In Depth Alaska

U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, Michael Heyman, sat down with us to discuss the fentanyl crisis in Alaska and why drug cartels specifically target our state. 

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance addressed the frustrations residents are feeling amidst the growing homeless camps and shelters soon closing.

We learned of the death of Pope Francis early Monday morning. Reporter Georgina Fernandez sat down with Archbishop Andrew Bellisario of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau to speak about the Pontiff's legacy and his own personal meetings with Pope Francis. Here is an extended version of that conversation.

After hearing about the death of Pope Francis early Monday morning, Associate Producer Casandra Mancl spoke with Fr. Madison Hayes about the times he met with Pope Francis and the legacy he leaves behind. 

John Thompson sat down with Senator Dan Sullivan to talk about the future of LNG, Russian incursions into Alaska's air space and DOGE cuts. 

A combination of recent possible changes within the mountain and the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s (AVO) inability to detect volcanic gases via air or satellite data has led to some uncertainty in the current unrest on Mt. Spurr. Chief Meteorologist sat down with Matthew Haney, Scientist in Charge at the AVO, to discuss the latest information and what they are seeing on Mt. Spurr. 

Assembly member Meg Zaletel has been Executive Director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. On Friday, she announced she would be stepping down from that position this summer. Reporter Quinn White sat down with Ms Zaletel to talk about her time at the coalition.

John Thompson had the opportunity to speak with Senator Dan Sullivan on Thursday afternoon. They covered topics from possibly re-opening the Military base at Adak to aviation safety in Alaska. Here is that conversation.

In 2019, Shaq Aribuk contracted a rare bacterial infection that cost him his legs and his sight. Shaq said it has been a challenging journey adjusting to life, but reached out to the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired for help. Reporter Joe Allgood sat down with Shaq to hear his story.

Financial advisor Al Biss, Biss Wealth Partners, sat down with Tracy Sinclare to talk about market volatility, how the changing tariff situation could impact personal and business decisions and your 401K.

Alaska financial advisor Al Biss explains the expected impact of widespread tariffs on a majority of goods imported into the United States on Alaskan residents and companies.

The Alaska Governor’s Prayer Breakfast was held in Anchorage Saturday morning. The keynote speaker was noted Evangelist Billy Graham’s grandson, Edward.

X'unei Lance Twitchell, writer and cultural consultant for Molly of Denali talks with John Thompson about winning an Emmy and bringing Indigenous voices to storytelling. 

On Friday, Fairbanks Reporter Adrian Peterson spoke with Sen. Dan Sullivan to discuss DOGE cuts impacting Alaskans, possible development in the state and cuts to the Veterans Administration.

With the increased possibility of an eruption from Mt. Spurr, we wanted to find out what plans are in place in the event of a volcanic eruption in the state. Jeremy Zidek, public information officer with the State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, spoke with Reporter Olivia Nordyke to explain what happens if an eruption should occur.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the increased possibility of an eruption from Mt. Spurr, Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey sat down with Dave Schneider, geophysicist with the Alaska Volcano Observatory, to learn what they are seeing to make them think an eruption is more likely now and how they are monitoring the mountain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the word "recession" being talked about and the markets showing high volatility, we decided to talk to an expert about the situation. Al Biss, a financial advisor with Biss Wealth Partners sat down with Tracy Sinclare to talk about what the markets are telling us and who should be concerned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Tuesday, after the president spoke to combined Congress, John Thompson sat down with Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy to get his reaction to the speech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rep. Nick Begich sat down with our Fairbanks reporter Alex Bengel to discuss federal firings, the name change of Denali and aviation safety in Alaska. Here is the extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We lost 10 Alaskans in that devastating plane crash on Feb. 6th on Norton Sound. Reporter Georgina Fernandez sat down with Stacey Moncur, wife of Jadee Moncur, who was on board Flight 445. Here is an extended version of that conversation. Please note our reporter microphone drops out partway through the interview so you'll hear a shift in the audio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Feb. 4, Anchorage Police shot and killed a man on Tudor road. Police say the man, identified as Francis Rochon, had a gun and ignored officers commands to put it down. Reporter Lauren Maxwell sat down with Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case to ask about what they've learned since then. Here is an extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski along with the rest of the Alaska Congressional delegation held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss what they say are changes needed to aviation safety in Alaska. Digital Content Manager Joey Klecka sat down with Sen. Murkowski to ask about those changes she thinks are needed as well as her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Secretary. Here is that conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mushers Jeff and KattiJo Deeter spoke with John Thompson about winning the Yukon Quest Alaska on Thursday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Anchorage School District is trying to close a $100 million budget gap. Reporter Joe Allgood sat down with Anchorage School District Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt to discuss that topic and others. Here is the extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday, January 31st, a group skiers were in the backcountry near Turnagain Pass. A skier went about 200 feet down east groundhog peak when the movement triggered an avalanche. The skier got caught up in an avalanche and was carried about 1,200 feet downhill. Rafael Pease was part of that same group and participated in the rescue. Digital Content Manager Joey Klecka sat down with Rafael to talk about what happened that day and why Pease says the rescue could have happened hours earlier. Pease's statements and opinions are his own and do not represent Alaska's News Source. We are seeking a response from the agencies involved. Please check Alaska's News Source.com for those details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Transportation Safety Board Alaska region chief Clint Johnson joins Alaska's News Source to explain the process investigators will take in the deadly Washington D.C. crash that involved a commercial jet and an Army helicopter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 people who were part of the U.S. Skating program died in that devastating collision on Wednesday night. Reporter Olivia Nordyke sat down with 2-time Olympic skater Keegan Messing from Girdwood to hear how this will impact the skating community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Tuesday, January 28th, a F-35 crashed on the flightline at Eielson Air Force Base. Though there is limited information about the crash or the pilot, we wanted to speak with someone with experience in fighter jets. Major Anthony "AB" Bourke is an experienced F-16 fighter pilot who flew tactical missions in service to our country all over the world. John Thompson sat down with Bourke to talk about training and how a pilot might prepare for an emergency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

