Ben Matheson, KNOM - Nome
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
Warm Winter Brings Open Water To Y-K Delta
Record warm temperatures have depleted Alaska’s snowpack and melted river ice. And residents of the YK Delta have noticed more open water in recent weeks. It’s not technically breakup, but in many places, it sure looks and feels like it.
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Calista Develops Regional Committee
The Calista board of directors is putting the pieces together of the new regional committee. The committee had a start in the 1980s, but it is getting new life this spring.
2014 Kuskokwim 300 Brings Past Champions And New Trail
Twenty-four mushers, including six past champions will be at the starting line for the 35th running of the Kuskokwim 300. The start is scheduled for 6:30 this evening, but an incoming winter storm could hold up the race.
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Ravn Investigating Cause Of St. Mary’s Crash
The NTSB is investigating the Era commuter plane that crashed and killed four people and injured six outside St. Mary’s. The government’s full report is many months away, but in the meantime, Era, now known as Ravn and others are digging into the cause of the crash.
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Police Find Deceased Akiachak Man In Bethel
Police on Wednesday afternoon found a deceased man who was partially frozen to the ground. He was identified as 37-year-old Marvin Paine of Akiachak. Andre Achee is the Bethel Police Lieutenant. He says police took a call about a body at the 150 block of Akakeek street in a cul-de-sac.
Bethel Artists To Learn About Fish Skins
There aren’t a lot of luxury items that come out of southwest Alaska. But there is group of artists working with a product that Alaskans know quite well, if they’ve ever put away fish. Local artists have a chance to learn to work with fish skin and bring it to new audiences and customers.
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Era Alaska Changes Name To Ravn Alaska
The umbrella brand Era Alaska brought together Hageland Aviation, Era Aviation, and Frontier Flying Service five years ago. That’s history now.
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Yukon Commercial Fishermen May Be Able To Use Purse Seine Gear
As fish managers attempted preserve the Yukon River king salmon last summer, commercial chum fisherman tried out some new gear. They used dip nets and beach seine gear by emergency order during the many king salmon closures. They brought in nearly 200,000 fish, but some say that’s not enough for their income, or for the future of the fishery.
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US Senate Is Close To Saving A St. Mary’s Man Cabin
A St. Mary’s man is one step closer to saving his cabin. William Alstrom’s small cabin is located on the Andreafsky Wilderness in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, about 31 miles northwest of St. Mary’s.
Sobering Center Provides Nearly 2,000 Bed Nights A Year
The Sobering Center is now in its fourth winter of operation. It provides a safe place for intoxicated people to sleep off a bad night of drinking. Since it opened, the center has expanded its hours and built relationships with the people it serves.
BLM Builds Long-Term Clean Up Plan For Red Devil Mine Site
The Bureau of Land Manage is planning do a quick field season at the Red Devil mine to try to stop the large tailings piles from eroding into Red Devil Creek and sending more metals into the Kuskokwim River. But there are more than 250,000 cubic yards of contaminated ground at the site.
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Stebbins Man Safe After Snowmachine Falls Through The Ice
A Stebbins man travelling to Kotlik is safe after his snowmachine broke through the ice. State troopers on Tuesday night received a report that 27-year-old Albert Bogeyaktuk Junior had not made it into Kotlik.
Hooper Bay Woman Indicted On Felony Drug Charge
A Hooper Bay woman has been indicted by a grand jury on a felony drug charge. Twenty-two-year-old Louise L Bunyan was arrested following a trooper investigation. According to an affidavit, Bunyan was attempting to fly from Bethel to Hooper Bay last Friday in possession of marijuana.
Bethel Residents Struggle With GCI Smartphone Data
GCI is in the process of transitioning to 3G data service for smart phones in the Bethel area. But as many users know, the internet isn’t always the fastest or in some cases, available at all.
BLM Taking Steps To Clean Up Red Devil Mine
The process of cleaning up the Red Devil mine will take the BLM years. But the agency is planning to move dirt this summer to prevent more tailings and their toxic metals from entering the Kuskokwim River.
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Bethel Homeless Shelter To Open By Christmas
As temperatures drop in Bethel, a grassroots organization is opening a shelter to provide a safe and warm place to the city’s homeless. The Bethel Winter House will be open every night from December 24th through the three coldest months of the year.
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15 Mushers Register For 2014 Kuskokwim 300
Five past champions are registered for this January’s Kuskokwim 300. 9-time and defending champion Jeff King will seek his record 10th title.
Disaster Assistance Centers Open In Kotlik And Stebbins
People on the coast who took on storm damage from the early November storms are now able to apply for state disaster assistance funds. The state has set up a phone line and website for people to being their application.
2-Year-Old Assaulted in Bethel, Man Arrested
A Bethel man is in custody for allegedly beating his two-year-old son. Police were called to a Bethel home early on a morning last week and found the toddler with visible facial wounds and a broken clavicle that would require medevac to Anchorage.
Bethel Man Facing Felony Assault Charge
A Bethel man is facing a felony assault charge for allegedly hurting his two-year-old son. Last week, Bethel Police were called to a home early in the morning and arrested 30-year-old Maurice Andrews, Sr.