Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is hoping a new challenge will help put an end to the honey bucket in rural Alaska. Over 6,000 homes in the bush don’t have running water and sewer service. And the state and federal government can’t afford to install expensive centralized systems that are difficult to maintain in those small villages. So the state wants to encourage innovators to form teams to design a new type of system that could work. Bill Griffith, with DEC, came up with the idea for the challenge. Download Audio

As fall temperatures begin to slide toward lows that could be dangerous for the homeless population in Anchorage, Catholic Social Services has the funds to staff their overflow shelter. Catholic Social Services Executive Director Susan Bomalaski says a grant from the Fred Meyer employee giving fund and money from the municipality of Anchorage will get them through this winter. But Bomalaski said this Band-Aid-approach is not a good long term solution.

Winds will not be significant for Southcentral Alaska this weekend, but rain is hammering the Valdez and Cordova area. Download Audio

September winds in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska may increase going into the weekend, but National Weather Service forecaster Christian Cassell says they won’t reach the intensity of last fall’s big storm. Download Audio

One year after high winds caused extensive damage in Anchorage and across Southcentral Alaska, September is again starting off with concern about overnight gusts. Christian Cassell, forecaster for the National Weather Service in Anchorage, said winds of 45 to 60 mph will pick up along higher elevations and Turnagain Arm Monday night.

The Anchorage Police Department says it arrested 34 people for driving under the influence during the first weekend of an expanded effort to crack down on drunken drivers. There have been five drunk driving deaths in the city in the last two months. Listen for Full Story

As Alaska’s summer starts to slide toward fall, concern is growing for sheltering the increasing numbers of homeless citizens in Anchorage on cold nights. Download Audio

A new audit by the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General, finds the Port of Anchorage expansion project had botched oversight and bad cost estimates. Lisa Demer is a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She has reported extensively on the port expansion and the troubles surrounding cost and design. Download Audio

Even though there’s no drilling in Arctic waters this summer, work is still being done in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The Coast Guard has set up a forward operating location in Kotzebue this year after opening a seasonal location in Barrow last summer. Proponents of the oil tax referendum gather over 50,000 signatures. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves a TAPS settlement with the three owners. KSKA: Friday, 7/19 at 2:00pm & Saturday, 7/20 at 6:00pm TV: Friday, 7/19 at 7:30pm & Saturday, 7/20 at 5:00pm Download Audio

The Army says Fort Wainwright Garrison commander Colonel Ron Johnson might have been overstating it when he told residents of Pleasant Valley and Two Rivers last Saturday night that artillery training exercises had started the Stuart Creek Two wildfire. Download Audio

Anchorage is one of fewer than a dozen communities in the U.S. where the number of kids who are obese is declining. Between the 2002 and 2010 school years, the obesity rate among students in grades K-8 fell 3 percent. Cindy Norquest is program director for Healthy Futures, a statewide initiative to get kids exercising every day. She’s in Washington D.C. this week to share Anchorage’s success story in a panel discussion sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Download Audio

The annual Mount Marathon race in Seward was muddy this year but that didn't stop a rookie from taking the women's title. The Anchorage Daily News reported Palmer resident Christy Marvin clocked in at 53 minutes, 20 seconds, winning by nearly two minutes. Allison Barnwell a 21-year old Seward resident took second at 55 minutes 11 seconds and 18-year old Ann Spencer of Anchorage came in third at 56 minutes 15 seconds.

National Education Association Alaska President Ron Fuhrer says representatives from all 50 states believe they have as much if not more information about how to reform public education than lawmakers do. Fuhrer says in light of recent school shooting tragedies there is a heightened concern over school safety, but he says that doesn't mean teachers should be armed. “The last thing that an educator should be concerned about is trying to shoot someone, " Fuhrer said.

If you’re in Juneau, Fairbanks or Anchorage tomorrow, you may hear the bells of the Catholic Church ringing at noon. Catholics in Alaska have been observing a two week period leading up to July 4, called the Fortnight for Freedom. Download Audio

The U.S Supreme court released another decision today that has implications for tribes in Alaska. The Indian Child Welfare Act or ICWA was enacted to stop American Indian and Alaska Native children from leaving their biological families and tribes when these children were being placed in foster care or up for adoption. ICWA mandates a preference for the Native child’s family and tribe before non Native placement can be considered. The Supreme Court’s decision is in response to a case in South Carolina. Download Audio