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.”

Alaska's teacher union now led by its first rural educator

The state's largest teacher’s union has chosen a rural Alaska educator to lead their group for the first time. A veteran Bethel teacher has...

State ends Wellpath contract to run psychiatric institute, could open up contract for bids

The company will continue to work at the facility through December. The state also has hired a contractor to study whether it makes sense to privatize API.

Thin Ice Expanding in Arctic This Year, Not Expected to Last

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage The sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has begun to expand again.  It melted back to its minimum a...
A sign for Anchorage Ppolic on a rainy day

Advocates plan rally to mark 3-year anniversary of Anchorage police killing of Bishar Hassan

Advocates for police accountability are holding a rally this Friday to mark the third anniversary of the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old Black man by Anchorage police. The rally comes as the police department continues to sort out a body-worn camera policy.
A woman in a red outfit sits at a desk with a screen behind her talking to another woman.

Judy Woodruff discusses political division in America | Alaska Insight

Judy Woodruff joins Lori Townsend to discuss political division on this Alaska Insight.

Reviving an endangered language over social media

In Alaska, the number of fluent Haida speakers has dwindled down into the single digits. It’s been called an endangered language. But in Juneau, one group is trying to change that. Haida Language Learners is using YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram to reach a wider audience.
A table full of native art

Anchorage man sentenced for falsely marketing goods as Alaska Native made

An Anchorage man was sentenced to five years probation after being found guilty of illegally marketing items he sold as being made by an Alaska Native artist.
A handwritten proclamation on two pages, hung on a wall.

Anchorage mayor throws support behind conservative parent rights organization

The group is part of a national trend of conservative advocacy directed at school districts.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Two people wearing masks avoid social distancing in Central Park as temperatures rose amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 25, 2020 in New York City, United States. COVID-19 has spread to most countries around the world, claiming over 200,000 lives with over 2.8 million cases. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

CDC: If you’re vaccinated, you don’t need to mask outdoors (unless you’re in a crowd)

Still, the CDC is urging all people — vaccinated or not — to continue avoiding medium or large gatherings, since it's still learning how well the vaccines work to curb the spread of the virus.
cherries in a high tunnel

At this Nikiski farm, a cherry-tree experiment blossoms

Michael O’Brien's latest challenge has been a high tunnel containing 90 cherry trees.

Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending right to abortion upheld for decades

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, reversing Roe v. Wade, the court's five-decade-old decision that guaranteed a woman's right to obtain an abortion.
Three newspapers one on top of the other with the title "Skagway News"

A Skagway newspaper owner was turned back at the Canadian border. Agents deemed her return home “non-essential”

When Canadian border agents deemed one Skagway News publisher’s trip back to Skagway non-essential, it left her operating a local paper… remotely. Gretchen Wehmhoff and...
A white woman with a turquoise scarf speaks into a microphone frmo a desk.

Mat-Su senator introduces bill to bar transgender girls from school sports

An advocate for transgender rights called the bill "horrific".

Anchorage Assembly activates its subpoena powers to get information on controversial election challenge

It's a rare move, and allows the Assembly chair to compel witness testimony and the release of documents, plus pursue possible legal action to get records.

‘Uber for icebreakers’ idea gains traction

Money for a new polar icebreaker is caught up in the fight over whether to build a wall at the southern border. But there’s more than one way to break ice.

Mandatory 24-Hour Rest Playing Into Race Strategy

Iditarod teams are making their way across the Interior region where the trail is soft, smooth and covered in snow – a far cry from the rough and rocky trail that took many mushers out of the race earlier this week. Download Audio

Another Fairbanks Militia Leader Charged

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks Another member of the Fairbanks militia group lead by Schaefer Cox has been charged with a crime.  Ken...
A microscopic black and white image of a syphilis bacteria, which appears as a cork screw shape coming out of a flat surface.

COVID-19 hampers state response to syphilis outbreak

The state just reported the largest number of syphilus cases ever in the state with 250 people infected.

Vice President Mike Pence visits JBER, emphasizes missile defense

Vice President Mike Pence stopped in Alaska on Monday. on his way to Asia where he'll lead the U.S. Olympic delegation in South Korea. Listen now

As fifth bear is shot at Anchorage’s Centennial Campground this month, Fish and Game raises alarm

“The location of Centennial Campground, and having a lot of people experiencing homelessness in that campground, it’s right next to a never ending supply of bears,” Fish and Game biologist Dave Battle said.