Yakutat declares disaster emergency, citing an imminent threat of roofs collapsing
Borough Manager Jon Erickson said Yakutat has gotten about 6 feet of snow over the past few weeks, causing intermittent power outages, damage to buildings and school closures.
Bristol Bay sings for slavii, but celebrations look different this year
Slavii is a Russian Orthodox tradition in what’s now Ukraine, but it has a long history in communities around the state, including Bristol Bay.
Americans are tuning out as omicron rages. Experts call for health messaging to adapt.
Amid a surge in omicron cases and hospitalizations, public health is grappling with how to get a tuned out public to pay attention. Experts urge communicators to cut through the noise.
Board of Fish Southeast meeting moved to Anchorage in March
Anchorage’s larger hospital capacity played a role in the decision to move the meeting as the state sees COVID case numbers set new record highs this month, says the Board of Fish executive director.
Juneau museum features pandemic artwork by local nonverbal painter
A new exhibit at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum features paintings created by local artist Avery Skaggs. Skaggs is in a wheelchair and is non-verbal, but expresses himself through art.
Anchorage ER doctor says omicron presents a whole new set of challenges
While those infected with omicron tend to have milder symptoms, the sheer number of cases — more now than at any previous time in the pandemic — means hospitals are bracing for an influx of sick patients needing specialized care.
A guide to COVID tests: When to test, what kind to use and what your results mean
NPR answers key questions about COVID tests: What types are there? Should you self-test right after exposure to someone with COVID? And what should you do if you test positive?
‘A long time coming’: Brent Sass bags first Copper Basin 300 win in 10 tries
Despite temperatures down to 60 below in this year's Copper Basin 300, Sass says it was a smooth race.
An evolutionary look at exercise
On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Daniel Lieberman, author of “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.” Dr. Lieberman is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. If you are familiar with the book “Born to Run,” you’ll recognize his name as one of the foundational researchers on humans and running.
Swarm of earthquakes, some strong, hits off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands
Natalia Ruppert, a seismologist at the Alaska Earthquake Center, said it was a “very unusual, very energetic swarm of earthquakes.”
No injuries after two buildings’ roofs collapse in Juneau
The roofs of at least two buildings in Juneau have failed, apparently due to heavy snow loads. Emergency responders confirmed both buildings were vacant.
State investigation finds Anchorage corrections officers used excessive force in 2017 pepper spray incident
The incident took place more than four years ago, and investigators say the state corrections department still hasn’t made adequate changes to prevent similar incidents.
As COVID cases skyrocket, Alaska health officials closely watch hospitalizations, staffing
In the last week, the coronavirus’s omicron variant has pushed Alaska’s daily case counts higher than the fall delta variant surge and sidelined health care workers at an alarming rate.
Eureka musher Brent Sass wins Copper Basin 300
Sass and his 10-dog team raced across the finish line in Glennallen Monday afternoon.
U.S. COVID hospitalizations hit new record high, raising risks for patients
There are more patients and, in some places, not enough health care workers to go around. Research shows the crowding will impact care and increase mortality for all patients.
After 33 years, Fish Radio’s Laine Welch hangs up her mic
Laine Welch served as host of Alaska Fish Radio for more than three decades, bringing news and perspectives on the fishing industry to listeners around the state.
Alaska gains residents for the first time in four years
“It was just 0.1 percent,” said David Howell, the state demographer. “But still, it broke our trend of population losses that we’ve been seeing.”
Unalakleet endures water shortage after nasty freeze-up
Unalakleet’s supply of water was running on empty following a nasty freeze-up at the end of December, prompting the community to pull together to conserve water.
Anchorage residents are still waiting out long lines at COVID test sites
The health department promised more test sites by Monday, but so far hours and locations haven’t increased forcing people to burn up sick leave and wait for up to 3 hours for a test.
How to get insurance to pay for at-home COVID tests, according to the White House
The Biden administration says Americans should be able to order COVID tests online later this month.