What you need to know about the constitutional convention question
Questions about the permanent fund dividend, Alaska’s fiscal woes, and abortion access have some advocating to vote "yes" on the once a decade ballot question: "Shall there be a Constitutional Convention?"
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...
With the salmon collapse on the Yukon River, families are losing a vital food source and way of life
During the second year of a sudden salmon collapse on the Yukon River, residents of traditional villages are facing food insecurity and a loss of culture.
New facility aims to improve options for Alaskans with memory loss
https://youtu.be/bqE1Xk6h7e4
Caring for someone with memory loss can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. The number of people with Alzheimer’s or dementia in Alaska is...
An Anchorage mosaic highlights the importance of mental wellbeing
Talking about mental health is hard, but it’s important for anyone who is struggling to know that they’re not alone. Alaska Public Media’s Adam Nicely brings us this story of an Anchorage community project with that goal, called Mental Health Mosaics.
Birch tree tappers say a warming Alaska is making the harvest season harder to predict
https://youtu.be/zHP6lEi-Iiw
April is birch tree sap season in Southcentral Alaska. A season that is harder and harder to predict because of climate change. Alaska Public...
Her son’s death sparked a mission to save others from fentanyl overdose
Alaska experienced a nearly 70% increase in the number of drug overdose deaths between 2020 and 2021, according to preliminary data from the state health department. That means 245 Alaskans died from an overdose in 2021, including Anchorage resident Bruce Snodgrass. Alaska Public Media’s Jeff Chen brings us a story of his mother who wants to make sure her son is more than a statistic.
In Tanana, Alaska, ‘a way of life’ comes to a bittersweet close
The team narrowly missed the state title, and it will be years before the village sees another team step onto a court.
Pediatricians say misinformation is a barrier to kids getting vaccinated
In Alaska, only 25% of kids aged 5 to 11 have received at least one shot. Nationally, 31% have.
Home is home: finding a way to stay amid a housing shortage in rural Alaska
Overcrowding is a perennial problem in rural Alaska, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made living with it harder. Cramped conditions offer little space to work from home, conduct virtual schooling, or quarantine, and put many multigenerational households at increased risk of infection. Tackling the problem isn’t easy, but, as Erin McKinstry reports for Alaska Public Media, federal COVID funds are offering some relief in the Bering Straits Region.
After vandalism, museum continues to share Jewish life in Alaska
https://youtu.be/v3z0j-sBtWA
Incidents of antisemitism have been on the rise nationally and worldwide. Here in Alaska, a series of events last year highlighted the need for...
Tribes aim to ask voters for state recognition
Across the US, only 10% of Indigenous tribes with federal recognition also have recognition from their respective state governments. In Alaska, tribal members aim to change that.
Last year, they organized to collect tens of thousands signatures in support of a ballot initiative that would ask voters to decide. Supporters say the recognition opens up doors for more resources and symbolizes a respectful government-to-government relationship.
After four special sessions, Alaska’s budget solutions remain elusive
As Lawmakers prepare for this year’s session, Alaska Public Media’s Adelyn Baxter looks back and reports that, despite the lengthy process, lawmakers didn’t make much progress in 2021.
ANCSA at 50: Who will be included in the next generation of shareholders?
Video: Corporations formed under ANCSA are slowly opening up to new generations of shareholders, allowing younger Alaska Native people to have a voice in shaping the future.
With knowledge of his ancestors, young leader looks to ANCSA’s future
Aaron Tolen has tribal and ANCSA regional corporation affiliations across the state. He aims to balance a modern education with the values and traditions of his people, so he can continue to feel grounded in his culture and also experience success in a contemporary way.
The military sharpens its focus on the Arctic
As the Arctic warms, it increasingly has the potential to become an arena where world powers compete for dominance. While Russia and China are beefing up their Arctic presence, the Pentagon has been slow to make the Arctic a priority. Alaska Public Media’s Liz Ruskin reports that may be changing.
A digital revolution arrives in rural Alaska, thanks to the pandemic
Rural Alaska communities have largely been left behind in the digital revolution -- until now. Akiak will be the first community in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to bring high-speed broadband internet to all its residents later this month on November 15.
Redistricting could reshape the Alaska Legislature. Here’s how.
Every ten years, a State board redraws the boundaries of Alaska’s legislative districts. The process is long and technical, but there’s a lot at stake. It can determine which party controls the state legislature. Alaska Public Media’s Annie Feidt explains.
State hopes upcoming agricultural land sale near Nenana will bear fruit
Alaska is working on its next big effort to promote agriculture -- a large-scale land auction in the Interior.
Ancient tracks lead to better understanding of how Arctic dinos lived
This summer, three scientists ventured to the foot of the Aleutian Mountain range to collect evidence that dinosaurs once roamed the southern coast of the Alaska Peninsula. They hope to reconstruct the ancient ecosystem that allowed dinosaurs to thrive here for tens of thousands of years.