Podcasts about alaskans

In this newscast: The state of Alaska is delaying construction on the first phase of a controversial ferry terminal proposed to connect Juneau and Haines, due to a permitting issue; Alaska youth and advocates are calling on lawmakers to create a statewide fund for suicide prevention by charging a small fee on Alaskans' monthly phone bills; The Juneau School District's teachers union voted to authorize a strike earlier this week amid ongoing contract negotiations; The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council has had new leadership for a few months now, and that has come with some changes; The state ferry Lituya will soon begin daily ferry service between Ketchikan and Annette Bay.

The U.S. Coast Guard identifies two people who died while working on a freight barge near Ketchikan. Plus, a proposal that would make it easier for out-of-state nurses to practice in Alaska is facing fierce pushback in the Legislature, and a bill meant to protect Alaskans from contaminated drinking water has its first committee hearing.

Prosecutors in South Dakota have dismissed charges against an Indigenous rights advocate. South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s CJ Keene reports. Charges stemming from a 2022 incident against Nick Tilsen, CEO and founder of NDN Collective, were dropped. In a statement, Tilsen said, “my freedom wasn't granted by a judge, a jury, or the settler colonial court system. My freedom was won by the people, the movement, and the ancestors.” Tilsen faced more than 25 years in prison, originally facing charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and obstruction. Ultimately, the trial resulted in a hung jury. Tilsen maintained his innocence throughout, saying the incident was an effort to watch an interaction between police and an Indigenous member of the Rapid City, S.D. community. NDN Collective spokespeople had contended the charges were excessive. In the same statement, representatives describe them as, “blatantly politically motivated effort to silence a movement leader by criminalizing his actions.” In response, Pennington County State's Attorney said, “the decision to dismiss this case was made after careful review and thoughtful consideration.” The office adds they stand by the charging decision. “While we believe the case was properly charged and presented, the jury's inability to reach a verdict was an important factor in evaluating whether further prosecution would serve the interest of justice.” A nearly empty critical care unit at Bartlett Hospital on April 7, 2020, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo: Rashah McChesney / KTOO) Alaska will receive about $1 billion from the federal government over the next few years to improve healthcare, but millions of that depends on the legislature passing several bills aligning Alaska with best practices for rural healthcare. Alaska Native people are much more likely to live in rural areas than other Alaskans. As Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra reports, a proposal to make it easier for out-of-state nurses to practice in Alaska is facing fierce pushback. When you boil it down, Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association head Jared Kosin says joining a so-called license compact is pretty simple. He says there would be a set of criteria nurses would demonstrate. “And if they do, then they are issued a license and then they can practice in any states that use those same standards.” Proponents say joining a compact would help ease a nurse shortage across the state that is projected to worsen. Kosin says it may be simple to explain, but actually getting a bill passed to join the nurse licensure compact has been anything but. “It’s just so snagged up in politics.” The last version of the bill was introduced in 2023. It was supported by most healthcare organizations in the state, but it was opposed by nursing unions. He says that created a toxic dynamic. And this year there is new pressure on the legislature thanks to the Rural Health Transformation Program. When the Alaska Department of Health (DOH) applied for the money, it told the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the state would join the compact. The state has been directed by CMS to create compacts for other health care positions too: physicians, emergency medical services, psychologists, and physician assistants. The DOH does not know exactly how much money would be clawed back if Alaska does not pass all the required legislation, but a DOH official wrote over email that a ballpark estimate is that millions of dollars is at stake annually and tens of millions of dollars over the five years of rural funding. Shannon Davenport is a union leader and a nurse. She says there are many problems with the nursing field right now, especially workplace safety, and she doesn't think the nursing compact is the solution to them. “It’s not the golden goose. It’s not the answer to everything.” Even so, most nurses support a compact — almost 90% of nurses living in Alaska, according to a 2023 survey. The federal deadline to join the compact is at the end of 2027. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, March 17, 2026 – Re-enactors help bring Native American perspective of the Revolutionary War to life

Today we dive into the Weekly Top 3 from Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This week's three topics: The debate over funding for the FY26 Supplemental is both hilarious and serious; The House Majority again demonstrates it doesn't know what "fiscally responsible" means; The competing LNG import projects. Then in hour two I'll recap with some of my thoughts as well as a new story about a bill that directly attacks the homeschooling/correspondence model in the state. Then we'll finish up with Chris Story who'll give us our PMA update.

In this newscast: Juneau residents will have multiple opportunities this week to provide feedback about how and where they'd like to see changes to better the capital city's roadways for all users; After months of on-an-off closures and limited services, the city's recycling center will be back to operating at full capacity and regular hours starting tomorrow; A bill meant to protect Alaskans from drinking water contaminated with PFAS had its first committee hearing last week; The fate of a closely watched budget bill in the Alaska Legislature is back up in the air, after House Republicans declined to back a supermajority vote that would have funded the bill from savings

