Health

Christmas arrived at the Bethel Fire Department in the form of a shiny new ambulance. On Friday, Bethel Fire Chief Bill Howell led a lunchtime dedication ceremony for the vehicle. The new addition, referred to as Medic Six, follows more than a year of fundraising. 

Bethel Friends of Canines co-founder and president Joan Dewey is stepping down after leading the organization since its beginning in 2011. A press release from the nonprofit attributes the decision to “years of being overworked and overstressed.” During her tenure Dewey helped approximately 2,000 dogs and cats in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta find new homes.

Staffing shortages are not an unusual problem for most Bethel employers, and the City is no different. Bethel City Manager Peter Williams says that delays of water and sewer services are expected through the holidays due to a shortage of drivers for the city’s water and sewer trucks.

If your house or business catches fire in Bethel, you’re in good hands. There are now almost twice the number of firefighters in town than there were a few months ago. The number jumped to 18 on Friday when eight new volunteers received their badges and pins. The event marked the department’s first public commencement. Bethel, meet your newest fire service personnel.

Over the past year the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation has slowly taken over the state's role in approving travel for Medicaid care. YKHC hopes that creating a department dedicated to that task will reduce the frustrations of area clients trying to deal with the state-run system. KYUK’s Christine Trudeau sat down with YKHC representative Tiffany Zulkosky last week to go over the details outlined in a recent press release on the changes that created the Medicaid Travel Office.