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Kevin Lane is the executive chef and co-owner of The Cookery and The Lone Chicharron Taqueria in Seward, and he was recently named as a James Beard Award semifinalist. Reflecting on that recognition, he says it wouldn't have been possible without his team at The Cookery, or the kitchens and crews from his past that shaped the way he cooks today. Those roots stretch back to California's Sacramento area, where he was raised on crockpot meals, black-eyed peas, and lentil stew, before he found his way into kitchens in San Diego. Around nineteen, he was eating street tacos, shucking oysters, and learning the pace of restaurant life — first on the cold oyster bar, then on the hotline, where teamwork and discipline took root. Those early experiences still show up in his food today — the steady presence of Mexican influence, the belief that cooking is ultimately about making people happy, and he's still shucking oysters. He was still early in his career when he moved to Juneau to work as a Sous Chef. There, and later in Sitka, he recognized the realities of Alaska's food system, how kitchens relied heavily on frozen and canned goods because they were dependable. Orders had to be placed seven to ten days out, and even then, fresh vegetables and herbs might arrive frozen and mushy. It was a lot different from working in California, where you could order produce in the morning and expect it that afternoon. The learning curve was steep, but learning to adapt is what good cooks do. So, given Alaska's abundance of fresh seafood, he adjusted his cooking and learned to let fish become the focus. And now that there's more access to farm-fresh produce than ever before, the constraints that once defined cooking in Alaska have eased, expanding what's possible on a menu.
Daniel Buitrago, Brandon Fifield, Jack Lau & Chad Aurentz are back in studio to kick off the new year, catch-up on current events and discuss what we have upcoming up in 2026! Betting etiquette, Vegas/Reno game favorites, art of craps, Brandon's back from the Philippines, got sick again, Philippines surf towns, point breaks, favorite movies, bringing some heat back to the frozen cold ass holiday break, The Lake Louise experience with Berg's Frontier Fishing Guides, Mayors Ice Face, call to Reed Carlson of AK Gun Company, a need for chasing the edge with cabin freezer, No Friends on Powder Days, the 8-inch Rule, Eagle Crest in Juneau, Lindsey Vonn one last time fir the 26 Winter Olympics, World Cup in the USA, Big Ray's 2025 Big Buck Contest winners, This Day in Alaska History (Presented by Northern Waste), Connoisseur Crude Trivia, Mature Blacktail Buck horn Size, World Record Sitka Blacktail Deer (Typical & non-Typical), history on the .300 Winchester Short Mag birth year, Chad & Jack's draw wishes, Upcoming events on 2026 (January - Sheep Show in Reno), (February AWP Draw Result Party @ Double Shovel), (March - SCI Alaska Annual Banquet w/Guest Speaker Jim Shockey), (April - AKWSF Annual Banquet), Daniels' on the bear league IR, New year Wishes Visit Our Website - www.alaskawildproject.com Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/alaskawildproject Watch On YouTube - www.youtube.com/@alaskawildproject $upport on Patreon - patreon.com/alaskawildproject
This week on The Bend Show from the “house burping” home trend to dumb outdoor criminal stories and how winter weather can trigger migraines. Join radio hosts Rebecca Wanner aka ‘BEC' and Jeff ‘Tigger' Erhardt (Tigger & BEC) with the latest in Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News! Home Trends, Outdoor Headlines & Health Impacts of Winter Weather House Burping: Why Some Homeowners Are Opening Windows in Winter Even as winter temperatures plunge, a growing number of homeowners are opening their windows on purpose — a trend known as “house burping.” The idea comes from a long-standing German practice called lüften, which simply means airing out your home to improve indoor air quality. Air quality experts say it can actually be healthy. Letting in fresh air helps reduce moisture, mold, carbon dioxide, and indoor pollutants — especially important since Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. In Germany, lüften is so common that some rental agreements even require tenants to open windows regularly. The practice has gone viral in the U.S., with social media users sharing routines like airing out the house first thing in the morning, after cooking or showering, or after guests leave. There are downsides, though. Critics say opening windows in winter can hurt energy efficiency and drive up heating costs. Experts recommend keeping it short — about ten minutes is all it takes. So while it may feel counterintuitive, a quick blast of cold air could help keep your home healthier — just don't leave those windows open too long. Reference: https://www.today.com/life/what-is-house-burping-benefits-rcna255170 Outdoors Hunting & Fishing Dumb Crimes According to Outdoor Life, A former Alaskan guide with a long history of wildlife violations has once again been found guilty—this time for crimes tied to his commercial fishing business. Fifty-one-year-old Michael Patrick Duby of Juneau was convicted by a jury on January 15 of multiple charges, including falsifying commercial fishing records, selling fish taken for personal use, fishing out of season, and harvesting clams without a permit. Duby's record of fish and game violations stretches back more than 20 years. In 2012, he received one of Alaska's harshest sentences for wildlife crimes after a federal investigation found he illegally killed and sold protected birds. That case, along with other state offenses, cost him his hunting and sport fishing privileges, landed him in prison, and resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in fines. After losing those privileges, Duby shifted into commercial fishing, saying it was still his passion. But prosecutors say the pattern continued. His most recent convictions stem from actions in 2019 and 2020 while operating Genesis Seafoods, including felony charges for falsifying harvest records and reckless endangerment for selling untested clams. State prosecutors have described Duby as someone unable to stop breaking fish and game laws. His wife, who was charged as an accomplice and is a state fish and game operations manager, was acquitted. Patrick Duby represented himself at trial and is scheduled to be sentenced in May. Reference: https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/alaska-poacher-turned-commercial-fisherman-convicted/ Bronze Bighorn Stolen from Kuiu HQ—And the Getaway Didn't Go as Planned Two masked thieves targeted the Kuiu headquarters in Dixon, California, but their bold plan hit a snag—they couldn't fit what they stole into their car. In the early morning hours of December 31, surveillance video shows the suspects sawing a life-sized bronze bighorn sheep statue off its concrete base using a battery-powered saw. After tipping the heavy statue over, the pair struggled to load it into the backseat of what appears to be a Chrysler 300. When that didn't work, they left the scene, returned about 15 minutes later with a luggage cart, and wheeled the statue away. Police believe the bronze ram was later cut into smaller pieces so it could be transported and likely sold for