Elizabeth Peratrovich is most well-known for her work to pass Alaska’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945. But her story also has more to it than that act. Research: Anchorage Museum. “Elizabeth Peratrovich.” https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/exhibits/extra-tough-women-of-the-north/women-of-the-north-profiles/elizabeth-peratrovich-major-force-behind-alaskas-anti-discrimination-bill/ Arnett, Jessica Leslie. “Unsettled Rights in Territorial Alaska.” Western Historical Quarterly, AUTUMN 2017, Vol. 48, No. 3 (AUTUMN 2017), pp. 233-254. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26782857 Boochever, Ann with Roy Peratrovich Jr. “Fighter in Velvet Gloves.” University of Alaska Press. 2019. Boochever, Ann. “Fighter in Velvet Gloves: Alaska Civil Rights Hero Elizabeth Peratrovich.” Sealaska Heritage Institute. 11/19/2021. Via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzvcc1UlrMw Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. “A Recollection of Civil Rights Leader Elizabeth Peratrovich.” August 1991. http://www.alaskool.org/projects/native_gov/recollections/peratrovich/default.htm Coen, Ross. “Elizabeth Peratrovich Day.” The Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Summer 2021, Vol. 112, No. 3 (Summer 2021), pp. 107-123. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/27165253 Cole, Terrence M. “Jim Crow in Alaska: The Passage of the Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945.” Western Historical Quarterly , Nov., 1992, Vol. 23, No. 4 (Nov., 1992), pp. 429-449. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/970301 Davis, Jennifer. “Elizabeth Peratrovich, Civil and Voting Rights Activist.” In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress. Library of Congress Blogs. 11/1/2021. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/11/elizabeth-peratrovich-civil-and-voting-rights-activist/ Guise, Holly Miowak. “Listening to Generations of Activists: Truly Remembering Elizabeth Peratrovich.” Indian Country Today. 2/16/2021. https://ictnews.org/opinion/listening-to-generations-of-activists-truly-remembering-elizabeth-peratrovich/ Haycox, Stephen W. “William Paul, Sr., and the Alaska Voters' Literacy Act of 1925.” Alaska History, Vol. 2., No. 1, (Winter 1986/87). http://www.alaskool.org/native_ed/articles/literacy_act/LiteracyTxt.html Johnson, Erik. “The 19th Amendment, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and the Ongoing Fight for Equal Rights.” National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/dena-history-peratrovich.htm Juneau Empire. “Mrs. Roy Peratrovich Sr. Dies in Seattle Hospital following Lengthy Illness.” 12/2/1958. National Park Service. “Alberta Schenck: Teenage Activist.” https://www.nps.gov/people/alberta-schenck.htm Page, Marisa. “Honoring the Women Paving the Path to Equity.” First Nations. https://www.firstnations.org/news/honoring-the-women-paving-the-path-to-equity/ Schenck, Alberta. “To Whom It May Concern.” The Nome Nugget. 3/3/1944. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/assets/timeline/000/000/342/342_w_full.jpg Silverman, Jeffry Lloyd and Phil Lucas, directors. “For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska.” Lincoln, NE. Vision Maker Media. 2008. “Super Race Theory Hit In Hearing.” The Daily Alaska Empire. 2/6/1945. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045499/1945-02-06/ed-1/?sp=8&st=pdf Swensen, Thomas Michael. “The Relationship between Indigenous Rights, Citizenship, and Land in Territorial Alaska: How the Past Opened the Door to the Future.” GROWING OUR OWN: INDIGENOUS RESEARCH, SCHOLARS, AND EDUCATION Proceedings from the Alaska Native Studies Conference (2015). Twyman, Abby. “Alaskans and the Nation Celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich.” Discover Prince of Wales Island. https://discoverpowisland.com/alaskans-and-the-nation-celebrate-elizabeth-peratrovich/ Vaughan, Carson. “Overlooked No More: Elizabeth Peratrovich, Rights Advocate for Alaska Natives.” New York Times. March 20, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/20/obituaries/elizabeth-peratrovich-overlooked.html Weingroff, Richard F. “Who Is Elizabeth Peratrovich? The Story Behind the Country's First Anti-Discrimination Law.” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/who-elizabeth-peratrovich-story-behind-countrys-first-anti Christen, Morgan. “Alaska Native Women’s Long Road to Suffrage.” Western Legal History, Vol. 30, No. 1-2. https://www.njchs.org/wp-content/uploads/wlh_30-1_crp_color1.pdf “Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood.” EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/alaska-native-brotherhood-and-alaska-native-sisterhood Drucker, Philip. “The native brotherhoods : modern intertribal organizations on the Northwest coast.” Washington, D. C. : U. S. Government Printing office. 1958. https://archive.org/details/nativebrotherhoo0168druc/ Haycox, Stephen W. “William Paul, Sr., and the Alaska Voters' Literacy Act of 1925 .” Alaska History, Vol. 2., No. 1, (Winter 1986/87). http://www.alaskool.org/native_ed/articles/literacy_act/literacytxt.html Peratrovich, Elizabeth and Roy Peratrovich. Letter to Governor Ernest Gruening. 12/30/1941. https://vilda.alaska.edu/digital/collection/cdmg41/id/1176/rec/4?fbclid=IwY2xjawQSoR9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFSUTluVjJHRVlpVTlvcFhYc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHq36iDmGp2t6h-sfgereAekSEHRQii-E6uBse3GvIQAw-72DcoQffc-LWxRO_aem_MECxGHPbZdPWw-7iUjGeow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia O'Malley is a journalist, a cook, a baker, and lately she's been researching and re-creating Cold War cakes. During the Cold War era—roughly the decades between the end of World War II and the early 1990s—cake mix transformed a food once associated with luxury into something democratic, something anyone could make at home. Julia says that those boxed mixes, and the recipes people built around them in the ‘70s and ‘80s, are more than just dessert. They're cultural artifacts that reveal how women navigated creativity, expectation, and changing ideas about domestic life. They reflect a moment when women were entering the national conversation from within domestic space. Experimenting, adapting, and reshaping expectations. That shift raised a question inside the kitchen itself: What happens when packaged ingredients, appliances, and new food technologies promise women time—time to work, to control their finances, and to claim a larger role in public life? In Alaska, where fresh ingredients were often scarce and communities had long relied on shelf-stable foods, brought in through supply chains and institutional systems, cake mixes made a lot of sense. For generations, Alaskans have adapted to what's available—working with canned goods, powdered ingredients, and foods designed to travel long distances before reaching the table. A box of cake mix fit easily into that reality. Julia has been tracing these stories through old cookbooks and community recipes, even digging into ones from boomtown Fairbanks in 1909, to understand how something as ordinary as cake can tell us about women's lives, shifting ideas of feminism, and the creativity that unfolded in Cold War kitchens. Because food, Julia says, is always a story. It's one of history, origin, climate, and longing. And in the Cold War kitchen, when the threat of nuclear annihilation hovered in the background of daily life, even something as simple as baking a cake could feel like a small act of reassurance.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meets Tuesday, and on the agenda is a vote that would convert a union position at the Homer Landfill into a non-union management role; and Alaska's Supreme Court is again considering whether the proposed Alaska gasline project violates the Constitutional rights of a group of young Alaskans.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meets Tuesday, and on the agenda is a vote that would convert a union position at the Homer Landfill into a non-union management role; Alaska's Supreme Court is again considering whether the proposed Alaska gasline project violates the Constitutional rights of a group of young Alaskans; and the Alaska House passed a resolution Wednesday extending Gov. Dunleavy's disaster declaration related to the storms that wrought havoc in Western Alaska last fall.

