ACA enrollment: Better rates for Alaskans but less time to find them
President Trump says "Obamacare is dead." That negative advertising from the White House is just one of the obstacles Alaska's navigators have to overcome ahead of the enrollment period that starts Nov. 1. Listen now
Iditarod committee names Dallas Seavey as musher whose sled dogs failed drug test
After weeks of speculation over a top Iditarod contender doping sled-dogs, the race's governing body has announced the name of the musher. Four-time champion Dallas Seavey's team had four dogs that tested positive for the banned substance Tramadol, a pain-reliever, according a release from the Iditarod Trail Committee. Listen now
Amid doping scandal, a mushing whodunit
On Monday, the Iditarod Trail Committee announced dogs belonging to four-time champion Dallas Seavey tested positive for a banned substance. But Seavey insists he didn't do it, which is fueling a mystery right beside the ballooning controversy. Listen now
Key critic says the votes aren’t there for full repeal of crime bill
The House Judiciary heard a variety of proposed changes to Senate Bill 54. The bill would scale back some of the reductions in criminal sentencing enacted last year. Listen now
Trump administration offers more NPR-A land for oil leasing than ever before
The Bureau of Land Management announced all 900 tracts set aside for leasing will be up for bid. That compares to just 145 tracts offered last year. It's the largest lease sale ever in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Listen now
Alaska U.S. senators quiet on colleagues’ critique of Trump
Two Republicans rocked the U.S. Senate Tuesday with harsh criticism of President Trump, for what they call flagrant disregard for truth and debasing the nation. So far, the two senators aren't discussing it. Listen now
Oil production is up, and DNR expects it to keep climbing
Production was up about 3 million barrels, and the state is predicting that it’s going to be up next year too. Listen now
ANWR drilling clears another hurdle in Congress
The U.S. House has passed the Senate's budget resolution, and with it the seeds of legislation that could open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Listen now
Trump’s opioid disaster declaration could expand help to suffering Alaskans
Today, President Donald Trump took a major step in dealing with the opioid epidemic, laying out an ambitious vision of stamping out opioid addiction within a generation while treating those currently suffering. Listen now
BP likely to plug thirteen at-risk wells after April accident
BP thinks the accident was caused by thawing permafrost deep below the surface, which put uneven stress on the well. Eventually, the well gave out, rising several feet out of the ground and colliding with the top of the building over the well. Listen now
AK: The Birdman of Alcatraz’s grisly Juneau connection
In this spooky pre-Halloween edition of AK, we revisit the scene of the crime, the site of a cold-blooded murder over a hundred years ago in Juneau. KTOO’s Matt Miller spent this summer researching what happened when the Birdman of Alcatraz killed for the first time. Listen now
Payroll tax and crime overhaul on the docket for fourth special legislative session
Today ends the first week of the Legislature’s fourth special session. Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes spoke with KTOO’s Andrew Kitchenman about where things stand. Listen now
Congress let CHIP expire; Denali KidCare OK for now
Funding for CHIP, the low-income children's health insurance program, has expired. Several states are close to running out of money. But the Alaska Division of Health Care Services says the state has enough money to continue funding its CHIP program, called Denali KidCare, until April. Listen now
After BP leak report, state calls for review of all North Slope wells
The emergency order comes after BP blamed an April oil and gas spill on a piece of a flawed well design and melting permafrost. Listen now
Gov. Walker announces public safety plan
Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth said reducing crime will take enhanced collaboration across different departments. Listen now
One Arctic species is listed, one isn’t. Did politics play a role?
Two of the Arctic’s most iconic animals, polar bears and walrus, face challenges with retreating sea ice. But they haven't been granted the same federal protections. Listen now
Nome’s Polaris Hotel on fire; blaze continues into afternoon
Nome residents awoke this morning to see the Polaris Hotel ablaze. 22 of the available 30 Nome firefighters are currently containing the blaze. Listen now
Alaska sues OxyContin maker, alleging deception
With thousands of alleged violations, the total damages would be more than $50 million. Listen now
Gov. Walker announces new climate change task force
The 15-person "Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team" will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, and will propose a climate change action plan. Those recommendations are due by September 2018. Listen now
Can Congress squeeze $1b from ANWR?
For decades, environmental groups warned Big Oil would plunder the Arctic Refuge if Congress opened the area to drilling. Now, ahead of a Senate hearing, the environmental argument has shifted. A new report claims drilling advocates are exaggerating industry's interest in the refuge. Listen now