Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
Anchorage mayor blames vaccine mandates for hospital staff shortage. Hospitals say he’s wrong.
Hospitals say they're swamped with COVID patients now. Mandates aren't in effect yet.
Biden appoints Arctic Research commissioners
The 6 appointees to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission reflect an emphasis on Alaska and Alaska Native representation.
In ERs and public meetings, Alaskans rage at health care workers trying to stem COVID spread
Alaskans have been "belligerent, disrespectful, very, very aggressive" to contract tracers, says a public health nurse manager. They've followed nurses to yell at them.
Judge deals blow to Eklutna’s bid for tribal gaming
Parcel Eklutna wants for gaming parlor is not "Indian land," judge rules.
Alaska’s largest hospital expects health care rationing to last weeks
Dr. Kristen Solana Walkinshaw, chief of medical staff at Providence Alaska Medical Center, says the hospital is likely to continue on its crisis footing for at least another two weeks.
How Alaska’s largest hospital reached its tipping point
Providence Alaska Medical Center’s Chief of Staff Dr. Kristen Solana Walkinshaw said it was Saturday, Sept. 11, when she realized the hospital could no longer meet its normal standards of care. The overload of COVID-19 patients was too much.
Oxygen, intubation, regret: Alaska ICU doctor provides a glimpse behind the walls
Dr. Leslie Gonsette says she feels like she's living in two worlds.
As Providence moves to crisis care, other Alaska hospitals grow strained
One Alaska hospital nearly ran out of supplemental oxygen, says hospital association CEO.
Alaska’s largest hospital now rationing care due to COVID surge
Doctors at Providence Alaska Medical Center said Tuesday that they’ve begun to ration care as Alaska endures one of the worst surges of COVID-19 in the country.
Mu variant is fizzling in Alaska
Mu was detected in Alaska in May but lost ground to the delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Up to 100 Afghanistan evacuees to settle in Alaska
Catholic Social Services of Alaska said the evacuees will stay at military bases in the Lower 48 until they’re ready to move north. The agency is also asking for volunteers to welcome the new arrivals and help them settle in.
EPA considers more permanent protection for Bristol Bay by resuming Pebble ‘veto’ process
EPA administrator says “the most productive salmon fishery in North America" is at stake.
Biden administration will review Trump’s plan that opened most of the NPR-A to oil development
In light of Biden's climate goals, the Bureau of Land Management is reviewing the 2020 plan that opened millions of additional acres in the NPR-A to oil drilling.
Interior secretary postpones Alaska trip, citing rising COVID rates
Secretary Haaland was to hear King Cove leaders' case for a road through the Izembek Refuge.
Alaska House leaders call on Dunleavy to ease hospital crisis with disaster declaration
But Gov. Dunleavy said Friday that he has no intention of issuing a disaster declaration.
Budget bill in Congress could derail ANWR drilling
House Democrats want to use the budget to reverse the 2017 law opening the Arctic Refuge.
John Havelock, former Alaska attorney general, has died
Havelock played a role in important Alaska laws and drafted the Privacy Amendment.
Murkowski out of brief quarantine for suspected COVID-19
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was briefly in quarantine but her office says she’s had two negative tests within 24 hours and does not have COVID-19.
Hospitals say a disaster declaration would help Alaska cope with record hospitalizations
The state hospital association wants Gov. Dunleavy to issue a disaster declaration to help ease the hospital crisis.
Breakthrough COVID cases are rising in Alaska. Here’s why, and why vaccines are still ‘amazing.’
One in five of Alaska's COVID hospitalizations in July was vaccinated. So were four of the 17 COVID deaths.