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 …

Arctic warming is changing the geopolitical situation in northern regions and the U.S. Navy plans a training exercise to test its readiness in Alaska waters. The Arctic Expeditionary Capability Exercise is scheduled for this fall in various locations throughout Southcentral Alaska as well as around the Aleutian Chain.   “It’s basically an exercise that we’re going to use to demonstrate …

A new family event takes place this weekend. The Venture-Thru-Vehicles will be held at Oscar’s Dock on the spit downtown from 11-5 on Saturday. The basic premise is exactly as it sounds — get a bunch of cool, giant trucks, boats, and a helicopter together in a parking lot and let boys and girls of all ages explore them and …

The pink salmon harvest in Southeast Alaska is expected to end up hitting its target numbers after all. Despite poor returns in the northern part of the region, fishermen farther south are doing fine. A fisheries scientist based working in NOAA’s Auke Bay lab in Juneau is given the U.S. government’s highest honor available to scientists in the early part …

The Coast Guard on Tuesday morning medevaced a 33-year-old fisherman who was reportedly showing symptoms of a possible stroke. The fishing vessel Island Enterprise was near St. Paul Island at the time of the incident. The Coast Guard says that after consulting with a medical care provider, the vessel was advised to transit to St. Paul to prepare for the …

Pam Houston is an author and writing teacher from southwestern Colorado. She says her 120-acre ranch informs her writing and made her into the woman and author that she is today. Her sixth book is named Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country, which she spoke about at a book signing Monday. Tuesday, Houston will teach a writer’s workshop …

Kodiak College staff will soon be back to work for the fall semester, but without the new director that was hired earlier this summer.   Interim Director Betty Walters said on Thursday (this afternoon) that Jessica Paugh (Paw) has decided not to take the job as director of the college.   “Late yesterday afternoon I received an email from the …

  Many local non-profit organizations are in a wait-and-see mode as a bill passed by the Alaska Legislature to reinstate line item vetoes makes its way to the governor’s desk. Will Gov. Mike Dunleavy let the money go through, or will he perform another round of vetoes? At least one local non-profit is safe from direct cuts, because as its …

  Statewide fishing is all over the place – both literally and figuratively – salmon catches range from terrific in Bristol Bay while others, such as in Chignik are tragic. But salmon aren’t the only species Alaskans are fishing right now. We have an update on who’s catching what, where, and how it’s going. Despite some of the hottest temperatures …

Crews from the Coast Guard Air Station Kodak performed two medevacs last week, one an injured hunter and his companion on Kodiak, and the other an elderly couple on St. Paul Island. Early Friday morning the Air Station was notified by the Alaska State Troopers of an injured hunter on Middle Sister Mountain. Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Lauren Dean …