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.”

Soaring gold prices behind new Alaska gold rush

High mineral prices are spurring another gold rush in Alaska. Peter Frantz, a geologist with the Department of Natural Resources in Fairbanks, says the...

Alcohol may have been a factor in sinking of the Alaska Ranger

A surviving crew member from the Alaska Ranger told Coast Guard investigators on Sunday that he believed alcohol use may have been a problem...

Zorro expected to make full recovery

The veterinarian treating Lance Mackey's sled dog Zorro says he will make a full recovery from injuries suffered when he was hit by a...

Governor calls for special session

The Palin administration plans to have made a decision by May 19 on the next step in the development of a natural gas pipeline...

Investigation into loss of Alaska Ranger begins

A formal inquiry into the sinking of the Alaska Ranger got underway this morning in Unalaska. Several high-ranking Coast Guard officers, joined by representatives...

Police release identities of Sitka murder victims

Law enforcement officials have released the identities of the four victims in a multiple murder which took place in Sitka on Tuesday. The dead...

Longterm education funding bill becomes law.

Governor Sarah Palin signed the measure today.The bill was the result of a special task force set up at the end of last year’s...

Teenager arrested on four murder counts in Sitka

Jason Abbot, 18, was arraigned in Sitka superior court this morning on four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of...

Alaska settles psychotic medication suit against Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly will pay the state of Alaska $15 million to settle a lawsuit over the company's anti-psychotic medication Zyprexa. The agreement was announced...

Retreating sea ice may push four seals onto Endangered Species list

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced today it will conduct a review to see if Endangered Species Act protections should be given to ribbon...

Quadruple homicide stuns Sitka

Police in Sitka say at least four people died in a stabbing incident this morning. Shortly before noon today police responded to a call...

House takes up predator control bill debate

The House today opened debate on a bill that establishes harvest by humans as the top priority for moose, caribou and deer populations. It...

Coast Guard abandons search for missing fisherman

The Coast Guard has ended its search for the missing crew member from a fishing boat that sank in the Bering Sea Sunday morning. Charles...

Coast Guard still searching for lost Alaska Ranger crewman

A Coast Guard cutter and two helicopters are still searching for the final missing crew member from the fishing vessel Alaska Ranger, which sunk...

Senate votes to block state spending on federal ID program

The Alaska Senate today passed a bill forbidding state agencies from spending any money to implement the federal Real ID program. Under the program,...

Kuskokwim 300 may not survive financial investigation

The future of the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race is in jeopardy, after a series of questionable bookkeeping errors which are now under investigation...

Board of Game rewrites predator control rules

The Alaska Board of Game has resurrected predator control programs halted by the state's superior court earlier this month. During an emergency meeting Friday,...

Four dead, one missing after ship sinks off Dutch Harbor

The Coast Guard continues to search this morning for a missing crewman, after a fishing trawler sank in the Bering Sea yesterday killing four...

Budget wrangling between legislature and governor Palin heating up

The state Senate will open debate Monday on next year’s budget with a plan that spends $4.2 billion for operating governmental agencies. The difference...

State Supreme Court hears arguments on "Methajuana" law

The Alaska Supreme Court heard oral arguments this afternoon on a recent law criminalizing the possession of small amounts of Marijuana. A lower court...