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 sled dog team races on a snowy trail with a plane and mountains in the background.

Iditapod: Slip slidin’ away

We rejoin the Iditarod something like 48 hours in, and, on what sounds like a hard and fast trail, mushers are pacing themselves for the shorter 850-mile race. There've been a total of three scratches so far, none bigger than Aliy Zirkle, who suffered a concussion and upper body injury in the Dalzell Gorge and had to be flown out of Rohn by helicopter. Also, we catch up with our pal Zachariah Hughes in McGrath.

National Geographic Live – Paul Nicklen

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen has traveled to some of the most remote regions of the globe to document the effects of climate change. He has plunged into icy water and floated on sea ice to photograph sea mammals that rarely encounter humans. Nicklen worked as a biologist in Alaska before becoming a professional photographer. He says his love of the Arctic developed as a kid, growing up in a tiny arctic village on Baffin Island in Canada. Download Audio
A woman in shorts and a t-shirt sprays down a mountain bike with a hose.

Ask a Climatologist: How does a hot Pacific Northwest affect Alaska?

In most of Southcentral, if you ask somebody about June, they'll likely say it's been cool. And that would not be true, says National Weather Service climate researcher Brian Brettschneider, who's back for another Ask a Climatologist segment.

Alaskapox a subject of scientific intrigue while world copes with more dangerous monkeypox

Like other diseases caused by Orthopoxvirus strains, Alaskapox is found in small mammals, animal populations that can get overlooked
A woman in a red kuspuk (jacket) is standing at a podium that is affixed with the Interior Department seal.

BIA opens Anchorage office to investigate cold cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people

Federal authorities in Anchorage Wednesday marked the start of a new effort to bring the perpetrators of those crimes to justice.

DeeDee Jonrowe second musher to scratch in 2018 Iditarod

Willow musher DeeDee Jonrowe has scratched from the 2018 Iditarod. Listen now

Begich facing fine for failure to disclose portion of wife's income

The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) is recommending that Anchorage Mayor and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Begich be fined $1,420. Commission staff say Begich...

Denali Kid Care funds attracting Presidential veto

President Bush has threatened to veto a bill that re-authorizes the Denali Kid Care program and similar programs in other states, saying they are a...

Don Young's first Republican competitor: Gabrielle LeDoux

Kodiak's two-term state representative Gabrielle LeDoux has become the first Republican to file a primary race challenge to U.S. Representative Don Young. In announcing...

Dunleavy gives budget pitch as hundreds rally outside in Anchorage

As the governor made his case for drastic changes to the state's budget, a crowd outside railed against cuts to services like education, healthcare, and the ferry system.
the front of a building called Boney Courthouse

Governor’s veto leaves many Alaskans without access to free legal help

Among Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s recent budget vetoes was $400,000 for the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, a private, nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal aid to Alaskans. That’s a huge cut in state funding for an organization devoted solely to providing free legal aid to low-income Alaskans.

Nome Hospital named a “shovel ready” project

A new hospital in Nome will be one of the first "shovel ready" projects to benefit from the stimulus package. Senator Begich made the...

Out of work in Alaska because of the coronavirus? Here’s what you can do now and the help that’s on the way

With unemployment claims skyrocketing around the country, state and federal leaders are scrambling to get bills passed to expand unemployment and other benefits to...
a building

Alaska governor’s staff deleted state agency’s analysis of teacher pay

The article would have been on cover of Alaska Economic Trends for October.

Team of scientists publish assessment of arctic climate change

An international team of scientists is out with a yearly assessment of climate change in the arctic. The report shows wide spread and in...
a person prepares a syringe to deliver a vaccine to another person

Alaska’s rare COVID breakthrough cases are far less worrisome than stalled vaccination rate, experts say

State officials have released a new report of hundreds of cases of COVID-19 in vaccinated people. But those numbers represent a tiny fraction of the 15,000 cases in the similarly-sized unvaccinated population.

Murkowski, Sullivan resign GOP posts after denouncing Trump

Alaska's two U.S. senators resigned leadership posts in the state Republican party in denouncing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Listen Now
Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks with reporters inside the Division of Election office in Anchorage

Murkowski concerned with how court may rule in abortion case

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Tuesday that she’s concerned with the direction the U.S. Supreme Court could take on the issue of abortion.

Anchorage Assembly ends its indoor mask mandate

The ordinance mandated that people wear masks in indoor public and communal spaces. 
a home for sale

2022 marked the end of cheap mortgages and now the housing market has turned icy cold

Sharply higher mortgage rates have cast a chill on the housing market. Many buyers have paused their searches with home prices no longer affordable.