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.
LISTEN: Vote by mail or in person? Understanding the options this election season
What do you need to know about your voting options? How secure are the systems in place and what will the process be for counting ballots after November 3rd? State elections officials join us to clarify the voting process
Primaries or ranked choice? Vote Yes and Vote No make the case for ballot measure 2 | Alaska Insight
Candidates aren't the only boxes on the ballot come November 4th. Ballot measure 2 seeks to shift elections from primaries to ranked choice voting, and would also require more disclosure of campaign funding on future campaigns. Proponents say it's a more equitable voting system, but opponents say it adds confusion to the voting process.
LISTEN: U.S. Senate incumbent Dan Sullivan is here to answer your questions
Republican Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s junior U.S. Senator for the last six years, is running for reelection. What does he think the most urgent needs are for the state and what are his plans for getting the work done in a fractured senate?
Al Gross is running for office for the first time. Here’s why he thinks he belongs in the U.S. Senate | Alaska Insight
Continuing our coverage of congressional races, we turn to the U.S. Senate candidates beginning with Independent candidate Al Gross. Gross is running for office for the first time and has some ideas about how to shake up Washington. What does he think he can bring to the table?
LISTEN: Primaries or ranked choice? Vote Yes and Vote No make their case on Ballot Measure 2.
Ballot measure 2 seeks to make changes to the state’s election structure by replacing the political party primary and by selecting candidates through ranked choice voting. What would it mean for elections and what do you need to know about the measure before voting on it?
Alyse Galvin is taking on Alaska’s longtime congressman. Here’s why she thinks she’ll win | Alaska Insight
We continue our coverage of the Congressional candidates for the upcoming November election with U.S. House candidate-Independent Alyse Galvin. Galvin has returned to the ticket for a second attempt to unseat Alaska's longtime congressman, Don Young.
LISTEN: U.S. Senate candidate Al Gross is here to answer your questions
Making his first run for public office, Al Gross wants to win the race for Alaska's U.S. Senate seat, currently held by incumbent Dan Sullivan. Gross is running as an Independent with support from state democrats.
LISTEN: U.S. House candidate Alyse Galvin is here to answer your questions
Challenging Alaska's lone and long-serving U.S. House representative for a second time, Alyse Galvin is running as an independent with support from state Democrats.
Fighting for his 25th term, here’s why Don Young says he’s not done yet | Alaska Insight
Alaska Insight is kicking off four weeks of discussions with Alaska Congressional candidates with U.S. House incumbent Don Young. Congressman Young is seeking his 25th term in Alaska’s sole House seat.
How districts are working to meet distance education needs in rural Alaska | Alaska Insight
Most schools are underway across the state. Do rural students have better options for online instruction now than they had in the spring?
LISTEN: U.S. House incumbent Don Young is here to answer your questions
Alaska has only one U.S. House seat and Congressman Don Young is seeking his 25th term in that position. What does he want to accomplish in the next two years if he is re-elected?
CARES Act funding is helping communities through the pandemic, but is it enough? | Alaska Insight
Lori Townsend speaks with the executive director of Alaska Municipal League and a local government specialist with the State of Alaska about how communities are spending CARES Act funding.
LISTEN: Not every student in Alaska has access to reliable internet. How are officials handling distance education in rural Alaska?
How will rural students access course materials in areas with little or no broadband? And how will teachers build relationships with students that can’t log on?
Months after initial closures, how is Alaska’s economy faring? | Alaska Insight
Five months after state and local governments' initial COVID-19 closures, where is Alaska at in its recovery? Where are the gaps that must be filled to keep businesses and citizens whole?
LISTEN: Weathering budget cuts and COVID-19, the UA System preps for a new school year
COVID-19 has thrown higher education into turmoil. State budget cuts, loss of research funds and the sudden departure of the University system president are also challenging education leaders at an already difficult time. What’s the outlook?
Looking at the summer uptick in COVID-19 cases | Alaska Insight
Life has changed rapidly in Alaska with the arrival of COVID-19. On the season premiere of Alaska Insight, Lori Townsend is joined by Alaska's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink, and the medical director of the Norton Sound Health Corporation, Dr. Mark Peterson, to discuss how officials around the state are handling the recent uptick in coronavirus cases across the state.
LISTEN: It was supposed to be a record year for Alaska tourism. Then COVID-19 hit.
How much has federal CARES Act funding helped Alaska's visitor industry and will these businesses survive the winter?
LISTEN: Hard hit by government closures and consumer fears of exposure to COVID-19, restaurants are on the brink
Bars and restaurants are once again closed to indoor drinking and dining in Anchorage, but some restaurant owners say they can't afford another shutdown, and will defy the order and stay open. Some will close permanently. What's the best answer to keep people safe and keep businesses whole?
LISTEN: We’re celebrating 50 years of public radio in Alaska. Share your stories with us.
Public radio came to Alaska in 1970, providing a vital link between rural communities at a time when there were none. How was Alaska’s public radio network built?
LISTEN: The annual five year Arctic Research plan is inviting public comment before the plan is written. Here’s what you need to know.
Which federal agencies decide what it will include and how can you weigh in to help shape the focus of the science?