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
The pulses overhead: remote radars still tie together Alaska’s air defense
At the height of the Cold War, the military built secretive radar sites all over Alaska. Most of them are still operating, doing essentially the same thing: scanning the sky for anything that's not supposed to be there, particularly Russian long-range bombers. Download Audio
Anchorage receives $1.3 million grant to revise homeless services
The city of Anchorage is getting a new pool of money to address homelessness. The mayor's office announced today a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development. The money will fund research into how to overhaul city services for residents of Anchorage and the Mat-Su valley dealing with chronic homelessness and frequent problems with the criminal justice system. Download Audio
A Tribe Called Red to come to Alaska for first concert
The group has garnered international acclaim for combining electronic and dance-hall music with First Nations elements and themes.
Potholes to hashtags, Anchorage hires its first tech czar
The Municipality of Anchorage is investing in a new approach to technology, aimed at expediting services to citizens.
Administrative change ahead for veteran benefits
There's an administrative change ahead for veterans across Alaska who get benefits through the VA. Download Audio
A cocktail napkin is at the heart of $1M lawsuit against ADN
The owner of the state's largest newspaper is facing a lawsuit from a former co-owner. The lawsuit hinges on differing interpretations of a million dollar contract inked on a common paper-good. Download Audio
Major change for Alaska vets as TriWest steps aside
The announcement that TriWest, the subcontractor acting as an intermediary between veterans and medical providers, will no longer be responsible for booking appointments is seen as a substantial improvement in a bottle-necked system stymieing care. Download Audio
64 years later, closure sought for Colony Glacier plane crash
Mountaineers, morticians, and a forensic anthropologist are scouring the surface of a glacier as they hunt for the remains of a military plane that crashed 64 years ago. Download Audio
Real winners in pot bonanza? Security companies
One IT security firm estimates 80 percent of its business is consulting on surveillance and data storage to bring cannabis companies into compliance with state rules. Download Audio
Music in Alaska
On this week's Alaska Edition, host, Zachariah Hughes sits down with three reporters to talk all about music in Alaska. What's new? What's happening across the state? And what's changing?
Seattle’s KPLU meets $7M fundraising goal, avoiding sale
In the wake of a controversial sale announcement, 17,000 donors pooled funds to buy KPLU's licence from Pacific Lutheran University. Download Audio
$200,000 in state funds spent on PR for beer festival
The small craft brewing industry is thriving, but state support for the burgeoning alcohol sector doesn't sit well with everyone. Download Audio
Downtown Anchorage park to see major safety renovations
In order to make a downtown Anchorage park safer, officials will destroy a decades-old fountain. It's one of several measures Mayor Ethan Berkowitz introduced during an outdoor press conference in Town Square Park on Wednesday. Download Audio
Pay boost passed for Anchorage fire and police employees
City officials say the change is necessary to fix a major staffing problem that's grown worse in recent years. Download Audio
Flights grounded for Obama stop in Alaska
Aviators in Southcentral Alaska are being asked to observe a temporary flight restriction Saturday evening during a brief presidential visit. Download Audio
House slides $19M toward unpopular road with no long-term plan
The House Finance committee added an amendment to its capital budget that gives the University of Alaska leftover funds to pursue developing the Elmore Extension into the U-Med district, a move widely opposed by community groups. Download Audio
Why Eagle River 8th graders want more police
After diving into the data on crime rates across the Municipality of Anchorage, a middle school class decided police staffing levels are the main problem confronting residents. Download Audio
Alaska Dems to fight for Sanders at DNC as minor fissures emerge
Alaska Democrats spent the weekend in Anchorage picking delegates for the party’s national convention in Philadelphia this July, and setting priorities for the year ahead. Download Audio
Alaska Democrats prepare to send delegates to national convention
Alaska Democrats are hosting their state convention Friday through Sunday in Anchorage. More than 500 party members from across the state are attending, and the event culminates in the selection of delegates to attend the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this July. Download Audio
Bank threatens to sue the state for $28M over LIO move
In a Tuesday letter, lawyers for the bank holding debt for renovations threaten to sue the state over breach of contract. Download Audio