Photo: A scenic overview of the Colorado River from the Navajo Bridge near Jacob Lake. (Gabriel Pietrorazio / KJZZ) The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has invited tribal leaders to testify on Capitol Hill today. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, the Northeast Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act is the hearing's subject. This $5 billion deal would resolve claims for three parties, including the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe. For San Juan Southern Paiute President Carlene Yellowhair, this proposal is not just about securing precious water in the Southwest. If passed, it would also set aside 5,400 acres for a new reservation in Arizona. “We want to settle, because we want our land, our home, a place to build. We lost all of our elders. They started it and we just want to finish it.” The tribe has more than 300 members, including Vice President Johnny Lehi Jr. “You know, the land and the water, that's what we needed to become more sovereign.” Prisoner Mark Andrews is housed at Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, Alaska. (Photo: Anne Hillman / Alaska Public Media) The Alaska Supreme Court heard arguments this month on whether prisoners can be forcibly medicated with psychiatric drugs — without a court hearing and the right to a lawyer. In the state corrections system, Alaska Native people are incarcerated at about twice the rate of white Alaskans. Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra has more. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) brought the case against the Department of Corrections (DOC) on behalf of a prisoner, Mark Andrews. He says he has been unjustly drugged with powerful psychotropic medication for most of the last seven years, without due process or access to legal counsel. The Department policy currently allows prisoners to be drugged against their will if they are gravely disabled or are in imminent risk for harming themselves or others. Doron Levine is a lawyer for the ACLU. He argued at the hearing that the policy infringes on rights protected by the state constitution. “Few things are more personal than someone’s body, and arguably, nothing is more personal than a person’s mind. It’s the locus of a person’s identity, and it’s a last refuge of freedom for people who are incarcerated.” Under department policy, prisoners have the right to hearings every six months with department staff. And they have the right to appeal the decision to a department committee. The ACLU argues that Andrews did not have sufficient access to hearings or an appeal. Justice Jennifer Henderson questioned Kimber Rogers, the attorney representing DOC. Justice Henderson says the facts seem to suggest that the prisoner was denied the rights promised in the department's policy. Justice Henderson: How do you respond to that? Kimber Rogers: Your Honor, I agree that there were definitely some problems, and Mr. Andrews’ hearings, but I don’t think that that’s important. JH: There were more than some problems. There were long periods of time where there were no hearings, for example. KR: Well, Your Honor, I would dispute that actually. The ACLU lawyer argued that there should be a hearing in a courtroom because DOC staff may be biased to protect the institution over the person, but Rogers says a hearing inside prison is the best approach. When the Supreme Court issues a ruling, the decision could apply to the approximately 22 Alaska prisoners who are being forcibly drugged. U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) is applauding the House passage of the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act. The bill to improve access to homeownership for Native families on tribal trust land is led by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and passed last week. NAIHC executive director Rudy Soto says the bill improves coordination between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, lenders, and tribal communities, establishes timelines, and helps Native families, veterans, and tribal citizens who want to achieve homeownership. The Senate previously approved the measure and it now heads to the president's desk. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, March 11, 2024 – Michigan backs away from Boarding Schools report

Today we're doing our weekly dive into the Weekly Top 3 from Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This week's topics: SB 274 applies the wrong lesson; Are #AKLNG's dynamics changing as a result of Iran; Why we should ignore the Spring Revenue Forecast in setting the FY27 budget. I'll follow up in hour two with some of my thoughts before jumping into a discussion about property taxes with Realtor Chris Story. Then he'll hit us with a lifecoaching lesson on the way out the door.

Spring in Alaska brings more light and milder weather. For some people, that seasonal shift brings energy and relief. For others, it brings agitation, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, and for some even suicidal thoughts. Join Line One host Dr. Monique Andrews and her guests as they explore how Alaskans can weather ‘break up' season and its mental health challenges.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn, which is also called the Battle of the Greasy Grass or Custer's Last Stand. Ahead of commemorative events planned in late June near Crow Agency, Mont. are reports that the National Park Service (NPS) is removing signs sharing the Native perspective on the battle. Brian Bull (Nez Perce) of Buffalo's Fire reports. In late January, the Washington Post reported that President Trump ordered the removal of signage through his so-called “restoring truth and sanity to American history” directive, which pushes an ideology that the U.S. has an “unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing.” The Battle of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is on the list of sites. Wallace Bear Chum is chairman for the Northern Cheyenne Cultural Commission. Along with the Lakota Sioux and Arapaho, his tribe defeated Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1876. Bear Chum says federal officials and tribes need to discuss any changes per their government-to-government relationship. “We're still finding out what exact changes that they're going to make. And the Northern Cheyenne, it was a victory for us there. And our story's there, I mean how can you change that story? Y'know, there's no way you can do that. And what exactly are they trying to change?” The Northern Cheyenne Tribe unanimously approved a resolution last month to prevent any changes to markers, signage, and monuments that recognize Native people at Little Bighorn, a direct challenge to the Trump administration. Meanwhile, an email from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Office denies any signage has been taken down at the battlefield monument. It says parks are complying through an ongoing review process with subject-matter experts, tribal partners, and park leadership. Courtesy NPS An Alaska doctor has documented the first case of a rare and potentially risky infection from contact with a brown bear. Alaska Public Media’s Rachel Cassandra reports. The infection is known as “seal finger” and people typically get it handling seals, especially during seal hunting and processing, but in 2024, Dr. Benjamin Westley diagnosed it in a man who had cut his hand skinning a brown bear hunted on the Alaska Peninsula. He had three days of redness and painful swelling that didn't resolve with standard antibiotics. Dr. Westley says early tests “did not find anything definitive, so eventually he sent a tissue sample to a lab for more comprehensive analysis. “What was particularly shocking about this patient was he had a finger infection after skinning a brown bear that was not responding properly to antibiotics. So I sent special PCR tests, but I did not expect this bacteria.” Seal finger is not uncommon in Alaska and circumpolar regions, but Westley says this is only the second time this potentially more serious strain of the infection has been identified in the state. He diagnosed the first case too, in a patient whose finger infection had spread to his hip. “So when the report came back, I was shocked, because the first case was my own patient 10 years prior, and now it was the exact same bacteria for the second time in Alaska, but from a brown bear exposure, not from a seal exposure.” The infection is only a risk through direct or indirect animal contact. Other cases outside the state have been tied to a polar bear and a domestic cat. Scientists do not know if those animals caused seal finger because they had contact with a seal or through other means. In this case, the patient was treated at first with the wrong type of antibiotics used for bacterial infections. That allowed the infection to worsen and ultimately caused dead tissue, a damaged tendon and a bone infection. He recovered, but still has lingering finger stiffness. Seal finger is often misdiagnosed and a delay in treatment can cause serious problems, so Westley urges health care providers to consider treating patients for seal finger if they have an infection and had contact with seals, bears, or cats. That is even before getting bacterial test results. Westley says Alaskans can also protect themselves when hunting and processing seals or bears. “Try not to get injured through the skin, cut or let bacteria from an animal you’re working with into the tissue, because that can result in a manner of weird infections that can be hard for doctors to sort out.” And he says to wash your hands with soap if you get a wound. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, March 3, 2026 — Proximity and family outreach hold promise for tribal addiction treatment

Today we're busy! In hour one it's going to be Brad Keithley with Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets and the Weekly Top 3. This weeks topics: What should we use for oil prices this coming budget cycle; Callan (the PFC's advisor) presentation last week gave us additional insight into two key PFC issues; #WhoPays (distributional analysis) must be a mandatory part of any tax discussion. Then in hour two we'll visit with gubernatorial candidate Matt Heilala. We'll get his take on the state of the State and where he would take us in the future.

