KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska

Annie Ropeik/KUCB A Coast Guard petty officer has died in a Seattle hospital, more than a month after being injured during a rescue in the Eastern Aleutians. In a statement, the Coast Guard says Petty Officer Third Class Travis Obendorf died yesterday (Wednesday) at Swedish Hospital following surgery. He was a crew member aboard the Cutter Waesche. On November 11th, …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Things have been a little busier at the Kodiak Animal Shelter these days. Last month the borough assembly voted to reinstate animal control along the borough road system, which means areas like Bells Flats and Monashka Bay are now being serviced. Jean Lilly is the shelter manager and said there were a lot more dogs brought in, in …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT A new grant program will help the Baranov Museum care for some of its aging baskets this year. Museums Alaska is the statewide museum association and recently received funds from the Rasmuson Foundation to create a new program for Alaska’s museums and cultural centers. The program is the called the collections management fund and provides money for conservation …

John Hilsinger. (UAF photo) Jay Barrett/KMXT A long time Alaska fisheries biologist has signed on to be the new science advisor for a group of crabbers who ply their trade in one of the state’s more far-flung fisheries. The Aleutian King Crab Research Foundation recently announced the hire of John Hilsinger, who will take over as consultant from Denby Lloyd. …

Lauren Rosenthal/KUCB Fishermen will be able to harvest a little more pollock from the Bering Sea next year. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to bump up the catch limit to 1.267 million metric tons at a meeting in Anchorage last week. That limit is about 1 percent higher than this year’s. Representatives from the fishing industry lobbied for …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Even though temperatures are predicted to increase later this week, the past few days in the low teens have definitely announced winter’s arrival to Kodiak. This time of year typically entails thicker-than-usual jackets, but sometimes the proper cold weather attire isn’t within the financial means of some families. That’s why the Kodiak Morning Rotary sponsors “Coats for Kids,” …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT Abhijit Chatterjee never thought he’d call Alaska home. But his academic interests laid out a path that ultimately led him to Kodiak where he is currently a post doctoral fellow at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center. Chatterjee grew up in Kolkata, India, where he earned his bachelors in chemistry and then later pursued a bachelors and …

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT The city’s new Police Chief, Ronda Wallace, has held her new position for almost a month, but Thursday night she was officially sworn into office. “And that I will faithfully and honestly, that I will faithfully and honestly, perform the duties of chief of police, perform the duties of chief of police, so help me god, so help …