Kodiak’s first responders are struggling, with a dozen vacant positions between both the fire and police departments. Both the fire and police chiefs say a lack of affordable housing options in the city has exacerbated the shortage. Tim Putney is the Kodiak police chief and has been with the department for over 20 years. In a joint letter with the …

The Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak in collaboration with the Alutiiq Museum have released a textbook to help revitalize an endangered Alaska Native language. As KMXT’s Davis Hovey reports, it’s a new tool to teach the next generation of Alutiiq speakers. The Alutiiq language also known as Sugpiaq is broken up into two main dialects, the Koniag Alutiiq spoken in Kodiak …

The Southeast section of Kodiak’s Tanner crab fishery will close at 6 p.m. Monday evening, marking the end of this year’s commercial fishing season. Nearly 3.5 million pounds of Tanner crabs have been caught in the Kodiak District and along the Alaska Peninsula about a week after the 2024 fishery opened on Jan. 15 at noon. That is down from …

A fishing vessel capsized offshore from Chiniak yesterday, requiring the Coast Guard [USCG] to send a rescue crew. No fatalities were reported. Weather conditions at the time included 30 knot winds and eight foot seas. According to a Coast Guard statement, the Alaska Rose, a 46-foot-fishing vessel, reported that they were taking on water two miles northeast of Chiniak Island …

The Kodiak Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) elected a new Board Member during its 2024 elections earlier this month. Jessica Johnson, who is the manager of power generation at Kodiak Electric Association, will serve an undetermined amount of time on the KEDC Board of Directors. According to the associate director, Melissa Schoenwether, the Board is currently revising their bylaws, which includes …

The Kodiak Island Borough will formally celebrate the U.S. Coast Guard in three weeks on February 9th. The Borough Assembly passed that proclamation and other business during their regular meeting Thursday night. Mayor Scott Arndt said “Coast Guard We Applaud You Day” recognizes the Coast Guard members and their contributions to the Kodiak community. “We are deeply grateful to the …

Alaska’s Board of Fisheries approved small changes for the local salmon set net and purse seine fleets at its meeting in Kodiak last week, January 9th – 12th, while opting to keep the status quo overall for the westside of the island’s management strategy. But as KMXT’s Davis Hovey reports, the growing divide between the two gear groups was on …

An important spawning area for salmon outside of the mouths of Danger and Cold creeks on Afognak Island will be closed to subsistence fishing. The Board of Fisheries announced its decision to put up subsistence markers at the head of Danger Bay during their finfish meeting in Kodiak last week, January 9th – 12th. Proposal 58, brought forward by longtime …

For the first time in Alaska Board of Fisheries history, a portion of the finfish meeting in Kodiak last week, January 9th – 12th, was dedicated to traditional knowledge. As KMXT’s Davis Hovey reports, the discussion covered a variety of topics, including equitable fishing for rural Kodiak Island residents. Four people testified during the first-ever traditional knowledge report at Kodiak’s …

Kodiak’s City Council unanimously approved all its resolutions at a regular meeting Thursday night, January 11th. Those included changes for the Baranof Park Improvements project, and an upgraded system connecting Kodiak’s wastewater and water treatment plants, among other business items. The city committed to paying $4,962,000.00 for the Baranof Park Recreation Center project back in 2022; and as of this …