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 black Tlingit designed eagle

Tlingit artist from Juneau designs stamp for US Postal Service

The artwork of a Tlingit artist from Juneau will be featured on a new postage stamp set for distribution next year.
two kids do their homework in separate booths at a restaurant

This Anchorage mom is trying to keep up with her kids’ online learning and keep a business afloat

It’s an impossible balancing act made all the more difficult because English is her second language.

Less sea ice means shorter hunting season for polar bears and scientists

Scientists travel into the Arctic every year to study polar bears. It helps them estimate the population. But this year, they had to cut that research short. Melting sea ice is making the task a lot more difficult. Listen now
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Supreme Court restricts the EPA’s authority to mandate carbon emissions reductions

The decision by the conservative court majority sets the stage for further limitations on the regulatory power of other agencies as well.
a Cook Inlet oil platform

Cook Inlet natural gas producer says it’s sitting on large deposit, but nobody wants in

Natural gas extraction in the Cook Inlet region has become more difficult, and utilities are considering importing it from outside Alaska.

Two thousand people March for Science in Anchorage

About 2,000 people participated in the March for Science in Anchorage on Saturday. Participants carried signs talking about scientific contributions to medicine, such as “Got the Plague?! Ya, me neither! Thank a scientist!” Other signs addressed the impacts of climate change saying “There is no Planet B” and “The oceans are rising and so are we.” Listen now
a person speaks into a microphone

Alaska is back on the Pentagon’s radar, Sullivan says

"We have a very significant military buildup going on in our state," Sen. Dan Sullivan said on Alaska Public Media's "Talk of Alaska."
Iditarod musher Aliy Zirkle stands outside at a remote Iditarod checkpoint.

Alaska mushing icon Aliy Zirkle says the 2021 Iditarod will be her last

After more than two decades of competitive mushing, Aliy Zirkle posted a retirement letter on her kennel’s website Thursday evening.
a cabin in the woods, near mountains

Forest Service to build new cabins in the Tongass and Chugach

It’s not often the Forest Service gets to build new cabins.
a fishing vessel

‘Alaska’s secret wild salmon prices hurt everybody,’ fisheries journalist says

Intrafish's John Fiorillo argues that secretive price setting in Alaska salmon fisheries strains relationships between fishermen and processors.

Sub-prime mortgage mess pops up in Alaska

The sub-prime loan crisis has made it to Alaska. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) says it unwittingly bought bad loans earlier this year...

Fansler sentenced to year of probation, alcohol treatment and community service

Former Alaska state Rep. Zach Fansler pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree harassment in connection with a January incident in which he struck a woman in his hotel room. Listen now
a burned restaurant in Nome

Nome restaurant burns, nearby inn saved during Alaska storm

Nome's Bering Sea Bar and Grill is gone after a fire started in the building on the evening of Sept. 17, as Nome was being buffeted by a powerful fall storm.

Keeping produce on the menu: Church picks up state’s slack

An eleventh-hour donation to the Bristol Bay Borough School is keeping fresh fruits and vegetables on students’ plates this year. Download Audio

Don’t panic over Trump’s budget, Murkowski says

President Trump’s first budget shows zeroes for several programs important to Alaska. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says there's a lot for an Alaskan to be upset about in this document, but she says Congress isn't going to adopt it. Listen now

AFN 2007 – Day Two

APRN's Lori Townsend checks in from Fairbanks with independent journalist Nellie Moore, covering the days events at the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention...
a collage of social media posts and a portrait of a woman

In secret recordings, a top Anchorage library official calls Alaska Natives ‘woke’ and ‘racists’

Despite Judy Eledge’s history of inflammatory comments and social media posts, Anchorage’s mayor placed her in a key position in the city’s library and Alaska’s governor awarded her public money and a national role.
Lt. Gen. David Krumm sitting in a chair in an office

The military sharpens its focus on the Arctic

As the Arctic warms, it increasingly has the potential to become an arena where world powers compete for dominance. While Russia and China are beefing up their Arctic presence, the Pentagon has been slow to make the Arctic a priority. Alaska Public Media’s Liz Ruskin reports that may be changing.

Juneau Empire report finds state tsunami response system has critical flaws

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake off the coast of Alaska rattled the state in the early morning hours of January 23rd, setting into motion a series of various emergency warnings and tsunami evacuations. In the end, a destructive tsunami never materialized, but the response revealed some flaws in how Alaskans get warned about possible disasters. Listen now
A large tan building with a stairwell in the front

If Anchorage doesn’t act soon, ‘we’re going to be putting people back in Sullivan’ 

Alexis Johnson, Anchorage's housing and homelessness coordinator, said the city and Assembly need to come up with a plan soon, or the Sullivan Arena shelter will be reopened again.