Senate majority eyes $750M in budget cuts over three years
The state Senate is generating ideas to make significant cuts to the state budget. They’d like to lock in lower spending levels into the future. Listen now
Ballot initiative to change Anchorage’s protections for LGBTQ community deemed illegal
The petition to change Anchorage's non-discrimination ordinance, which protects the civil rights of the LGBTQ community, will not move forward. A group of Anchorage residents submitted an application for the "Protect Our Privacy Initiative" in early January. Wednesday municipal attorney Bill Falsey said it was not legal because it addresses too many different subjects. Listen now
Pilot, passenger on downed aircraft near Pilot Point evaced Monday night
Both the pilot and passenger of a Van Air plane crash survived, and they were successfully rescue by Coast Guard and transported for medical care Monday night. Listen now
Alaska’s population increases slightly
On January 12, the Department of Labor released its 2016 report on population change in Alaska. The population has grown slightly because of births, but people are still moving out faster than they are moving in. Listen now
Alaska Pioneer Homes escape state budget cuts, for now
When the Alaska Legislature convenes later this month, it will consider a budget that makes no further cuts to Alaska’s Pioneer Homes. Final decisions are months away. Listen now
Alaska’s warming waters could slow coral growth, impacting fish
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said warming ocean temperatures, due to climate change, could slow the growth of some Alaska coral. In a study released Thursday, scientists warned about the potential impact to fish, which take refuge in thickets of coral. Listen now
AK: Club Baby Seal provides new artistic outlet in Juneau
A new Juneau-based comedy troupe called Club Baby Seal is gaining momentum in the capital city. Listen now
Greenhouse grows inspired young people
A new Anchorage greenhouse is sprouting more than seeds – it’s helping young people develop life skills and improve their mental health. Anchorage Community Mental Health Services recently began the new program Seeds of Change. Listen now
As BLM moves to protect the National Petroleum Reserve, Conoco pushes back
It may be called the “National Petroleum Reserve,” but the 23-million-acre chunk of federal land on the North Slope didn’t see a full-scale oil development until 2015. As this new era begins, the Bureau of Land Management is adding another layer of protection to this vast, sensitive area. Listen now
Amid violence and breakdown, no clear intervention for Florida shooter
A week after a mass shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport, questions remain about why an Anchorage man with multiple domestic violence incidents and a documented mental breakdown was allowed to transport a handgun across the country. Listen now
‘What’s the plan?’ Senators say ACA replacement in the works
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump repeatedly promised to “repeal Obamacare and replace it with something great.” Early this morning the U.S. Senate took an initial step toward repeal. As for the replacement, Alaska’s two senators describe something still in the formative stages. Listen now
Alaska’s House majority weighs whether to hold open caucus meetings
Last year, when most Democrats were in the minority in the Alaska House of Representatives, they held regular caucus meetings that were open to the public before voting in sessions on the House floor. Most of the Democrats who were out of power last year will be in the majority this year. But it’s not clear whether the majority caucus will hold these pre-session open meetings. Listen now
Why this Alaska glacier is surging ahead of the others?
Geologic changes typically move slow. But one glacier in Denali National Park and Preserve could be moving at a decidedly un-glacial pace. Scientists think it’s doing something only a small amount of glaciers do, an event called “surging.” Listen now
Before and after photos of Bogoslof Island show big changes after recent eruption
New photos show the dramatic effect of volcanic explosions on Bogoslof Island. The Eastern Aleutian island is home to a volcano that has been erupting since mid-December. Now, the tiny island is even smaller and it’s shaped like a hook. Listen now
Anvik tribal courts given more jurisdiction in lower level cases
The state of Alaska and the Anvik Tribe have signed an historic justice agreement. The government to government pact provides a template for tribal courts to administer restorative sentences in certain lower level cases, as an alternative to the state criminal justice system. Listen now
After New Year’s storm, Savoonga asks state for disaster relief
In the final days of 2016, a Bering sea storm battered St. Lawrence Island, causing wind and water damage to many buildings in Savoonga. The community declared a local disaster and asked for assistance from the State in order to restore their livelihoods. Listen now
Murkowski says repeal, replace should coincide
President-elect Donald Trump today leaned on Congress to quickly get rid of President Obama’s signature heath care law. But Lisa Murkowski is among five Republicans in the U.S. Senate sponsoring an amendment to slow the repeal. Listen now
Job losses in nearly every sector expected for 2017
Thousands of Alaskans lost their jobs in 2016, and in the forecast for 2017, it doesn’t look like the economy is going to stop shrinking anytime soon. Listen now
How Alaska had this Trump nominee shaking
Wilbur Ross, the nominee for Commerce secretary, is a billionaire investor, a specialist in distressed industries. But does this New Jersey–born Floridian know anything about Alaska? Sen. Dan Sullivan says he's learned Ross was in the state on one fateful afternoon in 1964. Listen now
Whale freed from anchor line in Ketchikan
A group of Ketchikan good Samaritans banded together last week to help a humpback whale that had become tangled in a barge anchor cable off Prince of Wales Island. Listen now