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.”

National education report finds Alaska below average

Alaska is a little below average in a national report released today by Education Week magazine focusing on six key categories affecting educational quality...

Legislation filed to establish separate ferry authority

Three coastal lawmakers want an independent board of directors to run the state ferry system. They’ve filed legislation creating an Alaska Marine Highway Authority,...

APOC head to leave commission in March

The head of Alaska's public watchdog group says she will leave the agency later this year. Brooke Miles, Executive Director  of the Alaska Public...

FAA clears pilot of last summer's Ketchikan-area crash

The federal aviation administration has cleared the pilot of a floatplane that crashed near Ketchikan last August of any violations of F-A-A regulations. Deanna Garrison,...

US Fish and Wildlife delays decision on Polar Bears

The head of the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service, Dale Hall, says the agency will miss this week’s deadline for deciding whether to list...

Crashed plane's failed latch gets scrutiny

The make and model of the airplane that crashed Saturday killing 6 in Kodiak has a history of problems with the latch on the...

TransCanada the only company to meet AGIA requirements

Governor Sarah Palin has named a Canadian company as her choice to build a natural gas pipeline for the state. Five different companies had...

Palin supports a plan to keep the state's LNG plant running

The State of Alaska is supporting a plan that would continue the shipment of Cook Inlet natural gas to Asia for the next several...

Rock Creek mine gets a vote of confidence from the courts

A decision issued today by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals means Vancouver-based NovaGold Resources is now one big step closer toward starting...

APU skiers excel at national championship

Skiers from Alaska Pacific University won both the men's and women's national championship classic races today in Houghton, Michigan. Kikkan Randall won the 10...

$100 Oil: A mixed bag for Alaskans

The price of oil briefly eclipsed $100 per barrel for the first time today. The news is a mixed blessing for Alaskans, who...

Adrift Bering Sea freighter up and running again

A freighter from Thailand that broke down in the western Bering Sea on Monday with 25 crew members on board got up and running...

Put it out! Juneau bars now smoke free

Smoking in a Juneau bar is now illegal. Beginning today, both smokers and bar owners could be fined for violating the ordinance that extends...

BP settles tax dispute with state

Oil giant BP agreed today to pay the State of Alaska $379 million in taxes that the two sides had been disputing for more...

Senator Cowdery asked to resign

Members of the State Senate Minority are asking Anchorage Senator John Cowdery to resign from office for his alleged involvement in the ongoing VECO...

Justice Alito recuses himself from Exxon Valdez ruling

When the nation's highest court decides the fate of the Exxon Valdez punitive damages case next year, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not...

6.5 magnitude earthquake hits Aleutians

For the second time in a week, the Aleutian Islands have been hit by a large earthquake. Preliminary readings say today's quake had a...

Bison headed for Aleutians

As soon as the weather allows, Umnak Island will have three new residents: a trio of buffalo calves that are expected to boost the...

Presidential Candidate Ron Paul to open Alaska Office

Alaska is attracting more attention from candidates hoping to win the Republican and Democratic nominations. The campaign for Republican Ron Paul plans to open...

EPA releases draft report on cruise-ship pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency says the average cruise-ship passenger generates about 8 gallons of sewage a day while at sea. The agency has released...