Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media
Zachariah Hughes reports on city & state politics, arts & culture, drugs, and military affairs in Anchorage and South Central Alaska.
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
Petit lead disappears as Ulsom overtakes on coast
There's been a shakeup along the Iditarod trail. Bad weather along the coast earlier today hampered the race's front runners. Listen now
Petit first out of Unalakleet with Ulsom and Seavey behind
The three mushers leading this year’s Iditarod pack passed through Unalakleet yesterday afternoon. The racers arrived in very differing shape, offering signs of what could be ahead in the last stretch toward Nome.
Petit out front: Iditarod leaders swap positions as race pivots to the Yukon
This year's Iditarod has hit what could prove the defining moment in who wins the race. Joar Ulsom pushed his 24-hour rest all the way to the Iditarod checkpoint, arriving Wednesday evening while his main competitors were posted up in towns further down the trail.
Seavey reaches Takotna first, declares 24-hour layover
A small crowd gathered next to burning logs and a large welcome banner as Mitch Seavey arrived first to Takotna checkpoint in a light snow Tuesday night. Listen now
Some mushers deck out in “full body armor” to tackle Dalzell Gorge
Even years later, the infamous 2014 conditions along the Dalzell Gorge stretch has left a lasting impression on mushers – one that they bring specialty gear for. Listen now
Snowier year makes for smoother run to Nikolai
It’s one of the snowiest years in recent memory along a notoriously bare stretch of the Iditarod trail. In recent years, low-snow and a bald, icy trail conditions have made for a perilous run down the Dalzell Gorge through Rohn and across the Farwell Burn on the way to the village of Nikolai. Listen now
Redington, Pettersson and Seavey first into Skwentna checkpoint
From Anchorage the mushers restarted in Willow on Sunday. Then, every two minutes, they took off headed east to the first two checkpoints: Yentna and Skwentna. Listen now
Iditarod set to start under a cloud of scandals
This year the Iditarod is mired in scandals: Fallout from a dog doping fiasco, a musher mutiny, and unprecedented pressure from protest groups. All of which, according to a leaked report, are putting the event’s future in dire jeopardy. Listen now
News report raises questions about mayoral candidate’s past
Newly reported court records are raising questions about the personal history of a prominent candidate in the Anchorage mayor's race -- including a past DUI arrest and personal financial problems. Listen now
After years shut, a rural tannery re-opens for business
In the small community of Shishmaref there’s a local business like no other. It’s a tannery, set up to process hundreds of seal hides a year sent from subsistence hunters. Listen now
Confidential report paints bleak picture for Iditarod
The report was commissioned by a group of major sponsors after a series of controversies regarding policy changes and the handling of a doping scandal. Listen now
Amid shrinking sea ice, hunters race to adapt
With warming winters changing coastal environments, subsistence hunters are finding ways to adapt their practices. Listen now
Impacts from shutdown on military were set to intensify Monday
The standoff over the weekend threatened furloughs, facility closures and work without pay for service-members at Alaska bases and around the globe. Listen now
Two major candidates file papers to run for Anchorage mayor
Rebecca Logan is the main challenger taking on incumbent mayor Ethan Berkowitz in the first election to be conducted by mail for the municipality.
Calls for service plummet amid new strategy at Anchorage shelter
News of the program's apparent success took some elected officials by surprise at an Assembly meeting Wednesday. Listen now
Petit wins Copper Basin 300 in slow race hampered by weather
A race official pointed to strong winds and heavy snow as contributing to 16 scratches in the challenging mid-distance race out of Glennallen. Listen now
AK Attorney General asks Congress to open banking for pot businesses
Alaska's Attorney General has joined a bipartisan group calling on lawmakers to change federal banking rules over handling legal marijuana sales. Listen now
After budget cuts and crime spikes, Alaska prosecutors struggle to keep up
In a three year period the state lost 22 prosecutors, prompting offices to close and attorneys to shoulder up to 900 cases a year. The situation is especially difficult in two parts of the state that have seen disproportionate increases in violent crime. Listen now
A popular new pet trend is driving antler theft in Anchorage
In pet stores across the country, a new fad has caught on. Pieces of antlers and horns are flying off of shelves, sold as a healthy, all-natural chew snack for dogs. But some hunters say the new market is having unintended consequences, as antlers are stolen to meet demand. Listen now