Programs

Iditarod mushers and their dog teams are now either in the middle of their mandatory 24-hour layovers or back out on the trail, if they opted to do that earlier. We've got the frontrunners at the Cripple checkpoint, as well as a chat with the folks who 24ed in McGrath, now making up the chase pack. There's also an old-timer for our Dog of the Day, a couple listener questions about how to get into dog mushing and, related, what it means to be a handler.

On this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll have a conversation about regenerative tourism. It’s a concept that has been around for a while but is gaining traction around the world, driven by indigenous communities and other protectors of our wild spaces. Our guests, Mary Goddard, Lee Hart, Sarah Leonard are out to make Alaska the world leader in regenerative tourism.

Kaktovik dog musher Apayauq Reitan, the first out trans woman to compete in the Iditarod, talks to Iditapod colleague and Alaska Public Media contributor Shady Grove Oliver - originally for a piece in the Guardian newspaper - about Reitan's goals for this year's race, what it's like to mush dogs, her Alaska Native culture, coming out as trans and a lot more.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy criticizes the Biden administration's handling of proposed oil and mining projects. Also, Hilcorp pays fines after delaying reports of potential gas leaks. And students in Anchorage learn carpentry skills and explore a new career path.

Amelia Simeonoff helps others heal their traumas with ancient Indigenous practices.

Our Iditapod crew gets caught up - to get you caught up - as sled dog teams in the 2022 Iditarod race through the third full day of mushing the 1,000-mile trail. We'll hear about some of the most technically difficult sections and get an update on who is where... for now. We'll also hear from mushers Aaron Burmeister and Apayauq Reitan, among others, and we also have a bully of a Dog of the Day and a listener question about how to find the trail (because sometimes it's not so obvious).

Legislators consider renaming the Glenn Highway. Also, hospital officials look toward a return to normalcy following the omicron wave. And opponents of a state bill banning transgender athletes from girls' sports teams say much more is at stake.

Running the Iditarod takes months of preparation, training and a lot of money. While some mushers have major tour businesses and sponsors that help fund their kennels and pay for staff, Radano waits tables to help balance the big bills that come with being a dog musher.

Editor's note: This extended interview discusses a violent encounter with a moose and might not be suitable for all listeners. Alaska Public Media's Lex Treinen gets all the details of rookie Iditarod musher Bridgett Watkins' run-in with a moose while on a training run near Salcha, in Interior Alaska, in early February.

A new bill aims to help retain village public safety officers in rural Alaska. Also, the state's Board of Game could change requirements for beaver traps. And the legal dispute over a toddler's burial place comes to a close in tribal court.

As Alaska Public Media reporters Jeff Chen and Lex Treinen head out on the trail, Iditapod host Casey Grove updates some of the early Iditarod standings. Plus, we have a story of an ER nurse whose training for the Iditarod helped him cope with the trauma of working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Lex also brings us a report on the Sunday restart in Willow, as well as another dog profile, and we have a couple questions with a couple different answers (watch out: one involves some math).

The 2022 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicked off Saturday in Anchorage with its usual fanfare, after not holding a ceremonial start in 2021. Alaska Public Media reporters Casey Grove, Tegan Hanlon, Lex Treinen and Jeff Chen were out in the snow with the mushers, dogs and race fans, including plenty of kids and other trailgaters.

There are now no limits on campaign contributions in Alaska, unless lawmakers act. Also, advocates for police body cameras in Anchorage are frustrated by the slow pace of implementation. And how training for the Iditarod helped an ER nurse cope with a traumatic year.

Overdose deaths from fentanyl are on the rise in Alaska, and its important to remember that the statistics account for more than just one person.

The five-decade history of the Iditarod is a story filled with adventure, skill, triumph and lots of change, and it's best told by those who have experienced it, firsthand.

Alaska Native and Black children are significantly overrepresented in our state’s foster care system. A recent study found they make up 65% of those in foster homes.

Iditapod is back for the 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Host Casey Grove and fellow Alaska Public Media reporters Tegan Hanlon, Lex Treinen and Jeff Chen discuss last year's pandemic-altered Iditarod, some of the mid-distance sled dog races this season, as well as COVID-19 protocols (and already a scratch/switcheroo), scary moose encounters and the heartwarming story of an unlikely Iditarod dog.

On this episode of State of Art we hear from five-time Olympian Kikkan Randall and Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute communications director Ashley Heimbigner about their seafood hacks, underrated seafood options, and more.

Lawmakers propose relief checks for Alaskans as fuel costs rise. Also, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announces plans for the state to divest from Russia. And the owner of a Mexican restaurant in Anchorage celebrates 50 years of business.

Washington changes course on a new gas tax. A COVID-positive Iditarod musher gets a four-time champion to take his place.