Culture

A Kodiak fisherman has agreed to jail time and a substantial fine over charges he falsified fishing records. James Aaron Stevens. 46, will plead guilty to one count of false labeling, a violation of the Lacey Act, a federal law that protects against trafficking illegally taken wildlife. Stevens, the operator and owner of the F/V Alaskan Star and F/V Southern …

On this week’s Talk of the Rock, Jared Griffin talks with advocate Deborah Bitanga and Dr. E.J. David, Professor of Psychology at UAA, about immigration, the Filipino American experience, white privilege and race relations in Alaska and the US. Here is a list of anti-racist resources to help you follow-up on issues related to race and privilege: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/antiracist_resources_from_greater_good

K-12 classes have moved online, and with them, extracurriculars are going virtual too. For more than a month, Next Step Dance in Kodiak has hosted a “digital dance studio” through Zoom, to keep almost 300 young students practicing choreography from home. Mary Beth Loewen teaches a ballet class via video conference. (Photo courtesy Mary Beth Loewen) Mary Beth Loewen has …

  Most of us have them. Dusty old boxes, totes, hard-drives, shoeboxes of photos, many containing people we can’t even identify. Yet, there seems to be an urge to hang on to the past, to that connection to family and old friends, even if we don’t know who they are. KMXT’s Maggie Wall has this report on an effort by …

Kodiak History Museum has an ongoing mission to archive and care for objects and stories that make up Kodiak’s rich past and present. Collections curator Margaret Greutert and executive director Sarah Harrington were guests on this week’s Talk of the Rock program to discuss the acquisition and archive process, and to talk about what’s new at the museum. Listen to …

  The Salem Witch Hunts hold a unique place in American history. It’s a tale of fear, suspicion and extremism that is hard to comprehend today. Kodiak theater goers will have an opportunity to get a better grasp on what that period was like this weekend as the Kodiak Arts Council presents Arthur Miller’s 1953 play “The Crucible.” Director Jared …

The seventh season of Galley Tables, Kodiak’s winter storytelling series, launches Friday night at the Convention Center. The opening night theme is “Jerryrigged”. Galley Tables events are historically standing-room only, but Director Sara Loewen says it’s always a challenge finding seven brave storytellers to stand up before an audience of more than 300. Kathleen McKinney delivers a story during Season …

Kodiak Public Library acquired a new art installation for the children’s room last week. The colorful carved wood panel featuring a collection of rockfish hanging at the circulation desk was funded by a donation from former Kodiak resident Madelyn Poland Gale in honor of her mother, Estella Layton. Jim Pryor sits with his new rockfish carving at the Kodiak Public …

  Our guest is Toby Sullivan, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum. He talks about the joint conference of Museums Alaska and the Alaska Historical Society this week in Kodiak. He also talks about Alaska history, national museums and changes in the way museums share a community’s history.    

Mariculture is a growth industry with kelp and seaweed from saltwater farms being sold for food, healthcare items, and a wide range of cutting edge products. And commercial shellfish farms are a thriving industry in several regions of coastal Alaska. Those interested in learning more about local mariculture or who are considering getting into the business may want to attend …