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.”

St. Paul Island

St. Paul Island transitions to village public safety officers amid years-long struggle to find stable law enforcement

The remote community hasn’t had a stable police force since 2021 after the entire police department and EMS personnel resigned over a COVID vaccine mandate.
A dredge in a river bed

Biden administration freezes Alaska mineral development orders, veteran allotments

The department said it wants to review “defects” in the public land orders regarding requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act.
a Chinook salmon

Washington conservation group proposes listing Alaska king salmon under Endangered Species Act

The Wild Fish Conservancy says the chinook are threatened by climate change and competition from hatchery-raised fish.

New legislation aims to enshrine PFDs in constitution

Members of the House majority have introduced legislation to enshrine Permanent Fund dividends into the Alaska Constitution. Dividends would be at least $1,250 each year. Listen now
Donald Trump Jr. and his son in river shallows. Trump jr. holds in front of him a sockeye salmon that is bright red with a green head.

Donald Trump Jr. tweets his opposition to Pebble Mine

Opponents of the Pebble Mine found a gift on Twitter Tuesday: Donald Trump Jr. declared he’s against the mine.
A ochre and white concrete building in a greay cloudy day

Alaska Legislature not on track to finish work in 90 days

Lawmakers last finished within the 90-day limit in 2013, according to statistics from the Legislative Affairs Agency.

Alaska Federation of Natives convention will be held in person for the first time since 2019

This year’s convention will be held Oct. 20 through Oct. 22 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage.

Hughes leaves Senate majority over budget

For the second time this year, a Republican from Matanuska-Susitna Borough left the state Senate majority caucus. Palmer Sen. Shelley Hughes left the caucus last Thursday to oppose the state budget. Listen now

Legislators hope to fix uncertainty plaguing school budgets this session

This session, some state legislators hope to put an end to the uncertainty school districts across the state face when it comes to their budgets. House Bill 287 and Senate Bill 131 both address K-12 school funding, but in different ways. Listen now

Surveillance Video Shows Former Bethel Police Officer Slamming Man to Ground

Surveillance video shows a former Bethel city police officer repeatedly slamming a man to the ground in the parking lot of a grocery store during an arrest last summer. The man eventually pleaded guilty to harassing the officer. But with the new evidence, an attorney is trying to bring the case back to court. Download Audio

Homegrown and hydroponic: Veggies are St. Paul’s new subsistence food

St. Paul’s greenhouse isn’t what you’d imagine. There’s no big glass structure. All the windows are covered from the inside. It’s underneath the city’s grocery store on the first floor of the building. Listen Now

Fuel Sale in Nome Targets Spring Subsistence Hunters

Anywhere else in the United States, $5.47 per gallon for gasoline might be pretty frightening—but in Nome, it’s a sale for spring subsistence. Download Audio
Pilot Station

Pilot Station city officials charged with felony election interference

Pilot Station acting mayor Arthur Heckman Sr. and city clerk Ruthie Borromeo each face eight counts of violating state election laws.

Sen. Wilson disciplined for retaliating against aide in press conference

Human resource manager wrote that Wilson undermined an investigation by claiming the incident didn’t happen.

Alaska Supreme Court rules for LeBon in pivotal election recount case

The Alaska Supreme Court is meeting in Anchorage this morning to hear arguments in Kathryn Dodge’s case against state election officials and her election opponent.

Kott: Guilty of conspiracy, bribery and extortion

Former Alaska lawmaker Pete Kott was found guilty on three counts this afternoon: conspiracy, bribery and extortion. He was found not guilty of the...

Pilot Program Helps Bethel Farm Ship Produce to Cordova Schools

Meyers Farm in Bethel recently shipped about 500 pounds of vegetables to the Cordova School District. The order was made possible through a program that reimburses Alaska school districts that buy food grown in state. Download Audio:

Freeride Tour To Come Back to Haines in 2016

An international free skiing and snowboarding competition that took on Haines slopes this year in its first-ever Alaska stop is coming back next year. The Freeride World Tour officially announced the 2016 schedule in late July.
A man with orange waders takes a photo of a man holding a bag of crabs right in between two tubs filled with live crabs

Alaska crabbers get creative with pop-up sales, but industry’s fate uncertain

With the Bering Sea snow crab fishery closed for a second year, crabbers are trying to find ways to make up for lost income.
a man in a suit and tie speaks in to a microphone

Dunleavy offers $7.3 billion Alaska budget, opening negotiations with wary legislators

Many state lawmakers have sought a funding increase for K-12 schools, something absent in the proposal.