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.”

fishing boats

Feds working on new plan for contentious Cook Inlet fishery

Federal officials have started working on a new Cook Inlet salmon fishery management plan, months after a court said their plan to completely close the fishery was unjust.

Anchorage School District considers closing schools to help fill budget gap

Declining enrollment in the district means there are too many buildings with not enough kids.

As Northwest Alaska heavy winds die down, flooding likely to impact communities

The National Weather Service has a flood advisory for the Kotzebue area through tonight, with Nome and Utqiagvik’s going into tomorrow. Officials say damage to fish and hunting camps along the coast is expected, with erosion also a possibility.
an Alaska Native cultural presentation

UAS will host language panel on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

The University of Alaska Southeast is hosting a panel Monday on language revitalization efforts for three Southeast Alaska Native languages.
a woman holding a bottle

September storm leaves behind treasured beach finds

The remnants of Typhoon Merbok flooded homes and destroyed personal belongings across Western Alaska last month — but also left behind a few treasures.
soldier boots

As suicides rise, U.S. military seeks to address mental health

Suicides among active-duty service members increased by more than 40% between 2015 and 2020. In longtime suicide hotspot postings such as Alaska, the rate has doubled.
soldiers boarding a helicopter

White House Arctic strategy puts new emphasis on national defense, Russia

A new Arctic strategy released Friday acknowledges some big changes in the region over the past decade – the rise of military threats posed by Russia, the largest Arctic nation.
a cash-only sign at a store

‘Like night and day’: Fiber-optic cables aim to make Y-K Delta internet faster, cheaper

Two subsea cables being deployed with $100 million in federal funding will bring fiber-optic internet service to Bethel and many other Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities.
On a TBV set, a woman visible on a screen has a conversation with a woman sitting at a desk in-studio.

ReVision Alaska – A Series Retelling Alaska’s Stories | Alaska Insight

National headlines often approach Alaska through the language of loss and crisis, painting residents of passive victims of systemic racism, climate change, or historical trauma. A new series from KTOO, ReVision Alaska, approaches the challenges facing Alaska through the eyes of those working on solutions.

Palin and Begich both say ‘rank the red’ while diverging in style

The Republicans in Alaska’s U.S. House race are now both saying they want their supporters to rank the other Republican as their second choice.
a boat called "Aleutian Ballad" iss docked

‘Deadliest Catch’ boat donates $28k to Metlakatla in honor of those lost at sea

The crew was inspired by a recent documentary about Alaska’s only Native reserve.
Kitty Douglas selfie

Families, activists question why so many people in Alaska’s jails and prisons have died this year

Kitty Douglas is the youngest of 15 people to die in custody in Alaska this year. It's the most since 2015.
A mother holding a ballon walks through a parking lot while three children in jackets ride scooters.

Anchorage gets its first snowfall of the season, making for a slick morning commute

Anchorage's first snow this year is just a few days earlier than average.
a Tlingit rapper

Tlingit hip-hop artist releases new music video featuring Nanwalek students

Arias Hoyle describes his music as Afro-Indigenous hip-hop.
a man looking into a freezer

Dillingham volunteers organize post-Merbok ‘fish drive’ for Chevak

Dillingham resident Mark Lisac started the drive after hearing news coverage on how the remnants of Typhoon Merbok affected people in coastal communities.
Mike Dunleavy

APOC says Dunleavy backers won’t respond to investigation without subpoena

The Alaska Public Offices Commission says a group supporting Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s reelection has refused to respond to requests for information.
People waitiing in line at a counter at the PFD office

Where do Alaska’s governor candidates stand on the Permanent Fund dividend?

Independent Bill Walker, Democrat Les Gara and Republicans Mike Dunleavy and Charlie Pierce have different approaches to solving the Alaska Permanent Fund impasse.
two women talking

Tribe to hold virtual Dena’ina workshop for early language learners

The Kenaitze Indian Tribe received a two-year Emergency Native Language grant from the American Rescue Plan Act to hold free Dena’ina language workshops for beginners.
three bears wonder around an enclosed exhibit

Some Alaska bears spent a lot of time eating berries, so this biologist wondered, are they less carnivorous than we think?

Charles Robbins is a bear nutrition expert at Washington State University's Bear Center, which is the only research institution in the U.S. with a captive brown bear population.
a big brown bear in the water

After fat bear fraud, 747 again crowned chunky champion

For the second time in three years, the jumbo jet-sized 747 has been crowned champion of Fat Bear Week.