A state task force in Alaska released recommendations last month for making psychedelic therapy available, if treatments are approved at the federal level. Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra has the story. The Alaska state legislature established a task force in 2024 to examine psychedelic therapies, which hold a lot of promise but are still considered experimental. Jennie Armstrong is a former state representative who was on the task force. She says the group tackled questions like how to make therapy accessible and how to offer safe and culturally competent care. “The whole point of the task force was to bring up these types of questions so we’re not scratching our heads when this becomes medicalized and scrambling and being reactive, but we’re actually being proactive.” The task force did not take a stance on whether psychedelic therapies are good or bad, but recommends Alaska incorporate them as they are legalized nationally. None of the task force's recommendations are binding, but Armstrong says they are meant to guide legislators on the types of laws the state would need to offer access. Armstrong says the task force recommends incorporating a training program for therapists and healthcare providers who want to guide therapy. “Everyone needs to go through this type of training, because just being a doctor doesn’t make you qualified to facilitate this type of care.” And she says the aim is to make training accessible so a diversity of people can become certified. She says that would ensure people getting treated are a good fit with the person who guides them. Armstrong says Alaskans could benefit a lot from psychedelic therapies if they are legalized. That is because the state has such high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, and other mental illnesses. Psychedelic therapies are being studied to treat those disorders and Armstrong says some of the research is promising. “There are so many folks who, through these trials, went from being suicidal and having treatment resistant depression, unable to work, unable to function, to being in remission within months.” She says that can change how people and communities can thrive. There is a new career pathway for tribal students looking at wildland firefighting jobs. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the partnership between the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Highschoolers across six BIE-run schools are participating, including Northwest High School in Shiprock, Ariz. on the Navajo Nation. Carmelia Becenti (Diné) is chief academic officer for BIE. She credits President Donald Trump's executive order on “expanding educational freedom”. “This just happened to occur organically.” They are also pitching the curriculum to colleges. Garth Fisher is with the BIA Division of Wildland Fire Management. “We are trying to somewhat steer them towards being stewards of our lands. That doesn't always happen.” Fisher says they are teaching coursework about leadership, fire suppression, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) readiness. Once done, students put their training to the test during a field day. “They get to put the gear on, how it feels. They get to look like a firefighter.” That equipment is expensive, says Becenti, which is why the BIE is buying it now. “And that way, year after year, as we recruit more students at these schools and across the bureau, you know, we have this {#[Personal Protective Equipment] PPE that we can use over and over and over.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Monday, March 2, 2026 — Native crews help solve the growing marine trash problem

The ruling is in, but uncertainty isn't over.

On this episode of Line One, host Dr. Jillian Woodruff explores what healthy skin really looks like in the far north — from eczema and “winter rash,” to acne and rosacea in dry climates, to understanding skin cancer risk and prevention.

Today we start off with our normal visit with Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This weeks Top 3 topics: the overreach in Senate Resources; how regressive IS the income tax; how much do some hate the PFD? Then in hour two we'll be joined by candidate for Governor Bernadette Wilson for the whole hour.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is severely restricting, and in some cases closing outright, sport king salmon fishing on the central Kenai Peninsula this year – again. With the Friday, February 13th deadline for public comment looming, hundreds of Alaskans are rushing to weigh in on the U.S. Interior Department's review of federal subsistence management.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is severely restricting, and in some cases closing outright, sport king salmon fishing on the central Kenai Peninsula this year – again. With the Friday, February 13th deadline for public comment looming, hundreds of Alaskans are rushing to weigh in on the U.S. Interior Department's review of federal subsistence management.

In this newscast:  The Juneau School District is returning over $1 million earmarked for child care back to the city; The Alaska Department of Transportation has faced intense scrutiny in recent months over its plan to build a new ferry terminal between Juneau and Haines. Now, the agency is drawing fire from a panel of lawmakers charged with overseeing it; For the Alaska Survival Kit series, Alaska Public Media's Wesley Early set out to learn how Alaskans can increase their chances of finding a date and falling in love; Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Carney highlighted efforts to reduce case backlogs and asked lawmakers to fund new judges and long-delayed courthouse maintenance during the annual State of the Judiciary address today

Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection is holding an overdose awareness and Naloxone training this Friday in Homer; and for Alaska Public Media's Alaska Survival Kit series, Wesley Early set out to learn how Alaskans can increase their chances of finding a date and falling in love.

Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection is holding an overdose awareness and Naloxone training this Friday in Homer; and for Alaska Public Media's Alaska Survival Kit series, Wesley Early set out to learn how Alaskans can increase their chances of finding a date and falling in love.

The National Transportation Safety Board released a docket Wednesday of over 3,000 pages worth of investigative information on the crash of a commuter plane near Nome last year that killed 10 Alaskans. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) United Service Organization (USO) celebrated 10 years on base on Wednesday. The organization arrived on base in 2016 and has been focusing on providing service members a home away from home ever since. Alaska Chief Justice Susan Carney asked lawmakers Wednesday for $775,000 to hire a new judge in Palmer, citing progress on court backlogs as proof the judiciary deserves more funding during tight budget times.

Full show today as we start in hour one with Brad Keithley of Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets and the Weekly Top 3. This weeks topics: HFIN embarrasses themselves; letting 'perfect' become the enemy of good; what out of state data really says. In hour two I'll recap with my thoughts and then we'll finish up with Chris Story's weekly life coaching.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Sen. Lisa Murkowski returned from a three-day trip to Greenland yesterday. Kipnuk residents are starting to vote on whether they want to rebuild their community, or relocate to higher ground. And how Alaskans can increase their chances of finding a date and falling in love.Photo: U.S. senators visited Pituffik Space Base on a three-day trip to Greenland that ended Feb. 9, 2026. From right: Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Angus King, I-Maine, Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. They met with U.S. Space Force Col. Shawn Lee, left, the base commander. (Matt Felling/U.S. Senate)

From a Black Business Expo in downtown Anchorage to Alaskans representing the state at the Super Bowl, we have the latest headlines from Alaska's News Source. 

Today we'll dig into the latest in state government with Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This week 3 topics: What the new ISER study actually shows about diversifying our economy; the latest from the Binkley Family Blog; what betting on oil tax reforms and AKLNG brings us. Then in hour two I'll recap with some of my thoughts and then we'll finish up with Chris Story who'll bring us our weekly life coaching lesson.