scrap. The statue, nicknamed “Rocky,” had been installed outside Kuiu's headquarters just months earlier, in June of 2024. Bronze scrap currently sells for only a few dollars per pound, but thefts of bronze artwork are reportedly on the rise. Kuiu has released the surveillance footage and is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The case is being handled by the Dixon Police Department, and the company says the response online has been immediate and overwhelming. Reference: https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/thieves-steal-kuiu-sheep-statute/ Missouri Offers $15,000 Reward in Bull Elk Poaching Case Missouri conservation officials are asking for the public's help after a bull elk was illegally shot and killed at Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southern Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation is offering a fifteen-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The adult bull elk was discovered the morning of November 26, 2025, lying dead in an open field with a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. Investigators say evidence at the scene shows the shooter drove a vehicle directly into the field toward the elk, then circled back onto a gravel trail and left the area at a high rate of speed. Tire tracks entering and exiting the field were clearly visible. Photos submitted by members of the public helped narrow down the timeline. One photo shows the elk alive and grazing around 5:15 the evening before. Another photo taken just after 8:00 the next morning shows the animal dead in the same field. The case is being handled through Missouri's Operation Game Thief program, which emphasizes that poaching hurts wildlife conservation efforts and the hunters who follow the law. Anyone with information is urged to call 800-392-1111. Tips can be made anonymously, and conservation officials say even small details could help bring the person responsible to justice. Reference: https://www.outdoornews.com/2026/01/20/missouri-offers-15k-reward-for-help-in-elk-poaching-case/ How Winter Weather Can Trigger Migraines — and What You Can Do As winter weather settles in, doctors say colder temperatures and changing weather patterns may be triggering more migraines. According to a Cleveland Clinic headache specialist, sudden shifts in barometric pressure can create pressure changes in the sinuses, which may set off migraines in people who are already prone to them. Extreme cold can also be a factor. For those sensitive to winter temperatures, simply being out in frigid air can increase the chances of a migraine starting. There are steps you can take to help prevent winter-related migraines. On very cold days, staying indoors when possible can help. If you do head outside, bundle up — especially covering your head and neck to limit cold exposure. Doctors also recommend keeping migraine medications with you, so you can treat symptoms early. Beyond the weather, lifestyle habits matter. Getting enough sleep, staying active, managing stress, and addressing anxiety or depression can all play a role in reducing migraine frequency. And if migraines start interfering with daily life, Cleveland Clinic experts say it's time to talk with your doctor, who can help find the right treatment plan to better manage symptoms through the winter months. Reference: https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2026/01/02/winter-weathers-impact-on-migraines OUTDOORS FIELD REPORTS & COMMENTS We want to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments, or stories to share about bighorn sheep, outdoor adventures, or wildlife conservation, don't hesitate to reach out. Call or text us at 305-900-BEND (305-900-2363), or send an email to BendRadioShow@gmail.com. Stay connected by following us on social media at Facebook/Instagram @thebendshow or by subscribing to The Bend Show on YouTube. Visit our website at TheBendShow.com for more exciting content and updates! https://thebendshow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thebendshow WESTERN LIFESTYLE & THE OUTDOORS Jeff ‘Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca ‘BEC' Wanner are passionate news broadcasters who represent the working ranch world, rodeo, and the Western way of life. They are also staunch advocates for the outdoors and wildlife conservation. As outdoorsmen themselves, Tigger and BEC provide valuable insight and education to hunters, adventurers, ranchers, and anyone interested in agriculture and conservation. With a shared love for the outdoors, Tigger & BEC are committed to bringing high-quality beef and wild game from the field to your table. They understand the importance of sharing meals with family, cooking the fruits of your labor, and making memories in the great outdoors. Through their work, they aim to educate and inspire those who appreciate God's Country and life on the land. United by a common mission, Tigger & BEC offer a glimpse into the life beyond the beaten path and down dirt roads. They're here to share knowledge, answer your questions, and join you in your own success story. Adventure awaits around the bend. With The Outdoors, the Western Heritage, Rural America, and Wildlife Conservation at the forefront, Tigger and BEC live this lifestyle every day. To learn more about Tigger & BEC's journey and their passion for the outdoors, visit TiggerandBEC.com. https://tiggerandbec.com/
In this newscast: Eaglecrest Ski Area's board of directors is pushing back against the mayor's proposal to remove most of the board's decision-making authority; Former Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola will be in Juneau today at the Crystal Saloon bar downtown to celebrate her campaign launch for U.S. Senate; A new bill aims to bring stability to Alaska school districts' budgeting process; Gov. Mike Dunleavy outlined his agenda for his final year in office in his annual State of the State address on Thursday; Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has a new challenger; Two Alaska School districts are suing the state over what they say is inadequate funding for public education
In this newscast: 19-year-old Kake resident Jade Williams was killed at a party in 2017. On Wednesday, more than eight years later, the main suspect in the case was sentenced for causing her death; The City and Borough of Juneau is seeking feedback about how the community wants the Assembly to prioritize city funds as it faces a recurring multi-million-dollar budget deficit beginning July 1st; Young commercial fishermen from all over the state gathered in Juneau this week to absorb industry knowledge of previous generations; The federal government is reviewing the business program that benefits Alaska Native corporations and tribes
In this newscast: An Alaska foster youth advocacy organization is suing the state Office of Children's Services for allegedly failing to provide food and necessities for older youth in their care; Governor Mike Dunleavy says he'll soon propose a statewide sales tax as part of his larger plan to stabilize the state's finances; KTOO's Alix Soliman speaks with Alaska's acting regional forester Jerry Ingersoll about changes the United States Forest Service staff in Alaska are going through; Alaska is launching pilot programs in Anchorage and Juneau to offer addiction treatment in mobile care units.
