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.”

Bison near a truck

As snow melts, Interior Alaska biologists tally number of winter-killed wildlife

Biologists say the bison population took a big hit this summer. More than a dozen were hit and killed by vehicles because the animals were using roads in lieu of their usual trails, which were covered by deep snow and ice.
someone looks with a magnifying glass at a black and white image

This eight-person crew is trying to find a century-old shipwreck in Southeast Alaska. Here’s how.

The process involves a lot of research and an arsenal of sonar equipment, aerial drones and a magnetometer.

Developer plans construction of $200M project in downtown Anchorage, including tearing down 4th Avenue Theatre

Developer Peach Holdings LLC is expected to spend roughly $200 million to overhaul the city block between 4th and 5th Avenues and F and G Streets. The developer already owns most of the properties on the block, including the 4th Avenue Theatre.
A red and white plane flies over water, above someone in the water.

Search suspended for woman who fell overboard from a cruise ship in Southeast Alaska

A cruise ship camera showed the woman going overboard at approximately 3 a.m. Tuesday as the ship sailed from Juneau to Skagway.
Two people in front of a large portrait of a blond woman

Wasilla artist who died of COVID leaves legacy of kindness

Deb Lestenkof is remembered as generous and kind. Her family says her spirit is embodied in a popular Facebook group she started a decade ago that's meant to promote connection, kindness and paying it forward.
A man takes photos close to brown bears

3 men sentenced for wading in river with feeding bears at Katmai

One of the men was caught on a livestream camera wading into Brooks Falls and taking a selfie in front of the bears.
a group of men at a conference table

After larger deal fails, state lawmakers propose payout of up to $3,850 per Alaskan

A six-member committee completed work on the compromise budget late Tuesday, three days after the Alaska House failed to agree with a budget proposal passed by the Senate.
A persons arm is seen holding a salmon

Feds sue state over salmon fishing rules on the Kuskokwim

The lawsuit says the state must limit subsistence fishing on the Kuskokwim River to rural residents in times of scarcity.
People disembark from a cruise ship on a sunny day

First cruise ship in 3 years docks in Haines, where residents worry about COVID coming ashore too

It marks the start of what could be a record-breaking cruise season for upper Lynn Canal communities.
baby formula stacked up

Biden invokes the Defense Production Act for the baby formula shortage

Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers.

Legislature approves budget with $3,200 payout per Alaskan after House balks at bigger figure

Budget finishes as second-largest in state history by one measure, but Dunleavy could make cuts.

Climber from Japan dies after crevasse fall near Alaska’s Mount Hunter

A climber from Japan is presumed dead following a fall into a crevasse near Mount Hunter in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, officials said.
candidates sit at a table

Some of Alaska’s US House candidates are millionaires. Another is paying off student loans.

Newly filed financial disclosures reveal huge wealth disparities that are shaping the special election between 48 candidates for the state’s sole U.S. House seat.
an eagle on a boat

Eagle that died in Sitka park tests positive for bird flu

The highly pathogenic bird flu is the worst the country has seen since 2015 and has a high mortality rate for raptors.
A plane over water

Firefighters contain Round Island wildfire in Bristol Bay walrus sanctuary

Sparks escaped from a burn barrel on the island and ignited the fire.
An architectural rendering of a modern apartment building.

Amid a housing crisis, a new downtown Anchorage development could be a model for public-private partnerships

Block 96 could serve as a model for other downtown housing developments. With the city’s housing crunch, developers say it’s desperately needed.
A woman shops for baby formula at Target in Annapolis, Maryland, on May 16, 2022, as a nationwide shortage of baby formula continues due to supply chain crunches tied to the coronavirus pandemic that have already strained the countrys formula stock, an issue that was further exacerbated by a major product recall in February. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

How the U.S. got into this baby formula mess

Just a handful of formula makers dominate the industry so a single plant shutdown can lead to empty shelves.
A ochre and white concrete building in a greay cloudy day

Alaska Legislature meets deadline, passing budget and some bills that resemble ‘turduckens’

Alaska Beacon reporter James Brooks was up late following the Legislature's frantic scramble to pass bills before the deadline.

Anchorage police union says it has waited more than a month for city to begin negotiations on body cameras

Jeremy Conkling, the president of the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, says he put in a request to the city’s human resources department in mid-April, asking for a date to start the negotiations.
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Soldotna Planned Parenthood to close at the end of May

The Soldotna center has been around for about 30 years, administering birth control, STD testing and other services.