs to determine how many residents have the necessary documents ready for REAL ID issuance. (See AK Real ID Checklist – https://online.dmv.alaska.gov/RealIDChecklist/Home/Checklist)
Timeline:
December, 2024 The city collects information on # of residents that will be ready in February/March to be issued REAL IDs.
January, 2025 Aleut provides DMV with # of residents ready or will be ready by February/March to be issued REAL IDs.
February/March, 2025 Mobile DMV travels to your community to issue REAL IDs
May 7, 2025! Alaska REAL IDs are required to fly on commercial airlines.
The City will be reaching out to community members soon to help collect the information that is needed for us to provide to Aleut. In the meantime, review the list and make sure you have what is needed to obtain your Real ID.
###
ALSO?
Passports are available at your local USPS office anytime, work just as well & allow you to travel the world.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html
###
Seed Distribution Program
Are you interested in receiving free Seeds?
The Pauloff Harbor Tribe working with Marisa McKasson the new Alaska Tribes Extension agent supporting the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands region will provide free seeds to veteran and new gardeners.
https://www.uaf.edu/ces/
How does the Seed Distribution Program work?
– After individuals sign up to receive free seeds (to gauge how many community gardeners are interested), the tribe will request the seeds and host a distribution event. The event will take place in the spring after the seeds arrive.
– Seeds arriving will be basic vegetable seeds such as: Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Lettuce, Kale, Peas, Spinach and Turnips.
*** Deadline to sign up is on or before January 12, 2025, 4:00 pm.***
Please call the Pauloff Harbor Tribe (907-383-6075) to sign up or use the sign-up sheet posted around the community.
Marissa McKasson, will host an initial Zoom webinar in early spring that discusses growing in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands.
https://www.uaf.edu/ces/districts/tribes/people.php
CITY OF SAND POINT PUBLIC NOTICE
There will be limited ambulance service from December 21, 2024, through January 5th, 2025 due to a lack of EMS personnel.
If there’s an emergency, call 911, and they will notify the clinic on-call person.
Sand Point City Council will hold a meeting on Monday, November 25th, 2024 at 7PM.
KSDP will air the meeting live & archive the audio here:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2024-11-25-sdp.mp3
Always check here for the latest Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/agendas–packets.html
Agenda+Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/uploads/2/7/6/7/27677223/november_25_2024_city_of_sand_point_council_packet.pdf
20241115_260294_Sand Point_BWN Rescinded Letter
Dear Sand Point Residents,
Department of Environmental Conservation
DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Drinking Water Program
555 Cordova St. Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Main: 907.262-8201 Fax: 907.269.7650
dec.alaska.gov john.davis@alaska.gov
A boil water notice (BWN) was issued for Sand Point public water system on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. Drinking water program staff were notified by the operator on Monday, October 28, 2024, that their turbidity samples over the weekend were consistently exceeding 0.3 NTU. Several samples were exceeding 0.5 NTU. In addition, on Tuesday, October 29, the operator reported that entry point residual disinfection readings were not meeting the required 0.2 mg/L
On November 15, 2024, DEC received three satisfactory total coliform samples, has confirmed with the operator that the turbidity readings are consistently under 0.3 NTU, and that entry point residual disinfection levels are at or above 0.2 mg/L. The water system is back to operating as normal. The BWN has been rescinded.
If you have questions regarding this letter or if I can be of further assistance, please contact me at 907-262- 8201 x 201 or at john.davis@alaska.gov
Sincerely,
John Davis
Environmental Program Specialist Drinking Water Program, Anchorage office
Enclosures: Boil Water Notice and Public Notice
Sand Point City Council will hold a meeting on Tuesday, October 8th, 2024 at 7PM.
KSDP will air the meeting live & archive the audio here:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2024-10-08-sdp.mp3
Always check here for the latest Agenda & Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/agendas–packets.html
Agenda+Packet:
https://www.sandpointak.com/uploads/2/7/6/7/27677223/october_8_2024_regular_city_council_packet.pdf
2024 NOTICE OF ELECTION-City of Sand Point
2024 City of Sand Point Sample Ballot
NOTICE OF ELECTION
THE CITY OF SAND POINT 2024 GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2024
8:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
Municipal Building, Room 11
(City Council Chambers)
For the purpose of electing the following:
CITY COUNCIL SEAT E………………Three (3) Year Term
CITY COUNCIL SEAT F………………Three (3) Year Term
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR ABSENTEE VOTING:
Absentee Voting In-Person at the City Clerk’s Office will be open in September 16, 2024 through
September 30, 2024 at 12:00 pm.
Written Absentee Voting By-Mail Ballot Requests will be accepted on September 11, 2024
through September 27, 2024. All By-Mail Ballots must be received by October 4, 2024.
To obtain an application for absentee voting or if you have any other questions, contact the City
Clerk using the information below.
City Clerk
P.O. Box 249
Sand Point, AK 99661
E-mail: cityclerk@sandpointak.org Phone: (907)383-2696 Fax: (907)383-2698
Story updated at 6:53 pm, 8/6/2024:
Ravn Alaska, one of only two commercial airlines offering regular passenger service from Anchorage to the Aleutian Islands, says it’s suspending scheduled service to Unalaska, Cold Bay and Sand Point, effective Aug. 16.
The company announced the decision in an email to customers. A statement posted to the company’s website Tuesday afternoon said the airline was looking to focus on other Alaska destinations.
Ravn is still offering flights from Anchorage to Homer, Valdez, St. Paul Island and Unalakleet.
“This change comes as part of a broader initiative to optimize operations and ensure long-term sustainability and growth for the airline. By reallocating resources and capacity, Ravn Alaska/New Pacific Airlines aims to enhance service reliability and customer satisfaction across its core network,” the statement said.
Ravn representatives declined interview requests.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is a necessary step in our long-term strategy to strengthen the overall success of our airline and this shift allows us to concentrate on routes where we can make the most significant impact,” the company said.
The company’s frequently asked questions page on its website says the airline will issue refunds to ticket holders, which will be processed by the end of the month.
“Refunds will be processed within 14 business days from the suspension date [Aug. 16],” the page says. “The exact time frame may vary depending on your bank or payment method.”
Recent turmoil has plagued the company of late: Ravn laid off roughly a third of its employees earlier this year, then announced in June it had replaced its CEO.
New Pacific Airlines, Ravn’s sister brand, announced in April that it would halt scheduled service to focus on chartering its Boeing 757.
Air travel to the Aleutians has been mired in turmoil since a fatal accident in 2019 led to the bankruptcy of the region’s previous carrier RavnAir. The new Ravn Alaska began operating in the region in 2020 after several months without a commercial airline serving the Aleutians.
Ravn’s decision to pare back its routes leaves Aleutian Airways as the only airline with scheduled passenger flights from Anchorage to Unalaska, Sand Point and Cold Bay.
