WOMEN'S SILVER SALMON DERBY MARKS 10th YEAR IN VALDEZ
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Women's Silver Salmon Derby in Valdez. "Who would have thought that it would have turned into what it has", commented Derby Board Member Joe Prax. "Registration for the first year's event was held at the Prospector the first year and we expected maybe 20 to 30 participants". The first year, the store was crammed with close to 200 women. The 2nd year, registration was extended to a week-long period and an opening and closing event were held at the Civic Center. The event grew at least 100 participants a year until 2012 where attendance leveled out at just over 700 women. Valdez Fish Derbies has a simple mission, "to promote sport fishing in Valdez". Through sponsorships and ticket sales, the organization purchases marketing throughout Alaska and the Lower 48 to talk about Valdez and fishing. Valdez Fish Derbies is run by an all-volunteer board of seven community members, receives no public funding, and the weigh-in personnel as well as many of the event helpers are volunteers.
FREE SCHOOL BUS DRIVER TRAINING BEING OFFERED
The Valdez City School District is looking for people interested in driving students to activities and sporting events. There will be a free training course August 14th through August 19 in Valdez. In order to participate, students must have a CDL license or permit PRIOR to taking the class. This requires a DOT physical and a general knowledge test as a minimum to get the CDL permit. Those interested in beginning this process, call visit the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles to begin process. Call the District offices at 834-4701 with questions or to sign up.
482 POUND HALIBUT Alaska Dispatch - What appears to be the largest halibut caught in the Pacific Ocean in at least a decade has been landed in the Alaska Panhandle port of Gustavus, but it will not be a world record. Seventy-seven-year-old Jack McGuire from Anaheim, Calif., lost the opportunity for the sport-fishing record book when his 482-pound halibut was shot and then harpooned before it was pulled aboard the charter boat Icy Rose.
