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.”

DEC expands botulism warning in Alaska

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is warning Alaskans about food that may be contaminated with botulism. Processing malfunctions at a Castleberry's Food Company...

Five die in flightseeing plane crash outside Ketchikan

Cockpit of crashed Tarquan Air floatplane outside Ketchikan, Alaska. Photo courtesy the Alaska State Troopers. The Coast Guard reported there were no survivors in Tuesday's...

'Nordic Viking' spill cleanup progressing in Prince William Sound

Spill responders in Prince William Sound are removing the remaining fuel from a grounded fishing boat. The move is in anticipation of getting the...

Palin visits Alaskan troops in Kuwait

Governor Palin today visited with a National Guard unit from Alaska serving in Kuwait. In a press conference with Alaska reporters, the governor said...

Denali Kid Care funds attracting Presidential veto

President Bush has threatened to veto a bill that re-authorizes the Denali Kid Care program and similar programs in other states, saying they are a...

Anti-missile radar installation headed to Juneau

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency will install a radar facility in Juneau this fall as it continues to test its Fort Greely-based anti-missile system. John...

Exploratory drilling in Beaufort sea temporarily blocked by federal court

Late yesterday the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals placed a temporary injunction against Shell Offshore's plans for exploratory drilling in the Beaufort sea this...

NMFS takes public comment on listing beluga whales as endangered

The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking testimony this evening in Anchorage on a proposal to list Cook Inlet beluga whales under the federal...

Kenai land deal between friends puts Murkowski on defense

Senator Lisa Murkowski and her husband have come under fire from bloggers, talk radio and conventional news media for a Kenai River land purchase...

Melting glaciers expected to feed faster, higher sea level rise

The massive polar ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica contain the vast majority of frozen water on the planet. But a new study shows...

Proposal emerges to change gun laws in Alaska

Federal law provides a way to prevent potentially dangerous people from getting firearms -- such as the student who killed 32 people at Virginia...

Don Young teams with House Democrats to preserve Alaska Native education funding

U.S. House Democrats came to the aid of Congressman Don Young today when they defeated an attempt to slash funding for the Alaska Native...

Ted Stevens releases personal financial data amidst ethics questions

Senator Ted Stevens released official financial disclosure forms for himself and his wife today. Originally due out a month ago, Stevens got extensions so...

Governor Palin seeking analyst review of proposed profit-based oil tax

The Palin administration is searching for someone outside of state government to take a fresh look at the results of the state's new profit-based...

Palin selects replacement for Alaska House representative Vic Kohring

Governor Palin announced today she's found someone to fill Vic Kohring's seat in the State House. She's appointing Wes Keller, who's currently chief of...

Japanese still seeking more than 2,000 WWII dead on Attu

Accompanied by American military and government personnel, a Japanese delegation visited the Aleutian island of Attu late last week. The group was examining graves...

Kensington Mine to bring in millions amidst concerns about environmental impacts

The nearly-completed Kensington Gold Mine outside Juneau has pumped more than $150 million into the Alaska economy, and could pump a lot more when...

Senator Stevens raises $1 million for re-election; may yet be vulnerable

Senator Ted Stevens' re-election campaign brought in less during the second quarter of this year than it did in the first. But the campaign...

Dental associations drop fight against Alaska bush dental therapist program

The American Dental Association is giving up its fight against Alaska's unique dental therapist program. The president of the ADA was in Anchorage today...

Deformed humpback whale washes up in southeast

A bizarrely deformed humpback whale washed up dead on the west side of Admiralty Island, about 30 miles north of Angoon, Alaska. Researchers with...