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.”

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Xunaa Borough would be Alaska’s 20th, under Hoonah city proposal

The proposed borough would include 49 people outside of Hoonah, but wouldn’t include other Southeast Alaska cities.

As Trump administration removes federal roadblocks, Pebble Mine fight shifts to state

Now that the Trump administration has removed a major roadblock, Alaskans can expect a lot more action at the state level. Listen now
a D-Day remembrance

Biden commemorates D-Day invasion’s 80th anniversary, linking it to Ukraine conflict

President Biden said the historic invasion is a reminder of the costs of freedom and democracy — and the value of alliances.
A white woman in yellow sitting at a seat

Alaska governor and Anchorage mayor remain close with city library leader, despite her history of offensive remarks

The inflammatory remarks from Anchorage's deputy library director, Judy Eledge, were most recently documented in a story by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica that included audio secretly recorded by one of Eledge's subordinates.

We're live Twittering the Iditarod victory; Mackey past Safety checkpoint

Join us on Twitter for live coverage right up to the end of the race! And be sure to see our special Iditarod coverage...

Senators question Dunleavy’s budget proposal

Anchorage Republican Sen. Natasha von Imhof said that to maintain Dunleavy’s commitment to full permanent fund dividends — without having an income tax — would require cuts on the scale he’s proposed.
An old white man sits at the tabel with some cards laid out

‘Mail For Morale’: Letter-writing project commemorates WWII Aleutian Campaign veterans

The veterans all served in the Aleutian Campaign, which is often referred to as the "Forgotten War," and began in 1942 when the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor and occupied the western Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska.

Polls Say Sullivan Leads Anchorage Mayoral Race, Prop 5 Could Be Close

It's election season in Anchorage and you can't drive around the city without seeing signs for incumbent Mayor Dan Sullivan and challenger Paul Honeman....

Coastal Management Program Facing Elimination

Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau The state’s Coastal Management Program faces certain termination on July first unless the legislature and governor agree to grant...
A front counter with signs about COVID-19

CHARR asks for restaurant mandates, hoping to slow restaurant and bar related COVID spread

A large Alaska hospitality group is asking Gov. Mike Dunleavy to implement binding, statewide mandates on the restaurant and bar industry, instead of its...
A man plugs his ears with his index fingers and another man to his right holds up a piece of paper

As school board meetings across the U.S. get hostile, some members are calling it quits

A growing number of school board members are resigning or questioning their willingness to serve as meetings have devolved into shouting contests between deeply political constituencies over how racial issues are taught, masks in schools, and COVID-19 vaccines and testing requirements.

Two Bucks For A Turkey Huck

David Brabaw is clutching a frozen, 8-pound turkey in a pair of as-seen-on-TV Ove Gloves. He’s got a bowler’s stance as he eyes the pins at the end of the lane over the bird’s rump. There’s a hush as bird strikes the pins, then an eruption of cheers as the pins settle, including an ecstatic, guttural “YEAH!” from Brabaw — he got a strike. Brabaw’s not at a rowdy bowling alley, but on the eighth floor of Juneau’s State Office Building. He was one of a handful of state workers turkey bowling on Wednesday during the lunch hour. That unmistakable sound of bowling pins getting knocked around echoed up several stories of the building. Download Audio
Two people walk through a prison.

Alaska Legislature unanimously passes bill requiring IDs for people leaving prisons

The bill would make identifications issued by the Department of Corrections serve as legal IDs.
a portrait of a man peering over his glasses

Another big Fed rate hike is here to battle inflation. Economy hangs in balance.

U.S. Federal Reserve raises rates for fourth time in 2022, this time by another three-quarters of a percentage point to battle inflation. It's at a size and pace we haven't seen since the 1980s.
A Coast Guard officer reaches out to a black dog on a beach.

Puppy found alive on beach after fishing boat capsizes near Kodiak Island

When the fishing boat capsized, Grace, an 8-month-old puppy, jumped into the freezing water and was presumed lost. But a day later, the Coast Guard found her. She seemed a bit shocked, but she was alive.
A white man with a short beard and goattee

Alaska lawmaker criticizes state loan to former Dunleavy administration official

A former deputy commissioner in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has been approved for a more-than-$4-million loan from a state agency, drawing criticism from an Anchorage legislator.

Learning about life in a refugee camp

Each of the world’s 21 million refugees has a unique story, but sometimes it’s hard to see past the numbers. To help people understand what fleeing your home might be like, Catholic Social Services in Anchorage set up a simulation where people role played what it would be like to arrive at a refugee camp. Listen now

Small capital budget keeps $32.5M for LIO purchase, no mega-projects or port

Though money is set aside for controversial building purchase, the Senate's version of the capital budget is more notable for what's left out. Download Audio
A peak shrouded in mist

Troopers identify 2 people killed in Chugach small plane crash

The wreckage was found in a steep, mountainous area of Eagle River Valley in Chugach State Park. Recovery efforts were underway throughout the day Tuesday.
a nurse administers a vaccine to a patient

The federal COVID-19 emergency is ending. Here’s what it means in Alaska.

You won't see drastic changes. Some changes won't take effect for months.