Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

A woman wearing a beanie and blue coat shovels her driveway.

Overnight snow dump closes Southcentral Alaska schools, sets Anchorage seasonal record

More than a foot of snow blanketed Anchorage during Sunday night's storm, with snowfall set to taper off Monday and give way to subzero cold.
Pete Kaiser

Pete Kaiser wins his 8th Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race title

Kaiser arrived in Bethel at 9:25 a.m. Sunday, after distancing Matthew Failor and Travis Beals in the final hours of racing in frigid temperatures.
a man

Demand for minerals sparks fear of mining abuses on Indigenous peoples’ lands

Demand for lithium and other rare metals is soaring. But more than half of these mineral projects are on or near the lands of Indigenous peoples.
Donald Trump

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to bar Trump from Alaska election ballots

The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Joshua Kindred, appointed by Donald Trump, cited technical issues with the lawsuit's filing.
a ferry ramp

Proposal to put slot machines aboard Alaska ferries gets rough first reception

Gambling would be allowed only when ships are more than three miles off Alaska’s coasts, something already allowed aboard cruise ships.
a sonar image

Amelia Earhart’s long-lost plane possibly spotted in the Pacific by exploration team

The discovery could solve the mystery of Earhart's disappearance with aviator Fred Noonan over the Pacific Ocean on a 1937 flight around the globe.
A man carries a sled full of shovels in winter.

Alaskans see bitter cold, record-breaking snow and a winter defying El Niño predictions

Temperatures neared 60 degrees below zero in the Interior, Southeast saw record-breaking snowfall, and Anchorage has had a taste of it all.
paratroopers

Alaska’s Army division to stage major training exercise near Fort Greely

The exercise, scheduled for Feb. 8 through Feb. 22, will send military convoys to and from Fort Greely on the Parks and Richardson highways.
the State Office Building

High job vacancies in Alaska state agencies can reduce services and lead to burnout

An average of about 14% of Alaska state jobs are unfilled.
a fire

Chevak hardware store and corporation headquarters lost in fire

Residents who live in about a dozen homes were evacuated to the local school after the Monday blaze, which partially knocked out local power.
a white raven

Anchorage’s white raven becomes a local legend as a tracked trickster

The rare leucistic bird has its own pararazzi in Alaska's largest city, with local photographers flocking to sightings reported online.
a collision

Anchorage’s C Street reopens in Midtown after vehicle fatally strikes pedestrian

Police say the man was crossing outside a crosswalk Tuesday when he was struck between West Fireweed Lane and West Northern Lights Boulevard.

Alaska Legislature takes up bill to restore pensions for public employees

A proposal to revamp the retirement system for Alaska’s state and local government employees is scheduled for debate in the state Senate this week.

Protestors rally for school funding increase outside Alaska State Capitol

Hundreds of protestors gathered in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday to call for an increase in education funding. 

Gov. Dunleavy’s State of the State addresses resource development, education

Gov. Mike Dunleavy implored Alaskans and lawmakers to capitalize on the state’s natural resources in his annual State of the State address Tuesday. 
babies

Homelessness and other stressors linked to Alaska’s continued surge in syphilis at birth

Ten 2023 congenital syphilis cases were reported in infants “born to women who experienced complex and substantial barriers to prenatal care.”
tourists

Cruise ships dumped 90% less trash in Juneau last year

About 250,000 pounds of trash made its way from cruise ships to Juneau’s landfill last summer, down from over 3.3 million pounds in 2019.
a building

Juneau considers moving all city staff to Alaska Permanent Fund building

The city has been looking for new office space since this fall, when voters rejected the city’s request to fund a new City Hall through a $27 million bond.
an airliner

Boeing declines to give a financial outlook as it focuses on quality and safety

Boeing's CEO said the company is focused on improving production after a fuselage panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet in midair.
a roof collapse

2 Anchorage commercial roof collapses reported in 2 days

No injuries were reported in Tuesday's Raspberry Road collapse or Wednesday's on the Old Seward Highway, firefighters said.