January is National Blood Donor month. We spoke with Wes Dahlgren with the Blood Bank of Alaska about the need for blood donations, who can donate and who can't. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 is the Lunar New Year. It's a holiday celebrated around the world, particularly in Asian communities. Mei Zhao with the Alaska Chinese Association shares the importance of the holiday and some of the traditions surrounding it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday, we sat down with Gov. Mike Dunleavy to talk about the future of oil and gas, his opinion on the name change of Denali to Mt. McKinley, education funding and more. Here is that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Tuesday, the southern United States got hit hard with a winter bring several inches of snow in places where they typically don't see snow. To get some insight into forecasting a storm like that in Texas, Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey sat down with KPRC Meteorologist Justin Stapleton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump made several statements about opening Alaska to more resource development. We asked senator Dan Sullivan about that and several of the other executive orders signed by the president. We also spoke with Oil and Gas Analyst Larry Persily. Here are the extended versions of those conversations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prosecutors say Zachariah Hobbs was shot and killed by a 21-year-old former patron of the Midnite Mine in Fairbanks on January 15th. As the community now mourns the loss of a father of five and beloved friend, Aram Hobbs, Zachariah's brother, sat down with our Adrian Peterson. Here is an extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday, we got word the Kuskokwim 300 was being postponed. John Thompson sat down with Race Director Paul Basile to find out why the race was put off for a few weeks and what needed to change for this race to go through. He also spoke with musher Cody Strathe about snow conditions and how the warmth impacts the dogs. Here are the extended versions of those conversations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday, January 16th Alaska's News Source was told of and reported a confirmed case of measles in Alaska. The state department of health says an infected passenger passed through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Friday, January 10th. Officials have confirmed that infected passenger arrived in Anchorage on Alaska Airlines Flight 228 inbound from Seattle. The original time provided for when the person was in the airport was incorrect. The State Health department corrected the time saying people who were in Ted Stevens between 10 p.m. and Midnight on January 10th could have been infected. Reporter Quinn white spoke with Dr. Joe McLaughlin, Alaska State Epidemiologist, about how concerned Alaskans should be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Supreme Court of the United States upholding the law that would allow for TikTok to be banned, John Thompson sat down with John Derting, a social media influencer in Alaska, to find out how the ban could impact him. Here is an extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Iditarod Sled Dog Race a little more than 40 days away and warm temperatures forecast once again, Jordan Rodenberger, Sports Director at Alaska's News Source, sat down with Race Director Mark Nordman to get an idea of how they plan when the weather doesn't cooperate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday, Reporter Lauren Maxwell sat down with John Glover, the Wildfire Division Chief with the Anchorage Fire Dept. This is a new position with AFD so we wanted to hear about plans for this summer, how the snow pack could impact wildfire season and comparing Alaska to the devastation going on in California here’s an extended version of that conversationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After word of the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was announced, Ariane Aramburo spoke with Rabbi Abram Goodstein with Congregation Beth Shalom and Heather Barbour, a family law attorney and a leader in the Arab community in Anchorage. Here is an extended version of that conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey sits down with Tracy Sinclare to talk about how she forecasted the wind storm that hit Southcentral Alaska on Sunday as well as the challenges of forecasting that type of storm and what a strange winter we've had so far. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday, Digital Reporter Nolin Ainsworth and Photojournalist Peggy McCormack spoke with Natalie Rouse, a necropsy biologist with Alaska Veterinary Pathology, about the fin whale that was stranded just off Cook Inlet in Novmeber 2024. Rouse and her team had returned to take more samples from the whale. Here is an extended version of their conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, Ariane Aramburo had the chance to speak with Charitie Ropati as she returned home to Alaska for the holidays. Charitie got a big honor from Forbes magazine in early December. Here is that conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Lisa Murkowski sat down with Rebecca Palsha to discuss a wide range of topics including the Matt Gaetz report and Elon Musk's influence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The administration of Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance released an end-of-the-year update on accomplishments and challenges during her first six months in office, as well as priorities for the coming year. LaFrance sat down with Alaska's News Source reporter Lauren Maxwell to discuss the early months of her tenure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alaska's Senior Senator Lisa Murkowski sat down with our Washington D.C reporter, Josh Rultenberg in a wide-ranging discussion on topics from the Albertsons-Kroger merger to how she will work with the incoming administration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, hear from Charitie Ropati, a 23-year old trailblazing advocate recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list. She shares how her love of STEM inspired her to create a passion project for other indigenous girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and math.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Peter Maassen is set to retire in January 2025 as he approaches the mandatory retirement age for justices in Alaska. Political reporter Steve Kirch had the opportunity to talk with Maassen about his time on the bench, as well as his thoughts about the Alaska Supreme Court having a female majority for the first time in state history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporter Lauren Maxwell sat down with U.S. Postal Inspector Alexander Laumb to discuss postal scams during the holidays and what to do if you are a victim of one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane Angvik, a historic Alaska figure who was the first woman to serve as Anchorage Assembly chair from 1984-1985, spoke with political reporter Steve Kirch about the news of another historic milestone for women in Alaska — Alaska's Supreme Court will soon have a female majority for the first time in the state's history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alaska is only three months from the start of the 2025 Iditarod — the 53rd running and the 100th anniversary of the original serum run. Sports Director Jordan Rodenberger sat down with Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach to talk about what's happening in the leadup to the big race.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.