Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media
Lori Townsend is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452. Read more about Lori here.
Bonds, Assembly seats and School Board on Anchorage ballots
Self-contained two-way about tonight's Anchorage election. You can follow on the live blog, too! Download Audio
Governor Walker’s plan for fiscal stability
Governor Bill Walker's plan to solve the state's 4 billion dollar budget deficit has it all- budget cuts, new taxes and lower Permanent Fund Dividend payments in the years ahead. But his approach has plenty of critics in the legislature. What do you think? Join host Lori Townsend for a discussion on the state budget on the next Talk of Alaska statewide.
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Budgetary activism in solving Alaska’s fiscal woes
Alaskans are getting involved in the state budget process in big and small ways. On the next Talk of Alaska our guests are representatives of three groups who are offering ideas for how they want state leaders to handle the fiscal crisis.
APRN: Tuesday, 3/29 at 10:00am
JBER cuts put on hold
Cuts to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson's 4-2-5 infantry brigade combat team in Anchorage have officially been put on hold. Alaska's congressional delegation is celebrating today's announcement by the army. Download Audio
Planning the future of the Arctic
Once little discussed, the Arctic and its future is becoming a popular topic for debate among those who live in it and those who are attracted to its resources. The U.S.-led Arctic Council will meet in Fairbanks during Arctic science summit week. What are the priorities?
APRN: Tuesday, 3/15 at 10:00am
Alaska Republicans holding conventions this month
Alaska Republicans are holding district conventions around the state this month. Last week, Ted Cruz won 12 Alaska delegates in the state GOP Preference Poll, followed by Donald Trump with 11 and Marco Rubio with 5. The state republican party will choose 28 delegates to represent those votes at the state convention in Fairbanks at the end of April. The national convention takes place in Cleveland in July.
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Crime prevention through community outreach
Public safety and crime prevention will be more challenging for the state's department of law as budget cuts force closure of district attorney offices in some areas of Alaska. I'm Lori Townsend. How will prosecutors handle increased caseloads and long distance court proceedings?
APRN: Tuesday, March 8 at 10:00am
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What’s going on with Alaska’s weather?
February rain in Fairbanks, breaking a no snow record in Anchorage and off the charts warmth in the Arctic. Alaska is blowing its reputation as the land of ice and snow.
APRN: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 10:00am
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Young adult novel follows lives of four Alaska teens
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock grew up in Alaska but she says she could never have written her debut novel if she hadn't moved out of state. Her young adult book, published February 23rd, is called The Smell of Other People's Houses. Set in 1970's Alaska, the book tells the story of four teenagers who live very different lives in different parts of the state, but end up coming together in surprising ways. Download Audio
Racial Equity
What does it mean to have equity? Is it a simple measure of equal access to employment, housing and education, or something much deeper?
APRN: Tuesday, 2/23 at 10:00am
How safe is Alaska’s drinking water?
How safe is your drinking water? Most communities can be confident that their supply is fine, but Flint Michigan showed the nation that bad things can happen.
APRN: Tuesday, 2/16 at 10:00am
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Anchorage paramedic aids refugees in Greece
Anchorage resident Teresa Gray just returned from volunteering in a refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece. Gray is a retired paramedic who was moved to volunteer for three weeks in January with a relief organization based in Ireland, after she saw the tragic and widely circulated photograph of a small refugee boy who died and washed up on a beach. Gray had never assisted with an international relief effort before. She says the refugees who are fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq pay Turkish Smugglers 1500 dollars a person to get to Lesvos.
Understanding culture through Alaska literature
Literature helps us understand our world, ourselves and each other and Alaska is full of great authors. Tlingit author Ernestine Hayes will discuss her book Blonde Indian and the deeper understanding that can come from reading about lives that are different from our own.
APRN: Tuesday, 2/9 at 10:00am
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Seismic monitoring and earthquake energy
Scientists have been waiting for a decade for a large earthquake in Southcentral to test an array of seismic sensors in Anchorage. What did seismologists learn from the 7.1 temblor that struck Cook Inlet, rattling the Kenai and Alaska's largest city and how might that inform building codes in the future?
APRN: Tuesday, 2/2 at 10:00am
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Cyrano’s theater honored by Governor
The annual Governor's Awards for the Arts and Humanities takes place tonight in the capital city. Awards will be given to outstanding Alaskans for their work in advancing art and humanities. One of tonight's recipients is Cyrano's theater company in Anchorage.
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Alaska Native filmmaker selected for Sundance academy
A lot of Alaskans may know Inupiaq artist Holly Nordlum as a graphic designer, jewelry maker and creator of art that provokes conversations about the painful history of organized religion's impacts on Native people. Born in Kotzebue, Nordlum is a powerhouse of ideas and creative energy. Recently her desire to get a traditional Inupiaq chin tattoo led her on a journey of searching for tattooists who could teach the ancient, cultural art of tattooing with ink and thread or skin poking.
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Sen. Gardner: Lawmakers need committee to vet budget bills
Senate Minority Leader Berta Gardner introduced legislation yesterday to create a permanent Ways and Means committee in the Senate. It's a companion to a bill introduced by Rep. Sam Kito, a Democrat from Juneau, in the House earlier this week.
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Sen. Meyer: Savings can mitigate budget overhaul impacts
The Majority Caucus in the State Senate has one priority this year: restoring fiscal stability to Alaska. And Senate President Kevin Meyer, of Anchorage, says Permanent Fund earnings will have to be part of that mix.
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Rep. Tuck: Budget burden shouldn’t fall on middle class
Anchorage Rep. Chris Tuck is the minority leader in the state House. He questions whether the Governor’s budget proposal is fair for average Alaskans.
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BIA settlement closes; Alaska tribal groups net $100M
The enormous $940 million class-action lawsuit against the BIA on behalf of tribes cleared the last court hurdle today in New Mexico. The case stems from decades of short-funding tribal contracts. More than $100 million will be awarded to tribal organizations in Alaska.
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