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.”

Ida brings historic flooding to Northeast, killing more than 20 people

Record-breaking levels of rainfall in New York City, parts of New Jersey, and Pennsylvania flooded roadways and impacted travel throughout Wednesday evening into Thursday.
An empty hallway lined with red lockers.

COVID is surging in Kenai Peninsula schools but district won’t require masks

In the week since the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District started tracking COVID-19 cases, 130 students and staff tested positive for COVID-19 while 930 others have been identified as “close contacts” of cases.

Juneau Lingít artist’s beadwork featured on Native comedy series ‘Reservation Dogs’

Lingít artist and Juneau local Kaasteen Jill Meserve recently had her beadwork featured in the Native comedy series “Reservation Dogs.” Even though there are only a handful of episodes out right now, the show is the talk of the Native community.
white haired man in hospital bed, smiling.

John Havelock, former Alaska attorney general, has died

Havelock played a role in important Alaska laws and drafted the Privacy Amendment.
A public health worker in a tent outside Juneau International Airport bags a freshly collected nasal swab for COVID-19 testing.

Alaska’s COVID hospitalizations hit another record high

The state health department on Wednesday reported 161 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 801 new coronavirus infections.
A hearing room with a bunch of people

Dispute over funds casts doubt on Alaska dividend amount

The Alaska House passed legislation Tuesday calling for a $1,100 dividend to residents but there are different interpretations as to whether much of the money that would be used for the checks is available.

Hospitals say a disaster declaration would help Alaska cope with record hospitalizations

The state hospital association wants Gov. Dunleavy to issue a disaster declaration to help ease the hospital crisis.
A blue pill near a ruler.

Alaska overdoses and deaths rise, as global pandemic overshadows state opioid epidemic

Drug overdoses in Alaska have continued to increase the past three years, and, last year, Alaska had the most opioid overdose deaths ever reported.
a person speaks to the media

Anchorage Mayor Bronson revokes paid parental leave for city workers

Mayor Dave Bronson’s predecessor had granted non-unionized city employees four weeks of paid parental leave on her last day on the job. Bronson also revoked a policy allowing new parents to bring infants into the office.
The Seawolf logo outside of the University of Alaska Anchorage Student Union.

UAA hockey will return to the ice in 2022 after raising $3M

UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell announced Tuesday that the hockey team is reinstated and will return for the 2022-23 season.
an entrance sign to Providence Alaska Medical Center with arrows pointing to various buildings

Record COVID-19 hospitalizations strain Alaska health system

Hospitals had a record 152 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, surpassing previous highs in December, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
people talk to staffers in windows at the PFD office

Alaska House votes for $1,100 PFD but it’s not a done deal

The PFD amount still has to pass the Senate, and it could be much lower, since Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has said one of the accounts to be used to pay dividends in the bill is empty.
A large plane is parked on a runway at night.

Alaska Air National Guard unit helps evacuate 1,700 people from war-torn Afghanistan

The Guard’s 176th Wing provided two big C-17 cargo planes and four aircrews to help U.S. forces evacuate Americans and others from Afghanistan.

These images show just how bad Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana’s coastline

Louisiana is beginning the tough task of recovery after Hurricane Ida swept through the state's coast and caused significant damage and power outages.
The Robert B. Atwood building and neighbors in downtown Anchorage.

Evolving COVID policies for state, Anchorage workforces leave public employees anxious

State workers are worried about catching the virus in offices with unmasked colleagues, while the Anchorage Police Department is allowing unvaccinated officers to return to work after a COVID-19 exposure — as long as they wear N95 masks and social distance when possible.
A gravel road next to a mountainside

Denali Park Road landslide slumping prompts closure and search for long-term fix

Underneath a 100-yard section of road going through Polychrome Pass is a thawing rock glacier, causing the road to slump. And the rate at which it's slumping has increased in recent years, making it harder to maintain for bus traffic —the most popular way for visitors to access Denali National Park.

Immunity to COVID-19 could last longer than you’d think

So, how long does immunity last after two doses of the vaccine? Six months or so? And at that point, how much protection is left over?
A photo of a multi-story building.

Alaska lawmakers continue to feud over PFD amount, delaying this year’s dividends

The state’s Permanent Fund Dividend Division said if dividends were to be paid as normal in the first week of October, lawmakers would have until Tuesday to decide on the amount. It is not possible for both chambers to pass the funding in time.

Western Alaska residents fill buckets of late-budding salmonberries

Some possible causes for late budding in berries include more precipitation when flowers bloom, which reduces pollination, an overall lack of pollinators, or sometimes animals and birds eat the berries during the winter.

Breakthrough COVID cases are rising in Alaska. Here’s why, and why vaccines are still ‘amazing.’

One in five of Alaska's COVID hospitalizations in July was vaccinated. So were four of the 17 COVID deaths.