Unalaska grasps at solutions to stifling airfare costs
“The cost of an airplane ticket to get out here is attention-getting," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said during an August visit to Unalaska, where one-way tickets to Anchorage cost nearly $1,000.
A second version of omicron is spreading. Here’s why scientists are on alert.
It's a sibling of the first omicron variant that swept the world. Is it more contagious? Does it cause severe disease? Will it keep current omicron surges going? Researchers are looking for answers.
Naknek Electric, Deep in Debt, Outlines Geothermal Plan
The Naknek Electric Association has released a plan explaining where they’re going with their geothermal project. The member-owned electricity cooperative filed for bankruptcy last year after problems with the more than decade-old geothermal exploration.
AK: Welding
There are more than 100 people employed at Ketchikan’s Vigor Industrial Shipyard. Out of all of them, Cat Wong might have the most unusual story about how she got there. The 25-year-old is a pipe fitter and welder. She was born in the U.S., but grew up with her family in Singapore. When she was 21, Cat made an unusual choice, and moved to Ketchikan.
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Settlement Will Provide Better Yup’ik Voting Assistance in Bethel
The City of Bethel has settled a lawsuit with Yup’ik voters. The agreement will increase oversight of translation services during municipal elections. The State...
Bridge proposed in Denali National Park to avoid landslide area
The National Park Service is proposing a large steel bridge along a section of the only road that runs through Denali National Park and Preserve. The road was closed last year near its halfway point due to a long-running landslide issue that has been exacerbated by climate change.
Wasilla city council votes to ban plastic bags, effective July 1
The Wasilla City Council voted Monday night to ban single-use plastic bags in the city. It's the first such ban for a community in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, where a larger effort to tax plastic bags borough-wide is also underway. Listen now
Sometimes a bird gets into your store. In Unalaska, sometimes the bird is an eagle.
After over an hour of being chased up and down aisles by two police officers, store employees and a volunteer, the eagle tired and was carried out in a blanket and set free.
2 major tribal groups’ departure from AFN raises questions about its future
Two regional tribal organizations have each cited different reasons for parting company with the Alaska Federation of Natives.
Playing characters from Anchorage’s past gets complicated when relatives are in the audience
In Anchorage, barely a hundred years old, the dead aren't so long departed, and public performances of "Stories in the Cemetery" often draw relatives of portrayed Alaskans.
House passes fast-track bill to keep ferries and Medicaid funded through spring
The bill now goes to the Senate. It includes $45 million for Medicaid, $24 million for the ferry system and $18 million for the Department of Corrections. Listen now
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation recommends lockdown after COVID-positive person traveled to a regional village
The health corporation is not naming the village, and says the individual is now in isolation.
Guitar maker opts for more sustainable Sitka spruce
A little piece of Alaska has helped create some of the music industry’s biggest hits. Sitka spruce is a prized “tonewood” used to make guitars and violins. But one guitar company is pushing back and asking the feds and music insiders to reconsider clear cut logging in the Tongass National Forest. Listen Now
Assembly passes sweeping CARES Act spending plan
On Wednesday evening, the Anchorage Assembly passed a wide-ranging spending plan for more than $100 million in federal CARES Act funding allocated from the state. Among other things, it includes money for housing assistance, child care, jobs programs and small business and nonprofit relief.
Palmer man dies in Prince William Sound floatplane crash
A 75-year-old Mat-Su borough man was killed in a Tuesday floatplane crash in Prince William Sound.
Alaska kids’ COVID vaccination rates remain low. Pediatricians say misinformation is the challenge.
“A lot of people like to consult Dr. Google,” said an Anchorage pediatrician. “That can cause a lot of problems.”
Anchorage’s latest municipal attorney says public service drew her to the job
Anne Helzer is Mayor Bronson’s fourth pick to lead the city’s legal department. She was well received at her confirmation hearing.
A new e-waste program is recycling tons of batteries from rural Alaska
The Backhaul Alaska program collected and recycled over 145,000 pounds of lead acid batteries and other e-waste from hard-to-reach communities last year.
Denali Climbing Season Registers Its First Death
A climber has died on Denali. The National Park Service reports that French mountaineer Pascal Frison was at the 12 thousand foot...
As Alaskans age, what options are there for staying in the state? | Alaska Insight
Lori Townsend speaks to David Washburn from the Older Persons Action Group and Jessica Parks from RurAL CAP to learn what's being done to address the increasing demand for elder care across Alaska.