Kodiak has joined the list of Alaska communities that have lost a school in recent years after its school board voted to close North Star Elementary School at a special meeting on Jan. 22.

The process for distributing fishery disaster relief will get some needed relief of its own. That’s after former President Joe Biden signed a bill earlier this month that aims to speed up the time it takes to get disaster money into fishermen’s hands.

The City Council discussed the Second Floor Restaurant’s license renewal for the year 2024 through the end of 2025 during a work session on Jan. 16. The eatery is located upstairs in the same building as Peking and is owned by the same person, Sook C. Yun who is also known as Sung Kim.

The board will make a decision at a special meeting on Jan. 22, when it will also consider stratification. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the district services conference room. The meeting will also be broadcast both on KMXT and online. KMXT's Davis Hovey asked Brian Venua to break down some of the highlights ahead of the decision.

The Alaska Seafood Task Force is trying to slim down 20 pages of suggestions for addressing the many issues plaguing the state’s seafood industry. The group must now settle on its final recommendations before it disbands on Feb. 1.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s District 17 staff said in a press release that it received a distress signal from the F/V Tanusha just before 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. A nearby good Samaritan vessel, the Victory and a helicopter from Air Station Kodiak responded to the call.

Kodiak could be less than a week from losing one of its four elementary schools. The island’s school district held a town hall meeting on Monday to hear from the public before making its decision next week. Emotions are high as officials try to balance the budget.

The Kodiak Crab Alliance Cooperative, which represents the local fleet, will deliver between 70 and 80 percent of the total harvest to one processor that offered the best price. Alaska Pacific Seafoods will pay $5.75 per pound for the lion’s share of Tanner crabs.

The state Department of Transportation plans to enforce a two-week limit for all vehicles within the long term parking lot. DOT staff will issue notices or tags on vehicles that approach the limit and then relocate those vehicles to a nearby impound lot if they stay parked for more than 14 days.

The City of Kodiak and Kodiak Island Borough announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8, that Richard Gonzalez will be the main point of contact for local, state and federal partners during emergency response on the island.