Episodes

Erik and Brianne Skilbred welcomed Evelyn Nikole Skilbred to the world on Sept. 13th, 2019 at 7:23pm.

She was 20 ” long and weighed 8 lbs. 1.8 oz.

Congratulations!

Don’t miss the final public meeting for the Valdez Comprehensive Waterfront Master Plan that will be held on Monday, September 23rd at 6pm at the Valdez Civic and Convention Center. This meeting will present the preferred master plans, construction estimates, and economic feasibility of the improvements. Public input is welcomed and will help finalize the plans and their implementation.

The City of Valdez is developing a Comprehensive Waterfront Master Plan to examine what types of new

development might occur in the future in keeping with the community character, providing the needed

services and facilities, and promoting economic opportunities. Through the planning effort, the project will ensure the long-term viability of commercial fishing enterprise, commercial business, parking, infrastructure of the working waterfront, while increasing visitor traffic to the waterfront. Preserving public access to the waterfront and improving aesthetics are also components to the planning effort. Primary areas of the master

planning include:

• The existing Small Boat Harbor uplands;

• New Commercial Boat Harbor Uplands;

• Sea Otter Property at the end of South Harbor Drive;

• The Valdez Container Terminal; and

• The Old Valdez Town Site.

Visit the project website: https://valdezwaterfront.blogspot.com to review past work and public input.

For more information contact: Jeremy Talbott, COV Port Director 907.835.4565 or Doug Kenley, PND

Engineers, Inc. 907.561.1011.

The City of Valdez has contracted with PND Engineers, Corvus Design, ECI, and the McDowell Group to

develop the waterfront master plans. Please join us and be part of the process.

Courtesy of VHS Coaches

Volleyball

Valdez Invite 9/13-14/19

Head Coach: Adam Sharrai

Assistant Coach: Katie Burns

Lady Buc Volleyball hosted the Valdez Invite this weekend with play coming from both 4A and 3A competitors.   Friday morning began with pool play between the 11 varsity teams with the Lady Bucs turning in 7 wins with 3 losses.  The key game was a 25-23 victory over 4A North Pole which the Lady Bucs won only after finding a faster paced rhythm giving them the upper hand with equal records and the head to head win sending the Lady Bucs to the championship against undefeated 4A Lathrop on Saturday.  The Lady Bucs played well but came up short in the first of three sets.  Turning up the heat they came back with another crowd pleaser digging up some impressive hits, blocking multiple attacks, and serving aggressively to best the Lathrop Malamutes in their only loss of the tournament so far to take the match into the 15 point tie breaker.  The crowd cheering on both teams kept things loud and moving quickly.  The Lady Bucs pushed hard and found themselves playing  some of their best volleyball of the season ultimately pushing Lathrop to an 15-11 loss for the Lady Bucs earning second place in the Valdez Invitational.  Setting her way onto the All Tournament Team was Senior and Captain Jade Holmes—well done!  The Lady Bucs found higher levels of determination and teamwork this weekend which will continue to serve them well throughout the rest of the season as they continue to push themselves competitively in hopes of playing their best and earning their way to State!  Go Lady Bucs!!

2019 Valdez Invite Results

J.V.  Silver Division All-Tournament Team

1. Barrow—Trinity Olson

2. Barrow—Laina Loeni

3. Eielson—Naomi Tidwell

4. Redington—Caprice Damon

5. Barrow—Min Chan

6. Eielson—Rebecca Holan

7. Barrow—Jillian Chrestman-Adam

8. Redington—Delaney Reavis

J.V.  Silver Division 1st Place:  Barrow Whalers

J.V. Gold Division All-Tournament Team

1. Seward—Hailey Anderson

2. Houston—Audrey Hogland

3. Valdez—Riley King

4. Valdez—Alyvia Askren

5. Lathrop—Promise Handy

6. Valdez—Ambrosia Woodgate

7. Seward—Lani Lackey

8. Seward—Savanna Buckmaster

J.V. Gold 1st Place:  Houston Hawks

Varsity Silver Division All-Tournament Team

1. Redington—Varuara Kuzmin

2. Bethel—Ava Lieb

3. Eielson—Trinity Eliasen

4. Eielson—Jessica Eid

5. Bethel—Raquel Slim

6. Galena—Chiara Demientieff

7. Eielson—Gabriella Baker

8. Redington—Brooke Harmon

Varsity Silver Division 1st Place:  Eielson Ravens

Varsity Gold Division All-Tournament Team

1. North Pole—Kinley Erickson

2. North Pole—Ainsley Smith

3. Lathrop—Harmony Laapui

4. Lathrop—TT Tagovailoa

5. Barrow—Trinity Manu

6. Seward—Hannah Schilling

7. Valdez—Jade Holmes

8. Seward—Angel Purigay

Best Setter—-North Pole— Ainsley Smith

Best Defense—North Pole— Laura Donavon

Best Hitter—Lathrop— TT Tagovailoa

1^st Place Varsity Gold:  Lathrop Malamutes

Cross Country

Delta Invite 2019

The Buccaneers Cross-Country team journeyed north to Delta Junction with the Gilson Middle School Huskies.  The team had received confirmation that the course would have the hill of dread. In preparation, we ran hills on Solomon Gulch last week to strengthen our uphill technique and the hard work paid off.  Most runners stated that they passed people on the uphill and felt strong for the duration of the 5,000-meter race.  Their times proved it with 3 runners getting a personal record and 2 earning a season record.

