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
Uncertainty in Alaska as Trump administration upends cannabis policy
Stakeholders in Alaska are trying to figure out what comes next after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it will rescind an Obama-era decision that helped open the door to commercial cannabis industries. Listen now
Anchorage man sentenced to 11 years for selling Oxycodone
Officials say 4,363 pills worth about $150,000 were confiscated as part of a multi-agency investigation. Listen now
Popular Anchorage polar bear unexpectedly dies
The Alaska Zoo announced today that one of its main attractions has died. Listen now
AK: Anchorage’s thriving skateboard scene retreats underground
Skateboarders in Anchorage are taking over parking garages with impromptu sessions and home-made ramps. Listen now
Chugach Electric proposes buying ML&P in $1B deal
In a move several decades in the making, two of the main energy providers in south central Alaska could soon become one. Listen now
ACLU won’t challenge Assembly’s modified anti-camping measure
Earlier this month, the Anchorage Assembly voted on a measure designed to curb illegal camping in the city's parks and wooded areas. The move reduces the number of days people have to vacate a camp from 15 to ten. Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska says it will not take the city to court over the move. At least not yet. Listen now
AK: In the industrial heart of Anchorage is a warehouse full of wild birds
Bird TLC is a non-profit that's somewhere in between a veterinary clinic, animal shelter, and zoo. Now, it's on the cusp of moving to a dramatically different new home. Listen now
Feds trying to find scam victims after $586M Western Union settlement
Alaskans: have you been scammed? That's the question federal regulators are trying to answer as they look to return money residents might have lost to dirty tricks. Listen now
Assembly tweaks rules on abating illegal homeless camps
The Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously at its meeting Tuesday night to drop the number of days from when police serve notice that a homeless camp is illegal to when city employees are allowed to dismantle the camp.
Can the Iditarod standardize kennel care?
The Iditarod Trail Committee's Board of Directors wants to set up a kennel management program, a move aiming to set up new guidelines and counteract negative press directed at mushing's most high-profile event. Listen now
Officials look to reform cannabis testing after disputes over potency
How strong is the legal pot Alaskans buy over the counter? That's a question that's been raised in a dispute about potency levels among various cannabis businesses. Listen now
Why nobody likes Anchorage’s potential alcohol tax but its powerful sponsor
The measure is an ambition of the long-serving chairman of the Anchorage Assembly. But it faces an uphill battle, with criticism coming from multiple sides. Listen now
New $521M Anchorage budget pays for more safety, snow plows, homelessness efforts
The new budget is about $12 million dollars over last year’s, and taxes to the maximum allowable limit under the city’s charter. Listen now
ADN will once again mean Anchorage Daily News
Starting with its Sunday print edition the paper's original name will be officially restored. Listen now
Three Anchorage schools put in “stay-put” mode following FBI tip
Three schools in Anchorage went into "stay-put" mode today after a threat was received by the FBI. Officials are saying there's no evidence any of the schools are in danger, but took steps out of an abundance of caution.
East Anchorage officer-involved shooting leaves one dead
Anchorage police officers killed a man late Wednesday night after he pointed a handgun at them. Listen now
Police hope to launch drones over Anchorage — with limits
In a presentation to the Anchorage Assembly, APD laid out policy proposals for a narrow set of functions they think unmanned aircraft can improve and expedite. Listen now
Decades after Vietnam, what does the POW/MIA flag mean?
In many parts of the country, the symbolic black flag for prisoners of war and those missing in action is ubiquitous, even though the last decades of American conflicts have seen practically no POWs. Listen now
First Lady Melania Trump makes her first visit to Alaska
First Lady Melania Trump spent some time in Alaska this morning. On her way back from the President’s visit to Asia, the First Lady landed to refuel at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. Listen now
Bean’s Cafe says it can’t offer overnight shelter Anchorage homeless this winter
After losing insurance over extending emergency shelter operations, the non-profit's board has voted to refocus on its core function. Listen now