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.”

Labyrinth of VA paperwork, bureaucracy leaves vets feeling lost

If Scott Harrison is going to prove that his disability are connected to his time in the military, the VA needs to comb through his service treatment record. Which, given his time as a Marine in the 80s, presents problems. Download Audio

Lower 48 ivory bans hit Alaska Native carvers

On the heels of stricter federal rules on the ivory trade, several state bans are shrinking demand for ivory, even the legal walrus ivory many Alaskans depend on.

Clock Winding Down on Senate Health Bill

The clock is counting down in Washington for the Senate to pass a health care overhaul before the Christmas holiday.  Democrats still say it...

EPA says report on Pebble Mine lacks detail, likely underestimates risks to water quality

The Environmental Protection Agency has just released formal comments on the proposed Pebble Mine, and mine opponents will find a lot to cheer about.

Alaskans advocate for state recognition of Tribal sovereignty | Alaska Insight

What does it mean to be a sovereign tribe and what would state recognition mean for Alaska’s indigenous nations?

Coalition Sues to Extend Roadless Protection to Tongass

Environmental and tourism groups along with the organized village of Kake are suing to extend nationwide roadless area protection to southeast Alaska’s Tongass...

BSEE employee claims whistleblower protection

A federal agency that protects whistleblowers is supporting an Alaska employee who says the Interior Department took shortcuts in its environmental review of Royal Dutch Shell's Arctic offshore drilling program. Listen now 
a person in a suit poses for a photo inside a restaurant

Top advisor Craig Campbell among several departures from Bronson administration this week

Craig Campbell has served in several roles in the Bronson Administration, most recently as Policy and Programs Director.

Shell ramping down Beaufort Sea drilling ops

Shell Oil has begun a staged ramp-down for its exploratory drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea while an injunction ordered by the Ninth Circuit...
A woman in a mask wipes her hand across her forehead

Researchers can now explain how climate change is affecting your weather

For decades, it was impossible to say that a specific weather event was caused, or even made worse, by climate change. But advanced research methods are changing that.

Anchorage School Board fully funds gifted program, passing amended budget

Dozens of community members and students testified for over two and half hours, most of them in support of the IGNITE program.
a person waves while holding a couple signs that say "Kameron" on a snowy day

Initial Anchorage election results show most incumbents holding off challengers

The first tally includes just over 41,300 ballots. There are still thousands of ballots yet to be counted.

California entrepreneurs launched a business to fly over L.A. traffic. Now, they will operate Ravn’s routes.

Float Shuttle was the brainchild of a pair of California entrepreneurs, Tom Hsieh and Arnel Guiang, and it is a wholly different enterprise than the Alaska airlines that face rugged terrain and foul-weather flying. It outbid a team of Alaskans that included Lynden chairman Jim Jansen.
a symbol on a buliding

CARES Act data reveals disparities in payouts to Native corporations

Some of the village corporations got large payouts while Juneau-based Sealaska, the corporation with the most shareholders, got the least of the 13 regional corporations. Corporation executives say they’re still trying to understand the wide disparities in disbursements.

These priests abused in Native villages for years. They retired on Gonzaga’s campus

Gonzaga University served as a retirement repository for Jesuit priests accused of sexual abuse in Alaska Native villages and on Indian reservations.

During NTSB investigative hearing, Ravn announces changes; more to come

The fatal Ravn Air crash near Togiak last fall was the focus of the investigative hearing held by the National Transportation Safety Board in Anchorage on Thursday. Listen now
A neighborhood street with a gravel dirt road in the mouuntains behind

Road or trail? New JBER project surprises residents

JBER officials are calling the 30-foot wide gravel corridor a "trail' that they say is needed for emergency access and firefighting.
Don Young seated and looking to his left, at the camera

Don Young floats bill that would seize Russian yachts and merchant ships

Young’s proposal wouldn’t just require the seizure of pleasure yachts — it includes Russian commercial vessels as targets for seizure.

Fire Island Wind sees expansion on the horizon

After years of talks and setbacks, there’s momentum to expand the Fire Island Wind project. The first turbines started spinning on the island near Anchorage four years ago, but a planned expansion has been stalled ever since. Listen now

US Senate acts to save part of Alaska’s 2021 cruise season

The U.S. Senate passed a bill hat could allow cruise ships to return to Alaska ports this summer. The bill goes next to the House.