We welcome in the new year with a full house today, Slushies, as we discuss two poems from Cal Freeman. The first poem's title glacier reminds Kathy of this year's epic snowfall in Juneau, Alaska (though it's forty inches, not forty feet, of snow). All that snow reminds Lisa of Boston's Vile Pile of snow that would not melt until July. Kathy deftly segues that memory back to our own slush pile. We admire Freeman's use of sonics in “Glacial Erratics” and the poem's subtle gestures towards relationship strife. We all agree we're stealing the poet's apt description of “overwrought craft beer.” Since the second poem, “A White Bird,” is a classic Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, the discussion of iambic pentameter that ensues might be helpful to any teachers in the listening audience (as well as KVM's brother, Dave). Have a listen as we nerd out on meter. All the sonnet particulars lead Marion to admit what it is that gives her a secret intellectual boner. We end with lots of fodder for your TBR pile. Listen through the end of the episode for everyone's recommended reads, linked below. As always, thanks for listening! At the table: Dagne Forrest, Tobi Kassim, Samantha Neugebauer, Jason Schneiderman, Kathleen Volk Miller, Marion Wrenn, Lisa Zerkle, and Lillie Volpe (sound engineer) PBQ's Recommended Reads: From KVM: Lili is Crying by Hélène Bessette Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell From Jason: Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi From Sam: Flesh by David Szalay From Dagne: When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill From Tobi: Sally Rooney's novels Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space by Catherine Barnett Midwood by Jana Prikryl From Marion: Nothingism: Poetry at the End of Print Culture by Jason Schneiderman Teaching Writing Through Journaling by Kathleen Volk Miller To learn to describe the animal by Guillermo Rebollo Gil From Lisa: Modern Life by Matthea Harvey Author Bio: Cal Freeman (he/him) is the author of the books Fight Songs (Eyewear 2017), Poolside at the Dearborn Inn (R&R Press 2022), and The Weather of Our Names (Cornerstone Press 2025). His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals, including Atticus Review, Image, The Poetry Review, Verse Daily, Under a Warm Green Linden, North American Review, Willow Springs, Oxford American, Berkeley Poetry Review, and Advanced Leisure. He is a recipient of the Devine Poetry Fellowship (judged by Terrance Hayes), winner of Passages North's Neutrino Prize, and a finalist for the River Styx International Poetry Prize. He teaches at Oakland University and serves as Writer-In-Residence with InsideOut Literary Arts Detroit. Instagram @johnfreeman5984 Photo credit: Shdia Amen Glacial Erratics I'm walking the rocks of mid-coast Maine and thinking about leaving, haze rolling in off Penobscot Bay nearly enveloping, but I can see my hands, swollen, red, silver ring in folds of skin. It's been five days of lobster, haddock, and overwrought craft beer. Sarah's in a nimbus on a bluff. I can't see her. These tidal patterns strand sponges and shellac seaweed to the stones. The tide's waning now, an hour past its peak. We arrived five days ago in a Tecnam T2012, in a two-prop puddle hopper. You get in the way you get out. I'm scared Cape Air will strand us in this fog. I don't want another day. You get in the way you get out unless you don't. An alabaster boulder rests at the foot of the bluff, a glacial erratic only special because of its geographical and visual context. Glacial errata, I thought I heard our tourist captain say, though Sarah corrected me. A glacial erratic's when the ice deposits stone of another realm to punctuate a scene in a distant future epoch– Sarah perched on a gunwale with a lighthouse at her back, the centenarian Cape Cod schooner they call the Olad meandering Penobscot Bay on a quiet afternoon in summer, and how I loved the way those seals on the Nautilus Island rock appeared to sweat (she said the song for our third decade should be “Me and You on the Rock”), their bellies gold as riesling in the sun. Their kind of torpor rests on the precipice of bathos and delight, their porcine bodies commas, long pauses between dips. At intervals they swim like dogs, like dogs they also growl, yet they dive with a gymnast's grace into the depths. A White Bird A rustic cottage on a kettle lake, shells of zebra mussels on the boat lift, a couple loons, a lone white bird adrift on combers in a pontoon boat's slow wake. Their time is short, they get what they can take. He reads a short story she wrote to sift for common nouns and proper nouns to lift for a poem. He settles on the drake and hen that dove their lithe bodies below and resurfaced a hundred yards away. Such secret lives of love, such dull regret. In the story, she says he cannot know what kind of bird they saw floating that day, as he insists it was the rare egret.
