More than ink: Traditional tattoos roar back in Alaska
Though the custom weas nearly lost, a new generation is using tattoos to reclaim and rebuild a strong native identity in the 21st century.
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Public testimony closes on city discrimination ordinance
Under discussion is an ordinance that extends legal protections to residents on the basis of sexual orientation and gender expression.
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Reducing food waste to feed hungry Alaskans
In an effort to reduce food waste and disposal costs, local stores are donating perishable items to food banks. It's filling a need for healthy foods that budgets can't always accommodate.
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Public testimony extended on city discrimination ordinance
Under discussion is an ordinance that extends legal protections to residents on the basis of sexual orientation and gender expression.
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Activists say ‘keep it in ground’; Jewell calls it simplistic
Hundreds of environmental groups are uniting under a new banner to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. It’s called: “Keep it in the ground.” They’re asking President Obama to stop new petroleum leases on public lands. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell rejected the idea in a meeting with reporters today.
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Warm-water fish increasingly spotted in Alaska waters
Scientists and fishermen have reported more unusual species in Alaska waters, likely because of warming sea surface temperatures. Meanwhile, an Alaska research organization has created an online clearinghouse of all the news and research related to the anomaly called The Blob.
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After 18 years of bagels, Juneau’s Silverbow Bakery to close Oct. 4
The Silverbow Bakery in downtown Juneau is closing. For 18 years, the eatery has been a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors. It’s known for its cookies, soups and sandwiches and, of course, its bagels.
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Murkowski’s oil export effort gains traction, yet fate uncertain
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is making progress on ending the U.S. ban on crude oil exports. It’s one of her biggest goals as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. But powerful interests are fighting to keep the ban in place.
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Like Sitka, parts of Juneau are susceptible to landslides
This past weekend, a Juneau Preparedness Expo gave the public a variety of information on how to cope in an emergency. One lecture more relevant than ever was on mudslides and landslides–just weeks after Sitka’s deadly disaster.
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Religion and climate change – can you talk about both?
Is climate change a religious issue? A group of Alaskans says yes, and a national survey supports them, for some groups. Alaskans joined together this weekend in Anchorage for an interfaith Earth Care Jamboree.
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Tugboat sinks in Gastineau Channel
A tugboat, known as Challenger, sank near Aurora Harbor around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Coast Guard Petty Officer Geno Kludt said the 96-foot wooden vessel was engulfed by water in about fifteen minutes.
Religion and climate change – can you talk about both?
Is climate change a religious issue? A group of Alaskans says yes, and a national survey supports them, for some groups. Alaskans joined together this weekend in Anchorage for an interfaith Earth Care Jamboree.
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In unnerving trend, 35,000 walrus haul out at Point Lay
In what’s becoming an increasingly common sight, tens of thousands of walrus have hauled out on the coast of the Chukchi Sea near the Native Village of Point Lay.
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New ways to fund housing in Anchorage opens doors for low-income families
Two new affordable housing complexes are opening in Anchorage this fall. Tenants have already started moving into the 18-unit Susitna Square in East Anchorage. But building the developments required creative financing to make it possible.
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Donation illuminates Alaska Native civil rights history
A recently donated collection of letters, essays, photographs and newspapers is shedding new light on the history of Alaska Native civil rights. One particularly controversial figure in the documents spent half a century advancing Alaska Native causes.
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After amputation, the mobility of a sea kayak beckons
A spinal cord injury or amputation doesn’t have to stop someone from being active on the water. A few Juneau instructors now have the know-how to modify kayaking equipment for people of all abilities after a training that wrapped up Tuesday.
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Department of Defense studying economics of drawdown in Anchorage
The BEAR group held its second meeting to look at ways of mitigating negative impacts from loss of thousands of troops.
In Hydaburg, sea otter pelt craft is a budding cottage industry
Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal, which makes it a valuable commodity. But there are strict regulations surrounding how to market that fur. Coastal Alaska Natives have the right to sell just the pelts, but only to each other. Non-Natives cannot legally buy pelts, but they can purchase sea otter handicraft. On a recent rainy evening in Hydaburg, local Natives gathered for a sea otter sewing class to expand their marketing potential.
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Run, zipline, signal fires mark J’eet’s Challenge
For the first time last month, Hoonah hosted an 8.3-mile footrace called J’eet’s Challenge. The course begins near sea level, runs through town and then up a mountain to the finish line. The race winners lit mountaintop signal fires, echoing events from a Tlingit story. From there, runners hopped into harnesses and ziplined back down to Icy Strait Point, which is Huna Totem Corp.’s salmon cannery turned tourist attraction.
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Mendenhall Glacier ice caves on Smithsonian Magazine’s ‘bucket list’
Smithsonian Magazine has listed Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier ice caves on a list of “25 Great New Places to See.” It’s number six on the “life list” or “bucket list,” beaten out by the largest cave located in Vietnam, gorilla trekking in East Africa and the Alma Telescope in Chile.