News

Jay Barrett/KMXT The ballot for the City of Kodiak elections is looking just as sparse as the borough’s, with just the incumbents having filed as of this morning. Mayor Pat Branson has signed up to run for another two-year term, while Councilmen Charlie Davidson and John Whiddon will both be seeking another three-year term. The city’s filing deadline is, like …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Biosolids are back on the agenda for the Kodiak Borough Assembly. Tonight the assembly will meet for a regular meeting and decide whether or not to transfer a site at the landfill to the city for long-term composting operations. The 2.6 acre site is south of active operations at the landfill, different from where class B composting is …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Today (Thursday) is the last day for candidates interested in running for Kodiak Island Borough public offices. As of closing time yesterday, there is now one race that is contested out of 14 available. With the addition of Dennis Symmons to the assembly race, there are now three people seeking the two available seats. Symmons joins Frank Peterson …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The Alaska Democratic Party filed suit against the latest state election map, just in the nick of time. Yesterday was the last day to file against the Alaska Redistricting Board’s proposed election map, which it approved last month. Kodiak’s Bob Brodie sits on the redistricting board and said he isn’t sure of the reasoning behind the Democratic Party’s …

An artist conception of what the finsih of the World Sky Race might look like at the finish line at the Palace of Versailles. Image World Air League Jay Barrett/KMXT A race promoter was in Alaska last week, speaking before the Southcentral chapter of the Explorers Club. In a state that boasts not one, but a trio of thousand-mile races, …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository is partnering with Koniag, Inc. to explore new archaeological sites around the archipelago that have yet to be investigated. The 16-month land surveying project will open the door for new discoveries and help the museum, and Koniag, better explore what Archaeologist Amy Steffian calls Kodiak’s amazingly rich archaeological record. “It’s Alutiiq history …

Jay Barrett/KMXT There have been four more hats thrown into the ring that is the Kodiak borough election pool. Frank Peterson has joined the race for a three-year assembly seat. Also running is incumbent Carol Austerman. Rick Kniaziowski has signed up to run for the one three-year term available on the school board, and is so far the only person …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT In the world of subsistence harvesting, at least within federal lands and waters, rural and non-rural classifications mean everything. Basically, rural communities are entitled to the land, and are first in line for consuming natural resources. Kodiak’s long-standing rural label has been called into question in the past, and according to Pamela Bumsted, could be questioned again in …

A swarm of an estimated 50,000 honeybees left Ani Thomas’ hive Saturday, searching for a new home.The bees were given a new hive and in a few hours had made themselves at home. Judy Hamilton photo Jay Barrett/KMXT Apparently when a bee colony gets a little too crowded, the queen will leave with about half of her minions to find …

Jay Barrett/KMXT The pink salmon harvest took a big jump on Friday, with the local fleet delivering 1,737,994 salmon, which was about a million more fish than the day before. Alaska Department of Fish and Game figures show the hot streak continued over the weekend, with another million pinks netted Saturday, and 1.2-million more on Sunday. That brings the cumulative …