A rally in downtown Ketchikan protests Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns around the country. Plus, the Alaska House of Representatives pass a bill that would tighten residency requirements for Alaskans buying hunting or fishing licenses, and new public art is coming to downtown Juneau.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Leaders of the North Slope village of Nuiqsut sued the U.S. Department of Interior last week for canceling a key subsistence protection for the Willow project. The Alaska House of Representatives passed a bill that would tighten residency requirements for Alaskans buying hunting or fishing licenses. Some storefront owners in Juneau are speaking out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by participating in the nationwide general strike on Friday. Alaska Robotics Gallery closed Jan. 30, 2026 as part of the nationwide general strike. (Photo by Alix Soliman/KTOO)

There was a hung jury in Rapid City, S.D. Wednesday in a case against Nick Tilsen, the founder and CEO of the Native-led organization NDN Collective. After three days of hearings, a mistrial was declared. Tilsen is accused of assaulting a police officer in 2022. He is facing charges for aggravated and simple assault on a law enforcement officer and obstruction of a law enforcement officer – which could lead to a sentence of up to 26 years in prison. In a statement, Tilsen said he's grateful for everyone who stood with him, adding the fight’s not over. The state has 45 days to notify the judge of intentions to retry the case. Parts of an opioid overdose reversal kit including Naloxone. The state distributed 45,000 naloxone kits in 2024, with fentanyl test strips, in an effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths. (Photo: Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) The rate of Alaskans dying from drug overdoses declined by 5% in 2024 compared to the year before, including a decline for Indigenous Alaskans, according to a recent state report. That's a welcome reduction after the state saw its highest number of overdose deaths on record in 2023. Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra reports. The U.S. has seen significant declines in overdose death rates over the past two years – and now Alaska could be seeing the start of a similar reduction, according to experts. Theresa Welton is a manager for Alaska's Office of substance misuse and addiction prevention. She says the decline is good news for the state, even though the state's reduction is much smaller than the national one. “I think we’re on the right track.” And she says the decline is likely partly due to state efforts. The report notes the state distributed 45,000 naloxone kits in 2024, with fentanyl test strips. The state has mobile crisis teams in Anchorage, Mat-Su, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Juneau. And Alaska has expanded access to medication assisted treatment, recovery housing, and therapeutic courts. But Welton says there's more work to do and it will require a collaborative effort among the state, tribal organizations, and local communities. “Even nationally, everybody is trying to look for that magic fix to start decreasing these deaths, and I think it’s just a combination of supporting communities to address these issues at a community level and emphasizing prevention.” She says it is expensive to build treatment facilities, so increasing access to buprenorphine and other medications for substance use disorders could help prevent overdose deaths. She says Alaska struggles with having enough resources to provide treatment for substance use disorders, partly because of geography which means rural residents must travel for treatment. According to the report, fentanyl is Alaska's deadliest drug. It contributed to more than 70% of overdose deaths in 2024. But Welton says it's crucial to note that many of the overdoses with fentanyl also included one or more other substances. The U.S. Mint released its 2026 Native American $1 Coin featuring Polly Cooper. The Oneida Indian Nation says she is an Oneida heroine, recognized for bringing food and supplies to her homelands in Upstate New York to Army troops at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78. The tribe says recognizing Cooper and the tribe as allies is timely as the U.S. prepares to observe the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The coin depicts Polly Copper with General George Washington as she holds a basket of corn. Cooper stayed at the camp through the winter, and taught soldiers how to prepare corn, and cooked for them in harsh conditions to help ensure their survival. Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter says the Oneida people became “America's First Allies” on some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Revolutionary War. According to the tribe, Nation Members continue the legacy of military service, serving in every major American conflict since then. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Thursday, January 29, 2026 — The Menu: Federal food guidelines, seals and treaty rights, and buffalo for city dwellers

A third defendant in a Klawock murder case is sentenced. Plus, Juneau residents call on the Alaska Legislature and the governor to suspend the state's push for a natural gas pipeline, and the rate of Alaskans dying from drug overdoses declined by 5%, compared to the year before.

Improving health outcomes for Alaskans is at the heart of a multi-billion dollar federal plan aimed at improving rural healthcare systems. Alaska is in line to receive as much as 1.3 billion dollars over 5 years. What will the funding support-- and what do state health officials think Alaska's healthcare system needs to help all Alaskans have healthier lives? We'll learn about the Rural Health Transformation program on this Talk of Alaska.

Today we're gonna jump into the Weekly Top 3 with Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This weeks topics include: Dunleavy's Fiscal Plan; how far along is the AKLNG project...really?; The PFC board pats itself hard on the back. Then in hour two I'll recap with some of my thoughts and then we'll finish up with a dose of positivity with our friend Chris Story.

The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is pulling out all the stops to block a Safari Club International proposal to reform the federal subsistence board. As KNBA's Rhonda McBride reports, AFN says it is a direct threat to the Alaska Native subsistence way of life. Last year, Safari Club International, a sport hunting and fishing group, petitioned two Trump cabinet members for the review. It asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to address what it calls “federal overreach” in subsistence management. In mid-December, the Interior Department granted the request and announced a 60-day review, called a “scoping process”. During this period, it will consider the Safari Club's recommendations, which includes a proposal to limit the size of the federal subsistence board to only the heads of five federal agencies. AFN President Ben Mallott says this would eliminate public seats, including three held by tribal representatives. “We've been working for that for a very long time, so we are concerned that any rollback in public member seats would just weaken our voices. And so for us, that is a major threat.” The petition also seeks to change the make-up of Regional Advisory Councils, the volunteers who recommend policies to the Federal Subsistence Board. The Safari Club says sport and commercial hunters and fishers are not adequately represented on these councils. But beyond changing the leadership structure of subsistence management, the Safari Club calls on federal agency heads, when setting regulations, to defer to state managers – a move that opponents say would undermine the Alaskan National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), legislation Congress passed 45 years ago to protect Alaska's rural subsistence lifestyle. The Safari Club says it is stepping in to protect the state's rights, because federal managers have repeatedly overstepped the bounds of ANILCA. John Sturgeon, a leading advocate for the Alaska Safari Club says, says this is a fight about fish and game management, not about the rights of rural Alaskans to subsist. “We have no problem with subsistence. We support it, so it's kind of a perceived conflict. We just think the state of Alaska should be in charge of subsistence.” The problem is, the state's constitution does not allow for a rural subsistence priority, which federal law mandates. Public comment on the Safari Club proposals closes on February 13. The campus of Spokane Falls Community College. (Photo: T85cr1ft19m1n / Wikimedia) Indigenous-knowledge focused centers are on their way to Spokane Falls Community College and the Spokane Community College campus on the Spokane reservation in Washington. As Steve Jackson reports, a grant from Avista Utilities is providing the seed money. Indigenous Healing Environments Across Lifeways (I-HEAL) centers will hold workshops on skills and concepts related to sustainability of water, land, animals, and climate. They will also include studies related to using plants for food and medicine. Spokane Colleges Tribal Relations Director Naomi Bender says she will seek out Indigenous presenters from tribes in the region, but she says instructors will be careful in what they present. “Traditional knowledge of plants and medicines, for example, was illegal in the U.S. And to this day, we're very careful about what's shared and what's not because people want to monetize and they want to harm what knowledge they gain at times.” Bender says both Indigenous and non-Native students will be welcome at the I-HEAL centers. She anticipates they will begin holding workshops in about a year. (Courtesy IAIA) Congress recently approved more than $13 million in federal funding for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, N.M. for Fiscal Year 2026. This comes after the Trump administration's proposal to eliminate IAIA's federal appropriation. The funding maintains the institute's current funding level to support academic programs, student services, and general operations. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Thursday, January 22, 2026 – A tribal mining development agreement: a path forward or a one-time anomaly?