In Delta, the team missed their captain Senior Rafael Alfaro who is nursing an injured back and Freshman Patrick O’Brien who is recovering from being sick last week.  Freshman Jason Smilie came down with a cold and did was not able to race and continue his rival with teammate Cole Wadsworth.

Friday afternoon the team jogged the dusty course in Delta to get a feel for the technical four-wheeler track that made up the course.  The trail was very uneven with exposed roots and large rocks at the base of the big hill which adds technical difficulty and hazards. 

The varsity girls faced off first on Saturday afternoon, with warming temperatures and rising dust on the course adding to the challenges.  Senior Chloe Miller came out of no-where and unexpectedly surpassed her teammates.  Miller finished over a minute faster than last week with a new personal record of 23:51, a time that would secure a state spot.  Almost a minute behind Miller was Senior Katelyn Wadsworth finishing with a season best of 24:40 and chasing K. Wadsworth hills was Senior Sophia Palomar, also with a senior best of 24:48.  Sophomore Momoka Ishikawa crossed the finished line over a minute after Palomar at 26:13.

The varsity boys’ race was the last race of the day.  Setting a new personal record was Sophomore Jin Shiozaki with a time of 18:49. Shiozaki just keeps getting faster and faster with each race.  Senior Kalin Woods was over 30 seconds behind with a finish of 19:25. Exactly a minute later, Sophomore William Benes crossed at 20:25.  Freshman Cole Wadsworth has been working hard and it paid off with a new personal record of 21:41.  Junior Wyatt Mehlberg attacked the big hill, passing people on the way up and finished at 26:56.

The team has a healthy competition with each other and each race is full of surprises.  Coach Koontz is so proud of all the hard work and perseverance this team has demonstrated this season.  The team has worked through mental blocks, sore muscles, cramped muscles, shin splints and rolled ankles, yet they continue to improve.

The cross-country team only has one more race before regionals in Fairbanks.  Each athlete is filled with determination to improve and secure that space for state.  Next week we are off to Wasilla!

Results

Football

Valdez Football vs. Homer

Valdez Football visited the Homer Mariners for a Friday night game this weekend. The score was a loss at 52-6.  Jona Turner scored the lone touchdown for the Buccaneers.  Dillon Fowler picked up his first career interception.

The Valdez team was able to post 165 rushing yards against a much larger and more physical mariner squad. In contrast, Homer had 216 rushing yards. Throwing the ball, however, Homer ended up with and additional 160 yards with only 1 interception. Valdez had 14 yards throwing with 1 interception. Turnovers played a large part in this game as they have all season. In addition to the interception, 3 of the 4 Valdez fumbles this game were deep in Valdez territory setting up easy Mariner touchdowns.

This week we travel to Redington to play in their homecoming contest on Friday night.

09/13/2019 9:00 p.m.

Valdez, AK – Valdez Fire and Police Departments responded to a motor vehicle collision on the Richardson Highway early Friday afternoon. At approximately 1:56 p.m. Friday, Valdez Dispatch received reports of a motor vehicle collision with injuries near milepost 17 of the Richardson Highway.

Responders arrived at approximately 2:05 p.m. and discovered the scene of a head-on collision involving a 2015 Ford F550 Copper Valley Electric Association work truck and a 2018 Ford Expedition.

Valdez Fire Department personnel extricated the driver and a single passenger from the Ford Expedition and began advanced life support measures. With assistance from Vertical Solutions Helicopters, VFD personnel transported the 13-year old female passenger by helicopter to Providence Valdez Medical Center where she later succumbed to her injuries. The driver, 69-year old Sandra Silveira, was transported by ambulance to Providence Valdez Medical Center where she was declared deceased.

The driver and sole occupant of the Ford F550, 20-year old Aidan Rude, was evaluated for injuries and released at the scene.

Next of kin have been notified.

Valdez Police Department officers closed Richardson Highway from approximately 2:05 p.m. until 4:46 p.m.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation. Witnesses are encouraged to call the Valdez Police Department non-emergency line at (907) 835-4560 and ask to speak to an officer regarding case # 19-4563.

City of Valdez Public Information Office

P.O. BOX 307 Valdez, AK 99686

(907) 834-3468

aferko@valdezak.gov

(Cordova) – Registration permit hunt RM164 for bull moose in Game Management Unit 6B will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, by Emergency Order of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The hunt area for RM164 includes all of Unit 6B (the Gulf of Alaska and Copper River Basin drainages west of Palm Point near Katalla, east of the west bank of the Copper River and east of a line from Flag Point to Cottonwood Point).

The 2018 moose population point estimate for Unit 6B, east of the Copper River Delta and including the Martin River Valley, was 420 moose. The department set a maximum allowable harvest of 28 bull moose for the 2019 season; additional take beyond the harvest objective could affect the long-term stability of the moose population. Harvest reports indicate the current take is at 21 bull moose; however, hunters remain in the field and it is possible additional moose have been taken and have not yet been reported. This closure is necessary to prevent harvest beyond the management goal.

This closure affects only registration permit hunt RM164 in Unit 6B. All other moose hunting regulations in the remainder of Game Management Unit 6 are not affected by this emergency order.

Samantha S Renner

Wildlife Program Tech

Cordova, AK 99574