2 humpback whales freed after entanglements near Juneau
One of the freed whales, a humpback calf named Herbert, was the third reported humpback entanglement in the area this month.
Alaska firefighters hustle after lightning sparks 80 wildfires statewide
There were over 30,000 lightning strikes in Alaska Monday through Wednesday, with the number of acres burned rising from about 1,500 to nearly 11,000.
Alaska Department of Health moves to ease parts of child care licensing burden
State law requires child care centers to have static IP addresses, which can be costly and hard to get in remote parts of Alaska with sporadic internet access.
State board postpones vote on transgender athlete regulation
The board postponed action that could bar trans girls from competing on high school sports teams that align with their gender identity.
Mat-Su Borough passes resolution to allocate $2.3M of opioid distribution settlement funds
The Mat-Su Borough Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to begin allocating the funds on July 18.
State asks U.S. Supreme Court to reverse EPA’s veto of Pebble Mine
The EPA “confiscated state property and created a de facto national park," the state argues.
Why sockeye flourish and chinook fail in Alaska’s changing climate
Scientists say they have clues to help explain this tale of two salmon.
Anchorage Assembly OKs Port of Alaska cargo terminal design and user fees to finance project
Modernizing the port, an essential cargo lifeline for the entire state, has been bogged down in political and technical processes for years.
Man who vandalized Alaska Jewish Museum with swastika stickers sentenced to 18 months in prison
Luke Foster, 28, was convicted on two acts of hate-motivated property damage and one drug trafficking offense.
Sitka’s seafood donation network connects abundance with scarcity in Western Alaska
The Seafood Distribution Network is supplying sockeye to families on the Yukon and Chignik rivers, whose traditional salmon runs have crashed.
A large gold mine you’ve probably never heard of is quietly preparing to start production in Interior Alaska, despite critics’ objections
Manh Choh is just the beginning of a surge in mining projects in the state.
As frustration grows, Quintillion extends timeline for restoring Western Alaska internet service
Repairs to the broken fiberoptic cable can’t happen until sea ice opens up enough for a repair vessel to get through.
Alaska’s food stamps backlog continues, with delayed appeals and Medicaid issues on the horizon
The Alaska Legal Services Corp. says the state is still taking an unlawfully long time to approve applications.
With work well underway, Cooper Landing bypass costs more than double
To open the project in 2027, the state will need to seek alternative sources of funding and readjust its work schedule.
No new nuclear facilities along vulnerable coasts, Alaska regulators say
Last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed into law a bill that makes it easier for companies to place small, modular nuclear reactors in the state.
Judge vacates desertion conviction for former U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl
Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based unit when he was captured by the Taliban in 2009. His 2014 release ignited a political firestorm.
Alaska accuses souvenir store of selling fake Native art and products from ‘Yakutat alpacas’
As the state’s tourism industry rebounds after the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, state and federal officials have been cracking down on fake Alaska Native art.
Scientists say Tongass trees could bounce back from budworm infestation
Scientists with the U.S. Forest Service believe that the blackheaded budworm, whose numbers surged over the past three years, is now in decline.
Anchorage Mayor Bronson floats plan to buy one-way plane tickets for homeless residents
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson says he doesn’t foresee the Sullivan Arena becoming a mass homeless shelter this winter.
Talk of Alaska: Upcoming trail and cabin maintenance
New cabins? Extended trails? Maybe better access to hot fishing spots? Amid the flurry of spending from federal pots of infrastructure funds is a lot of money aimed at improving park services for public enjoyment. How is this and other money being deployed, what will it mean for Alaska parks and who’s keeping an eye on the spending? We discuss investments in improved wilderness access on this Talk of Alaska.