News

The city of Dillingham will no longer charge sales tax on local arts, crafts, and locally grown produce.  KDLG's Ben Matheson has the story.

A bill working its way through the House of Representatives would open Bristol Bay to oil and gas lease sales in a new leasing plan.   The legislation, however,  faces a skeptical Senate and a very long road to implementation.The Offshore Energy and Jobs Act passed the House Resources Committee last week. House republicans are again pushing to open much of the nation’s currently closed waters for drilling, including Bristol Bay.  This would scrap President Obama’s 5 year leasing plan and require a new one by 2015.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that another 421 king salmon were counted as escapement on Monday to the Nushagak River. That pushes the season total up to 8,355. The escapement goal for kings is 95-thousand fish.

The ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery continues to post the highest index numbers on record for this time in the season.

All state flags are to be lowered to half-staff Tuesday in honor of former State Representative Jack Fuller. He died on June 11th in Wasilla at the age of 91. Fuller was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1978. State flags are to be returned to full-staff on Wednesday.

The Port Moller Test Fishery continues to produce high index numbers leading to speculation that the Bristol Bay sockeye run is either early or large. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the details.

A red flag warning is in effect for critical fire weather conditions north of Iliamna today. Unseasonably warm temperatures and dry conditions have primed southwest Alaska for potential wildfires. The warning extends north from Iliamna to the Lower Kuskokwim valley. Meteorologist Michael Lawson says the dry air is a central factor, as relative humidity levels drop as low as 12 to 15 percent.

The first commercial fishing effort in the Nushagak District occurred last Friday night. By all accounts those who participated had a good night of fishing. KDLG’s Mike Mason reports.

This version of the Bristol Bay Fisheries Report includes 2 stories from the recent BB-RSDA Annual Meeting and a story about a new tool to help retrofit some of the Bay's smaller driftnet vessels. The Report also includes an update on the Bristol Bay Jobs Accelerator Project and the latest information from the Port Moller Test Fishery. The host for this version of the Bristol Bay Fisheries Report is KDLG News Director Mike Mason.

Last year the Alaska Department of Fish and Game made public proposed new sockeye escapement goals for many of the rivers in Bristol Bay. Those goals won’t be implemented for a couple of years… except for one. KDLG’s Mike Mason explains.

Saturday's Bristol Bay Fisheries Report includes an update from the ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery and a report about the results of a survey of drifters about fleet reduction efforts.  The report also includes a story about the Bristol Bay Jobs Accelerator Project and an update on the BB-RSDA's anti-mining campaign.  Saturday's report was hosted by KDLG News Director Mike Mason.

The organization that represents all of the driftnet permit holders in Bristol Bay started an effort earlier this year to gauge the interest of drifters in reducing the size of the overall fleet. KDLG’s Mike Mason has the details.

The Port Moller Test Fishery got started on Monday and today is the 6th day of fishing. There was another large uptick in catches on Friday with 259 sockeye caught in the 200-fathom net over just 4 of the 5 stations that are normally fished.

Friday's Bristol Bay Fisheries Report includes an update on the ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery and a report about last week's annual meeting of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association.   We also check in on how things are going in the Egegik District and hear a report about the Bristol Bay Jobs Accelerator Program.   The Bristol Bay Fisheries Report is hosted by KDLG News Director Mike Mason.

A 36 year old Manokotak man is facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl.  At 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, troopers received a report that Robert Geerhart Junior had become highly intoxicated after drinking R&R whisky. 

Around 3 or 4 a.m. he allegedly left his house and went to a tent in the yard where 7 girls, including his 5 daughters, were camping.  Troopers say he began having sex with the victim, one of his daughters’ friends.