Programs

Advocates say funds passed for the SNAP benefit backlog may not be addressing the right problem. Plus, Bills to increase the Base Student Allocation are making their way through the legislature.

Alaska Insight host Lori Townsend is joined by Senate President Gary Stevens, and Sen. Bill Wielechowski to discuss how to address the state's fiscal crisis.

As with many recent sessions, discussions largely center on the state’s finances, while a number of social issues have come up as well.

The first migratory birds are showing up and bear tracks have been sighted in the Chugach. That means it's time to dust off the backpacks, boats, and tents and start planning for summer! Join host Paul Twardock and guests on this week's Outdoor Explorer to get a start on summer.

The Nome School District is looking for a successor to its retiring cultural educator. Plus, a lack of sea ice is having an impact on zooplankton, potentially shifting the ecology in the sea.

A House Republican introduces a sales tax bill he says is intended to be just one part of a long-term fiscal plan. Plus, the Fairview neighborhood in Anchorage was divided by the Seward Highway, but is now being re-envisioned with help from a federal grant.

Palliative care serves patients with serious illnesses, focused on maintaining a patient’s best quality of life while managing treatments and supporting the family. In contrast, hospices navigate the care of a person typically with a life expectancy of less than 6 months. They manage pain, unwanted symptoms, and improve the quality of their remaining time. When does one need to make decisions about their medical future? Join host Dr. Jillian Woodruff as she discusses this with her guests on this episode of Line One.

Representative Mary Peltola reiterates her support for the second amendment the day after the Nashville school shooting. Plus, A new report says the state ferry system had dozens of qualified applicants for open positions but was only able to make a few hires.

Across the state, even in the snowiest places, the signs of spring are starting to appear. Crocus and tulips are already emerging in some areas and gardeners are poring over seed catalogs, dreaming of growing their own food and beautifying their yards with flowers and other plants. It’s an exciting time for people who like to dig in the dirt. We discuss what’s new for growing and harvesting in your backyard, on this Talk of Alaska.

Alaska's congressional delegation files an amicus brief to stop an injunction against the Willow oil drilling project. Plus, an Indigenous radio show produced by an Anchorage-based company accepts a medal from President Joe Biden.

This week on Hometown Alaska we'll learn how to drink, pair, and even cook with sake as part of sake week: a six day event taking place in Anchorage and Girdwood.

A bipartisan group of freshman legislators proposed term limits for lawmakers in Juneau. Plus, Indigenous dancers and musicians converge on Bethel for the first full Cama-i festival in three years.

On this episode of Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend is joined by Teresa Holt, director of AARP Alaska, and Jacquie Braden, a community development program manager at RurAL CAP to discuss the challenges and resources available, for those looking to spend their golden years in their communities and lifelong homes.

Many older Alaskans are building community, battling isolation and staying healthy in exercise classes.

This week on State of Art we’re hearing about the Anchorage Community Concert Band’s spring performance “Going Places.” We hear from the band’s conductor Dr. Mark Wolbers to find out more about the concert and what makes it a “journey through time and place.”

State regulators hear from the Nuiqsut mayor about last year's gas leak at the Alpine oil field near the village. Plus, Anchorage Assembly members consider a "clean slate" approach to finding a new space for a homeless shelter.

Lawmakers consider denying themselves pay raises after a convoluted process recommended a significant bump in compensation. Months-long delays for Medicaid application approvals are causing some Alaskans to forego needed health care.

Sobriety can be one of the most consequential changes someone can make in their life. It has the potential to improve your mental and bodily health, but it’s also a difficult path that faces stigma and barriers in the healthcare system. March is Alaska’s Sobriety Awareness Month, and on this Line One, host Prentiss Pemberton talks with Recover Alaska’s sober heroes about their stories, and the ways sobriety has changed their lives.

Climate protestors in Washington D.C. continue to press President Joe Biden after his approval of the Willow Project. Plus, homicides increased steadily and significantly in Alaska over the last decade, according to a state report.

Alaska’s Southeast commercial salmon troll fleet is the target of a federal lawsuit that alleges the fishery threatens the chinook salmon food stock of endangered orca whales off the coast of Washington. The suit was brought against the federal government but seeks to shut down the 30 million dollar fishery this summer. Critics say it will decimate the livelihoods of Southeast troll fishermen and suggest other causes are depleting the whale’s food supply. We discuss the fight over fish and who has the right to them on this Talk of Alaska.