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.”

Seismic work in ANWR: Can they do that?

The Interior Department is trying to let industry into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to conduct seismic exploration on the coastal plain. Is that legal? Listen now

What can Kodiak teach the world about renewable energy? A lot.

It's a model with lessons for remote communities from the Arctic to the equator - and for cities on the big grids of the Lower 48, from New York to Houston. Listen now

Walker to add crime bill to October special session

A rise in crime in Alaska has led Gov. Bill Walker to seek a bill in the special session next month that would allow more jail time for some thefts and other crimes. Listen now

AK: At Katmai’s Brooks Camp, tourists and bears mingle mostly carefree

NPS has recorded only three bear-related incidents dating to 1950 at its most famous viewing spot. Park rangers attribute that to good orientation, supervision, accountability of food and gear, and abundant supply of Bristol Bay sockeye. Listen now

With some sci-fi tech, Kodiak has almost 100 percent renewable power

It's like a dance, or an orchestra: Each piece of the grid watches the rest and responds second by second, millisecond by millisecond. Listen now

Fire marshal: Butte fire that claimed the lives of five girls was “cooking related”

The Alaska Fire Marshal’s Office has determined the fire that claimed the lives of five girls in the Mat-Su Valley Butte area last week was accidental and “cooking-related.” Listen now

For third year in a row, Alaska seabirds wash up dead

For the third year in a row, seabirds are washing up dead along the coastline in Alaska. Hundreds of birds have been discovered along a stretch of the Bering Sea, on the Pribilof Islands and as far north as Deering.Listen now

Beneath political firestorm on Arctic Ocean drilling, two projects make steady progress

Yes, Shell's multi-billion dollar effort to find oil in federal Arctic waters is a thing of the past. And yes, the Obama administration then took several steps to cut back on drilling in Arctic waters -- actions the Trump administration is now working to undo. But there is movement to get oil out of federally-owned parts of the Arctic Ocean. Listen now

Lawmaker seeks audit of village public safety officers

A state lawmaker, who is concerned that the Village Public Safety Officer program isn't spending money efficiently, wants the program audited.

Seeking investment, Alaska goes open source with oil & gas data

Alaska’s Oil and Gas division is releasing valuable oil exploration data from leases on the North Slope and Cook Inlet. Listen now

Judge approves sale of Alaska Dispatch News to Binkley family

A bankruptcy court judge today approved the sale of Alaska Dispatch News, the state's largest newspaper from Alice Rogoff to the Binkley family of Fairbanks. The judge still needs to sign the official paperwork on the deal, which is set to close on Friday. Listen now

As demand for opioid remedy skyrockets, police train for overdose treatment with Naloxone

Naloxone -- a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose -- has long been used by emergency medics, but now it's being deployed to police departments and non-profits at the front line of the state's opioid crisis. Even with millions of new federal dollars being spent, the demand in outpacing the supply. Listen now

New EPA vetting adds uncertainty for Alaska grants worth millions

The EPA is reportedly funneling all grant money through a single political appointee in the nation's capital. Grants to Alaska were allegedly blocked for two weeks, starting the day Sen. Murkowski voted against a health care bill. Listen now

AK: Archaeologists shed light on Tlingit culture near Petersburg, before Europeans

The small island town of Petersburg in Southeast, Alaska is known for its Norwegian heritage. But archaeologists are finding more evidence that Mitkof Island is just like others in the region. Tlingit people had settlements around Petersburg for thousands of years before Europeans planted their roots. Listen now

Rep. Young apologizes for his ‘offending words’ on House floor

Judged against his past statements, what Young said about a freshman Democrat was nothing spectacular. But then Young did something unusual: He made nice. Listen now

Walker ‘doubtful’ he will ask legislature for more funding for gas line

The governor said he's not likely to ask the legislature for more money for the project once current funding dries up. Listen now

Alaskan says he’ll build consensus in Interior post

Former DNR commissioner Joe Balash has been nominated for assistant Interior secretary, overseeing the BLM and other offices. Balash says his perspective on resource extraction formed early, and was shaped by his love of salmon. Listen now

Alaska hatches plan for vast road network across the Arctic

Alaska's capital budget this year includes $7.3 million to plan the construction of an Arctic road system. Listen now

As Trump slashes health care outreach 90 percent, Walker asks Congress to shore up system

Experts say support for reinsurance from bipartisan group of governors draws from Alaska’s experience. Listen now

Senators aim for ACA fixes, Murkowski-style

This was the kind of health care hearing Sen. Murkowski has been calling for: Public and bipartisan. But time is short, even to fix flaws in the Affordable Care Act, let alone replace it. Listen now