Tonight on the KRBD Evening Report….An interview with gubernatorial candidate Dave Bronson. Plus, how some southeast Alaskans are protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Cook Inlet offshore oil drilling is being pushed forward through new federal lease plans, but the people who live closest to these waters are asking a hard question: who really benefits, and who takes the risk. In this episode, we unpack why Cook Inlet matters so deeply for salmon, beluga whales, and coastal communities, and why offshore drilling decisions made far from Alaska can have permanent local consequences. Alaska offshore oil and gas leasing has shaped the state's economy, politics, and identity for decades, and that history still influences how people talk about jobs, revenue, and energy security today. Our guests from Cook Inletkeeper explain how past promises of prosperity created long-term dependence, and why many Alaskans are now questioning whether repeating that model makes sense in a changing climate and economy. Community opposition to offshore drilling emerges as one of the most emotional and surprising themes of this conversation. Despite assumptions that Alaskans broadly support expansion, many residents, including fishers and families tied to the water, are worried about spill risk, wildlife impacts, and being locked into fossil fuels just as the rest of the world starts to move on. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Help fund a new seagrass podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/seagrass Join the Undertow: https://www.speakupforblue.com/jointheundertow Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube    

Photo: Dr. Jennifer Pierce with an Anchorage Fire Department vehicle on January 9, 2026. Pierce and the vehicle are part of a new program that will offer addiction treatment to those who overdose. (Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) Alaska is launching pilot programs in Anchorage and Juneau to offer addiction treatment in mobile care units. Emergency responders will give people medication to help them survive after an overdose. Indigenous Alaskans die of overdose at about three times the rate of white Alaskans. Alaska Public Media's health reporter Rachel Cassandra has more. Dr. Jennifer Pierce shows off a new SUV for the Anchorage fire department's pilot program. “We want people to see us as a beacon of help.” Pierce has a simple mission: to treat Anchorage residents who overdose and connect them with care afterwards. For the first time in a mobile unit in Alaska, responders can give patients the medication buprenorphine, which reduces withdrawals and can get patients on the road to recovery. “We don’t want people to fall through the cracks.” Narcan, or naloxone, is used to reverse overdoses, but it puts people into withdrawal. And research shows that offering that second medication, buprenorphine, makes it more likely patients will enter long-term recovery. But Pierce says even if people don't continue treatment, the medication reduces the risk of a second overdose in the days immediately following – a dangerous window, according to research. She hopes the program saves lives. “Even if it’s just one life. Right? We’re saving lives out there and preventing individuals, maybe from overdosing the next day or overdosing again later and dying.” Pierce visited successful programs in Texas and Washington for ideas and best practices to replicate in Alaska. Dr. Quigley Peterson says he's also seen the healing benefits of buprenorphine. He's an emergency room physician heading Juneau's mobile pilot program. He says he's confident it will do well partly because he's seen how helpful the medication can be in the emergency room. “We have something that can help engage people, that’s super safe and it’s cheap, and that it works.” He says they'll collect data over the year to see what happens to patients after they're given buprenorphine for an overdose. His hope is that it reduces emergency room visits and calls for emergency medical care. If the pilots are successful, Peterson's goal is to inspire similar programs in more communities across Alaska. Three-year-old Karson Apodaca. (Courtesy Sayetsitty Family / GoFundMe) A Navajo man was facing the tribe's criminal justice system after allegedly driving drunk and killing a three-year-old boy at a Christmas parade on the reservation. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, U.S. authorities are now stepping in to prosecute him in federal court. 67-year-old Stanley Begay Jr. was charged with vehicular manslaughter and could have faced up to a year in prison and a $500,000 fine.  Now a grand jury in Arizona is handing him three counts, including second-degree murder, stemming from the death of three-year-old Karson Apodoca. Begay was taken into federal custody by FBI agents last week. The agency's Phoenix Field Office is seeking photos and videos from that incident that can be used in the case against Begay, who has been assigned a Flagstaff attorney. Dignity of Earth and Sky is a sculpture on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Chamberlain, S.D. (Courtesy SDPB) Following the 2026 State of the Tribes address in South Dakota, Gov. Larry Rhoden (R-SD) met with over 50 dignitaries from eight of the state’s nine tribes. SDPB’s C.J. Keene reports. Gov. Rhoden says he left the private meeting feeling optimistic about the future of state-tribal relations. “There were things that we were palms up with them as far as some of the concerns, some of the areas we disagreed on. We agreed to disagree, and we had more conversation. As we walked out of the room, we had built a relationship, and I think that we'll continue to build on that. It was a product of open, honest conversation.” State-tribal relations effectively collapsed during the administration of former Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD), who was at one point banned from every single reservation in the state. That came following tribal sovereignty disputes during the pandemic and Gov. Noem commenting that Native children “had no hope”. @nativevoiceoneRosebud Sioux Tribe President Kathleen Wooden Knife delivered South Dakota’s annual State of the Tribes address to lawmakers. The tribal leader discussed working with the state government on health care and law enforcement during her speech Wednesday, as South Dakota Searchlight's Meghan O'Brien reports in the latest edition of National Native News with Antonia Gonzales. https://www.nativenews.net/thursday-january-15-2026 Video courtesy SDPB Network♬ original sound – Native Voice One Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Monday, January 19, 2026 – Maintaining Martin Luther King, Jr's vision for civil rights

Send us a textBolts Magazine Journalist Alex Burness discusses his article from January 8, 2026, “Americans by Name, Punished for Believing it.” The story is an in-depth look at the case of Tupe Smith, an American Samoan woman living in Whittier who was persuaded to run for school board in 2023 and was elected only to learn afterwards that she was unqualified and had actually committed a crime. Then, ten other American Samoans in Whittier were charged with voter fraud. American Samoa is the only U.S. territory where residents are not automatically granted citizenship by being born on American soil and instead are considered U.S. nationals. Paths to citizenship exist, such as naturalization, though that process can be expensive and cumbersome.The American Samoans in this story are charged with felonies and face up to ten years in prison even though very few Alaskans understand American Samoans' status.Just a few days ago, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Alaska Court of Appeals heard arguments in the case against Tupe Smith. There's a chance that the court might dismiss the charges against Ms Smith; however, the state could then bring different charges or could appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court.  