In this newscast: After more than a year of negotiations, the Anchorage School District and the local teachers' union have come to a tentative contract agreement; The Alaska Legislature is back in session; With the second regular session of the 34th Alaska Legislature underway, KTOO is checking in with members of Juneau's delegation to talk priorities and plans for the session.
Text us your questions to answer on a future episode (if you want me to contact you, please include your email)Jennie sits down with Peter Nave, a born and raised Juneau resident and owner of Wild Coast Excursions in Juneau to talk about the brown bear viewing excursions. Wild Coast Excursions - bear viewing in JuneauCome to Alaska with Jennie and Jay in June (all the details here)Sign up for Jennie's free weekly email newsletter - Alaska InsiderJoin the Alaska Planning Club on Patreon and ask me anything!Book an Alaska planning session with JennieHave Jennie plan your trip for youJennie's digital workshops and planners (save 10% with code: podcast)Follow Jennie on InstagramSupport the show
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
In this newscast: The Juneau School Board held off returning about $1 million in funding earmarked for childcare to the City and Borough of Juneau amid questions about the current privately-run program; Alaska's capital city will soon have a new fire chief; A local master Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver has been awarded a national fellowship that bolsters culture and tradition across the United States; Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up on Monday, and there are two events honoring the day in Juneau; Hundreds of health care workers and government officials descended on Anchorage this week for the kickoff of a five-year, $1.3 billion program aimed at reimagining medical care across Alaska
In this newscast: The Juneau School District Board of Education agreed to approve the $180,000 in funding to help pay for a new playground at the Dzantik'i Heeni campus in Lemon Creek; Southeast Alaska's largest tribe has earned nearly $40 million from U.S. Navy contracts in Guantanamo Bay; KTOO is checking in with members of Juneau's legislative delegation to talk priorities, predictions, and plans for the session. Up first, Sen. Jesse Kiehl
A South Dakota tribal leader discussed working with the state government on health care and law enforcement during a speech Wednesday, as South Dakota Searchlight's Meghan O'Brien reports. Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Kathleen Wooden Knife delivered the annual State of the Tribes address to lawmakers. She backed two pieces of legislation that impact tribal nations. She wants support to move toward a tribal-managed care model. That would pool Medicaid funding and allow tribes to negotiate costs for off-reservation care. She says support for managed care is essential for tribal members. “Imagine that when a patient is looking for an appointment, the managed care call center helps find the best appointment, with the least waiting time.” State. Rep. Will Mortenson (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/R-SD) from Fort Pierre is sponsoring a bill to help with the effort. “I think this is among the most groundbreaking proposals that will come before the legislature this year.” President Wooden Knife also supports a bill that would add tribal police to the state's legal definition of a certified law enforcement officer. That would add protections, like making it easier to prosecute people who assault tribal officers on non-tribal land. State Rep. Peri Pourier (Oglala Sioux Tribe/R-SD) from Rapid City, who recently switched her party affiliation from Democratic, is on a state committee studying the overrepresentation of Native American children in foster care. There is no legislation on that this year, but she says committee members are making progress. “They're getting in the room, they're having the conversations they need to have, and they're coming up with mutually beneficial solutions.” There are nine tribal nations in South Dakota. Nearly 10% of people in the state identify as Native American. The Ketchikan Indian Community recently purchased and will convert the former Salmon Falls Resort into the state's first tribally led addiction healing center. (Photo: Hunter Morrison / KRBD) Alaska has one of the highest rates of fatal drug overdoses in the country, but addiction treatment services in Southeast Alaska are limited. As KRBD's Hunter Morrison reports, the Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) is looking to change that by opening the state's first tribally led addiction healing center. About 15 miles north of downtown Ketchikan, Second Waterfall gushes into a rocky shoreline. The natural wonder can be seen – and heard – from inside the clubhouse of the former Salmon Falls Resort, a longtime tourist destination for fishing, dining, and lodging. A long and blue staircase out the door leads directly to the large fall. The 11-acre facility has gone through many hands over the years and was foreclosed on in November. KIC purchased the property, in cash, two days after finding out it was up for grabs. KIC President Gloria Burns says the new facility will blend Western and traditional healing practices that will focus on an individual's needs. “It met all of the qualifications we needed to be able to really move forward on a wellness center. For some people, they're going to say that ‘my dissociation for not speaking my language is so profound that I can't get by, and that is my path to healing.' Some will say to us, ‘I dream of fish every day in the morning glory, I need to be on the water, I need to be providing for my family.'” A 2020 study from a Ketchikan nonprofit found that addiction treatment is one of the most pressing health needs in the area, but the island has just two addiction treatment facilities. Southeast Alaska's only detox center, in Juneau, closed about a year ago. Unlike some tribally run healing centers, which are only open to tribal members or Native people, KIC's new facility will be open to everyone. “We recognize that it takes the entire village to make somebody well. You can't make the body well by just making the hand, and the arm, and the foot well. You have to make everything well.” The tribe is still fleshing out a plan for what the healing center will look like and how it will operate, but Burns hopes it will be open next fall. 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 15, 2026 – What America's bold actions in Venezuela could mean for the country's Indigenous peoples
In this newscast: Residents living in avalanche-prone downtown neighborhoods got the all-clear to return home today after the city lifted its last remaining evacuation advisory this morning; Avalanche risk rose over the weekend, as more snow and then rain pounded Juneau. Meanwhile, staff at the city's emergency warming shelter for unhoused residents relocated operations three times in two days; A Juneau-born athlete is headed to Italy next month to represent Team USA's biathlon team in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games; A small population of grizzly bears makes its home above the Arctic Circle, but not much is known about them, or how they find enough food to survive the extreme winters
In this newscast: An evacuation advisory remains in effect for Juneau's Behrends avalanche path downtown for a fifth day, but now the City & Borough of Juneau's evacuation alert is using more urgent language; The cost to move Juneau's City Hall is coming in millions of dollars higher than expected; A 10-year-old Bethel cold case murder spotlights faults in Alaska justice system; The United States Supreme Court has once again declined to take up challenges to a federal law that protects subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska
Democrat Mary Peltola announces her run for U.S. Senate. Plus, a look at the first wave of new bills for the upcoming legislative session in Juneau, and researchers are strapping cameras to grizzly bears in the Arctic to better understand their lives.
