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.”

Carter’s Land Plans Still Prompt Resentments

Alaskans have good reason to be nervous about potential executive actions by the federal government to protect land.  Before the Alaska Lands Act...

Oil spill in the Tongass Narrows

Clean-up crews are on the scene of an oil spill that occurred this morning in the Tongass narrows across from Ketchikan International Airport. The...
A blue sign with directions that says "Providence Extended Care" and has a house in the background.

Anchorage transitional care center reports 5 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 17

It's the largest reported cluster of coronavirus cases at a single facility in Alaska.

Dunleavy tells feds Alaska is taking over management of 800,000 miles of river

Gov. Dunleavy says he's exerting the state's right to control submerged lands under navigable lakes and rivers.
Two men stand in front of a map of Alaska

How the battle over Alaska’s legislative districts landed in court

The state’s high court agreed with an earlier Superior Court decision and wrote that the Redistricting Board “engaged in unconstitutional political gerrymandering."

Mulling the possibility of a “managed retreat” from climate change

By the end of the century, researchers predict climate change could displace millions of people across the country, as rising sea levels and erosion hit coastal communities. As policymakers start to grapple with that reality, there’s a specific phrase making the rounds: “managed retreat.” In other words, relocating whole neighborhoods or communities and retreating from the coast. Listen now
Two women look ahead

Here’s how a mother-daughter team helped vaccinate 98% of Mekoryuk’s population

Virtually everyone in the Southwest Alaska village of 200 residents who is above 16 years old has been vaccinated.

Power Restored In Akiak

Angela Denning-Barnes, KYUK – Bethel A power outage this week in Akiak left the village totally dark for two days and only half of...

Trump’s wall could drain money from Alaska military projects

President Trump's plan to divert $3.6 billion from military construction accounts could drain money from Alaska projects.

Plugging in could become cheaper for Juneau’s electric vehicle owners

The price to plug in could become a little cheaper for electric vehicle owners in Juneau. That’s because the city’s privately-owned electric utility is trying to expand a program, aimed at shifting when those drivers juice their cars. Listen Now

New consultant to Alaska Gov. Dunleavy has ties to national conservative figures Pence, Bachmann

Mary Vought, who worked for Pence when he was a member of Congress, is being paid $4,000 a month. She grew up in Alaska and once had Sarah Palin's father as a substitute middle school teacher.

Former House District 38 Rep. Zach Fansler to plead guilty to harassment

Almost six months after he was accused of slapping a woman in his hotel room, former House District 38 Representative Zach Fansler is pleading guilty, though not to assault.
A man in a suit. Behind him, out of focus, is a large ship.

On Alaska visit, Buttigieg touts funding boost to help salmon cross the road

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is surprised to find fish transit is part of his portfolio but says it's beneficial for fishing communities.

Anchorage to further ease coronavirus restrictions for businesses Monday

The Municipality of Anchorage plans to further ease coronavirus restrictions on businesses like bars and gyms on Monday, allowing them to reopen, following a similar move by the state government that went into effect Friday.
a whale in the ocean

NOAA investigates death of whale calf near Juneau

NOAA is still investigating what happened to Tango, but a post-mortem exam on Saturday revealed injuries consistent with a vessel strike.

Warm weather and plowing in Anchorage mean clear trails likely a week away

A month into a cold spring that followed a pandemic winter, temperatures in Anchorage are reaching into the 60’s this week and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is hard at work, transforming the slushy remains of ski trails into clear paths for the bikes, strollers and roller blades of summer.
An aerial view of a beluga and a baby beluga in gray water

Environmental groups say Pebble could threaten the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale

Conservationists are raising concerns about adding yet another stressor to an already endangered whale population — the proposed Pebble Mine.

Federal furlough drives Alaskans to the unemployment line

Hundreds of furloughed federal workers in Alaska are filing unemployment claims. They'll have to pay back any benefits they receive once they get retroactive pay.

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

Stevens trial ready to go to the jury

Senator Ted Stevens:  honorable and decent public servant, or a man who thought he was above the law and got caught?  Jurors in Stevens’...