Iditarod mushers battle “The Crud”
In the first couple days of racing, Iditarod dog teams are running along some of the roughest parts of trail reported on this year’s Iditarod. But the actual trail may not be the challenge. A handful of mushers are sick and others are making an effort to keep their dogs race ready.
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What’s so critical about polar bear habitat?
A federal appeals court last week ruled the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was following the law when it designated a California-sized piece of the Alaskan Arctic as critical habitat for the polar bear. Let's take a look at this designation and what it could mean for the industry.
Mushing Explained Video: Designing the perfect dog sled
Iditarod mushers are preparing for a particularly bumpy, brutal ride on the trail’s first leg on icy terrain with little snow. Many have modified their run strategies, and adjusted one of the main tools for keeping a competitive edge: their sleds. Many mushers say durability is trumping speed this year as they expect to take a beating along the early trail.
2016 Iditarod’s Scandinavian contingent the largest ever
Red, white and blue flags flew high at this year’s Iditarod start line, but they weren’t the flags one might expect at an American race. These flags bear the Scandinavian cross and they were flown by fans who came out to cheer on more than ten percent of the race field. There are more Scandinavians in this year’s Iditarod than ever before. Iditarod - Day 1
PHOTOS: 85 Iditarod mushers head for Nome
Hundreds of race fans lined the chute on Willow Lake to send off one of the largest fields in years under warm March sunlight.
“Trailgating” the Iditarod Trail
The Iditarod parties in Nome at the end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race are legendary. But at another party 1,000 miles behind on...
Retail and recreation under threat in Anchorage warm weather winters
Few people's livelihoods in Anchorage depend on reliable winter conditions. But there may be a hazard to the city's economic health if winter-loving outdoor enthusiasts decide dark, icy winters aren't worth sticking around for.
Sullivan: ‘Idiotic’ for candidate to accept KKK plug
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan wouldn’t tell reporters which presidential candidate he's voting for on Super Tuesday, but he did weigh in on a racism controversy enveloping front-runner Donald Trump. Sullivan was in Juneau for his annual speech to Alaska lawmakers, in which he stressed the importance of a strong military presence in the state.
Iron Dog teams race against the clock during repairs in Nome
2016 Iron Dog snowmachine racers are in the middle of their daylong layover at the race’s halfway point in Nome. Teams have a little time to rest and recuperate from the first one-thousand miles they just logged over the last three days, but they’re also scrambling to repair damage to their snowmachines. Every minute racers spend on repairs counts against them on the trail.
Obama: Oil states must prepare for cleaner future
Gov. Bill Walker asked President Obama today to allow more oil drilling on federal land. Obama told him and other governors that oil producing states should prepare for a shift to cleaner energy. Download Audio
AK: High levels of mercury spell hazards for subsistence in Southeast village
Earlier this month, Angoon’s mayor asked for help after discovering high levels of mercury in subsistence seal. With only one grocery store in town, the small Southeast village is dependent on what’s in the water. And according to a tissue sample test, that might include contaminants from a nearby mine. Download Audio
Reporter’s roundtable: Energy in Alaska
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On this week's Alaska Edition we discuss energy in Alaska, where bush residents have not seen prices drop for gasoline or diesel fuel, even though gas is a little more than $2 a gallon in Anchorage.
Slow or steady? Lisbet Norris and the great Siberian debate
A family in Willow runs a renowned kennel for the breed, and one of the youngest members is keeping the Siberian tradition alive as she prepares for her third Iditarod run. Download Audio
Murkowski strikes a certain note
For her annual address to the Alaska Legislature, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski tucked her Senate accomplishments into a speech that was decidedly homey and reassuring. The theme: "Certainty." Download Audio
Gov. Walker says changes are coming for LNG project
Changes are coming to state plans for the liquefied natural gas pipeline. But Governor Bill Walker and executives with the state’s three pipeline partners aren’t quite ready to say what those changes are. Download Audio
Hovercraft case among those Scalia’s death leaves in limbo
The death of Justice Scalia has unclear implications for one Alaska-specific case: Sturgeon v. Frost. Oral arguments in the case last month were the last formal arguments Scalia heard. Download Audio
Murkowski field hearing highlights rural Alaska’s unique energy issues, solutions
When Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski chose Bethel for a field hearing of the Senate Energy Committee – which she chairs – she had a very specific point to make. Download Audio
FAA break-up bill clears U.S. House committee
A bill to privatize the nation’s air traffic controllers cleared the Transportation Committee in the U.S. House last night. Rep. Don Young says he amended it to protect Essential Air Service and Alaska's air taxis. Download Audio
Leverage your leopard: the biz behind Alaska’s only zoo
If you've ever wanted to feed a snow leopard, a moose, or a pack of wolves, this year you've got a chance. Albeit, for a tidy sum. It's part of the special programming that helps keep cultural institutions in Alaska afloat during the long, lean winter months. Download Audio
The push to hire locally in AK
The number of nonresident workers in Alaska surpassed the number of residential workers in 2014. What's causing this statistic and what can be done to encourage local hiring within the state? This week's Alaska Edition tackles these questions and looks at the legality of policies aiming to increase the number of Alaskan workers.
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