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is in China for the first visit by a Canadian leader in almost a decade. Already, he's signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Beijing that could result in more Canadian oil, natural gas, and clear energy exported to China. But as Dan Karpenchuk reports, before he left, PM Carney made a stop over in British Columbia to talk with Coastal First Nations about his plans for energy exports. The meeting was held in Prince Rupert, and on the agenda – Ottawa's major projects. The Coastal First Nations, made up of nine First Nations, try to ensure that they have a say in how resources and waters are managed.  They also work to protect the Great Bear Rainforest and the British Columbia (BC) coastline. And they have strongly opposed the idea  of a new pipeline or the end of a ban on the moratorium on oil tankers. Both are major components of Ottawa's plans to diversity Canada's trade in energy, and move away from dependency on U.S. trade, especially now in the era of uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump. But Coastal First Nations remain opposed to any new pipeline to the BC coast. Carney played down expectations, saying that the meeting was more about dialogue to explore ways they could work together, but the coastal chiefs are not budging on their opposition, according to the group's president, Maily Slett. “We reiterated that there is no technology that can clean up an oil spill at sea. And that it would take just one spill to destroy our way of life. We shared our reliance on a healthy and intact ocean and our determination to protect the ocean and the ecosystem that we rely upon.” Without their support, Carney's government appears to be in a lose-lose situation. Coastal chiefs say they will use every tool available to stop construction if Ottawa pushes ahead with a North Coast pipeline. The St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral choir performs hymns during a Christmas celebration on January 7 at the Yagheli Shesh Qenq’a Anchorage Native Primary Care Center. (Photo: Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) The holidays may be over, but Alaskans across the state recently celebrated Russian Orthodox Christmas and New Year. Celebrations often include hymns, feasts, and a tradition called Starring, or Slaviq. One celebration in Anchorage brought together people who could not celebrate the holiday with their families or in church. The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA was there and has the story. Singers in kuspuks and head scarfs chant Christmas hymns in English, Yup’ik, Russian, and Church Slavonic. Next to them, three young men spin sparkling pinwheel-shaped stars on wooden poles, each with an Orthodox icon of a Nativity scene in the center. The group is gathered for a Russian Christmas celebration hosted by the Alaska Native Medical Center at their primary care clinic. The singers are from St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral choir in Anchorage, though most of them are originally from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Alaska Orthodox Archbishop Alexei was a part of the opening of Slaviq, a custom he says originated in the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. “This wonderful, beautiful tradition that has been in Alaska for over 100 years.” Okalena Patricia Lekanoff-Gregory is from Unalaska and grew up singing hymns in Aleut and Russian. Her family always gathered around Slaviq to decorate stars for the celebration. Now she makes them herself. Gregory says she wants to pass down the tradition to the next generation. “It’s our history. It’s been going, coming over from Ukraine, from Russia, and and still being sung today. To me, it’s powerful.” The best part of the night for Gregory is having a big feast, sometimes until two in the morning. And she loves it when the songs make people move. She remembers one song from her childhood, similar to @Joy to the World@, that shifted between fast and slow tempo. “You could see the people kind of dance or move to it. You're not supposed to dance in church, right? But this song, they always did. All the elders, you can see them tapping their feet, and their head bop. I miss that.” Gregory says she was happy to attend Slaviq at the primary care center, to bring comfort and healing to patients. After the performance, the group crossed the street from the primary care center and continued the procession at the patient housing. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling

The U.S. Supreme Court has once again declined to take up challenges to a federal law that protects subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska. The court rejected the state of Alaska's petition to review a federal lawsuit against the state over salmon management on the Kuskokwim River in Southwest Alaska. KNBA's Rhonda McBride has reaction from Native leaders. The state had argued the federal government was misinterpreting a law Congress passed to protect a rural priority for subsistence. Last year, after the 9th Circuit Court of appeals sided with federal fishery managers, the state asked the court to take up the case, but in a docket on Monday, the court denied the state's petition. The Alaska Federation of Natives hailed the decision. Its president, Ben Mallott, says decades of hard-won protections under the landmark Katie John lawsuits were also on the line. “I feel relieved that we don't have to spend our limited resources and efforts, fighting for what we know is right, hopefully our final time protecting what Katie John fought for.” John was an Ahtna Athabascan elder who fought for the right to fish on rivers that flow through federal lands. This is the third time the court has decided to let the Katie John litigation stand untouched. The federal government's Kuskokwim lawsuit, which the court has left intact, now affirms similar protections. Michelle Anderson knew the late Katie John when she was little girl. Today, she is president of the Ahtna Native Coporation. She says the Athabascan elder taught her people well to stand up for what's right. “During our history here is that you can’t sit back and rest on your laurels and you must always be vigilant and looking out for what’s coming next. No. I don’t think anyone is jubilant and celebrating and thinking this is it. We’re just waiting for the next time.” Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang said in a statement that the state will respect the decision of the court to not address the legal issues regarding fish and game management authorities over navigable waters belonging to the state of Alaska, but the commissioner also said the state will continue to work with the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to ensure state rights are safeguarded. Mary Peltola, left, applaudes during a speech by former First Lady Jill Biden in Bethel, Alaska. Democrat Mary Peltola (Yup’ik), the first Alaska Native person elected to Congress, announced Monday that she's running for U.S. Senate, taking on incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Alaska Public Media Washington correspondent Liz Ruskin reports interest in whether Peltola would run has been high for months. Her announcement Monday came with a video portraying her salmon-centered family life on the Kuskokwim River. She repeats her previous campaign slogan: “Fish, family, freedom.” She also hearkens back to Alaska senators who served in less partisan times. “(Former U.S. Sen.) Ted Stevens (R-AK) often said, ‘To hell with politics. Put Alaska first.’ It's about time Alaskans teach the rest of the country what Alaska first and, really, America first looks like.” Nationally, Democrats believe that with Peltola on the ballot, Alaska presents one of their best hopes of flipping a seat. Political analyst and statistician Nate Silver said in a social media post last week that Democrats still have an uphill battle to win back the Senate majority, but that Peltola's candidacy moves their chances in Alaska from a long-shot to plausible. Sen. Sullivan has already raised $6 million this election cycle. He has President Donald Trump's endorsement and maintains a strong alignment with Trump. But, in what Democrats took to be a sign that he's feeling the political heat, Sullivan last month unexpectedly voted to extend health insurance subsidies. He's also touting a new bill that targets one of Peltola's primary issues: Bycatch, or the accidental catch of salmon by the pollock fleet. Within minutes of Peltola’s announcement, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and other groups supporting Sullivan issued a string of press releases, previewing the campaign issues they plan to use against Peltola. They link her to President Joe Biden and national figures on the left, as well as transgender rights and policies that restrict drilling on federal land in Alaska. Some Republican messages jabbed at her effectiveness in Congress, and at her high rate of missed House votes. Peltola tried to head off that last point. “D.C. people were shocked that I prioritized going back to Alaska in July to help put up fish for our family, but Alaskans understand.” For U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Peltola's candidacy presents a dilemma. They're both moderates, and Murkowski endorsed Peltola in the past, despite their party differences. Sen. Murkowski declined to pick a side when a reporter asked before Christmas, but Thursday, she said she'd made a decision: she is endorsing her Republican colleague. “We’ve had a pretty solid team here in the Senate for the past 12 years, so we want to figure out how we’re going to keep in the majority. And Dan delivers that.” Both sides are expected to pour tens of millions of dollars into the race. Sullivan's last race in 2020 was one of the most expensive elections in state history, with spending by the campaigns and outside groups totaling more than $57 million. Sullivan was outspent, but beat independent candidate Al Gross by a substantial margin. Peltola lost her House seat to U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK). After ranked ballots were tallied in 2024, she had almost 49% of the vote to his 51%. The rankings had little impact on the final result in that race. Before voters' second- and third- choices were counted, Begich's lead was slightly smaller. Sullivan and Peltola will face off first in a nonpartisan primary in August. The top four candidates will advance to a ranked-choice ballot in November. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Tuesday, January 13, 2026 – String of new affordable housing options offer hope for struggling urban Native Americans

