Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

a person is sworn in as mayor by another person, and others are watching

Bronson proposes making Anchorage municipal clerk an elected official

Under the mayor’s proposal, the city charter would be changed to have the clerk elected for a three-year term. Other requirements would be that the clerk be an Anchorage resident while in office and be a resident for at least two years prior to the election. 
three people and two dogs cross a frozen lagoon in front of some houses and mountains

Alaska Public Media’s 10 most read stories of 2021

From spiking COVID-19 cases to political scandal to tangled supply chains, 2021 was a doozy. Here are some of our most read stories of the year.
Snow piles up in a truck.

Alaskans in the Interior digging out after a wintry weekend wallop of snow, ice, wind

Another foot of snow fell in Fairbanks Tuesday into Wednesday and the community continues to deal with rough road conditions and power outages caused by falling trees.
A person reaches for two small purple boxes from the hand of another person

Here’s how to get an at-home COVID test kit in Anchorage

A delayed shipment of tens of thousands of rapid at-home COVID tests has arrived in Anchorage, and city officials say they’re racing to distribute them to sites around town before New Year’s.

Alaskans endure air travel anguish as weather and virus keep them grounded days on end

Chris Dimond tried to warn his daughter off flying to Seattle. "She could be spending some time sleeping on the airport floor, for a few days," he said.
two election workers talk to each other

Ballot counting during Anchorage’s next election will be livestreamed 24/7 under updated rules

Some of the changes were designed to counter the harassment election workers faced in the 2021 election, but members mostly billed the updates as routine changes.
A dirt road under cloudy sky

St. Paul couple accused of killing toddler who was in their care

Troopers say after a thorough investigation, they determined the child’s guardians, 31-year-old Steven Melovidov and 28-year-old Sophie Myers-Melovidov, had killed him in their home and attempted to mislead investigators over the course of the investigation.
A man behind a podium with flags on either side.

Trump endorsement of Alaska Gov. Dunleavy comes with a catch

Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would endorse Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy for reelection, but only if the governor doesn’t back U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s bid to return to the Senate.

Fairbanks is riding a weather roller coaster, from freezing rain to snow and frigid cold

Department of Transportation crews are battling a thick coating of ice on roads, and the local utility, Golden Valley Electric, continues working to restore electricity to pockets of customers.
A cruise ship docked, with a mountainous backdrop, on a sunny day.

Alaska Native nonprofit receives $2.9M grant to build totem pole trail along Juneau waterfront

The Sealaska Heritage Institute said the grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will cover 10 poles though the longer-term goal is to have 30 poles in place.
Bags at an airport and people in line.

Snow and COVID surge cancels or postpones many Alaska Airlines flights in Seattle

Flight delays and cancellations have tangled travelers' plans and led to baggage confusion.
A woman stares with a mask on.

New CDC isolation guidelines raise concerns among health experts

Cutting the isolation for positive cases to five days could lead to more infections if people don't take masking seriously. A testing requirement, would have made the policy safer, experts say.
a seal of the municipality of Anchorage

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson names Cheryl Frasca as budget director

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson on Tuesday named Cheryl Frasca as the director of the city’s Office of Management and Budget. Frasca has held the position...
Steamy water surrounded by snow

New geothermal hot springs to open soon near Whitehorse

The Takhini Hot Springs near the capital city of Canada’s Yukon Territory has been closed to the public for more than a year. A new facility with a new name is on track to open this coming February.
a person looks to camera-left

Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer says he won’t run for re-election next year

Meyer says now he won’t be a candidate in the election that he oversees, as head of the Elections Division.
Ice coats a tree branch

Alaska’s weekend Christmas storm was one for the record books

This past holiday weekend was one for the record books. Between rain and snow, Fairbanks recorded its third highest amount of daily precipitation. In Kodiak, temperatures soared to 67 degrees — the highest temperature ever recorded in Alaska in the month of December. Meanwhile, Ketchikan recorded a record low.
Roof collapse through the window of a grocery store

Interior Alaska residents cautioned to monitor roofs in wake of powerful storm

Weather experts are advising that residents of Interior Alaska to monitor snow load on roofs after a powerful storm moved through the region, coating buildings with snow and ice.
People stand in line outside at a ski area.

Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area is having a really tough time with staffing this year

Labor shortages, especially for low-paying jobs, have been common this past year across many industries. On the mountain in Juneau, starting pay for lift operators, food service workers and others is below the state minimum wage.
A person gets tested for COVID outside.

These numbers show just how impactful the latest COVID-19 surge is

COVID-19 cases are up across the country, fueled in large part by the highly contagious omicron variant.

Alaskans we’ve lost to COVID: James Elliot Fisher, beloved father and attorney

James Fisher was elected to Alaska's first Legislature in 1959. His children say he was patient, considerate and kind.