In this newscast: An atmospheric river struck Juneau over the weekend, after previous back-to-back storms buried the city in several feet of snow; The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska recently launched a new foundation; For the first time, Juneau is using a radar detection system to track avalanches that rumble down the mountain, thanks to state money freed up by the city and tribe's disaster declaration last week; Democrat Mary Peltola announced this morning that she's running for U.S. Senate, taking on Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan; Alaska Public Media's Eric Stone takes a look at the first wave of new bills for the coming legislative session
Send us a textBill Hill is the former superintendent of the Bristol Bay Borough School District. Raised in Kokhanok, his family moved to Naknek when he was a sophomore in high school. After earning his teaching credential, Bill returned to Naknek before moving with his wife and 4 kids to Juneau where he taught middle school. After his oldest two kids graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School, the family returned to Naknek where Bill became an administrator in the Lake and Peninsula School District (which had been founded by his uncle Frank Hill). In 2013, Bill became the superintendent of the Bristol Bay Borough School district, a post he held until his retirement in 2023.
In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau issued an avalanche evacuation advisory for all residents in slide zones this morning. The advisory comes as an atmospheric river slams Juneau, after previous storms dumped several feet of snow; As snow turned to rain in Juneau today, the city is warning residents that roads are beginning to flood, and the snow on roofs is getting heavier; The City and Borough of Juneau has largely wrapped up shoveling on Sít' Eetí Shaanáx - Glacier Valley Elementary School and began work on Mendenhall River Community School today; The general manager of Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski Area has resigned and the chair of its board of directors has stepped down; Several caribou herds in Alaska's Arctic are on a decline, including now the Porcupine herd, which is currently the biggest
A Ketchikan resident is selected as this year's poster artist for the Alaska Folk Festival in Juneau. Plus, Alaska's draft summer ferry schedule is live and seeking public input, and a look at tips to help you spot the northern lights.
In this newscast: The City of Hoonah declared a local emergency earlier this week following heavy snowstorms in the region; As the state of Alaska responds to Juneau's disaster declaration, the capital city is bracing for heavy rain and potential flooding from an atmospheric river expected to hit Southeast late Thursday night; Students and staff at Mendenhall River Community School were evacuated from the elementary school Thursday morning due to growing concern about the snow load on the gym roof; The public comment period for the controversial Cascade Point Ferry Terminal in Juneau closes tomorrow; The City of Ketchikan is once again looking for its new manager. Keith Morey had been selected by the city for the job but withdrew his name from consideration yesterday afternoon, just hours before the city council planned to finalize his employment contract.
In this newscast: Schools in Juneau were closed again today (TUES) as the capital city continues to dig out from successive snowstorms; The roof of the Bill Ray Center, an empty building on F Street in downtown Juneau, collapsed today after back-to-back snowstorms; Boxes of food, mail and late Christmas presents arrived by plane to the small Southeast Alaska fishing town of Pelican on New Year's Day. The goods came after the isolated town went more than a month without access to outside services,; Haines and Skagway have suffered through weeks of bitterly cold temperatures and feet of snow. Snowfall in Haines has been so heavy that residents are worried about roof loads. Community members are caring for each other in these extreme conditions with shovels and the Internet; Some Alaska Airlines passengers were hit with surprising bills for checked baggage that used to fly for free within the state. The company says it is working quickly to reverse an issue with its Club 49 program that has affected a baggage benefit that is valuable for many rural residents; Ski patrollers at Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood rescued a dog from a deep ravine last week that had been missing for 13 days.
