KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

A section of the Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore’s port bow sustained damage from an allision with an Alaska Marine Lines barge while moored in the harbor of Cordova, Alaska, July 28, 2013. The Sycamore is a 225-foot seagoing buoy tender homeported in Cordova. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore) Tony Gorman/KCHU An investigation is underway into the …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The ferry Tustumena’s return to service has been delayed yet again, this time AT LEAST until the fall. “The Tusty will be out of service until perhaps the first week of October.” That’s Kodiak City Mayor Pat Branson reading a message from Marine Highway System General Manager Captain John Falvey during last night’s regular city council meeting. The …

Jay Barrett/KMXT A recent grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts has helped boost the progress of a new book being compiled by the Alutiiq Museum about the excavation of the old village of Karluk, which was done 30 years ago: Amy Steffian is the Deputy Director of the Alutiiq Museum and is heading up the project. “The …

Coming up this week, the 9th Circuit says NOAA Fisheries was right to restrict fishing to protect Steller Sea Lions; and as if king salmon didn’t have enough challenges, over a thousand of them are killed by the hot summer. All that, plus the governor pleads with Walmart to take Alaska salmon. We had reports contributed by KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce …

Jay Barrett/KMXT In some parts of the world, a “Red Tide” is a signal that a poisonous algae bloom is occurring and beachcombers should not eat clams and mussels and other bivalves. Here on Kodiak, that poisonous algae is pretty much always present and locals know not to eat bivalves to avoid exposure to paralytic shellfish poisoning. So, when an …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Here’s the situation: The Alaska State Ferry Tustumena has been in dry dock all year, with delay after delay keeping it laid up. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough has a ferry it can’t use and wants to sell or give away. Can one dilemma be the solution to the other? No, says Jeremy Woodrow of the Alaska Department of Transportation: …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel, local officials with dipnets were all standing by in Old Harbor Wednesday to corral four orphaned bear cubs, but the guests of honor were noticeably absent. The quadruplet cubs were orphaned last week when their mother had become a nuisance dump bear in the community and was put down by officials. …

Jay Barrett/KMXT The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed sport fishing for king salmon in the Chignik River in an attempt to boost escapement. The closure goes into effect tomorrow (Friday) and lasts through August 9th. Fishing had earlier been restricted on the Chignik, but additional measures are necessary to reduce chinook mortality. According to an emergency order …