News

All news stories, regardless of topic (local, statewide + national news stories, as well as Talk of Alaska, Alaska News Nightly, Alaska Insight, Alaska Economic Report). Some news stories may also have other categories marked, which will also put them on a subpage. Not all news stories will fall into a subpage.

Op Santa Delivers Presents and Attention To Erosion Threats in Shishmaref

Dozens of volunteers deliver Christmas presents and festive cheer as part of long-standing effort to highlight hardships faced by remote communities.

Noble Drilling Fined $12.2 Million For 2012 Incidents

The Alaska U.S. District Attorney's Office announced Monday that a plea deal has been reached between the federal government and Noble Drilling for incidents involving the drill ship Noble Discoverer and drill barge Kulluk while under contract with Shell Oil during the 2012 arctic drilling season. Download Audio

Skier Dies In Alaska Range Avalanche

A local skier was killed in an avalanche in the Alaska Range over the weekend. The incident happened Saturday evening near Isabel Pass. Download Audio

Fire Destroys Kivalina’s Only Store

A fire destroyed Kivalina’s only store early Friday morning, leaving the northwest Alaska village of 400 without all the food and supplies that were stored there. Download Audio

Alaska Communications Sells Wireless Customer Base To GCI

General Communications, Inc. - or GCI - will purchase Alaska Communications' cell phone customer base. The $300 million purchase should be finalized by the end of March 2015. ' Download Audio

DEC Gets Feedback on Fairbanks Air Quality Plan

State Department of Environmental Conservation officials have been in Fairbanks this week sharing information and taking public feedback on a plan for getting the area into compliance with federal air quality standards. Download Audio

UAF Student Found Dead

A University of Alaska Fairbanks student is dead, the apparent victim of an accident. Download Audio

Fairbanks Municipal Leaders Hold Joint Meeting to Consider Pot-Legalization Law

Municipal leaders from all three local governments gathered for a joint meeting Tuesday night with about 120 citizens to talk about the state’s new marijuana-legalization law. The first-of-its-kind meeting was held so the leaders could talk amongst themselves, and with the audience, about how they’re going to put the law into practice. Download Audio

NOAA Proposes Critical Habitat For Ringed Seals

A federal agency has proposed about 350,000 square miles of ocean off Alaska's north and west coasts as critical habitat for the seal that's the main prey of polar bears. Download Audio

BOEM Report Says Chukchi Sea Drilling Runs Heightened Risk Of Large Spill

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is holding hearings around the state on lease sale 193, in the Chukchi Sea. In its latest Environmental Impact Statement, BOEM says there’s likely more oil there, but also more risk of a large oil spill. Download Audio

South Korean Trawler Sinks in Russian Far East

At least one person has died and dozens more are missing after a South Korean trawler sank in the western Bering Sea early Monday morning.
2014 Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey celebrates his victory in Nome. (Photo by David Dodman, KNOM Radio Mission)

Iditarod Boosts Payout to $70k for 2015 Winner

The 2015 Iditarod winner will take home the race’s biggest payday ever — $70,000.

Native Municipal Leaders: Pot-Legalization Law Could Harm Youths, Communities

Alaska Native municipal leaders say a new state law that will legalize the use and sale of marijuana could damage people in communities. Last week they told an Anchorage attorney who’s researched the law that the tax it authorizes won’t raise enough money to repair that damage. Download Audio

Experimental Pollock Seine Fishery Opens in Cook Inlet

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is conducting a test fishery for walleye pollock using seine gear that starts today and runs through February. Download Audio

EPA Regs Hit Fishing Industry, Unless Congress Meets Deadline

Alaska’s fishing industry is watching a deadline approach: Dec. 18. That’s the date tough new EPA regulations apply to commercial fishing boats, unless Congress intervenes.

Juneau Coming Closer to Providing Housing for Homeless

Juneau is getting closer to becoming the third community in Alaska with a Housing First project to provide the chronically homeless with housing. Organizers told the Juneau Assembly on Monday that the project is moving from the concept stage to the design stage.

Industry Blames Pirate Fishing as Red King Prices Drop

The Bering Sea red king crab fleet finished catching 10 million pounds of quota last week -- and they're facing some lackluster prices as the crab goes to market. It could be due to higher catch limits in Alaska and Russia. Download Audio

Iditarod Musher Hospitalized After Vehicle Strikes Dog Team

On Tuesday, Iditarod musher Karin Hendrickson was injured when a Talkeetna woman lost control of her vehicle and struck the ATV that Hendrickson's dog team was pulling. Download Audio

Regional Committee Votes to Hold Governance Convention

The Calista-sponsored Regional Committee voted Monday to hold a Governance Convention next year to pursue the possibility of a creating a regional tribal government or making changes to the Association of Village Council Presidents. Download Audio

Lobbyist: State budget shortfall will affect Juneau

The City and Borough of Juneau’s lobbyist for state issues says Alaska’s budget woes may lead to conversations during the upcoming legislative session about tapping the Alaska Permanent Fund. Download Audio