Programs

Bill Walker joins Lori Townsend on Alaska Insight to describe what he will do if he is elected to a second term. Learn more about his background, growing up poor, and what he plans to do to address a rise in crime and sexual assault in Alaska.

He’s previously held elected office as Anchorage’s mayor and as one of Alaska’s U.S. Senators. Democrat Mark Begich is running to be Alaska’s next Governor and he joins host, Lori Townsend, to discuss his views on the issues affecting Alaskans. Reporter, Zachariah Hughes, also visited Mr. Begich’s home to learn more about the candidate outside of politics.

Alaska Insight Season Two kicks off with a series of episodes featuring discussions with the candidates running for Governor. In this episode, we get to know more about Republican Mike Dunleavy as both a politician running for office and an Alaskan family man.

Lori Townsend sits down with Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan to talk about some of the recent news headlines and issues specifically affecting Alaskans for the Season One finale.

Spring is usually a popular time to buy a home in Alaska, but with the state being in a recession, how is the current real estate market faring and what is the outlook for the future? On this edition of Alaska Insight, Lori Townsend talks with realtors and brokers about the current status and future forecast of the commercial and residential real estate markets.

The Port of Alaska, formerly the Port of Anchorage is the major point of entry for a huge share of the state’s commerce. From fuel to groceries to building supplies, the importance to Alaskans is clear.

Alaska ranks last in the country for the number of students who go on to higher education, according to University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen. But in Alaska, many jobs don’t require a traditional college education.

A statewide ballot initiative in 2014 legalized recreational cannabis. Retail stores and growers are now licensed and operating.

Alaskans have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and elders are especially vulnerable. On Alaska Insight, we’ll learn more about how state and federal law enforcement officials are working to protect citizens from financial ruin.

Lori Townsend sits down with front-runners Ethan Berkowitz and Rebecca Logan to get their perspective on some of the most important issues Anchorage residents are facing. Election Day is April 3, 2018.

Alaska has one of the nation’s most diverse populations which results in an equally diverse restaurant and service industry. However, that doesn’t make the industry immune to the state’s current recession.

Alaska tends to have more non-profit organizations and more active volunteers than many other states, especially in rural Alaska.

A lot of factors contribute to the cost of health care in Alaska. Lori Townsend sits down with Julie Taylor, CEO of Alaska Regional hospital in Anchorage and Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association to discuss some of the reasons and possible alternatives to the unusually high healthcare costs in the state.

On this edition of Alaska Insight, Lori Townsend sits down with Anchorage Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Bill Popp and State Labor and Commerce department senior economist Neal Fried to discuss the current economic climate in Alaska following the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation luncheon. They go over the numbers and discuss the possibility for recovery for the 49th state.

The high cost of energy and internet in rural Alaska means many residents spend as much as 50% of their income on power and broadband. These utilities are essential for engaging in modern commerce, education, telemedicine and for economic development initiatives.

The Alaska Suicide Prevention Council says 90% of people who die by suicide have depression or another treatable mental illness. Long winters, isolation and limited mental health services contribute to the problem, but many organizations across Alaska are working to lower the rates by talking about the issue.

The Catholic church has been reckoning with the systematic cover-up of sexual abuse among clergy members as victims began coming forward in the last decade. An investigative piece published by the program Reveal from the Center of Investigative Reporting last year found that, for decades, Jesuit priests abused hundreds in Alaska Native villages.

The word justice may signal a thought of punishment for a crime. But restorative justice tries to correct behavior by repairing the harm and rebuilding relationships to bring the offender back into good standing in their community.

Found in various items from firefighting foam to household cleaning products and even food containers, PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that bioaccumulate over time. Drinking water sources in several Alaska communities are contaminated with PFAS.

Immigration is a political hot button issue in the nation, with advocates calling for better pathways for citizenship and opponents demanding fewer entrants and higher border walls. But Alaska has been a state of rich diversity since before statehood.