KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT A downtown revitalization committee may soon be forming in Kodiak. During last night’s city council work session Mayor Pat Branson pitched the idea to the council, which would need to approve the formation of such a group. Branson said she approached a number of folks to participate in something like this last year. “People who were artists, the …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act, which guaranteed minorities fair access to the polls. The Alaska Redistricting Board was especially interested in hearing the ruling, as it has a direct bearing on how the state’s political boundaries will be re-drawn. Alaska had been required under the act to have its redistricting …

Jay Barrett/KMXT The Kodiak ringleader of a scheme to embezzle nearly a half-million dollars from Trident Seafoods was sentenced in U.S. District Court Monday. Isairis Wolfe will spend the next 46 months in federal prison and be forced to repay every penny she stole. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline in Anchorage. According …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Alaska seafood is now being imported directly into the worlds’ fifth-largest country. Brazilian supplier Noronha Pescados this month started importing Alaska salmon, pollock and cod directly to Walmart and several other Brazilian retail stores. Michael Cerne, the executive director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said the Brazilian market is growing rapidly because of ASMI’s marketing efforts. ASMI’s …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Downtown revitalization will be one topic of conversation during tonight’s Kodiak City Council work session. In recent months more and more community members have approached the council about the condition of the downtown mall area. Complaints range from safety concerns and the number of vagrants to general aesthetics. The police department has increased foot patrols in the area …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Last week a number of worldwide representatives from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, or ASMI, were in Kodiak to discuss how to better market the state’s bounty around the globe. Joe Jacobson is the international program director for ASMI. “Every year, twice a year, we get together with all of our overseas reps, and all of the ASMI …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Earlier this month the North Pacific Fishery Management Council met in Juneau and set a cap on chinook salmon bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska trawl fishery. The council was looking a variety of cap amounts, ranging from 3,000 to 10,000, but in the end set it at 7,500. A number of Kodiak representatives attended the meetings in …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly has a new attorney. During Thursday’s regular meeting the assembly approved a contract with Levesque (Lev-ek) Law Group, a small firm based in Anchorage. For the past three years the assembly has been represented by Cheryl Brooking, of the Anchorage-based Wohlforth, Johnson, Brecht, Cartledge and Brooking. That contract is set to expire at …