Twin Creeks region of Chiniak. Photo taken and graphic provided by Betty Odell. Five years ago a hot, rapidly spreading fire burned much of the Chiniak area. On this week’s Talk of the Rock, which is rebroadcast from last summer, several of the residents share their memories of that frightening event. Our guests: John and Moe Butler Dave and …
Read More »BLM to visit 17(b) Easements in Chiniak Tuesday in effort to solve conflicts over access to public land
Representatives from the Bureau of Land Management are in Kodiak today learning more about the concerns of local residents who are frustrated with the closure of trails and access in Chiniak. KMXT’s Maggie Wall attended an information meeting on 17(b) Easements and has this report. Click arrow to listen or continue below to read. The BLM’s Tom Sparks …
Read More »Talk of the Rock — Aug. 27, 2019 Chiniak Fire Four-Year Anniversary
Four years ago a hot, rapidly spreading fire burned much of the Chiniak area. On this week’s Talk of the Rock several of the residents share their memories of that frightening event. Our guests: John and Moe Butler Dave and Betty Odell Joan Brodie The Aug. 27, 2015 Twin Creeks fire in Chiniak as seen from town. Photo courtesy …
Read More »Chiniak Burn Area Open for Firewood Collection
Firewood. Liz West / Flickr Kayla Desroches/KMXT Piles of wood debris line the road following tree salvage in Chiniak. Starting today, people are free to take them. Both wood harvest and replanting is complete, and borough resource management officer Maggie Slife says the borough wants to give the community the chance to stock up on firewood. She says there’s both …
Read More »Chiniak’s Burn Area is Looking Pretty Green After Its Replanting
Sitka Spruce Seedling (Photo: Maggie Slife) Mitch Borden/KMXT On a rainy day, Maggie Slife was part of a group that made their way out to Chiniak. Slife is the Resource manager and officer for the Kodiak Island Borough. Her group went out to inspect the completed replanting of the burn area the Chiniak fire left behind in 2015. Recently, crews …
Read More »Borough Staff Updates Assembly on Free Timber and Replanting in Chiniak
Kayla Desroches/KMXT Kodiak Island Borough staff and assembly members have been planning for timber salvage and replanting in Chiniak since the Twin Creeks fire ravaged the area in 2015. Staff will update the assembly on recovery efforts at the assembly work session tonight. Resource Management Officer Maggie Slife says A-1 Timber Consultants has wrapped up logging the damaged trees. NorthWind …
Read More »Village Schools Get New Flooring and Playground Equipment
Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough is working to finish up infrastructure updates in the villages before students return to school. Matt Gandel says the borough replaced some of the flooring in the smaller Karluk and Ahkiok schools, and is now updating Ouzinkie. “So, we’re basically replacing the existing carpet with new carpet for the most part. There’s a little …
Read More »Borough Works on Village School Infrastructure
Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough is working to finish up infrastructure updates in the villages before students return to school. Matt Gandel says the borough replaced some of the flooring in the smaller Karluk and Ahkiok schools, and is now updating Ouzinkie. “So, we’re basically replacing the existing carpet with new carpet for the most part. There’s a little …
Read More »Borough Begins Installment of Community Playgrounds
Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Island Borough is building playgrounds in seven island communities, and it begins construction on Monday. Borough Project Manager Matt Gandel spoke before community representatives at the Kodiak Archipelago Rural Regional Leadership Forum Thursday. “Last summer we travelled around to all the villages, talked to the community about what kind of equipment they wanted. Colors, types, all …
Read More »Borough Plans New Chiniak Library / Tsunami Shelter After Fire
Kayla Desroches/KMXT In the summer of 2015, Chiniak residents lost their library and tsunami shelter to the Twin Creeks fire. The flames engulfed the building and its contents. Now, Kodiak Island Borough employees are working together with locals to bring the structure back to life and fill it up with books for kids, teens, and adults. The library and tsunami …
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