Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

Army wounded being treated at Elmendorf

Wounded Iraq war Army personnel based at Fort Richardson are receiving care at the Elmendorf Air Force Base hospital so they can be close...
Power transmission lines on poles in the foreground, with mountains in the distance.

Power-line problem triggered brief but broad outage across Southcentral Alaska

About 65,000 Chugach Electric and MEA customers lost power Monday night after a transmission-line fault near Wasilla.
the seal of a fire department

Violating a burn ban is now a misdemeanor in Anchorage

The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved the emergency ordinance Tuesday as the National Weather Service warned of high fire danger in much of Southcentral through the upcoming holiday weekend.

Small Business Administration Announces 8(a) Changes

Libby Casey, APRN – Washington DC The Small Business Administration is changing the program that gives Alaska Native Corporations advantages in scoring government...
sign wrote in foreign language

Escaping conflict abroad, arrivals in Alaska seek stability and opportunity

https://youtu.be/bItA0ChP5yw War and political upheaval are driving a major increase in the number of refugees and other immigrants arriving in Alaska from overseas. Whatever the...
A woman stands in front of a sign that reads "Alaska Regional Hospital" and a building

LISTEN: How an Alaska hospital’s understanding of COVID-19 has evolved

Among those watching the coronavirus the closest is Alaska Regional Hospital's Infection Prevention Coordinator Jenny Mayo, who works with frontline staff and hospital administration on minimizing the impact of infections from things like viruses.
a highway

Man crossing Seward Highway fatally struck by SUV near Dowling Road

Police say the man was hit by a vehicle headed north on the highway Thursday evening. He was treated by medics, but died at the scene.
Empty court chamber

Justices grill attorneys as correspondence school case reaches Alaska Supreme Court

The justices are considering an appeal of a decision that ruled two 2014 laws key to the correspondence school system unconstitutional.

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
a brewery

Alaska brewers sue state alcohol board on entertainment rules

Three Alaska breweries are challenging a recently weakened state ban on live entertainment at breweries and wineries, calling it unconstitutional.

Alaska leads nation in latest worker fatality report

The 2006 statistic was made public this week in an annual report put out by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial...
A woman in a blue shirt helping another woman with her voting ballot

How Alaska handles election security

Answers to six frequently asked questions.

Video: Generating power from pollock

Hoisted up from the Bering Sea, Alaska pollock finds its way into products that are distributed around the world. Sometimes, part of the fish doesn’t make it that far. Mark Hoffman, supervisor at the UniSea power plant, explains how the company uses some of its leftover fish oil.

Deep pockets aid Murkowski with attack ads on Tshibaka

Billionaire hedge fund founder gave $1.5 million to Alaskans for L.I.S.A., an independent PAC.

Trial opens for couple accused of starting ’15 Willow wildfire

Did an Anchorage couple start the 2015 wildfire that devastated a big swath of Willow? That’s the question for a Palmer jury, which heard opening statements Thursday as the trial over what became known as the Sockeye Fire began. Listen now

Recall Dunleavy effort misses deadline to appear in general election

The deadline to guarantee a recall vote on Nov. 3 is Tuesday, August 4.
Screenshot of Louis DeJoy with the insignia of the Postal Service behind him.

Postmaster general considers bringing budget axe down on Alaska’s Bypass Mail

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says he’s considering cutting Alaska’s bypass mail program to save money.
A woman nurses a three-month-old baby and holds his hand.

A collective of doulas and midwives is helping Alaska Native mothers stay connected to their roots

The Indigenous birthworkers will attend medical appointments with mothers, advocate for them and help connect them to traditional practices.
Two side-by-side imiages, one of an Alaska Native girl sitting on a porch, the other of two elders sitting outside

‘We need you for the future’: Elders and Youth conducts virtual conference

This year’s meeting was a little different, conducted mostly through pre-recorded messages and live Zoom calls. However, both keynote addresses highlighted the desire to keep thousands of years of Native culture moving forward, pandemic or not.

Scientists agree starvation killed hundreds of puffins, but did PSP play a role?

What caused more than 300 puffins to wash up dead in the Pribilof Islands last fall? Starvation. At least, that’s the consensus among most scientists. Listen now