State fund for renewable power falls prey to budget woes
Since 2008, the state has set aside a pot of money for renewable energy projects like small dams and wind turbines. Called the Renewable Energy Fund, the projects it's backed have replaced tens of millions of gallons of expensive diesel in communities from Skagway to Nome. Listen now
What killed St. Paul’s woolly mammoths?
What killed the woolly mammoths on St. Paul Island? Thirst. For the first time, scientists have pinpointed the date — 5,600 years ago — and a likely cause of extinction. They believe the environmental changes that killed the animals mirror today’s climate changes. Listen now
The shadow of giants: Schaeffer legacy honored in Kotzebue
Nation's first Iñupiaq two-star general played a critical role in fighting for the people of the Northwest Arctic at a pivotal time in Alaska's history.
Big spending among candidates looking to replace outgoing state legislators
State legislators who aren’t running for re-election have created openings drawing big spending ahead of the primary election next Tuesday. A quarter of all spending by legislative candidates has been in just three races for open seats. But it’s not clear whether those who’ve spent the most will be able to convert that into votes. Listen now
Logistical-support soldiers enabled Army to hold biggest Alaska training exercise in years
Some 5,000 soldiers from around the country and Canada are headed back home after a grueling three-week field-training exercise on ranges around Fort Greely. Arctic Anvil was the biggest exercise U.S. Army-Alaska has held since 2001. Listen now
State Department to hear transboundary mine concerns
U.S. State Department officials are in Southeast Alaska this week to talk about transboundary mines. The Environmental Protection Agency also has sent representatives. Listen now
Whale sculpture arrives in Juneau, fins to come Tuesday
Juneau’s 6-ton, 25-foot-tall whale statue has arrived. At least, the body has. Listen now
Surgeon General visits Palmer to discuss opioid epidemic
Drug addiction, long viewed as a moral failing, is now recognized as a chronic brain disease. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy brought this message to the Alaska Wellness Summit in Palmer on Thursday. Substance abuse caregivers, recovering addicts and health officials rubbed shoulders at the day-long meeting, with the common aim of combating the opioid abuse epidemic in Alaska. Listen now
AK: YCC introduces Alaska kids to the Aleutians — and careers
What happens when five teenagers pile onto a research vessel and go island hopping through the Aleutians in the name of conservation? Science. Education. And maybe a peek into their futures. Listen now
Why is gas so expensive in Alaska?
Alaska has the lowest fuel tax yet some of the highest gas prices. We asked Larry Persily, former federal coordinator for Alaska natural gas projects: Why is it so expensive to fill up the tank in Alaska?
Walker sacks industry advocate from Marijuana Control Board
One of the state's key regulators on commercial cannabis has been unexpectedly ousted by the governor. Listen now
Unlikely allies: U.S. and Russia work together on walrus
A new federal database, created with over a century of information, shows where Pacific walruses haul out on both sides of the border. And that’s especially important as sea ice disappears and the animals spend more time on land. Listen now
AK: Sawmill Farm, Tongass farm country
The Tongass Rainforest isn’t what you’d picture as a candidate for farm country. The terrain is rugged, the soil unstable, and it rains over 100 inches a year. The vast majority of Sitkans get their meat and dairy products off a barge, shipped hundreds of miles. But Bobbi Daniels of the Sawmill Farm is determined to change that. Listen now
New atlas maps Alaska’s surface
Federal and state researchers teamed up to make it easier for everyone to find out what's in the dirt in Alaska. For the first time in nearly 40 years, Alaska has an updated atlas of the chemical composition of its earth, rocks and minerals. Listen now
Moody’s downgrades Alaska credit rating; fourth downgrade this year
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Alaska's credit rating for the second time in six months, citing the state's massive budget deficit and its failure to find a long-term political solution. It's the fourth time since January the state has been downgraded by one of the three major ratings agencies. Listen now
Video: How the landfill in Anchorage harvests gas from trash
Hundreds of landfills across the lower-48 have turned their decomposing trash piles into a source of energy. So far, there’s only one project in Alaska harnessing the power of trash to produce gas. Listen now
Head of USMC to visit military bases in Alaska this weekend
The head of the U.S. Marine Corps is coming to Alaska this weekend, stopping at military installations in both Anchorage and the Interior. Listen now
AK: 2016: The year Bristol Bay landed its 2,000,000,000th salmon
Bristol Bay is home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. Over 132 years of commercial effort, now more than two billion salmon have been harvested from the Bay’s waters. In fact, the two billionth salmon was landed sometime, by someone, on July 6, 2016. Listen now
Rain helps effort to contain McHugh Creek fire
Wet weather has brought much-needed relief to the ongoing effort to control the McHugh Creek fire in southeast Anchorage. Listen now
Gusto levels vary as Alaskans embrace Trump
The Republican Convention ends tonight in Cleveland with a big speech by the party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Alaska, of course, favored Cruz in the GOP vote in March. Are Alaska delegates now lining up behind their nominee? Yes. Mostly. Listen now