Today we'll dive into the Weekly Top 3 from Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This week we'll focus on the Brad's legislative priorities. What should our reps be focused on? Find out! Then I'll recap and we'll finish up with Chris Story who'll bring us our lifecoaching lesson.

A plan for a more affordable and efficient electric system is at the heart of an effort to build a grid that meets the future needs for Alaskans. Nearly 75% of Alaska's residents live along the 700 mile railbelt system from Homer to Fairbanks. The utilities, consumer groups and energy experts are all in the mix to solicit ideas to make the power grid more efficient and resilient. What do you need to know about how you can weigh in? We discuss it on this Talk of Alaska.

Today is the first Weekly Top 3 of the year from Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This weeks topics: the MOST important fiscal issue in front of the legislature; the potential impact of Venezuela on Alaska; the continued performance of the PFC board. Then we'll recap with some of my thoughts in hour two and then finish up with our first PMA uplift of the year with our positivity guru Chris Story from Homer.

In this newscast: It's a new year, but Juneau residents are still digging out from four feet of snow that fell earlier this week; Thane Road is now open after being closed for two days due to avalanche risk; Two Juneau artists spent this snowy Friday framing and mounting 18 block prints that correlate with myths — ones they wrote themselves; In 2025 Alaskans experienced record-breaking heat on the North Slope, over 7 inches of rain in a single day in Ketchikan, and other extreme weather in recent weeks; Pelican has been without seaplane and ferry access since November

Today we'll diving into the Weekly Top 3 with Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This weeks topics: what does the Constitution say about our share of resources; Persiley sees the effect but not the cause; there's no 'there' there. Then I'll recap with some of my thoughts and then we'll finish up in hour two with our weekly lifecoaching lesson from Chris Story out of Homer.

Today its the Weekly Top 3 from Brad Keithley from Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets. This weeks topics: The challenge facing the Fall Forecast; Is Lt Gov Dahlstrom duplicitous or just dumb; Ralph Samuels is a nice guy....but.... Then in hour two we'll recap with some of my thoughts and then we'll finish up with Christ Story from Homer who'll give us a self help moment.

In this chilling episode, Fred from Alaska—shares powerful firsthand accounts of the mysterious being known locally as the “Hairy Man.” Speaking with calm certainty and cultural grounding, Fred explains that these encounters aren't isolated legends or personal oddities; they're a long-standing reality for many First Nations families across the region, passed down through lived experience as much as oral tradition.Fred recounts his own unnerving experiences alongside stories from relatives who have faced the Hairy Man in remote stretches of Alaska. One standout moment takes place near a quiet pond, where what begins as an ordinary day turns deeply unsettling when the creature reveals itself—displaying awareness, strategy, and an intelligence that feels deliberate rather than animalistic.The episode then shifts to an even more harrowing hunting camp encounter: nighttime disturbances, unseen movement in the treeline, and a mounting sense of being watched culminate in a terrifying confrontation that leaves no doubt the group was being targeted and tested.Throughout the conversation, Fred emphasizes respect for the land, the people who live closest to it, and the beings that may share it. He calls on more Alaskans—especially Indigenous voices who have kept these stories quietly within families—to come forward. By gathering and comparing accounts, Fred believes we can better understand the patterns, behavior, and purpose of these encounters, and maybe finally bring clarity to one of Alaska's most enduring mysteries.Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

Host John Quick sits down with Governor Mike Dunleavy for a powerful and wide-ranging conversation on Stories Worth Hearing.In this episode, Governor Dunleavy opens up about his genuine friendship with President Donald Trump, why Trump has such a deep love for Alaska, and how their relationship continues to deliver meaningful benefits for Alaskans.John and the Governor also dig into the legacy of Charlie Kirk, the impact he has had on young people across the country, and why Governor Dunleavy issued an official proclamation declaring Charlie Kirk Day in Alaska.The conversation goes even deeper as they discuss what keeps the Governor grounded, a question he says no one has ever asked him before. His answer reveals a humble and thoughtful side of his leadership.They also cover the future of the Alaska LNG project, including how Governor Dunleavy's private-sector-driven approach differs from previous administrations that pushed for a state-led model. The Governor explains why he believes private leadership gives Alaska the best chance to finally bring this massive project to life.Governor Dunleavy is a humble and kind leader, and this episode highlights exactly why so many Alaskans respect him. You won't want to miss it.

President Trump's former National Security Adviser-turned-nemesis John Bolton is indicted by a federal grand jury. Pressure builds to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine. And hundreds of Alaskans are airlifted out of flood zones.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices