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Seventeen-year-old Toksook Bay teen Byron Nicholai released an album recently. His Yup’ik songs have been popular in the YK Delta ever since he started uploading his performances to his Facebook page. Now they’re available on a variety of common online music sites. Download Audio

The U.S. House today approved a two-year budget deal. Alaska Congressman Don Young, like a majority of House Republicans, voted no. His primary objection is that it cashes out part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Download Audio

City and tribal-government employees on Alaska's St. Paul Island get Oct. 28 off each year for a holiday you might not have heard of: St. Paul Aleut Independence Day. It marks the day in 1983 when Saint Paul islanders gained their freedom from the federal government. Download Audio

Two men Chevak men, Cody and Cody, are using social media to celebrate Cup’ik and Yup’ik culture in the form of comedic videos. Their Facebook page, “Can I Borrow,” is home to videos celebrating traditions, customs and cultural quirks with the goal of “healing through laughter.”

Defense Sec. Ashton Carter revealed that he’ll visit the 49th state this week. Details are scarce, but he let slip his travel plans at a Senate hearing, after agreeing with Sen. Dan Sullivan that the military should have a serious operation plan for the Arctic. Download Audio

Not sure what the Alaska LNG project is? Check out this explainer video.

You’ve probably noticed the construction happening downtown on Lincoln Street. The Sitka Hotel has a new owner with big plans for the iconic building.

The National Park Service has published its final rule on hunting in Alaska’s national preserves, turning a corner in a long-running tussle with the state. Park Service is now enacting a permanent ban on several controversial hunting practices allowed under state law, like using artificial lights to shoot black bears in the den, and using bait to hunt bears. Download Audio

With crab season under way in the Bering Sea, some 70 crab boats are bobbing around Alaska's Bristol Bay and the Aleutian Islands. About a dozen of those boats have a fisheries observer on board. The observers keep tabs on what the boats haul up from the deep. Keith Davis was supposed to be one of those observers, but he went missing in September while working on a boat off the coast of South America. Download Audio

Writer Nick Jans calls the years between 2003 and 2009 “a magical and transformative time” in Juneau’s history. It was during those years that a wild black wolf, who came to be known as Romeo, lived in the community, played with dogs and interacted with residents. Download Audio

Lawmakers are in Juneau this week for a special session on the state’s massive gas line project. The session may be a little less contentious - and a little shorter - than expected, after the Governor pulled one item on the agenda, at the last minute.

Federal investigators have found that the country’s oldest theological college broke the law regarding its Native art. Andover Newton Theological School planned to sell off 80 pieces in its collection, including a sacred Tlingit halibut hook. Now some tribal leaders are wondering if repatriation laws should be tougher. Download Audio

Writer Nick Jans calls the years between 2003 and 2009 “a magical and transformative time” in Juneau’s history. It was during those years that a wild black wolf, who came to be known as Romeo, lived in the community, played with dogs and interacted with residents.

They’re a danger when they intrude on the airspace, but unmanned aircraft can also be an asset in firefighting and efforts are underway to bring more pilotless aircraft to the fight. Download Audio

William Wells lives and works at what may be the nation's most remote weather station. It's 300 miles off the west coast of Alaska (and 500 miles off the east coast of Siberia) in the Bering Sea. Even by St. Paul Island standards, his station is remote: it's off by itself, a few miles away from the village of 400 people who call St. Paul home. Download Audio

While an environmental review is underway to determine whether Eielson Air Force Base will get two F-35 squadrons, the Air Force is already flying the fighters in the Lower 48. But the aircraft remains controversial in Congress. The latest problems are with the ejection seat. Download Audio

A Georgia-based media group with several papers and magazines in Alaska misled readers with a controversial editorial that local editors were told to republish with improper attribution. Download Audio

A Shell Oil icebreaker gained two passengers in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. French sailor Manu Wattecamps-Etienne dove onto the icebreaker in 20-foot seas Tuesday, about 12 hours after sending out a distress signal. He made the desperate jump--with his cat--about 350 miles southeast of Alaska's Dutch Harbor. Download Audio

A man from the Bering Sea island community of Savoonga is stuck in Russia after traveling there through a unique visa-free travel program for Alaska Natives. Despite not needing a visa for the trip, Sivoy Miklahook now finds himself on the wrong side of the Strait as his Russian papers inch closer to expiration. Download Audio