KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

Lauren Rosenthal/KUCB Shell’s Kulluk drill rig is almost ready to leave Alaska waters. The heavy lift vessel that will take the damaged oil rig to Asia for repairs arrived in Unalaska on Sunday afternoon. The Kulluk has been in Unalaska for two weeks, waiting for the 700-foot Xiang Rui Kou to arrive from China. Marine pilot Carter Whalen says it …

Jay Barrett/KMXT A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak medevac’d a crewman from the fishing vessel Stella in the Shelikof Strait on Friday. The Coast Guard would not identify the 35-year-old fisherman, but said he was suffering from hypothermia after falling overboard. The Coast Guard reports the man spent a significant amount of time in the 38-degree water …

Jay Barrett/KMXT Today we are wrapping up this week’s talks with Alaska Senator Mark Begich, who spoke to KMXT about fishery-related issues from the Boston Seafood show. The National Weather Service relies on NOAA weather satellites to help extend weather forecasts more than a day or two into the future. However satellite coverage over Alaska will likely be reduced because …

Jay Barrett/KMXT It’s still a few days until spring officially begins, and it’s still freezing and snowing around Kodiak, but nevertheless, the Alaska Department of Transportation is taking action now to keep area roads from deteriorating too quickly. As of Wednesday, seasonal weight limits for vehicles traveling state roads went into effect. On state-maintained paved roads, the limit is 75-percent …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT In a crowded room in the Westmark Baranof Hotel in downtown Juneau, a noisy crowd weaves around a buffet table piled with fishy delicacies – salmon garnished with lemon, lox, halibut Olympia and monstrous legs of king crab. “Thank you all for coming, we’re really glad to have you here tonight, enjoy the seafood and we’ll see you …

Coming up this week: Fishermen seek broader habitat protection for the Tongass, MSA reauthorization gets underway in Congress, and no, it’s not too early to start talking about herring. Thanks to Brianna Gibbs for filling in as host the last month. We had help this week from APRN’s Peter Granitz in Washington D.C., KDLG’s Mike Mason in Dillingham, and CoastAlaska’s …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT There’s been a lot of discussion about school vouchers in the state capitol these days. In mid February Senate Joint Resolution 9 surfaced, which called for a constitutional amendment to be put to Alaska’s voters. The amendment would change the way the state’s education system is funded and allow state money to go toward private and religious schools. …

Jay Barrett/KMXT We continue our series this week with Senator Mark Begich discussing fishing industry issues from the Boston Seafood Show. Today, he talks about the replacement for the J-1, or foreign student workers visa bill, which he calls “H-2-O.” He introduced the legislation this week, but says it will not likely help processors this summer. That’s because it’s part …