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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Alaska tribes, university to receive federal grants for repatriation of remains and cultural items

Alaska tribes and UAF will receive more than $350,000 in grants as part of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Legislators want alternative to oil tax alternatives

Legislators see two competing oil tax methods open for debate during the special session next week -- the net profits-based system and the gross...
a person inside a large tent

Anchorage mayor turned off fluoride in city water for about 5 hours

Mayor Dave Bronson decided to stop the fluoridation while visiting the Eklutna Water Treatment Plant on Oct. 1, according to the mayor’s spokesperson Corey Allen Young.
An empty chamber as seen from a lectern

Kenai Assembly passes Second Amendment ‘sanctuary’ ordinance

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved an ordinance Tuesday night that reaffirms its support for Americans’ right to bear arms.

Tax appeal challenges Alaska’s fish landing tax

A dispute over a fishing company’s tax bill is challenging Alaska’s fisheries resource landing tax on constitutional grounds. The landing tax is crucial for fishing dependent communities that receive half the revenue. Listen now

Black box recovered from crashed Southeast flight

An air ambulance company says it has recovered the cockpit voice recorder for its plane that crashed in Southeast Alaska’s Frederick Sound in late January.

Murkowski asks for longer Pebble comment period

The current 90-day public comment period ends on May 30. The senator wants the Army Corps of Engineers to give the public an additional 30 days to weigh in.
A white woman in yellow sitting at a seat

Judy Eledge resigns as Anchorage’s deputy library director

Mayor Dave Bronson announced Tuesday that he had accepted Eledge's resignation, hours before Assembly members were set to vote on a resolution calling on her to step down.

Alaska is reopening the economy, but Anchorage protesters took to the streets anyway

City and state officials announced they were relaxing regulations on businesses, but hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Anchorage in their vehicles on Wednesday anyway for an event meant push lawmakers to speed up the reopening of the economy.

The Cost of Cold: When the only option is diesel

There are a lot of heating options. Electricity, natural gas, wood, coal... even french fry oil. But in much of rural Alaska, and even some cities, the primary heating source is diesel. Listen now

Alaska suspects merger by Japanese seafood processors is anticompetitive

The State of Alaska is opening its own antitrust investigation into a proposed merger of two Japanese seafood companies with major processing operations in...
a crash site

Burning engine fell from plane just before fatal crash near Fairbanks, NTSB says

The NTSB's Clint Johnson says video and witness reports of the fire are "a key piece of evidence" in the April 23 crash, which killed both crew members.

Juneau man sues to block state’s $1.5 billion coronavirus aid plan, citing improper process

A retired carpenter and former University of Alaska regent is suing the Dunleavy administration, saying that the entire legislature must approve any state spending.

Legislature passes state budget before adjourning

There would be $5.4 billion spent on the part of the operating budget the Legislature focuses on. It’s $433 million higher than the current budget. Listen now
Alaska state ferry workers

Alaska’s ferry system expands hiring efforts amid recruiting, retention issues

Two state ferries were scheduled to sail the key Yakutat-Bellingham route this summer — but there’s only enough staff to run one of them.

Western Alaska chum bycatch limits are moving forward — slowly

Potential new limits on the accidental catch of chum salmon by pollock trawlers are still years away from being implemented.

Sinkhole along busy Anchorage road stalls Midtown drivers

Drivers heading west along Northern Lights Boulevard are asked to find alternate travel routes while crews work to fix a large hole in the road.

EPA report shows increased chemical releases at Red Dog Mine, state pushes back

"Eighty six percent of all release quantities of TRI chemicals reported from region 10 are from the Red Dog Mine," says Alexandra Dunn, the EPA's Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Game Board to Meet on Bear Snaring Issue

Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage The state game board begins its meeting on Southcentral hunting issues on Saturday in Anchorage.  Proposals changing rules...
The side of a big cruise ship as it sits docked in Juneau.

Utah man charged with killing wife on cruise ship in Alaska had brain injury, says defense

Adefense expert says Kenneth Manzanares’ brain abnormalities are onsistent with injuries caused by playing contact sports.