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.

A picture of a large cardboard box and a pile vape pens in ziplock bags on a table.

LISTEN: To combat teen vaping in Alaska schools, educators and state officials work together

Teen vaping is a growing problem nationwide, with the CDC reporting that one in four students use vaping products. But what’s inside the liquid being vaporized? And how will it affect teenager’s health?

Tsunami warning: what’s important, and what’s crucial

The Trump administration has proposed significant cuts to the tsunami warning system. That includes all funding for 39 sophisticated data buoys. Tsunami experts worry about this but are even more concerned about proposed cuts to something a whole lot more basic. Listen now

9th Circuit Court rules in favor of Shell’s spill response plans

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday in favor of the Department of Interior’s approval of two oil spill response plans for Arctic drilling put forward by Royal Dutch Shell. The company plans to explore for oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas this summer.

Frigid Temperatures Close Delta-Area Schools

The cold snap that’s been gripping the Interior for more than a week now finally pushed the mercury to 50 below in the Delta Junction area, so Delta-Greely School District officials canceled classes this morning. The Delta district is one of the few in the Interior that closes schools if the temperature drops too low.

More Commercial Coho Fishing Coming to the Kuskokwim

There’s a sigh of relief on the middle Kuskokwim River as the silver salmon have arrived and smokehouses are firing up. The run appears to be looking good, and the Department of Fish and Game says the river is ready for more commercial fishing.
People gather in front of a cruise ship

Kicking off a season like no other, Alaska’s first big cruise ship since 2019 is on the way

When the Serenade of the Seas ties up on Friday, it’ll be the first ship to visit Ketchikan since October 5, 2019 — 21 months ago.

Katmai float plane crash claims four lives

Four people died Sunday afternoon in a float plane crash in Katmai National Park, about 50 miles northeast of King Salmon, Alaska. The plane...

Short Term Spending Bill Shot Down in House

The U.S. government again faces threat of a shutdown because of Congressional disagreements. The House failed to pass a short term spending bill Wednesday night that would keep government running past Sept. 30. Its defeat was a surprise blow to House GOP leadership. Despite Speaker John Boehner’s entreaties four dozen Republicans defected and voted against the bill.

New record low sea ice extent forces Navy camp evacuation

A camp constructed by the U.S. Navy on a sea ice floe in the Arctic was evacuated last week. The camp’s early closure coincided with a new record low sea ice extent in the Arctic. Download Audio

Anchorage School District Questions 6th Grade Placement

The Anchorage School District is trying to decide if 6th graders should be placed in elementary or middle schools. Currently there are some in each. District staff have been weighing the options for more than a year because it impacts future school infrastructure upgrades. They're also looking at what's best for the students academically. Some 6th graders think middle school is definitely the way to go. Download Audio

St. Paul Island fears losing air service in Ravn purchase

A statement from Ravn said they found out Dec. 13 that the Saab 340 they planned to lease from former PenAir CEO Danny Seybert to fly to St. Paul will not be available, but they are working to get their aircraft certified to fly to the island as soon as possible.

Petersburg Voters to Decide on Smoking Ban

Matt Lichtenstein, KFSK – Petersburg On Tuesday, Petersburg voters will decide whether to prohibit smoking in most workplaces and public spaces. Opponents see the...
A woman seen in profile, with her shadow cast on the side of a house

Their mom died of COVID. They say conspiracy theories are what really killed her.

Stephanie was usually careful about her health and regular vaccinations. But then she got into sharing far-out videos and fringe ideas. When COVID hit, misinformation put her and her husband at risk.

Okmok volcano continues to subside

After erupting for more than a month this summer, Okmok Volcano on Umnak Island, has calmed down enough for volcanologists to explore the changes...

Alaskans split on Dunleavy PFD repayment plan

The March 6 public hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee stretched for more than two hours, with testimony split almost evenly between Alaskans opposed

Bowhead whale eyes tell story of life at sea, documenting environmental factors

One way to determine the approximate age of a bowhead whale is by looking at changes in their eye lens. This, combined with other...

Will Alaska endorse climate science education?

Alaska could be joining dozens of other states by adopting the framework of Next Generation Science Standards. On Friday, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a draft slated for public comment.

Local Boundary Commission Approves Dillingham Annexation Petition

Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham The group tasked by the State of Alaska to decide matters related to municipal boundaries Tuesday night approved...

How little organizations make a big difference through collaboration

Solving community problems can be hard, unless you tap into the power of collaboration. This is how Chickaloon does it.