Top Stories

Papa Bear Adventures in the Kuskokwim hub community of Bethel recently took six veterans on a rafting trip. The guiding company brought them down the Kanektok River near Quinhagak, a village about seventy miles southwest of Bethel, as part of the Wounded Warriors program. The group found relief from injuries on one of the premier fishing rivers in the world. Download Audio

The director of the largest refugee assistance program in Alaska is leaving after more than a decade, just as the program is being threatened by a federal budget crisis in Washington. Download Audio

An Aniak woman came across an injured bald eagle earlier this week. With help from her community in remote Southwest Alaska, she gave the bird a second chance and brought it to the care of veterinary experts. Download Audio

Mention daycare to pretty much any parent in Southeast Alaska, and you’ll get an earful. It’s never been easy to find daycare in the region, but just recently, it’s gotten much worse. Download Audio

Coastal communities in Alaska that depend on fisheries were warned Tuesday to prepare for the impacts of ocean acidification. A study from federal agencies says many of the science questions remain unanswered but changes are already happening. Download Audio

This time of year, indigenous people across the Far North gather to play games and celebrate traditions. Earlier this month, in Fairbanks they took part in the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. There was also a gathering of people from across the Circumpolar north in Inuvik, Canada. This year, native people from Arctic nations joined Russia’s Chukchi and Inuit peoples for the first ever Beringia Arctic Games. It was the largest gathering of its kind in a once forgotten corner of the world called Chukotka. Download Audio

There are more than 100 people employed at Ketchikan’s Vigor Industrial Shipyard. Out of all of them, Cat Wong might have the most unusual story about how she got there. The 25-year-old is a pipe fitter and welder. She was born in the U.S., but grew up with her family in Singapore. When she was 21, Cat made an unusual choice, and moved to Ketchikan. Download Audio

The state's largest personal use fishery is happening on the Kenai river. Dipnetters from across the state are crowding onto the north and south beaches at the mouth of the river hoping to fill coolers with sockeye salmon.

It has long been forbidden for men to weave in the Chilkat tradition, but Tlingit artist Ricky Tagaban is an exception. Using techniques practiced for thousands of years, Tagaban creates his trademark iPhone bags, hair clips, and head bands, putting a modern spin on an ancient tradition. Download Audio

Juneau charity organization St. Vincent de Paul has a record high number of people staying in its transitional housing shelter. Usually, around 55 people live in the 26 units. At the moment, there are 66 occupants, almost half are children. Download Audio

They’re not recognizable like polar bears or whales. But phytoplankton are a key part of life in the Arctic – and now, they’re at the center of a new research effort to predict how the region will respond to climate change. Download Audio

Residents of fish camps along ‘Steamboat Slough’ near Bethel are calling for an abandoned barge to be removed. The barge has been sitting half submerged in the middle of the slough for more than a year. Download Audio

For naturalist Steve Merli, bear education isn’t just about staying alive. The way he sees it, knowing how to behave in bear country allows Alaskans to explore wilderness more deeply. Merli works with Discovery Southeast, a Juneau organization that connects kids with nature programs. Earlier this month, KTOO’s Lisa Phu joined campers for a lesson that had some questioning their assumptions about bear encounters. Download Audio

Some people go into politics for prestige, some for power. Talk to Mead Treadwell for a while and it’s clear, he just loves policy. This is the first in a series about the three Republicans vying for the chance to challenge Sen. Mark Begich in November. Download Audio

The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation on Tuesday released its list of the state’s 10 most endangered historic properties for 2014. Download Audio

A new National Geographic Atlas of the World is coming out this fall, and it’s already controversial. The tenth edition of the world atlas depicts Arctic sea ice during a record-low year. Some scientists say that’s not representative. Download Audio

Since Washington State legalized marijuana, Seattle's crime rate has staying mostly flat. Download Audio

Tens of thousands of spectators were on hand in Seward for the start of the 2014 Mount Marathon race Friday. Download Audio

A unique smell has been wafting through parts of Nome this past week, but it’s not your typical summer fragrance. It’s the smell of bear urine, and it’s part of a new plan being tested to keep musk oxen herds out of town. Tony Gorn is a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Nome. Listen now:

A small airplane crashed during take off this morning around 8:25 am at Merrill Field in Anchorage. The pilot and sole occupant is confirmed dead. Download Audio