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.”

An Alaska Native womman in a blue anorak speaks at a heaaring

Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson to head Alaska Native health consortium

Davidson is currently the president of Alaska Pacific University, and served in the administration of Gov. Bill Walker, first as commissioner of the health department and later as lieutenant governor. She grew up in Bethel, and is a member of the Orutsararmiut Native Council tribe.

Alaskans Address Copenhagen Conference

The United Nations Climate Change Conference started on Monday in Copenhagen, Denmark, where representatives from nearly 200 countries will spend the next 10...
A ochre and white concrete building in a greay cloudy day

Alaska state senators differ on PFD path as committees fail to meet during first half of special session

Alaska state senators are split over Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plans to change the dividend and how to pay for it. The fourth special session is halfway over, and while some House committees have met, none have met in the Senate.

AK: Happiness is orange at Hoonah City Schools

The Happiness Advantage is an idea based on research that points to a link between a positive mindset and success. Listen now

Justice Department brings federal criminal charges against Derek Chauvin, 3 others

The Justice Department has filed federal criminal charges against Derek Chauvin, accusing the former police officer of using excessive force and violating the civil rights of George Floyd. Floyd died after Chauvin pressed on his neck for more than nine minutes on the pavement outside a convenience store in Minneapolis last year.

U.S. Education Secretary visits Bethel, discusses No Child Left Behind's impacts in Alaska

U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings is being guided through Alaska this week by Senators Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski. Her first stop was...

Coastal Erosion Law Goes into Effect This Month

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage A new law affecting funding for coastal erosion and storm damage protection efforts went into effect this month. In 2009,...
Tall snow mountains behind water.

A lost hiker ignored rescuers’ phone calls, thinking they were spam

You can get a cellphone signal on the highest mountain in Colorado — and if you get lost hiking that mountain, you should probably answer your phone, even if you don't recognize the caller's number.
a man in a suit

Seward man accused of threatening to ‘bomb and shoot’ Dunleavy’s office

Troopers say they found an incriminating search history linked to Matthew Stanley, including “what happens when a state governor gets threatened.”
A man in a vest and a red tie walks through a hallway

Lawmakers consider unplanned spending from the Permanent Fund

There isn’t enough left in the piggy bank the state has used for decades to cover deficits — the Constitutional Budget Reserve — to both manage the state’s cashflow and pay even the roughly $1,000 Permanent Fund dividends Alaskans received last year.

Legislature's education task force presents school funding formula

The task force set up by this year's legislature to come up with a permanent formula to pay for local schools has made its...
A man with a surgical mask and a baseball hat anad a lanyard scrolls through an ipad in a hallway next to a woman in a black mask

Thousands of dollars pour into recall, though it’s unlikely to change the balance on the Anchorage Assembly

The campaign to recall Midtown Assembly member Meg Zaletel follows an unsuccessful recall attempt earlier this year, and there’s another in the works. Some see it as increased civic engagement, but to many, it’s a waste of time and money.
A person wering orange gloves holds out mussels

Alaska’s secret Cold War export? Shellfish toxin for the CIA.

In May 1960, Francis Gary Powers’ U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union during a high-altitude reconnaissance mission. In his pocket was a modified silver dollar containing a hidden needle loaded with a lethal dose of shellfish toxin.

Alaskans will have a chance to see a total solar eclipse… in 9 years

A total solar eclipse will occur on March 30, 2033. The path of totality will be visible in Nome, Kotzebue and Utqiagvik.
a building

Alaska governor’s staff deleted state agency’s analysis of teacher pay

The article would have been on cover of Alaska Economic Trends for October.

Interceptor Missiles to Increase at Fort Greely

The United States is increasing the amount of interceptor missiles it stockpiles from thirty to forty four. The 14 additional missiles will be based at Fort Greely, near Fairbanks.

Juneau Residents Recover from Massive Mud Slide

Juneau residents displaced by this weekend’s landslides will stay in hotel rooms through the weekend. About 80 residents of downtown Juneau were allowed to...

Congressional panel to hear criticism of EPA’s Pebble process

A U.S. House Committee chairman has announced a hearing to examine whether the EPA unfairly blocked the Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska with a so-called “pre-emptive veto,” before the mine has even applied for permits.
sign in front of building that says: anchorage police department

1 man killed and another injured in downtown Anchorage shooting

The shooting happened outside of the Gaslight Lounge. It’s the second fatal incident in the area in two months.

Prosecutors argue Stevens trial should stay in DC

The prosecutors in the case against Senator Ted Stevens say his trial should not be moved to Alaska.  In documents filed yesterday in US...