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.”

Despite warnings of capitol violence, no one showed up to protest in Juneau

Despite FBI warnings of potential protests at state capitols on Sunday, there were no demonstrations, armed or otherwise, at the Alaska Capitol in Juneau.

Port Heiden loses road access to safe harbor and old village

Port Heiden’s road to its harbor and old village site is crumbling into the sea and the lake on the other side of it will likely breach soon. Listen now
A red and white building

Yukon-Kuskokwim hospital operating under crisis standards of care

It issued a written statement on Wednesday saying that the corporation is operating at capacity and has adopted new clinical guidelines for dispensing care.

Anchorage police say they’re moving forward with body cameras, but there’s no specific timeline

“We always thought that the policy and the implementation had to be concurrent,” said APD chief Michael Kerle.

Juneau Clinic Will Close

The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium plans to close Front Street Clinic on October 1, according to SEARHC COO Dan Neumeister. The decision by the board of directors comes after two days of meetings last week. Listen Now
A variety of face masks and face shields displayed on a table at Huffman Elementary School.

Anchorage mayor, school district spar over face masks

Dueling social media posts show the leader of Alaska’s largest city and Alaska’s largest school district are at odds over masking school children.

Iditarod down to final push – winner expected overnight

The race is on in the Iditarod as the two front runners begin the final 77 miles to Nome.  A winner is expected in...

Cleveland Volcano Acts Up

The Alaska Volcano Observatory says a small explosion at Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands may have sent up a small ash cloud. Clouds prevented satellite observation of an ash cloud.
A man in a hat wearing a rain jacket pulls a fish trap out of a creek.

As local streams warm on the Kenai Peninsula, cold water inputs could be crucial for salmon

A pocket of Beaver Creek, just a short and muddy tromp away from a gravel parking lot between Kenai and Soldotna, is home to several cold water inputs that could be crucially important for young salmon as they swim from the Kenai River to Cook Inlet.

Juneau police confirm Mayor Greg Fisk found dead at home

Juneau’s newly elected mayor was found dead in his home Monday afternoon. Greg Fisk was 70-years-old.
People waitiing in line at a counter at the PFD office

The final amount for Alaskans’ PFD this year is $1,114

Alaskans who filed electronically and chose direct deposit will receive their PFDs the week of Oct. 11. Those receiving a paper check will start to receive their dividends the week of Oct. 25. 
A dredge in a river bed

Biden administration freezes Alaska mineral development orders, veteran allotments

The department said it wants to review “defects” in the public land orders regarding requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act.

TransCanada, Exxon Want Shippers to Bid on North Slope Gas

TransCanada and Exxon-Mobil on Friday formally filed their request to take the Alaska Pipeline Project to possible shippers to bid for space on...

‘The most difficult year’: How the coronavirus pandemic changed one Anchorage city block

The Anchorage block has restaurants, a retail shop, office space and vacant storefronts. Together, they provide a view of how businesses have struggled, especially in the city's downtown core, as a multi-year recession glided into a pandemic.

Trio of Iditarod leaders neck-and-neck on final stretch

A day-long march up the coast and across the sea ice has boiled down to an honest race for Nome as a father-son duo from Seward battle it out on the Iditarod trail against each other and an Interior musher who has trained tirelessly to cross under the burled arch ahead of the pack. This year’s race could come down to a combination of speed and power among dogs and pure grit and desire among mushers. Download Audio
Seats in front of a dais

Anchorage Assembly rejects motion to end emergency proclamation

The Anchorage Assembly rejected another motion to throw out the city’s emergency proclamation at a meeting on Tuesday evening. The city has been under an emergency proclamation since the pandemic began last March. It is currently set to expire next month unless the Assembly votes to extend it for the eighth time.

Congressional panel to hear criticism of EPA’s Pebble process

A U.S. House Committee chairman has announced a hearing to examine whether the EPA unfairly blocked the Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska with a so-called “pre-emptive veto,” before the mine has even applied for permits.
People walk on a construction area in fornt of some suburban houses and a snow covered mountain.

Girdwood housing market reaches ‘crisis’ level, forcing locals out

The pandemic has exacerbated the mountain town's already tight market by bringing more remote workers into town. At the same time, construction materials and labor costs are skyrocketing.

Battle Over Medicaid Spills Onto Capital Steps

The event is another strategy from the administration to get lawmakers to bring the issue to a vote in the Legislature ahead of session's end. Download Audio

Four homes lost to fire after Cook Inlet earthquake

A neighborhood in Kenai was evacuated after a fire and explosions caused by a natural gas leak following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit Southcentral Alaska at 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Four homes were destroyed in the fire. Download Audio