Mitch Borden, KMXT - Kodiak
Number of bears at Brooks Falls may depend on the size of the salmon run
Officials at Brooks Camp in the Katmai National Park have noticed a lot more young bears have returned to the area this summer and it could have something to do with salmon. A park service biologist is conducting a study to try and figure out if there's a connection with the size of annual salmon runs and the amount of bear's that return to Brooks River annually. Listen now
After a long wait, Ugashik fishermen’s patience pays off
After a very slow beginning to their season, fishermen in Ugashik Bay saw millions of sockeye salmon return in a little over a week in mid-July. The short intense peak of the season turned out to be beneficial for some of the fishermen who stuck it out all the weeks without fish. Listen now
College students help keep Bristol Bay sockeye top tier
Bristol Bay seafood processors pay millions of dollars to fishermen for premium sockeye. But how do companies make sure they’re getting their money's worth? By using mostly college students to keep fishermen honest. Listen now
Chignik fishermen stuck ashore as sockeye run fails
There is really only one thing to talk about in Chignik Bay these days: Where are the sockeye? Listen now
Larsen Bay struggles with the prospect of losing its school
The population of Larsen Bay has been decreasing for decades, and now it looks like the village could see its only school close for the first time in its history because of a lack of students. Listen now
Kodiak researchers try to understand why Pacific Cod stocks are crashing in the gulf
On an island about four miles off of Kodiak, marine scientists working with the University of Alaska are trying to figure out why Pacific cod stocks are crashing in the Gulf of Alaska. And, how climate change may be affecting the fish when they’re young. Listen now
Energy Secretary Rick Perry visits the Kodiak Archipelago
While on a recent day trip to Kodiak to tour the community’s electrical grid that’s almost entirely powered by renewable energy, Senator Lisa Murkowski and the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry, hopped on a plane and took a quick detour to the small community of Old Harbor. Listen now
Response to oil spill in the Shuyak Strait continues
At the end of February, 3,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Shuyak Strait about 50 miles north of the City of Kodiak. The oil was in a building that collapsed because of a severe windstorm. Since then, a response has been underway to contain the oil, clean it up and prevent future spills. Listen now
Larsen Bay residents fear losing school
In villages across Alaska, schools are the beating hearts of rural communities. Of course, that’s where kids are educated. But school sites also often provide the only basketball courts and meeting halls around. And, in the Kodiak Archipelago, at least half of the region’s villages are facing losing their schools. Listen now
A recent earthquake leaves Kodiak’s fire station damaged, but energizes efforts to replace it
Last month’s earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska left the city of Kodiak’s fire station shaken and cracked. It’s also stimulated the efforts to replace the building. Listen now
Friends and family remember Judge Roy Madsen
Judge Roy Madsen passed away earlier this week at his home in Kodiak. The first Alaska Native to become a Superior Court Judge and was a pillar of the community who helped make history throughout his 94 years. Listen now
First Alaska Native Superior Court Judge passes away
The Honorable Judge Roy Harding Madsen passed away peacefully in his home in Kodiak on Tuesday, December 26th. He was 94. Madsen was born in the village of Kanatak on the Alaska Peninsula in 1923. Listen now
Mental health clinicians work to keep students safe in Kodiak schools
It’s been at least nine years since a student in the Kodiak Island Borough School District has taken his or her own life. That’s in part due to the work that many organizations in Kodiak work to keep children safe.
People from across the country travel to Kodiak to learn how to smoke fish
Smoked salmon is popular across Alaska and the world. For those who want to learn more about the process of making it, there’s an annual two-day workshop in Kodiak. Listen now
Russian River flooding is affecting Kodiak residents
Russian River flooded last week in Kodiak leaving some residents scrambling to address the damage. Listen now
Day four of search for missing hiker begins
In Nome, the search for Joseph Balderas is starting its fourth day. Other than his abandoned car near mile 44 on the Nome-Council Highway, there has been no sign of him. Download Audio
The challenges of crab leg lunch
The Norton Sound Commercial Crab Fishery closed last week, recording more than 41 thousand pounds of red king crab. That pales in comparison to last year’s record-breaking catch. But it was enough for Nome’s Pingo Bakery Seafood House to host its annual crab leg lunch during Iditarod.
Effort in place to revive Nome National Forest
Nome is a community surrounded on all sides by either treeless tundra or ocean. This time of year, sled dogs and a wave of tourists flood the city’s streets for the annual Iditarod Trail Race. It is also the only time of year visitors will have the opportunity to wander through a truly unique kind of evergreen forest. Download Audio