Small-scale logging businesses fret Tongass timber regs
A proposal to end clearcutting of old-growth trees in the Tongass National Forest has some Southeast logging companies concerned about the future.
Oh, Chugach tree! Soldotna girl flies to DC to light Alaska spruce
A 74-foot tree from the Chugach National Forest is lit up now on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. A 10-year-old Soldotna girl helped Speaker of the House Paul Ryan flip the switch.
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Ahoy, jellies! Citizen scientist log cnidaria sightings
Crystal... lion’s mane... sea nettle... moon.... comb... the big red... These are some of the species of jellyfish that live in Southeast waters. A Ketchikan diver who logged a 'big red' said it was like reporting a Big Foot sighting.
Alaska ambassadors field questions from DC kids
A trio from Girdwood, in the nation's capital for the lighting of an Alaskan Christmas tree, acted as cultural ambassadors, explaining all things Alaskan to a group of Washington school children.
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Injuries found on Juneau mayor’s body
Juneau Police Department communications manager Erann Kalwara confirmed that injuries were discovered on Mayor Greg Fisk’s body. She couldn’t share the details about the nature of the injuries.
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Kotzebue city council member speaks at Paris climate talks
Maija Katak Lukin made it to Paris after two days of travel and 17 hours of air time. The Kotzebue city council member spoke at a State Department panel Tuesday morning moderated by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.
Juneau police confirm Mayor Greg Fisk found dead at home
Juneau’s newly elected mayor was found dead in his home Monday afternoon. Greg Fisk was 70-years-old.
First day out: Reconnecting & ordering the perfect eggs at Denny’s
It’s 6:45 a.m. and 43-year-old April Wilson waits inside the entrance of Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River. It’s her first day out after two and a half years in prison. Her long dark hair is perfectly curled, her eye makeup sparkles, and her piles of papers and decorations are gathered in a clear plastic garbage bag. “Let’s blow this joint!” she jokes.
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Could market squid become a new Southeast fishery?
Southeast Alaska marine scientists got a rare peek this year into the hatching of a certain species of squid.
AK: Caretaker for the dead receives unexpected help
On a clear night in September, a group of vandals desecrated a 200-year old cemetery in Sitka, tipping over headstones. The caretaker, 65-year-old Bob Sam, discovered the damage the next morning. Some of the marble slabs were broken beyond repair. This is the story of how the cemetery caretaker enlisted the help of local police to protect the rights of the dead.
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Landing a lamprey: A fickle fishery opens on Yukon
The annual run of lamprey is headed up the Yukon River. Diverse commercial markets for the snake-like creature have opened up over the past few years… but actually catching them can be tricky. You need solid river ice and perfect timing.
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Recovering from addiction, helping others do the same
Alaska’s capital city is battling addiction. The Juneau community continues to face substance-related deaths and near deaths. Three women tell their stories about addiction, long-term recovery and a rally that gave them hope.
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Nome 4th-grader wins 2016 Iditarod button contest
While the last great race is still months away, the Iditarod button design contest already has a champion: Ayla Knodel, a fourth-grader at Nome Elementary School.
‘Simply Awesome’ – Kodiak family opens bakery from their home
There are a lot of small businesses in Kodiak, but few may be as small -- or smell as good -- as Simply Awesome Bakery.
Obama honors Alaskan who turned grief to service
President Obama has bestowed the Medal of Freedom on Alaskan Bonnie Carroll. She’s a military widow who founded a service organization to help family members of the fallen. Many of the 16 others awarded the medal today are household names or Hollywood icons. Carroll may not be as well known, but her life was already cinematic.
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After a health crisis, help navigating the complicated medical system
The road from illness to recovery is often difficult. In the middle of a major health crisis, patients are expected to navigate the complicated health care system. A pilot program called Alaska Innovative Medicine in Anchorage is rounding out its first year trying to improve that journey for patients while also spending fewer healthcare dollars.
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Study: Many Alaska teachers underpaid, but pay isn’t everything
Many Alaska school districts don’t offer high enough salaries to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. That’s according to a new study that looks at a possible statewide teacher salary schedule. But researchers found that a statewide pay schedule would be too expensive, and wouldn’t do enough to solve Alaska’s teacher retention problem.
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Starving sea birds pop up in Anchorage, Mat-Su
An increase in dead or starving common murres has expanded beyond coastal communities and into urban areas in recent weeks. An Anchorage bird rehabilitation center that usually sees one or two murres a year has gotten 20 this month -- all were starving.
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Sitka tribal council pens FBI, alleging racism in police dept
Sitka’s tribal council wrote a letter last week to the Anchorage division of the FBI, regarding a tasing incident of a Native Alaska teenager in the Sitka jail last year. The letter alleges that prejudice exists within the Sitka Police Department and asks the FBI to consult the tribe during the investigation.
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Reviving an endangered language over social media
In Alaska, the number of fluent Haida speakers has dwindled down into the single digits. It’s been called an endangered language. But in Juneau, one group is trying to change that. Haida Language Learners is using YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram to reach a wider audience.