In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau issued an avalanche alert via text this afternoon, telling residents in the Mount Juneau slide path to be prepared; Residents of Juneau are living in a snow globe. Another winter storm began last night, dropping more snow on top of the four feet that fell just after Christmas; Amid record-breaking snowfalls and unusually low temperatures, some residents in a mobile home park in Juneau have been without enough water to take a shower for more than two weeks; Flu cases are spiking in Alaska. The state is also seeing a surge in hospitalizations related to the flu; The state ferry Lituya went aground Tuesday at about 3 p.m. near Annette Bay; U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski struck a note of skepticism in her reaction to Saturday's military operation ousting Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro
The state ferry Lituya briefly goes aground. Plus, some residents of a Juneau mobile home park have been without enough water to shower for more than two weeks, and a Sitka High School Spanish teacher who has led a language immersion program will soon hang up her hat.
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
The Alaskan city of Juneau has seen nearly a season's worth of snow this December, sinking boats in the harbor and threatening roof collapses and avalanches. Also, flu cases are climbing across the United States as the season reaches its peak, and millions of people may get sick in the weeks ahead. If you catch the flu early, antiviral medications can help shorten how long symptoms last and reduce the risk of serious complications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau is warning residents about urban avalanches a bit differently this year; After Juneau residents helped raise more than $1 million this fall, a local boy with a rare genetic disease will be able to receive a potentially life-changing gene therapy in the New Year; Alaska will get $272 million from the federal government next year to upgrade its rural health system; For Alaskans, the New Year means it's time to apply for the Permanent Fund dividend; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about the city's short term rental task force
There's a corner of America where people vanish at a startling rate, where massive searches can turn up nothing, no trail, no remains, no answers. That place is Alaska. In this episode of Backwoods Bigfoot Stories, we head into the shadowed heart of the Alaska Triangle, the vast wilderness between Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagvik, to explore why so many disappear and why indigenous stories have warned about forest-dwelling abductors for generations.In the summer of twenty twenty-two, sixty-nine-year-old Mary Dawn Wilson drove her Ford Focus nearly seven miles down the Stampede Trail near Healy, Alaska, a rugged route tied to the Into the Wild legend and notorious for swallowing travelers. With a two-year-old child in the back seat, Wilson pushed her vehicle far beyond where it reasonably could go.When the car became stuck in mud, she made a decision no one can explain. She locked the toddler inside the vehicle and walked deeper into the wilderness, away from the highway and toward the interior.Search teams deployed helicopters, thermal imaging, drones, ATVs, and trained dogs. They located Wilson's personal belongings about a mile beyond the stuck car, proof she kept going. After that, the trail went cold. No footprints. No sign. Nothing. After three days, the active search was suspended. Mary Dawn Wilson has never been found.We zoom out to examine the bigger pattern, thousands of disappearances across Alaska over the decades, many ending in complete erasure. We revisit chilling cases tied to the Alaska Triangle, including the nineteen seventy-two disappearance of House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Alaska Congressman Nick Begich, whose plane was never recovered despite one of the largest search operations in American history. We examine the case of Gary Frank Sotherden, whose skull was found years later with bear tooth marks but little else, no clothing, no gear, no explanation for how he ended up so far from where he was supposed to be.We consider Thomas Anthony Nuzzi, the traveling nurse last seen with an unidentified woman who has never been located, both of them vanishing into the Alaskan night without a trace. And we look at Michael LeMaitre, a marathon runner who vanished during a major, heavily monitored event on a mountainside crowded with other competitors and spectators, disappearing in broad daylight despite sophisticated search technology that should have been able to locate any warm body on that mountain. Alaska Native traditions carry their own explanations for these disappearances, stories of entities that mimic, lure, and take. The Tlingit speak of the Kushtaka, the land otter man, a shapeshifter said to imitate voices and faces to draw victims away from safety. The Yup'ik tell of the Hairy Man they call Miluquyuliq, a powerful forest presence that watches travelers from the treeline with an intensity that goes beyond mere animal curiosity. And the descendants of Portlock speak of the Nantinaq, a predatory figure so feared that locals ultimately abandoned their entire town rather than remain in its territory. By nineteen fifty, every resident had fled, leaving behind homes and livelihoods, choosing displacement over whatever stalked them from the surrounding forest. We also touch on modern reports, including sightings documented by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization across Alaska, encounters with massive bipedal creatures covered in dark fur that emit strange vocalizations and watch humans with unsettling intelligence. These accounts span decades and come from experienced outdoorsmen, truckers, hunters, and others who know the difference between known wildlife and something else entirely.At the center of this episode lies an unsettling question that may never be answered. What made Mary Dawn Wilson walk the wrong way, into the deep, after leaving a child behind? She was no naive tourist. She knew the Alaskan wilderness, had lived in remote areas, understood the dangers. Yet something compelled her to drive down that haunted trail, to keep going when any sensible person would turn back, and finally to walk away from her stuck vehicle in the opposite direction of safety. Did she experience a medical crisis that impaired her judgment? Did the wilderness itself disorient her?Or did she see something, hear something, follow something that called to her from the trees?The Tlingit have always warned their children about the Kushtaka's ability to mimic familiar voices, to appear as loved ones, to promise help while leading victims to their doom. The people of Portlock knew something was hunting them long before they abandoned their homes. And Mary Dawn Wilson, walking deeper into the Alaskan interior on that July afternoon, may have encountered whatever it is that has been taking people from this land for longer than anyone can remember.Mary Dawn Wilson was four feet ten inches tall, weighed one hundred sixty pounds, and had gray hair and blue eyes with a small scar on her left ear. She was wearing a floral dress and a cream-colored kuspuk with green flowers when she disappeared. Her case remains open. Tips can be submitted to the Alaska State Troopers at nine oh seven, four five one, five one oh oh, or anonymously through the AK Tips smartphone app. If you know anything about what happened on the Stampede Trail in July of twenty twenty-two, please reach out. Somewhere in that vast and silent wilderness, the answers are waiting to be found.Thank you for joining us on Backwoods Bigfoot Stories. The forest is always watching. And sometimes, it takes.
