Lori Townsend, Alaska Public Media
Lori Townsend is the news director 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.
New Book Explores Lost Legacy Of Harry Karstens, Stuck Expedition
One-hundred years ago today, the first expedition to summit Denali was slowly making its way up the mountain. After setting out from Fairbanks in mid-March, the four man team finally topped out on North America’s tallest peak on June 7, 1913. It’s often called the Stuck Expedition, after Hudson Stuck, the man who organized it. But a new book tells the story of the man who led the expedition to the top. Harry Karstens was a determined sled dog mail carrier with no previous climbing experience.
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Galena Prepares for Flooding as Yukon River Ice Remains Jammed
National Weather Service staff are in Galena monitoring rising Yukon river water and conducting fly overs to check on one particular jam.
Stu Ramstad Relives Memorable Moments In The Air
Alaska is celebrating 100 years of aviation this year. And aviator Stu Ramstad is an important part of that history. He grew up in a gold mining family. And became a pilot at age 14 in 1954. He says he didn’t goof off in the air. He considered the plane a tool that you loaded up and used to deliver supplies. But he told APRN’s Lori Townsend, he did have scary times as a pilot and survived two in-flight fires.
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Alaska Native Rapper Finding Worldwide Success
There are not great numbers of female rappers and Alaska Native female rappers probably number in the single digits. But one such artist is finding great success in the state and around the world as a woman with a passion for raising awareness of the struggles of Native people.
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Tribal Leaders Paint Bleak Picture At Summit
Tribal leaders and representatives met in Anchorage last week to denounce the exclusion of Alaska Native tribes from the Violence Against Women Act reauthoritization and other problems facing Alaska's tribal people.
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Scientists Study Mt. Redoubt’s 2009 Seismic Activity
For several months in 2009, Redoubt volcano had residents of Southcentral Alaska on edge. Scientists warned that the volcano could erupt at any time in January. But it wasn't until mid March that Redoubt sent a ash plume thousands of feet into the air.
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New Film Covers Former Governor Wally Hickel
The colorful and often controversial former Governor, the late Wally Hickel is the subject of a new film entitled, “Alaska, the World and Wally Hickel.” Consulting producer Paul Brown says the film covers everything from Hickel’s resolve to rebuild downtown Anchorage after the devastating 1964 earthquake, to his firing by President Richard Nixon when he served as Interior Secretary and disagreed with Nixon over the war in Vietnam. The former Governor was around 78 years old when Brown met him. He says Hickel was still youthful in his vision.
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Crowley, UIC Form Joint Venture In Arctic
Long time marine transport providers Crowley Marine Services and Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation or UIC Bowhead have formed a joint venture to help meet the growing demand for services in the Arctic.
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Spring Whaling Begins In Arctic
Despite the lingering effects of winter, spring whaling has begun in Arctic Alaska and seal hunters are also heading to the coast from Chevak in the Southwest part of the state. Grace Levettte with the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission in Barrow confirmed today that whaling crews on St Lawrence Island have landed a total of three bowheads so far – two for Gambell and one for Savoonga.
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Still Points North
Writing well is not an easy task and writing about painful family breakups is even harder. On the next Hometown Alaska, Lori Townsend hosts guest Leigh Newman, author of the new book Still Points North: One Alaskan Childhood, One Grown up World and one long journey home. Leigh's riveting story tells of her struggles growing up between two homes; her father's in Anchorage and her mother's in Baltimore.
KSKA: Wednesday 4/24 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
‘Beyond the Bear’ Recounts Horrific Mauling
A new book out this month tells the incredible story of bear attack survivor Dan Bigley. In “Beyond the Bear” Bigley and co-author Debra McKinney recount the horrific mauling 10 years ago near the Russian River, which blinded Dan and changed his life forever.
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Sequester Impacts; And The Latest From The Alaska Legislature
This week on Alaska Edition we discuss the rippling economic effect of federal sequestration cuts and the impact to IHS funding for tribal health facilities across the state. We also run through the legislature's actions last night on the gas plan for trucking to Fairbanks, the latest on the oil tax overhaul and KABATA getting folded into the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation by the House. The Senate still has to vote on it. We also discussed the Mat-Su budget and the proposal for a CDQ harbor in Seward.
KSKA: Friday, 4/12 at 2:00pm & Saturday, 4/13 at 6:00pm
TV: Friday, 4/12 at 7:30pm & Saturday, 4/13 at 5:00pm
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Kobuk 440 Kicks Off In Kotzebue
The Kobuk 440, Kotzebue’s annual sled dog race kicked off at 12:30 this afternoon. 18 mushers signed up this year and Kobuk 440 board President Liz Moore says this numbers on the high end. She says they did have to make some team changes before the race got started.
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State Attorney General Weighs In On Tribal Lands Case
A recent D.C. court ruling has left state officials with a lot of legal uncertainty. The court said the Secretary of the Interior can take land into trust status for tribes in Alaska and can not treat tribes here differently than in the lower 48.
Court Decision Has Big Implications For Tribal Lands
A D.C. district court decision quietly released on Easter Sunday, has huge implications for Alaska tribal and state lands jurisdiction. The court found the Secretary of Interior has the authority to take land into trust for Alaska tribes.
Court Says Feds Can Take Land Into Trust For Alaska Native Tribes
A decision this week from the U.S. District court for the District of Columbia has big implications for Alaska tribes. In the case of Akiachak Native Community v. Salazar, the court affirmed the ability of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Alaska tribes. The ruling also states that Alaska tribes have the right to be treated the same as all other federally recognized tribes.
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Alaska Volcano Observatory Celebrates 25th Anniversary
The Alaska Volcano Observatory is celebrating its 25th anniversary today. It was created in 1988, two years after a large eruption of Augustine volcano near Homer created problems for the Anchorage area and the airport. The next year, in December 1989, Mount Redoubt erupted, sending an ash plume more than 30 thousand feet in the air. When a passenger jet on it’s way to Anchorage encountered the ash, it lost power to all four engines. The airplane plummeted nearly 20,000 feet before the pilots were able to regain control and land safely in Anchorage.
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Gov. Parnell Declares March 29 Vietnam Veteran’s Day
Governor Sean Parnell has signed legislation designating tomorrow, March 29th, Vietnam Veteran’s Day in honor of those who served more than 40 years ago in that conflict. Anchorage resident Ric Davidge is the national chairman for government affairs for Vietnam veterans in America. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He went to Vietnam in 1965 as a 19 year old medic.
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Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame: Thelma Langdon
As part of Women’s history month, Alaska Public Media brings you the voices of influential Alaskan women who have helped shape and define the social, cultural and political discourse in Alaska. 15 women were recently inducted into the Alaska women’s hall of fame at a ceremony in Anchorage. Former lt governor Fran Ulmer was inducted herself in 2009. She introduced one of this year's inductees-the late Thelma Langdon who was honored for her work in education, mental health and elder care. Her daughter Mel Langdon accepted the award.
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Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame: Mary Joyce
As part of Women’s history month, Alaska Public Media brings you the voices of influential Alaskan women who have helped shape and define the social, cultural and political discourse in Alaska. 15 women were recently inducted into the Alaska women’s hall of fame at a ceremony in Anchorage. Former Anchorage Assembly chair and hall of fame steering committee member Jane Angvik tells us more about the late, Mary Joyce who was honored for her achievements in Business and adventure! Mary Lou Gerby accepted the award on her behalf.
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