Today the City of Kodiak is more than amazing history and natural abundance, a diverse and dynamic community thrive in this Island Paradise. Kodiak is the transportation hub for southwest Alaska, and her fishing port is the largest in the state and ranks among the top in the country. Additionally, Kodiak is home of the nation's largest US Coast Guard base and the first privately owned rocket launch facility. Commercial fishing, the U.S. Coast Guard and other government entities are the dominant industries followed by retail trade, transportation, utilities and tourism. Over the past few years the community has gone through a construction renaissance, completing a new pier to facilitate marine shipping, opening a new police station, pool, library, brewery, a handful of new restaurants and other small businesses; construction of the new High School is underway, and plans are being developed for a redesigned 21st century land fill, on top of the standard upgrades to roads and other public facilities. Kodiak's long understood secret to the locals, as well as a handful of celebrities, who generally come for the wildlife and natural beauty, is slowly but surely reaching a wider audience. In 2012, Grammy winning rapper Pitbull made an appearance before a crowd of hundreds. Impressive but the true celebrities may be the growing class of young professionals moving into the community to take advantage of the Island quality of life.  

Another reason to keep an eye on Kodiak this week is to watch the Board of Fish, which is hosting its rotating 3-year Kodiak Finfish meeting at the Harbor Convention Center, Tuesday-Friday, January 7-10.