Why do we romanticize historical outlaws and con artists? It is difficult to write about Wild West outlaws because the myths surrounding them bear little resemblance to the truth. Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith was one of those characters. Smith often donated money to good causes, but he earned that money by cheating and robbing people. When he relocated his criminal enterprise to Skagway, Alaska, during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897, the citizens soon grew weary of his cons and threats. The animosity led to a confrontation and a shootout, and soon, Jefferson Smith's life ended, and the legend of Soapy Smith began. Sources Charles River Editors. Soapy Smith: The Life and Legacy of the Wild West's Most Infamous Con Artist. 2019. Independently Published. History.com Editors. “Conman ‘Soapy Smith' Killed in Alaska.” November 16, 2009. History. Sauerwein, Stan. Soapy Smith: Skagway's Scourge of the Klondike. 2005. Alberta, Canada. Altitude Publishing Canada, Ltd. Smith, Jeff, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, 2009, Juneau, Alaska. Klondike Research. Spude, Katherine Holder. “The Fiend in Hell.” Soapy Smith in Legend. 2024. Norman, Oklahoma. The University of Oklahoma Press. _______________ Wishing You a Healthy, Wealthy, Wonderful 2026! ___________ For More Stories of Murder and Mystery ___________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master's degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman's Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness. · Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Merchandise! Visit the Store
In this newscast: The city issued an alert this afternoon to residents living in downtown Juneau that avalanche conditions are elevated in the areas above Behrends Avenue and Thane Road; City and state facilities remain closed again today after record-breaking snowfall in Juneau; Chief Rich Etheridge is retiring from Capital City Fire/Rescue and his last day is tomorrow; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about a school field trip in Juneau
In this newscast: A winter storm dumped more than two feet of snow and freezing rain on the capital city this holiday weekend. As of Monday, residents were still trying to dig out as more snow fell; For decades, Alaska officials have dreamed of a pipeline that would ferry natural gas hundreds of miles from the North Slope to an export terminal in Cook Inlet. Over the years, the state has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into designing and permitting for the project, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars to construct. While President Trump has framed the pipeline as a centerpiece to his plans for unleashing the country's energy, there are many questions surrounding the mega project, including whether there's a large enough market for the gas it would carry and what kind of environmental impact it could have; The City of Bethel has agreed to pay a combined settlement of $10 million to two people accusing Bethel police officers of using excessive force.
On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Alaska scientists shared concerns about federal funding cuts hurting Arctic research at a major conference in New Orleans this month. A winter storm dumped more than two feet of snow and freezing rain on the capital city this holiday weekend. And Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents were blasted by hurricane-force winds over the weekend.Photo: Skiers head down a snowy Basin Road in downtown Juneau on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. Skiers head down a snowy Basin Road in downtown Juneau on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Photo by Clarise Larson/KTOO)
The Bluescast, also known as the 20th Century Bluescast, was Alaska's news comedy group for more than 30 years. The Juneau-based troupe began in 1979 as a radio program on public station KTOO. In the early 1980s, members brought its made-up news, dramatic skits and song parodies to the stage.
Homer and Anchorage Police are seeking information after a grand jury indicted a 72-year-old man for sexual abuse of a minor; the next legislative session is less than a month away, and lawmakers are preparing to return to Juneau; and the United States may soon have an Arctic ambassador again to represent the nation's interests in the far north.
In this newscast: Heavy snow is forecast to hit Juneau and other parts of Alaska's panhandle this weekend, following days of record-breaking frigid temperatures; When it snows, crews fan out with plows, graders, blowers and more to clear the streets in Juneau. Morning Edition host Mike Lane recently sat down with CBJ Streets & Fleet Superintendent Scott Gray to learn more about local snow removal operations; As 2025 comes to a close, the reporters at KTOO are taking a moment to reflect on the year in stories. In this special feature, we're highlighting some of our colleagues' favorite pieces throughout the year, and sharing what made these stories stand out.
In this newscast: This week marks six months since 42-year-old Juneau resident Benjamin Stepetin was last seen in downtown Juneau; The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development found that the Juneau School District did not provide occupational therapy services to some students that were supposed to receive them last school year; The next legislative session is less than a month away, and lawmakers are preparing to return to Juneau; In a special feature highlighting some of KTOO's favorite stories from this year, the KTOO newsroom revisits a story about a refugee family in Juneau split in half by an email from the Trump administration.
Tonight on the KRBD Evening Report….The superintendent of Sitka's state-run boarding school responds to some concerns about safety and student support, a musician who has been bringing organ music to Juneau's State Office Building plays his final concert, and Winter Solstice is celebrated by a group of Nordic skiers.Those stories coming up…
To close out the year I'm revisiting four critical habitat and conservation issues in Alaska. This episode dives into the debate over a proposed second crossing through the Mendenhall wetlands in Juneau, Alaska. Local conservationists, hunters and bird experts discuss the ecological importance of the wetlands — a globally important stopover used by hundreds of thousands of migratory birds and over 230 species — and how different bridge alternatives would affect habitat, fishing, hunting access and community recreation.
