Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

Planned seismic testing in Arctic waters under new legal challenge

Conservation organizations and Native groups filed a lawsuit today in federal district court in Anchorage against the federal government for issuing permits for seismic...

Polar bear research in progress while Endangered Species status under review

Click the image above for a larger copy and three more from USGS researcher Steven Amstrup. The Bush Administration has until May 15 to decide...

Alaska teachers union endorses Begich in run for U.S. Senate

The state's largest union announced this afternoon they will endorse U.S. Senate candidate Mark Begich. David Shurtleff, APRN - Anchorage

Former Fairbanks mayor headed to prison

Former Fairbanks mayor Jim Hayes and his wife Chris were sentenced to prison today in federal court for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars....

New findings outline warmer future for Antarctica

Critics sometimes point to the slow rate of ice melt in the Antarctic to refute scientific claims about climate change and the human role...

Jake Metcalfe's campaign advisor resigns under fire

The campaign advisor to democratic Congressional candidate Jake Metcalfe resigned this afternoon. Bill Scannell's resignation comes amid allegations that he was behind a series...

Governor Palin says Juneau’s energy crisis is not a disaster

The governor was briefed this afternoon by her disaster policy cabinet, which met this morning to determine if the capital city would qualify for...

Young defends 'Coconut Road' earmark on House floor

Alaska Congressman Don Young spoke on the U.S. House floor today to defend the controversial $10 million "Coconut Road" earmark that was inserted into...

Young discusses controversial earmark situation with APRN

After the House vote, Young spoke further about the Coconut Road earmark dispute with APRN’s Joel Southern and Alaska reporter Robert Dillon. Since the...

Conservation groups celebrate ruling on Polar Bear status

Three conservation groups are claiming victory after a federal judge ruled late yesterday that the Bush Administration must decide in the next two weeks...

Juneau electricity crisis more than a local problem

Juneau’s huge power-cost jump could have statewide impacts. The capital city’s electric rate is part of the Power-Cost Equalization program formula. That means subsidies...

President pushes for ANWR drilling

President Bush called on Congress today to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration. David Shurtleff, APRN...

State Democrats ruffled by dirty web tricks

A series of fake websites intended to sabotage Congressional candidate Ethan Berkowitz are creating quite a stir within the state Democratic Party. Without pointing...

Juneau plans to educate residents through electricity crisis

City, state and federal officials have been discussing how to help Juneau weather its short-term crisis of very expensive electricity. Some members of Juneau’s...

DEC sends strong message to cruise ship industry

As the tourist season gets underway, The Alaska Cruise Association has been handed a strong message that the state Department of Environmental Conservation is...

Kodiak’s Larry LeDoux appointed state Education Commissioner

Kodiak Schools’ Superintendent Larry LeDoux is the state’s new Education Commissioner. The State Board of Education and Early Development made the selection Thursday, which...

US House passes Coast Guard authorization bill

A 2009 Coast Guard authorization bill passed by the US House has numerous provisions of interest to Alaska. In wake of the Selendang Ayu...

AK Supreme Court upholds supertanker tax

The Alaska Supreme Court has upheld a property tax levied on supertankers entering the port of Valdez. The city of Valdez in 1999 began...

Alaska leads nation in latest worker fatality report

The 2006 statistic was made public this week in an annual report put out by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial...

Greenhouse gases rise sharply

There has been a sharp increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases. The Annual Greenhouse Gas Index report from a federal agency shows the concentration of...