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.”

Protests continue outside LIO over education funding and medicaid expansion

Alaskans express their frustration at the legislature about education funding through song. Download Audio:
A person leaves the sliding glass doors ofa pink building witha white sign above that says "Anchorage Health Department

Anchorage Health Department to offer low-cost baby check-ups

Families can bring babies up to 2 years old to the clinic for routine and preventative care.

Scientists Predict Ice-Free Summers for Arctic

The latest data on Arctic Sea ice shows thicker, second-year ice has grown – but scientists say the Arctic is still likely on...
UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen at a desk.

UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen takes new job in California

The news of her departure comes about two years after Sandeen became the leader of Alaska’s largest public university.

Pete Kaiser wins third consecutive Kuskokwim 300

His was the team to beat and no-one could. Sunday morning for the third year in a row, Pete Kaiser won the 2017 Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race, crossing the finish line in Bethel at 10:37 a.m. to loud cheers from his hometown crowd. His leader Palmer brought home the nine-dog team, 28 minutes faster than last year. Listen now

How a Juneau subdivision came to be at ‘unacceptable’ risk for a destructive avalanche

The 1962 avalanche was what started the series of studies that show a path could generate avalanches capable of leveling a Juneau neighborhood — and that such avalanches should be expected every few decades.

Palin drops idea for energy debit cards, still pursuing consumer cost deflection

Governor Sarah Palin is expected to release her final plan to help Alaskans deal with the high costs of energy at the end of...
Two biologists and a rabbit

Western Alaska’s dwindling jackrabbit population is being surveyed for the first time

Researchers don’t yet know why the population has been decreasing, and they say they need more information about the species to find out.

Izembek deal approaching U.S. Senate passage, part of $10B lands bill

The U.S. Senate has advanced a massive lands bill, which includes a land swap in the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge on the Alaska Peninsula....

Lockheed Martin Adds Alaska Native Corporation to Team

Dan Bross, KUAC – Fairbanks Aerospace company Lockheed Martin has added an Alaska Native corporation to the team its building to pursue the contract...
A pipeline stretching toward a sunset

Oil prices are up, but how long will it last?

The current price of oil is several dollars higher than state economists predicted, but it doesn't quite fill the hole in the state's budget -- and, it doesn't mean oil prices are going to stay up. Listen now

Ask a Climatologist: Anchorage avoids Chinook wind events, holds onto snow

Anchorage is within its usual range, and has held onto its snow, as the city's been missed by a couple Chinook wind events like those that've caused melting in recent winters, like 2019 (pictured).
two women look at a crab, one takes notes and one measures it

Southeast’s Dungeness crab fishery to close early after slow start

It’s only the third time in the last 20 years that the season has been shortened — 2013 and 2017 saw early closures, too.
An Alaska Native man in a baseball cap sits at a voting booth

Alaska Supreme Court upholds ranked choice voting and top-four primary

The ruling comes one day after the justices heard arguments in the case.
A picture of a beige building

Anchorage looks for more shelter space, with number on waitlist now double expected capacity

“In total, we have about 1,000 people who are wanting to move throughout the sheltering system,” said Anchorage’s homelessness coordinator.
A woman in a dress and boots walks down a hallway.

Alaska Sen. Reinbold excused from floor sessions after being banned from Alaska Airlines

Alaska Sen. Lora Reinbold has been excused from attending Senate floor sessions through next January after Alaska Airlines banned her from flights for refusing to wear a face mask.

How Trump’s tax plan would affect Alaskans

If President Trump's tax agenda goes into effect, taxes for people of all income groups would go down next year, on average. But only a few Alaskans would get the big tax breaks. Listen now
A dog team runs in front of some mountains

Iditarod mushers cope with warm temperatures as they arrive at Alaska Range

Mushers shrugged off jackets and dogs sunbathed in the snow as temperatures hovered around 40 degrees — hot by Alaska winter standards.

Companies trumpet 1.2 billion-barrel oil discovery on North Slope

The companies behind an already significant oil find on Alaska’s North Slope on Thursday said they’ve confirmed the biggest onshore discovery in the U.S. in three decades. Listen now

High Winds Shut Down Valdez Port

Tony Gorman, KCHU – Valdez High winds over the weekend have prompted the Coast Guard to close off traffic going in and out...