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.”

three people in hard hats shovel gravel into a wheelbarrow

From planting trees to fixing trails, Anchorage teens spend summer improving city parks

The 10-week YEP program hires highschoolers to work on park and trail improvements around the city, while also teaching them leadership and job skills.
the Alaska Senate

Proposal that would restrict transgender students’ rights lacks support in Alaska Senate

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposal was formally introduced in the House and Senate on Wednesday.

Probe of Arctic Slope Native Corporation 8a Contract Requested by McCaskill

U.S. Senator Clare McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat and Chair of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, has asked the NASA inspector general to investigate a contract between NASA and an Arctic Slope Regional Corporation subsidiary.

Trump’s wall could drain money from Alaska military projects

President Trump's plan to divert $3.6 billion from military construction accounts could drain money from Alaska projects.

Kookesh Slapped with Ethics Violation

Angoon Senator Albert Kookesh, a Democrat, has been slapped with a state ethics violation over comments he made in January at a Craig...

Delta school district turns to feds to demolish old school

The Delta Greely School District wants to get rid of an old, unused schoolhouse on Fort Greely. But it can’t afford to demolish the structure, and the Army and state government have turned down requests by the district to pay those costs.

Minecraft In The Classroom: When Learning Looks Like Gaming

The popular video game Minecraft has made its way into Juneau high school classrooms. A graduate education course at the University of Alaska Southeast showed teachers how to implement the game in their classes. KTOO’s Lisa Phu went to a high school algebra class to hear what students have to say about Minecraft – not as a game but – as a learning tool. Download Audio

Ravn says 30 bidders want to buy at least a piece of the company, but next steps are murky

Five of the bidders are interested in buying Ravn intact. There were also nearly a dozen offers to buy “substantial assets” from Ravn -- not the whole business, but more than $1 million. But the next steps in the process are still murky.

The Big Thaw: Fishermen in Kodiak cope with record low cod numbers

The cod population in the Gulf of Alaska is at its lowest level on record. The culprit is a warm water mass called "the blob" that churned in the Pacific Ocean between 2013 and 2017. Listen now
a former Filipino cannery worker in Alaska

Filipino American historian and former Alaskero recalls camaraderie in Alaska canneries

The Mug Up exhibit at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau has highlighted the history of Filipino workers in Alaska canneries, known as Alaskeros.
A blue ferry with a white cabin sits at dock next to a causeway

Alaska ferries resume sailing after striking workers ratify new contract

Members won a 3% raise over three years and concessions on how much they’d contribute towards the health care plan and when.
A mirrored building.

Anchorage Assembly overrides Bronson’s veto of the creation of a homelessness task force

The Assembly also overrode the mayor's veto of federal COVID-19 relief money.
A man pulls in a net frm a boat

Alaska salmon see record low returns, few bright spots in 2020

While Bristol Bay’s run exceeded 50 million fish for the sixth year in a row many other parts of the state were far below their forecasts.
a man in a suit

A dozen executive orders from Gov. Dunleavy draw scrutiny

The orders are largely aimed at eliminating or reorganizing state boards and commissions, and some lawmakers are skeptical.

‘There’s sunshine again’: Thousands of meals delivered daily to Anchorage students as coronavirus closes classrooms

On Friday, the Anchorage School District handed out more than 18,000 free meals to Anchorage students.

Bristol Bay health corp fires exec after she suggests coronavirus is a political conspiracy

She was fired after several local leaders were outraged by Scotford’s claims, and called on the health corporation to take corrective measures.

Alaska House resolution calls on feds to scrap rule limiting NPR-A development

The Bureau of Land Management rule would apply “maximum protection” to more than half of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

Prosecution rests in Anderson corruption trial

The prosecution rested yesterday in the corruption trial of former state Representative Tom Anderson. It could go to the jury by the end of...
A woman poses in a jacket outside.

Former University of Alaska Fairbanks janitor testifies in 1993 cold-case murder trial

The first person who reported seeing the Sophie Sergie’s body was Okcha Ancheta. She testified Thursday in the trial of Steven Downs, who is charged with Sergie’s murder and sexual assault.