Economy

Until the coronavirus pandemic, the Kodiak Island Brewery was a lively local hangout. Until the coronavirus pandemic struck, the Kodiak Island Brewery was a thriving local business, but sales crashed after the brewery closed its tasting room in March. Ben Millstein hopes he can turn that around when he reopens his brewery, For the last four months, his only customers …

This week, two major retailers in Kodiak will require shoppers to wear masks. The change for Walmart took effect on Monday – and at Carrs-Safeway, today. For these chain stores, it’s part of a nationwide policy change to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Jennifer Foster says mask wearing has changed small town shopping patterns, that friends no longer linger to …

The federal government released information regarding recipients of the Paycheck Protection Program, and Kodiak businesses and organizations got a relatively small share of federal loans. Kodiak businesses received between $10 million and $15 million from the Paycheck Protection Program, a program of the federal Small Business Administration intended to support businesses and non-profits who faced layoffs and closure in the …

BREAKING:  A measure to extend the deadline for filing for the COVID-19 Payroll Protection Program is on its way to the president’s desk for his signature following a fast approval by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan’s office reports that President Trump is expected to sign the measure. If so, the deadline for the …

BREAKING: Fishermen and other small businesses may get another chance to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program which provides federal loans to help them stay afloat during the COVID 19 pandemic. That information comes from the office of Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan following Tuesday’s deadline for applying for the money.   The seiner Jaime Marie sails past other fishing vessels …

In the midst of the Covid-19 crisis and the threat of food shortages, “sustainability” and “food security” are no longer just buzzwords to communities across Alaska. And some look to Old Harbor for answers. Old Harbor is a community tucked away in the rugged wilderness on the southeast side of Kodiak Island. It started its journey towards sustainability with hoop …

The 2020 Alaska salmon season is off to a slow start, but it is too early to draw any conclusions, according to an economist with McDowell Group in Anchorage. Garrett Evridge writes a weekly statewide newsletter that updates salmon harvests for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. In this week’s report, Evridge explains that in an average year less than 10 …

Kavitha George presents the Midday Report featuring an update from Kodiak’s Emergency Operation Center, and state and local stories on: update on Kodiak’s third COVID-19 case and other COVID-19 updates in coastal Alaska rent and mortgage relief program oil tax ballot initiative Juneau’s police use of force policy bicycle shortages plus, Alaska Fish Radio, updates from Alaska Dept. of Fish …

The city of Kodiak announced a new program to distribute small business emergency grants to local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday. City council member John Whiddon says the city’s Economic Task Force will work to distribute a portion of $11.2 million in grant money the city received from the state.  The task force had to set up …