Batteries, as well all know, wear out. But sometimes you just want to upgrade your old lead-acid batteries to something modern and new, like lithium-ion. Those are the same kind used in your smart phone, high-end electric cars, and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Well, Kodiak Electric Association is doing just that by replacing the 3-megawatt battery storage system it uses …

The Kodiak Island Borough has launched a new online tool for citizens to stay up-to-speed on their government’s activities. Launching this week, the goal of the “Civic Web Portal” is to “make open governance a reality for the entire borough,” according to an announcement from the borough clerk’s office. Accessible from the borough’s homepage by clicking on the “meeting info” …

Coming up this week, the Sitka Tribe would like to see changes to how herring are managed, part of The Blob, let’s call it “Blob Jr.,” had some significant effects on Kachemak Bay, and how Fish and Game is coping with ongoing budget cuts in the face of the state’s fiscal situation. We had vital contributions this week from KCAW’s …

The Joint Kodiak Fishery Work Group met Monday (Feb. 27) morning to review and vote on approving a letter to be sent to the Alaska Board of Fisheries regarding an intercept fishery study. It’s a letter the group plans to deliver at the Fish Board meeting currently underway in Anchorage. All four members present, co-Chair Larry LeDoux, fellow borough assemblymen …

Coming up this week, biologist are optimistic about Lower Cook Inlet’s salmon prospects this summer; meanwhile, the board of fish is meeting in Anchorage to address Upper Cook Inlet finfish issues, also known as “The Fish Wars.” A couple of legislators are trying to remove a gag order on Board of Fish members when a conflict of interest comes before …

A schematic of a Spartan Motors pumper truck. The Kodiak island Borough Assembly has gone along with the wishes of the board from Fire Service Area 1, and so the Bayside Fire Department should have a brand new fire engine in about one year. The Assembly voted at its meeting last Thursday to award the proposal for a new engine …

The Kodiak Joint Fisheries Working Group held a two-plus hour meeting Thursday morning to hear several reports, including one about a possible intercept fishery around Kodiak of Upper Cook Inlet salmon. A genetic study indicating such an intercept was presented at the Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting in Kodiak this winter, and will be presented again at the board’s Cook …

Coming up this week, six fishermen are lost in the Bering Sea after their crabber disappears within sight of St. George Island; three others are rescued after going hard aground near Akutan, and Southeast fishermen are gearing up for crabbing that opens Friday. All that and more, on this week’s Alaska Fisheries Report. We had help from KUCB’s Laura Kraegel …

Emperor Goose. Photo Sandy Cole Wikimedia Commons After a false start a year and a half ago, managers are ready now to allow not one, but two hunts per year for the king of all waterfowl – the emperor goose. Because of a crash in its population 31 years ago, sport hunting for the bird was suspended, with a ban …

Coming up this week: Southeast spawn-on-kelp fishermen are facing restrictions this spring to help preserve the stock; Bristol Bay gets a fisherman back on the Board of Fish, but now there’s nobody representing Kodiak. All that, and meeting the impressive ‘Seawomen of Iceland. We had help from KMXT’s Kayla Desroches in Kodiak, KDLG’s Dave Bendinger in Dillingham and KFSK’s Angela …