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.”

As seen from a window overlooking an empty field, hundreds of protesters gather

‘Mob rule’: Alaskans at the Capitol watch unrest roiling outside their doors

All three members of Alaska's Congressional delegation issued statements on social media Wednesday afternoon, saying they were safe and condemning violence.
A woman on a bridge

Alaska’s top doctor on living with COVID in the post-restriction era

KTOO’s Claire Stremple spoke with Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink about this moment of living with COVID while many are ready to move on.

State files brief supporting Exxon Valdez plaintiffs

The state of Alaska has now joined with others in support of Exxon Valdez oil spill plaintiffs. Today, the state filed an amicus brief...
a family on a couch watching tv with antlers in the background holding up ski goggles

After more than a decade, overcrowded Shaktoolik is finally getting new homes

Alaskans are twice as likely to live in an overcrowded household than the national average. Rates are highest in small, off-the-road-system communities like Shaktoolik.

Alaska senators vote ‘no’ as Congress renews surveillance law

FISA allows the government to collect email and phone records of foreigners overseas without a warrant. Privacy advocates warn it sweeps up communications of Americans, too. Listen now
Sen. Dan Sullivan and U.S. Surgen General Vivek Murthy sit at a table.

‘Nothing else should matter’: At Anchorage roundtable, Sullivan addresses youth mental health crisis with U.S. Surgeon General

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discussed the youth mental health crisis in Alaska at a roundtable in Anchorage.

Tribal Meetings with Interior Department Get Underway

The first in a series of Interior Department meetings with tribes on the issue of consultation kicked off today in Anchorage. Although...

‘This is a nightmare now’: Iditarod musher recounts helicopter rescue from flooded trail

What Matthew Failor did not know when he left White Mountain with two other mushers was the relentless wind was pushing ocean water onto the trail ahead.

Target Range Draws Fans and Foes

Bodenberg Butte, just Southwest of Palmer, is a rural community edging the Knik River. The area is popular with local folks for its fishing, canoeing...
bears in a delivery truck

Bears raid a Krispy Kreme doughnut van in Anchorage

The van was stopped outside a convenience store on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson when the bears helped themselves to doughnut holes and other pastries.

Akeela House celebrates 40 years of successful sobriety treatments

The Akeela House in Anchorage turned 40 this year. It's one of Anchorage's oldest substance use treatment facilities. Now it has programs in communities and prisons across the state. Former clients say it still delivers a message of hope. Download Audio
A woman with glasses wearing a purple shirt.

Alaska’s COVID-19 situation has flattened out, but what should Alaskans do if they test positive now?

Alaska's chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Zink, says that depends. COVID, Zink says, is still a part of our lives, and she's not ready to declare victory just yet.
A white man speaks as he sits at a table with an american flag in the background

Dunleavy wants state to cut ties with banks that won’t fund Arctic oil projects

Gov. Dunleavy says his administration will introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session that would require state departments to sever their relationships with financial institutions that won’t finance oil and gas development in the Arctic.
a metal fence runs down a concrete median on a busy road

Backlash to ‘cheese grater’ fence in Anchorage triggers changes to DOT outreach 

The state transportation department says the fence isn’t going away, but the minor drama will lead to more outreach on similar projects going forward.
Senator Lisa Murkowski speaking to the media

Murkowski says she will vote yes to confirm new Supreme Court justice

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted with Democrats against proceeding toward a vote on President Trump’s latest nominee to the Supreme Court.

Protesting lack of new contracts, Anchorage teachers’ union hosts walk-ins

Today was the first day of school in Anchorage, and for the second year in a row, teachers are starting the year without a new contract. Listen now

As coronavirus concerns grow in Alaska, officials warn shoppers not to overdo it

Zidek said it’s unlikely the coronavirus outbreak will cause a disruption to the delivery of goods from out of state.

Resources for startup businesses | Talk of Alaska

We discuss what it takes to launch a successful startup, and how to keep it growing, on this Talk of Alaska.
mountains in space

NASA’s James Webb telescope captures groundbreaking images of distant galaxies

Thanks to the telescope's deep and sharp infrared images, Earthlings are getting a more detailed look at distant galaxies than was ever possible.
A white man in a suit speaks

Gov. Dunleavy will get COVID-19 vaccine, but stops short of recommending it for Alaskans

“I’m going to do what I think is best for me,” Dunleavy said at a news conference on Tuesday. “I would encourage others to do what they believe is best for them.”