Murkowski: Senate had duty to approve spending bill, avoid government shutdown
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski on Thursday touted the Senate's passing of a spending bill, avoiding a possible government shutdown. Listen now
Debate continues over role of Suboxone in primary care
Buprenorphine is one of the medications used to treat opioid addictions. A speaker at a recent medical conference in Anchorage says getting the medication to heroin users thru their primary care providers is an essential way to reduce overdose deaths. But some addiction treatment professionals in Alaska say not so fast. Listen now
Study asks why species bounced back – or didn’t – after Exxon Valdez
When the Exxon Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound in 1989, the immediate effects were pretty obvious. Researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of sea birds and thousands of sea otters died within months, among other impacts. Listen now
Rep. Eastman: Some women ‘glad’ to be pregnant for Medicaid-funded travel for abortions
State Rep. David Eastman said some Alaskans are glad to become pregnant, so that they can have a Medicaid-funded trip to Anchorage or Seattle to have an abortion. Eastman didn’t provide evidence for this, but said he had been told this by friends and acquaintances. Listen now
ADN reporter allegedly slapped by legislator in a stairwell
The Alaska Dispatch News is reporting its legislative reporter was lightly hit during the brief encounter with a lawmaker at the capitol. Listen now
Enviros challenge legality of Trump’s Arctic order
As expected, environmental groups have filed a lawsuit over an order President Trump signed last week to reverse a ban on Arctic offshore oil and gas leasing. Listen now
Alaska Native representatives offer support for income tax
Representatives of two regional Alaska Native tribal organizations offered support for an income or another progressive tax Tuesday. Listen now
State troopers leading efforts to recover pilot from crash site south of Chigniks
Authorities have shifted into recovery operations for a pilot killed south of the Chigniks on Monday. Gabriele Cianetti, 54, was the only occupant in a Grant Aviation Cessna 208B Caravan that crashed into a mountain on its way to Perryville. Listen now
Earthquakes shake Southeast Alaska, Yukon communities
May kicked off to a shaky start in Northern Southeast Alaska. Two major earthquakes woke residents early Monday morning. They were some of the most powerful quakes Haines area residents have felt in years, but caused hardly any damage in Alaska. Listen now
Trump order baffles Bering Sea Elders
When President Trump signed an order last week lifting his predecessor’s restrictions on offshore leasing in the Arctic, he also revoked a decree that created the “Bering Sea Climate Resistance Area.” People who worked to get the designation aren't happy. Listen now
Gov. Walker signs bill recognizing the black soldiers who helped build the Alaska Highway
Yesterday, Governor Walker signed Senate Bill 46 into law, establishing October 25 as "African American Soldiers’ Contribution to Building the Alaska Highway Day.” Listen now
Court rules civil commitment statutes don’t apply to foster children, North Star Hospital
A three-year-long legal argument about committing foster children to North Star Behavioral Health Hospital is one step closer to resolution. A judge ruled in late March that the Office of Children’s Services can legally commit foster kids to the psychiatric hospital without getting a judge’s approval. Listen now
Oil prices shrink budget gap, but lawmakers remain far apart
The state’s budget problem is shrinking, but it may not be enough to resolve differences between the Senate and House. Listen now
Trump lifts ban on Arctic offshore drilling
The president has signed an order lifting a ban Obama imposed on drilling off Alaska’s Arctic shores. Environmental groups say the ban is permanent. Expect a lawsuit. Listen now
Secretary Tillerson to attend Arctic Council meeting in Fairbanks
United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be in Fairbanks next month during the Week of the Arctic. Fairbanks Borough Mayor Special Assistant Jeff Stepp broke the news at a Borough Assembly meeting Thursday night. Listen now
AK: From tree to cream; how birch syrup makes its way to dessert bowls
The chartreuse leaves of the birch tree are one of the first signs of spring in Southcentral Alaska. But for a few weeks before the leaves unfurl the trees offer a sweet treat –a watery liquid that when tapped and boiled down turns into a rich, nutty syrup. Birch syrup is becoming a favorite flavor in the state's budding local food scene. Listen now
Mulling the possibility of a “managed retreat” from climate change
By the end of the century, researchers predict climate change could displace millions of people across the country, as rising sea levels and erosion hit coastal communities. As policymakers start to grapple with that reality, there’s a specific phrase making the rounds: “managed retreat.” In other words, relocating whole neighborhoods or communities and retreating from the coast. Listen now
Senate defies Walker’s call to weigh nominees
Governor Bill Walker tried and failed to get lawmakers to vote on his nominees Thursday. Listen now
Trump may have plans for Alaska, but not for its national monuments
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to consider scaling back some national monuments. The plans likely won’t affect Alaska, but the president still gave a shout out to the state in his speech. Listen now
UPDATE: Trump rescinds Obama’s ‘permanent’ Arctic leasing ban
President Trump is expected to sign an order Friday aimed at lifting his predecessor’s ban on new oil leasing in waters off Alaska’s Arctic coast. Listen now