KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

Jay Barrett/KMXT When Kodiak High School students arrived at school this (Wednesday) morning, they were welcomed by the acrid smell of soot. According to an announcement by the school district central office, a boiler backfired before classes and the smell was picked up by the building’s air handlers and piped throughout the building. Maintenance personnel replaced the air filters and …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT It was a moment almost seven years in the making. Yesterday morning the new Kodiak Public Library opened its doors to eager book worms and began its first day of regular operations at the new location on Signal Hill. Director Katie Baxter said the wave of visitors throughout the day was steady, which was nice after an eventful …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT December might sound like an odd time to talk about gardening, but the topic was one of many during last night’s city council work session. Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District is hoping to start a community garden sometime in the next year, and would like to use city land to do so. Last night District Manager Joe …

Children in Port Lions, Alaska, receive gifts from Santa and elf Erin Simone as part of on going outreach from the Coast Guard to the remote villages of Kodiak Island Dec. 2, 2013. The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Spouses’ Association have provided services such as eye exams and holiday cheer to the remote communities of Kodiak Island and more …

Liz Ruskin/APRN and Jay Barrett/KMXT Alaska Senator Mark Begich is trying to head off any surprise holiday announcement from the Food and Drug Administration regarding genetically modified salmon. It was the day after Christmas last year when the FDA officially announced its initial ruling in favor of genetically-modified salmon. Begich says it’s like they were trying to slip something by …

Jay Barrett/KMXT An Air Station Kodiak helicopter crew and support personnel are scheduled to head off for Cold Bay on Saturday, in preparation for the Opilio crabbing season. It’s a move the Coast Guard does seasonally to respond to maritime emergencies quicker. It’s a return trip for the Jayhawk crews, who spent most of October and November in Cold Bay …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Kodiak High School junior Levi Thomet finished in sixth place at Saturday’s Foot Locker West Region cross country championships in Walnut, California, qualifying him for nationals. The boys five-kilometer race was won by Matthew Maton of Bend, Oregon, in 15-minutes 39-seconds. Thomet was sixth in a time of 15-minutes 44.1-seconds. The two-time defending state champion in cross country …

Jay Barrett/KMXT The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking for input from the public on how best to deal with about 1,000 head of cattle on two islands in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. About 200 of the animals are on Wosnesenski Island, between Sand Point and King Cove, and another 800 are on Chirikof Island, southwest of …