Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
Alaska Federation of Natives leadership calls for Trump’s resignation after violence at Capitol
Alaska Federation of Natives president Julie Kitka said that she was horrified by Jan. 6’s deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.
Buckland sees outbreak of 14 COVID-19 cases
Officials say the Buckland cases are connected to a cluster in the village of Kivalina, 150 miles away.
Kivalina on ‘high alert’ as 44 residents test positive for COVID-19
The number of positive cases represents roughly 10% of the village’s 440 residents.
Solar project in Northwest Arctic villages set to break ground next spring
Construction is set to start next spring on a solar battery project in the Northwest Arctic villages of Shungnak and Kobuk. It’s the latest renewable project for a region routinely struck by high energy costs.
Kotzebue musher lost in Interior Alaska gets assist from troopers
25-year-old musher James Foster showed signs of hypothermia when troopers located him at a remote location off of the Steese Highway, but he refused to leave with the helicopter.
City of Kotzebue begins mask mandate and new testing requirements
The city is instituting a mandatory mask mandate for anyone who leaves their residence. Violators are subject to a warning, with police issuing fines for subsequent violations.
Harvard student from Noorvik awarded prestigious Rhodes Scholarship
Wilfried Kuugauraq Zibell, originally from the Northwest Arctic, studies Inupiaq and Yiddish literature at Harvard and was recently accepted as a Rhodes Scholar.
Representative-elect Patkotak says he opposes joining a caucus that seeks cuts to certain rural Alaska programs
Patkotak's position will make it much harder for a majority conservative Republican caucus to form.
Kotzebue man accused of murdering brother, injuring housemate in knife attack
One of the victims died at the Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue, while the other was medevacked to Anchorage with serious injuries.
Kotzebue Iñupiaq dancer showcased in Biden campaign victory video
Kotzebue native Jacqui Lambert is featured dancing the Bow and Arrow Song in front of Cook Inlet in the Biden victory video, which has been viewed at least 60 million times.
Kotzebue’s Bayside Restaurant goes down in flames during winter storm
There was one person who may have been in the restaurant who was not accounted for as of Thursday afternoon.
‘A wake up call’ COVID-19 cases in Maniilaq service area doubled in October
Residents of Kotzebue made up a large majority of the cases, with 96 residents testing positive. The villages of Buckland and Noatak also saw spikes.
Black teacher sues North Slope district for not addressing students’ racist threats in Nuiqsut
The lawsuit alleges students threatened the teacher using racist language and symbols, but were never disciplined.
Operators of AC grocery stores fined $20K for child labor violations
Federal investigators found that in the AC stores in Alaska, there were 30 workers between the ages of 14 and 15 working outside of the legal amount of hours allowed by the government.
Pandemic dominates discussions as AFN convention goes virtual
With no booths to browse hand-crafted art pieces and attendees having to settle for virtual hugs, the 2020 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention was a drier affair than usual.
‘We need you for the future’: Elders and Youth conducts virtual conference
This year’s meeting was a little different, conducted mostly through pre-recorded messages and live Zoom calls. However, both keynote addresses highlighted the desire to keep thousands of years of Native culture moving forward, pandemic or not.
Kotzebue sees cluster of COVID-19 cases
10 Kotzebue residents have tested positive over the last week, including 2 employees of the local healthcare provider.
Alaska Airlines could suspend passengers from future flights for violating new face mask policy
The Seattle-based company said it will start issuing formal warnings to any passengers who don't wear a face covering, though there will be exceptions.
Shuttered for months, Kotzebue churches slowly reopen to parishioners
While in-person ttendance is still lower than before the pandemic, churches have added an online component to their services.
State investment agency approves $500K for summer work on Ambler Road project
The Ambler Road project has been a lightning rod for controversy for years, pitting the desire to expand business and mining interests in the state against the concerns over impacts to the environment and subsistence