Members of Alaska’s child care task force raise concerns about staffing, cost and licensing issues
Gov. Mike Dunleavy formed the task force earlier this year to come up with a plan to improve access and affordability of child care in the state.
Line One: Preventing Teen Tobacco Use
E-cigarette use among teenagers has skyrocketed in recent years, including in Alaska. A recent report from the Food and Drug Administration shows that one in ten middle and high schoolers report using e-cigarettes, overwhelmingly with sweet flavors like fruits or candy. What are the risks of vaping, especially at a young age, and what can parents and students do to bring these numbers down? Join Host Dr. Justin Clark as he explores these topics on this episode of Line One.
Should we invest more in weather forecasting? It may save your life.
A pair of economists calculate that "making forecasts 50% more accurate would save 2,200 lives per year," citing major improvements in the last century.
The CDC is helping states address gun injuries after years of political roadblocks
Federal research funds are being used to speed up dissemination of data on gun injuries in nine states and the District of Columbia.
Alaska’s Army division is combatting high suicide rates with mandatory wellness counseling
The military in Alaska has long struggled with high rates of suicide. A year and a half ago, one Army division started a program to combat the crisis.
U.S. maternal deaths keep rising. Here’s who is most at risk.
The worst outcomes were among Black women, Native American and Alaska Native people.
New data shows measurable progress on Alaska’s food stamp backlog
Thousands of people are still waiting for food aid, but the trend is positive.
Dunleavy veto cuts Head Start increase as centers struggle to pay teachers, serve children in need
Seven of 17 programs are on notice that federal funding is in jeopardy without changes.
Anchorage’s main electric utility is proposing to raise base rates for the first time in 3 years
Chugach Electric wants to raise rates by 6%. It says it’s seen a decrease in sales and an increase in expenses due to inflation and supply chain disruptions.
‘It’s not right’: Aniak residents share pain of spiking power bills with regulators
More than 30 Aniak residents spoke about the hardship caused by the quadrupling of their May power bills from Aniak Light & Power Company.
Would-be child care providers in remote Alaska say it’s all but impossible to get a state license
Access to child care is an issue statewide, but remote areas face added hurdles.
Opioid reversal drugs save lives in Alaska. But people are often skipping a crucial step
Use of the opioid reversal drug Naloxone is increasing in Alaska. Naloxone is safe and easy to administer, but public health professionals say it’s essential to get people to the emergency room after using it. In practice, though, people often aren’t calling 9-1-1. And that’s concerning to public health experts.
New state child care task force faces bleak reality of Alaska’s system
It has one year to deliver a final report on solutions to the governor.
Line One: DNA Testing and Genetic Counseling
Genetic testing provides valuable information for patients and families about the risk of developing certain cancers, known diseases OR, whether someone is a carrier of a genetic disease. Testing encodes the small traits of our DNA which can help us to prepare for or prevent future health issues. How does this information empower people and What role do genetic counselors play in medical decisions? Join host Dr. Jillian Woodruff as she explores these topics on this episode of Line One.
Alaska schools struggling to keep up with the cost of food
As Alaska school districts look ahead at their 2024 budgets, many are under pressure because of steep inflation in the price of food.
Air quality plummets as Canadian wildfire smoke stretches across the Midwest
Smoke from wildfires in Canada is again blanketing parts of the U.S. with a thick haze that's prompting air quality warnings in several states.
Talk of Alaska: Broadband in Rural Alaska
No online banking, no Amazon orders, no internet classes. A broken fiber optic cable buried far below the Beaufort Sea ice, north of Oliktok Point has brought internet service for a wide swath of Arctic communities to dial up speed or a complete halt. Repairs are still weeks away. How are schools, local governments and businesses coping with the lack of reliable online commerce? How much redundancy is there in the system now and will federal funds make it more robust and reliable? We discuss the need for modern communication connections in the far north, on this Talk of Alaska
Aniak residents shocked by quadrupled power bills
Aniak Light & Power's unannounced rate hike has left residents and businesses trying to figure out how they'll keep the lights on.
‘Nothing else should matter’: At Anchorage roundtable, Sullivan addresses youth mental health crisis with U.S. Surgeon General
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discussed the youth mental health crisis in Alaska at a roundtable in Anchorage.
Alaska drownings led the nation, with alcohol use and lack of lifejackets often involved
Nearly nine of 10 Alaskans who drowned in non-occupational settings were not wearing a life jacket, according to a state report.