Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Casey here.
Iditapod bonus: Anchorage interview with Quince Mountain
The Iditarod rookie came in for a rather lengthy interview last week. We talked about his past and present, and, among other things, Quince’s experiences being transgender. As far as we know, he’s the first openly trans person in the Iditarod.
Iditapod: An Iditarod restart switcheroo (and more snow)
The 2020 Iditarod began in earnest Sunday with the official restart in Willow, where, to the surprise of many, musher John Schandelmeier replaced his wife, Zoya Denure, who reportedly had some last-second health issues. What wasn't a surprise, at least for this winter, was more snow!
Iditapod: Iditarod ceremonial start, and a participatory parade
The Iditapodders took to the streets of downtown Anchorage, and the trails of midtown Anchorage, for the ceremonial start of the 2020 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Alaska Public Media reporters Zachariah Hughes and Tegan Hanlon joined Iditapod host Casey Grove in talking to mushers, but then Casey hopped on a sled with Quince Mountain, riding the entire 11-mile course. AKPM reporter Liz Ruskin also joined in with an audio postcard from the trail-side parties.
Iditapod: Without a King, but plenty of snow
On the eve of Iditarod 2020, we discuss four-time champion Jeff King dropping out due to a medical emergency, how his rookie handler is taking King's top-notch team, and how heavy snow along the Iditarod Trail (a trench in places) will surely affect this year's race. Host Casey Grove is joined in the studio by Alaska Public Media reporters Tegan Hanlon and Zachariah Hughes.
Iditapod bonus: Anchorage interview with Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach
This year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be the first for its new CEO Rob Urbach, who took over in July. Urbach came to the Iditarod after six years as CEO of USA Triathlon and, previously, had worked in sports marketing and management.
LISTEN: New Iditarod CEO looks forward to first race at the helm
The thousand-mile Iditarod kicks off with the ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, and this year's race will be the first for its new CEO Rob Urbach, who took over in July.
Iditapod: We’re live!
Instead of hiding in our cozy little radio studio at Alaska Public Media or out on the sparsely populated Iditarod Trail, we took the Iditapod to the Beartooth Theatrepub in Anchorage on Monday, March 2 for a live, onstage event, where about 300 people joined reporters Zachariah Hughes, Tegan Hanlon and Casey Grove for a wide-ranging discussion with Iditarod mushers Jessica Klejka, Matthew Failor and Jeff King.
Iditapod bonus: Fairbanks interview with Brent Sass
Three-time Yukon Quest champion dog musher Brent Sass is headed back to Alaska’s other thousand mile sled dog race, the Iditarod, after some trial and tribulation.
Iditapod: Looking back at 2019 Iditarod, this year’s 300-milers and Yukon Quest
...and we're back! Kicking off the 2020 Iditapod, host Casey Grove and Alaska Public Media trail reporter Zachariah Hughes discuss the 2019 running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, as well as the 2020 Copper Basin 300 (briefly) and the Kuskokwim 300 (at length). And Casey talks to three-time Yukon Quest champion Brent Sass about his recent victory in that other thousand-mile sled dog race and his impending return to the Iditarod.
LISTEN: Publisher pulls book after accusations of racism around traditional foods
As first reported by the Arctic Sounder newspaper, Capstone Publishing described its own book, "Take Your Pick of Disgusting Foods," as racist and says it will remove the book from active sales.
LISTEN: What makes someone a ‘real’ Alaskan?
As public historian David Reamer points out in a recent installment of his column for the Anchorage Daily News, called Histories of Anchorage, there’s little doubt that Alaska Natives are “real” Alaskans. But what about everybody else?
LISTEN: From rocket launches to climate monitoring, NASA has big plans for Alaska
The National Aeronautic and Space Administration does a lot of work in Alaska, from looking inward monitoring the effects of climate change, to launching rockets to conduct experiments away from Earth.
LISTEN: A story of love, loss and letting go in ‘The Adventurer’s Son’
The book is centered around a tragedy: It describes the disappearance of Roman Dial’s son, Cody Roman Dial, who vanished in the rainforest of Costa Rica in 2014.
LISTEN: Looking for love? These Anchorage matchmakers say the odds are good.
This version of matchmaking involves both introducing would-be lovers in person and improving their experiences in the online realm.
LISTEN: Anchorage clothes-repair workshops revive the practice of mending
Once a month, the Anchorage Museum's SEED Lab hosts a mending workshop where participants repair clothing and other gear in an effort to extend their use, reduce waste and teach participants new skills.
LISTEN: Satellite broadband service to touch every corner of Alaska by year’s end
There’s a project in the works to bring wireless, broadband internet to all of Alaska, this time via satellite.
Alaska News Nightly: Friday, Feb. 7, 2020
Little public information released so far about the Yute Air crash that killed five passengers in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Also, the Kaktovik school, a gathering place for the entire community, burns to the ground. And and update from Dawson City, the halfway point of the Yukon Quest sled dog race.
Sex abuse victim advocates call Anchorage Archdiocese report too little, too late
None of the Catholic priests reported to have been involved in sexual misconduct in a 50-year review of records released last month by the Anchorage Archdiocese was ever convicted of a crime. There is also no indication the report has prompted any new criminal investigations since its release.
LISTEN: Drug and alcohol misuse costs Alaska $3.5B annually. Here’s how we know the price tag.
That’s according to a report released earlier this month by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, with the hopes that the data will better inform policymakers’ decisions for the benefit of Alaskans.
LISTEN: Alaska twins to show Rottweilers at Westminster
Thirteen-year-olds Carson and Camryn Hayes will show their two, roughly 100-pound Rottweilers as junior handlers.