Environment

Relocating the Newtok school is not a simple task. It's going to take many years to do, and during that time students may be living and studying in two different places as Newtok moves to its new location: Mertarvik. The new site is located on higher ground, away from tidal waters eroding the old village.

The Lower Kuskokwim School District has now included the cost of building and moving to a new school in its 6-year plan - the first step to getting the project on the state's capital spending list.

The Bethel City Council has unanimously agreed to a lease with state conservation officials for an air quality monitoring site. City Manager Pete Williams introduced the lease for land located just behind AC (Alaska Commercial) on Fourth Avenue.

The State has issued a preliminary air quality permit for the Donlin Gold project.  The 30-day opportunity for the public to submit comments on that permit closes this Friday at 4:30 p.m. The preliminary permit is the first the proposed mining project has received.

The Kuskokwim ice has broken, but the river isn’t clear yet. Ice and debris is still flowing downstream and posing a danger to boats.

The Kuskokwim breakup front sits about 15 miles upstream of Tuluksak at Coffee’s Bend. Now, it’s the only front on the Middle and Upper Kuskokwim, instead of multiple minor fronts scattered along the river.