On today’s Talk of the Rock, host Kayla Desroches chats with Kodiak College staff about the maritime and technical programs on campus. They also cover a new, affordable series of non-credit courses in development.

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly reviewed a number of land disposals and rezones at its regular meeting last week, and one drew public concern. Under consideration was land disposal, change of future land use designation in the 2008 Comprehensive Plan, and rezoning on two lots near Baranof Park. As shown in an image overlay map, those lots are …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT One Kodiak Coast Guard daughter is pursuing her degree in Florida with help from The Coast Guard Foundation. The Kodiak recipient is Katelyn Izzo, the daughter of Aviation Maintenance Technician Senior Chief Anthony Izzo, and she’s chosen to attend Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. According to the university website, it’s one of the 12 public universities …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Rodeo and State Fair is this weekend, and for those not familiar with the world of bull and bronc riding, Kodiak will have its own hype man to explain it to them. Wasilla-based James Hastings, who’s been in rodeo for about seventeen years, says he’ll serve as the “barrel man” or “rodeo clown” who interacts with …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT Last night at the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly regular meeting, borough staff cleared up confusion regarding a slash pile situation in Chiniak. The assembly had been under the impression that private land owners in Chiniak would like to hire A-1 to remove burned trees on their land and was requesting that A-1 be able to transport those trees …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT This coming Labor Day weekend also ushers in Kodiak’s First Friday Art Walk. Erin Starr-Hollow, the Programs Coordinator with the Kodiak Arts Council, says the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge’s recent 75th anniversary plays into this month’s walk. In celebration of that birthday, the Camera Club together with Refuge volunteers and staff are collaborating to bring the community nature-centric …

Cockpit of historic Alutiiq kayak, ca. 1868. Courtesy Presidents and Fellows of Harvard University, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and via alutiiqmuseum.org. Kayla Desroches/KMXT A local craftsman will lead a lecture about Alutiiq kayak carving techniques focused on one example in particular. The Alutiiq Museum is currently exhibiting a seal skin-covered kayak, which Jim Dillard says was probably crafted …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly’s regular meeting tomorrow night is all about land: selling it, buying it, and dealing with what’s on it – like trees. Borough Manager Michael Powers says a couple of private property owners have approached the borough about their intentions to remove timber from their land, which adjoins borough property. The owners have been …

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak has just received a grant to begin an Alutiiq language program for preschool-aged children. Candace Branson is the tribe’s Alutiiq heritage educator and says last week Sun’aq learned that it won a five-year, almost $2 million grant from the Administration for Native Americans. Branson explains it’ll enable a whole new generation to be …

On this week’s Talk of the Rock, host Kayla Desroches speaks with a team combining science and tradition to make one food safe to eat. Regulated organizations under the State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation Program are not allowed to accept or distribute seal oil due to the danger of botulism, a potentially fatal disease caused by bacteria in …