Programs

Venice’s Santa Lucia railway station is on the Grand Canal, my first clue that getting around this watery city meant using the aquatic bus system, Vaparettos. We stayed on Lido Island, a typical resort with over-priced boutiques, ice cream vendors and beaches with cabanas. Lido translates to beach, hence lido decks on cruise ships. Read more.

Man arrested for shooting of Fairbanks police officer; really? Alaska in play in presidential race?; firefighters work to continue fighting Moose Creek wildfire; Anchorage police investigate 2 early morning robberies; Sullivan plans Senate field hearing on ivory sales; tribal leaders discuss placing lands into trust during opening day discussions for Leaders Summit; Day Two of Elders and Youth conference in Fairbanks; after Haines and Skagway visit, Walker says he's close to Juneau Access Road decision; squirmy sustainability: one man’s mission to fix a common problem Listen Now

A new plywood cut-out of a person in front of city hall is part of a national effort to bring awareness to homelessness. The social art project began in Charleston, South Carolina where the city collaborated with a design firm to create 430 plywood figures—the estimated number of homeless people in the city at the time. The figures were then placed in park in front of their City Hall. Now, the project has gone national and every state capital has been asked to put a figure in front of their city hall in solidarity.

The U.S. Senate passes a bill that could allow cruise ships to return to Alaska ports this summer. And, a conversation with the former Alaska journalist behind the true crime series "Sasquatch." Plus, an ice jam causes flooding and evacuations in Buckland.

My friend Pauline died recently. From the time I heard that she was ill, and since she passed, I spent a lot of time thinking about the dynamo that was Pauline and the times when our paths crossed. Pauline and I were friends, but not best friends. We didn’t hang out together, giggle about boys, or share our innermost teenage angst. Were we not classmates at Anchorage High School, we most likely never would have met. Read more.

This week Hometown Alaska visits with Anchorage School District personnel: a principal, a teacher and a counselor/coordinator, (and if we are lucky, a few students) to hear about programs that work, how and why. KSKA: Wednesday, Feb. 17 @ 2:00 pm and 8 pm. LISTEN NOW

This week on State of Art we're hearing about Cyrano’s current production “First Date, The Musical.” It tells the story of a couple on a blind date in a New York City restaurant and all the humor and drama that happens along the way. The show opened February 10 and runs through March 5. We’re joined by director Warren Weinstein and lead actress, Abigail Smith.

HIV/AIDS diagnoses have decreased by 8% in the US. In Alaska there are approximately 700 people living with this disease. By decreasing the associated stigma and shame we can better serve those living with the disease while continuing to decrease and eliminate its incidence.

When US Senators listen to Arctic voices, only some resonate; Costs are uncertain on Alaska criminal justice bill; Alaska Airlines pilots disappointed that large wage increases still have them behind peers; Gov. Walker, Meyer headed to China with Trump; UAF looks to address hiring, pay discrepancies between men and women; As legal Mat-Su marijuana blossomed, tax revenue grew too; Cruise industry’s Juneau lawsuit could set wider precedent; Ask a Climatologist: Why do some lakes freeze faster than others? Listen now

Senate passes spending limit after Democrats leave over ruling; Why Sullivan voted 'no' on $1.3T bill; Increasing numbers of Alaska wildlife testing positive for Movi bacteria; Winter Arctic sea ice again grew far less than normal; Coast Guard medevacks a man from Unalaska fishing vessel; The Cost of Cold: Staying warm near Fairbanks; State air quality regulators invite public to review cleanup plan documents; AK: Kasigluk Yuraq tradition dances through the generations; 49 Voices: Vanessa Duhrsen of Anchorage Listen now

With the northern lights dancing above, we talked to Iditarod leader Brent Sass as he danced through the Ruby checkpoint and onto the Yukon River, skipping a gourmet five-course meal in favor of more comfortable cold temperatures for his dogs. We'll also hear more from Sass and his fellow competitors on their 24-hour layover earlier, and from the back of the pack, a trio of women, who banded together in a snow storm. Plus we have a dog profile and THREE listeners asking the same question, with an answer straight from the musher in question and a separate listener... answer?