Episodes

The Valdez City Council will decide whether to move ahead with construction of a new fire station at Tuesday nights Council meeting.  Valdez voters voted down a Proposition to build the fire station in the May election but the Proposition asked voters whether they wanted to issue general obligation bonds in the amount of 16 million dollars for the design and construction of a new fire station. This go around, the City proposes to use funds from the General Fund to pay for the project. The Council will vote on the proposal under New Business and there is a resolution to move money from the general fund to the building fund also on the agenda.

CLICK HERE for more information.

VALDEZ, Alaska – Anglers will hit the waters of Port Valdez and Prince William Sound Saturday during the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. Saturday evening the winners will be announced, starting with 50^th place and working up to the crowning of the Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood. There will be prizes for the Top 50 fish as well as cash and prizes for the top three biggest fish. The woman who catches the largest silver will be awarded a tiara and signature Women’s Derby pink bathrobe. The theme of this year’s Women’s Derby is “Pajama Party”.

Registration for the Women’s Derby started August 3^rd at the Prospector in Valdez and will continue through Saturday, August 10^th at noon. Friday night Valdez Fish Derbies hosts an opening celebration with door prizes, a costume contest, and games. The waters of Prince William Sound will be full of boats and anglers on Saturday hoping to catch a big one and get to the weigh in station before it closes at 6pm.

The Women’s Silver Salmon Derby closing awards ceremony is Saturday night. Last year Leslie West of Provo, Utah won the Derby and was crowned Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood with a 16.48 pound silver salmon. The silver salmon West caught during the Women’s Derby not only won her the 1^st place Women’s Derby prize, it also held on to capture 3^rd place in the overall Silver Salmon Derby. CLICK HERE to visit the Women’s Derby registration page at www.valdezfishderbies.com.

The 1^st place winner in last year’s Silver Salmon Derby was caught on Women’s Derby day last year by a 7-year old boy from Valdez. Aksel Hutchinson Reeled in a 17.28 pound silver and won the $10,000 first place price. It paid to fish early last year. The 2^nd place silver in 2018 was caught by Daniel Schneider of Anchorage, Alaska who reeled his fish in August 4^th.

To compete in the Women’s Derby, ladies must buy a Silver Salmon Derby daily or season ticket so they are eligible to win the $10,000 first place prize in the regular derby if they catch a big one that holds on to the end of the derby. Currently, the largest Silver Salmon in the regular derby is a 12.24 pound silver caught by Keith Herve of North Pole.

In the Valdez Halibut Derby, Christine Ives of Fairbanks is holding onto first place with a 285.6 pound halibut she caught on June 6^th aboard the Nunatak Second place overall in the Valdez Halibut Derby is Christopher Barnes of Moorhead, Minnesota with a 225.6 pound halibut he caught on June 24^th aboard the Sea Quester. Holding on to third place is Joshua Curry of Valdez with a 213.4 pound Halibut he caught on July 21^st aboard the Mistress.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st       Christine Ives              Fairbanks, AK            285.6 lbs.         June 6             Nunatak

2^nd       Christopher Barnes     Moorhead, MN           225.6 lbs.         June 24            Sea Quester

3^rd        Joshua Curry              Valdez, AK                 213.4 lbs.         July 21            Mistress

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1^st                Sean Brewer                 Fairbanks, AK              201.2 lbs.         July 29            Sea Hunter

2^nd        Leo McDonnell           Columbus, MT              108.4 lbs.         Aug 3                Reflection

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Keith Herve                  North Pole, AK            12.24 lbs.         Aug 3               Chinook

2^nd        Wayne Tuttle                   Pepperell, MA           11.68 lbs.         July 23            Alaskai

3^rd        Janet Lehman               Lexington, SC             11.44 lbs.         July 30             Orion

Valdez, AK – At 0954 hours on 7/30/19, Valdez Dispatch received a report of two deceased

individuals floating in the water near the toe of the Valdez Glacier. Valdez Fire and Police

responded to the Valdez Glacier Viewing area, where they observed a tour group preparing to

disembark from shore. Those individuals were instructed to remain on shore, and two members

of the Valdez Fire Department used one of their kayaks to paddle to the toe of the Valdez

Glacier to assess the incident site and contact the citizen who reported the incident. Three

additional members of the Valdez Fire Department quickly followed in a search and rescue raft.

Valdez Fire Department personnel confirmed that two individuals were deceased, and also

located another deceased individual at the incident site. The initial complainant, and two

passengers, were sent to shore and were interviewed by a Valdez Police Officer, while two

other Valdez Police Officers utilized a jet-engine inflatable boat to respond to the toe of the

Valdez Glacier to document the scene and assist the Valdez Fire Department in body recovery.

Responding officials located two deceased individuals in close proximity to one another, floating

next to an overturned inflatable canoe. The third body was located floating in the middle of the

channel a short distance away, with significant head trauma. All three were wearing life jackets.

The area surrounding them was littered with floating icebergs, glacial slush, and challenging

terrain for recovery. All three individuals, the inflatable canoe, paddles, pump, and personal

effects were recovered and transported back to the Valdez Glacier Viewing area.

One of the items recovered was a waterproof plastic box which contained identification for one

of the deceased individuals, as well as a set of keys. Valdez Police Officers used those keys to

enter into a motorhome parked at the Valdez Glacier Viewing area. Two others sets of

identification were located in the motorhome.

The motorhome and belongings were towed by the City of Valdez while the Valdez Fire

Department transported the bodies to Providence Valdez Medical Center. The Medical

Examiner’s office was contacted and arrangements were made for transport to Anchorage.

The deceased individuals were identified as:

Manfred Brida [DOB: 10/16/56], an Austrian national

Mrs. Maria Elisabeth Schröer [DOB: 11/10/50], a German national

Dr. Albrecht Paul Thomas Schröder-Schröer [DOB: 11/11/52], a German national

Next of kin notification was conducted with the assistance of the Honorary German Consulate

(Anchorage, AK), the German Consulate (San Francisco, CA), the Austrian Consulate General

(Los Angeles, CA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Alaska State Troopers have received reports of a recent scam involving unknown individuals who claim to be Alaska State Troopers or other law enforcement. These individuals have called citizens in our communities in an effort to gain personal information and extort money. The Alaska State Troopers will NOT call your residence, business, or place of employment to collect unpaid debts, bail, court judgments, or other monetary instruments. Citizens are encouraged not to provide personal information to anyone over the phone. If you are in question of the validity of a law enforcement officer or their requests, citizens should get the name of the alleged officer and call their local police agency to verify their identity.