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.”

Charlie Pierce

Kenai Peninsula Borough settles Pierce harassment suit for $237K

Former borough mayor Charlie Pierce owes $31,250 in a settlement of then-assistant Pamela Wastell's sexual harassment claims against him.
Stryker combat vehicles

Army sends 90 Stryker vehicles from Fort Wainwright to Ukraine

A few Stryker combat vehicles remain at Fort Wainwright, for training soldiers in facing weapons of mass destruction.
From across the street is the Anchorage Police Department, where an American and Alaskan Flag sit in front of a parking lot full of police cars.

City of Anchorage sued for not having body-worn cameras on police officers

Voters approved the cameras more than two years ago. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Alaska Black Caucus attorneys argue that the city and the police department are “thwarting the process by proffering one excuse after another, with no end in sight.”
two men near a podium

Anchorage Assembly to consider keeping Sullivan Arena shelter open in limited capacity

The extension is expected to be a last-minute addition to the Assembly’s agenda at its next regular meeting..
the Alaska State Capitol

Alaska governor to introduce sales tax bill amid several tax proposals to close budget gap

There are other tax bills filed, including a different sales tax proposal, an income tax proposal and two bills to change to how oil companies are taxed.
a Yup'ik spelling bee contestant

Native language spelling bee inspires students to learn 

The Yup’ik spelling bee, held in Anchorage, is still going strong and now incorporates Inupiaq — two Alaska Native languages in a fight for survival.
A woman rolls a marijuana cigarette in a weed cafe.

These Alaskans are using cannabis to heal humans and the planet | INDIE ALASKA

Alaska was the third U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana use, but it recently became the first state to introduce an on-site consumption cafe.

Anchorage police say they’re moving forward with body cameras, but there’s no specific timeline

“We always thought that the policy and the implementation had to be concurrent,” said APD chief Michael Kerle.
A female television host talks to guest on a screen.

Understanding the Bering Sea snow crab collapse | Alaska Insight

The Bering Sea snow crab season was canceled this year after billions of crabs disappeared – devastating a commercial fishing industry worth $200 million dollars and the livelihoods of those who depend on it.

Alaska writer Don Rearden finds AI has his number, and it freaks him out

Don Rearden challenged a bot to write a poem. The result was trippy for him, and for reporter Liz Ruskin.
2018 Alaska earthquake damage

Alaska had a quieter year for earthquakes in 2022, new report says

Last year, over 47,000 earthquakes were recorded in Alaska and nearby regions, a slight decrease in seismic activity compared to recent years.
a woman organizing supplies

‘People are suffering’: Food stamp woes worsen Alaska hunger

Around 13% of Alaskans received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in July, before the troubles began.
Deb Haaland

Haaland defends Alaska’s Willow project, says U.S. won’t end oil drilling

“We’re not going to say we’re not going to use gas and oil. That’s not reality,″ Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said Friday.
a person sitting at a table

Former Alaska legislator sues Alaska Airlines over mask-related ban

Former state Sen. Lora Reinbold says the airline violated her constitutional rights and caused her stress and humiliation.
a collage of social media posts and a portrait of a woman

In secret recordings, a top Anchorage library official calls Alaska Natives ‘woke’ and ‘racists’

Despite Judy Eledge’s history of inflammatory comments and social media posts, Anchorage’s mayor placed her in a key position in the city’s library and Alaska’s governor awarded her public money and a national role.
A woman sits in a field of grass

As rural communities prepare for climate change, a UAA scientist is trying to connect them with data

Dr. Micah Hahn received an EPA grant to make air quality and health data easier to access in rural Alaska.
the Alaska State Capitol

State sales or income tax? As Alaska lawmakers consider proposals, economists weigh in

Sales taxes tend to hurt lower income Alaskans more than progressive income taxes, but economists say there are ways to mitigate the harm.

Anchorage’s former Golden Lion Hotel to open as low-income housing next month

Anchorage Homelessness Coordinator Alexis Johnson says the city plans to begin transitioning people into the Golden Lion as the Sullivan Arena mass shelter starts shutting down.
a man in a suit

Rep. Peltola’s party-bending chief of staff departs

Alex Ortiz was the last chief of staff for Rep. Don Young and helped cement Peltola's image as bipartisan.
small bodies of water dot the tundra

Corps to reconsider permit rejection for proposed Pebble mine

It's a partial win for Pebble on appeal, but mine developers also have an EPA veto to contend with.