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.”

BasherTrail Entrance leading from parking lot

Man accused of assaulting Anchorage hikers is back in jail

Sean Ahmed was initially arrested Friday on charges of assaulting hikers. He was released the next day.
A man dressed in a grey suit with a purple tie discuses the three-year economic outlook at the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation luncheon held at the Dena'ina Center.

Anchorage population expected to increase in 2023, the first time in 7 years

But the increase is small: "a whopping 0.3%," said Bill Popp, president and CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corp.
Close up shot of a woman with dark hair and eyeglasses looking into the distance

Health experts warn of rising rates of syphilis in pregnant women and babies in Alaska

Congenital syphilis can lead to serious complications like premature birth, stillbirth or a baby born with blindness or deformed bones.
Bradley Earl Reger

California man charged with sexually abusing boys had long association with Juneau bible camp

Bradley Earl Reger volunteered at the camp starting in the 1970s. A former Juneau resident says Reger met him there, then abused him elsewhere.
A woman sitting in a coffee shop with a red and blue jacket on.

Peltola is a GOP target. She’s stepped up her campaign fundraising.

“This will be one of the most competitive races in the country," says a National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman.
the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Tuckerman Babcock resigns from UA Board of Regents after 2 months

Gov. Mike Dunleavy appointed Babcock, his former chief of staff, to the board after legislators rejected Bethany Marcum for the position.
A man with a white shirt, yellow tie and suspenders outside.

Two years into his tenure, Anchorage Mayor Bronson reflects on homeless policy, shelter plans and Assembly relationship

In a lengthy interview, Bronson describes his successes and regrets from his first two years in office, plus his hopes for long-term homeless shelter.
freshly caught salmon in a pile

Environmental activists work to reconnect Yukon villages with salmon amid subsistence restrictions

Amid the collapse of chum and chinook salmon on the river, the Smokehouse Collective is trying to build sustainable, resilient food systems for Native communities.

Kake resident finds healing by crafting traditional Lingít cedar roses

Frank Hughes has made thousands of roses over the years. And he’s discovered that for him, they have a unique healing effect.
A white van parked outside.

Anchorage Health Department announces firing, then un-firing, of contractor that runs 24-hour sleep-off service

The contractor’s service has been inconsistent for months due to staffing shortages. A fire department official says that’s better than going months without the service at all.
Donald Trump

5 things to know about the latest charges against Donald Trump

If Trump, the current GOP presidential front-runner, pleads not guilty his trial could take place as he makes his case for the White House.
the U.S. Capitol

Alaska’s regional Native corporations seek to expand federal influence

TJ Presley, the corporations' first government affairs director, says his job reflects a growing need to educate federal policy makers about them.
Ed Mercer

Juneau Police Chief Ed Mercer retires after 31-year career

Mercer, Juneau's first Alaska Native police chief, is retiring after more than 20 years of service in the state's capital.
brown bears

Lawsuits target Alaska predator-control program that killed 99 bears in effort to boost caribou

The program carried out in southwestern Alaska was illegal and will not help the flagging Mulchatna caribou herd, the lawsuits claim.
A large Trump flag waves in front of the U.S. Capitol

Murkowski says evidence shows Trump ‘played a key role’ in Jan. 6 riot

Murkowski says "clear evidence" showed Trump tried to overturn the election, and it's only gotten stronger.
soldier boots

U.S. Senate passes bill with $168M for JBER runway extension and other military projects

A 5.2% pay raise and provisions to help Alaska Native Corporations win defense contracts are also in the bill.
a brown bear

One of the oldest – and most beloved – bears at Katmai National Park finally returns to Brooks Falls

Bear 480, a longtime Fat Bear Week contender also known as Otis, arrived at Brooks Falls on July 26 — the latest he’s been noticed yet.
an anchorage police car is parked in a parking lot

2 found dead in Midtown Anchorage murder-suicide

Police say Monday night's deaths at a West 46th Avenue apartment appear to have been a murder-suicide during an argument.
the Treadwell Ditch Trail

Teen swimmer dies after jump into Juneau’s Glory Hole

Juneau police say the 17-year-old boy was with two friends when he jumped into the long-flooded mining shaft and did not return to shore.
a man next to a tent

Anchorage homeless face cold and bears. A plan to offer one-way airfare out reveals a bigger crisis.

Mayor Dave Bronson's airfare proposal caps a turbulent few years as Anchorage, like many cities in the U.S. West, struggles to deal with a burgeoning homeless population.