In this newscast: Juneau saw two destructive residential fires in a mobile home park in the course of just three days, and one fire resulted in a fatality; A federal grand jury has indicted two Alaska State Troopers shown on body-camera video beating, tasing and pepper-spraying a Kenai man in a case of mistaken identity; Juneau residents celebrated the winter solstice with a "light the night" Nordic ski club gathering at the Mendenhall Campground; After more than 16 years as a staple at Juneau's State Office Building, a local musical has played his last theater organ concert.
Alaska Public Media's warmest holiday tradition, Talk of Alaska: Holiday Greetings from Across the State, is back again this year with hosts Steve Heimel and Wesley Early. Connecting Alaskans, from Utqiaġvik to Juneau, hear festive greetings, well wishes and sentiments from those who call Alaska home. With listeners all over the state, and even in the Lower 48 and Hawaii, this show is the perfect opportunity to send love to friends and family, no matter where they may be.
Mike and John stop in to Perkins Restorations in Juneau, Wisconsin, where the longtime authority on Mustang authenticity, Bob Perkins, offers up real-world stories and close-up looks behind his incredible collection of miniscule-mile, first-generation Mustangs and memorabilia.
In this newscast: A civil lawsuit aimed at preserving a historic neighborhood in Juneau is set for trial next summer. Juneau's city government, meanwhile, plans to demolish the neighborhood before then; KTOO spoke with Juneau Fire Chief Rich Etheridge about a recent incident of someone falling through the ice, what to do if it happens, and other safety precautions when venturing out on frozen bodies of water; Over a dozen Southeast Alaska tribal governments have banded together to form a new partnership; Federal funding for libraries and museums has been reinstated nine months after the Trump administration sought to eliminate the agency that provides the money; A 37-year old Kodiak man, who has been held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Washington state for months, had a toe amputated after advocates say he was denied medical care while in ICE custody
In this newscast: Juneau's homeless shelter is once again offering daytime meals and other services after stopping them in August due to safety concerns; Officials say to be prepared as Juneau is expected to see frigid temperatures starting this weekend and stretching into the next couple of weeks; A U.S. Forest Service plan to revamp the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to accommodate more tourists could be upended by a lawsuit brought by a nearby homeowner; Two finalists in the running for fire chief at Capital City Fire/Rescue got a chance to share their vision for the department during public presentations earlier this week;A Juneau musician is giving his final organ performance in the State Office Building this Friday; A United States Coast Guard and Sitka Search and Rescue is searching for two overdue mariners near Sitka today
First named in 1972, the Alaska Triangle stretches from Anchorage in southcentral Alaska to Juneau in the southeast panhandle to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on Alaska’s northern coast. Since 1988, more than 16,000 people have vanished from this area, and every year, approximately four people go missing per every 1000 Alaska residents. This rate is twice the national average. I was surprised when I first learned how many people disappear in Alaska, but I don’t need an underground pyramid or mysterious magnetic vortices to explain the statistics. I also don’t understand the need for a triangle since people disappear throughout the state, not just in the area outlined by a geometric figure’s hypothetical lines. However, I guess a triangle conjures up the aura of the Bermuda Triangle and suggests the possibility of mysterious forces at play. Many disappearances and other mysteries in Alaska have never been solved. Planes vanish, boats disappear, UFO sightings baffle military officers, and in one instance, the population of an entire village fled their homes to escape a giant, hairy, manlike creature. Here are a few of the stories. Sources: Conger, Cristen. Why has part of the Alaska wilderness been called the Bermuda Triangle? How Stuff Works. Gough, Cody. 2019. Thousands of People Have Mysteriously Disappeared in Alaska’s Bermuda Triangle. Discovery.e LeBlanc, Jocelyne. 2018. 10 Facts About the Little-Known Alaska Triangle. Toptenz.net. Liefer, Gregory P. 2011. Chapter Eleven: Without a Trace. Aviation Mysteries of the North. Publication Consultants. Anchorage, AK. Japan Airlines Flight 1628 incident. Wikipedia. The Alaska Triangle – Disappearing Into Thin Air. Legends of America. The Alaska Triangle – courtesy of the Locations Unknown Podcast. 2019. Weiss, Lawrence D. 2019. Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628. Alaska’s best known UFO encounter. __________________ Treat the True Crime Lover on your Christmas List to Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. OR For Murder Mysteries Set in the Wilderness of Kodiak Island, Check Out These Novels. ___________________ Also, All Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier Merchandise in the Store is On Sale! https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master's degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman's Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com _______________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness. · Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska ________________________ Merchandise! Visit the Store All Merchandise On Sale!
In this newscast: Juneau Animal Rescue has finally secured a location for its proposed new animal shelter; The state of Alaska is considering opening up a new ferry terminal in Southeast Alaska that would connect Alaska's ferries to the Lower 48 road system without going through Canada; What could be Alaska's first official hybrid electric fishing boat is one step closer to hitting the water
A second defendant in a Klawock murder case is sentenced. Plus, over a dozen Southeast Alaska tribal governments band together to form an alliance, and an Alaska Airlines flight headed to Sitka from Juneau is struck by lightning.
This podcast episode provides a comprehensive overview of the significant weather events currently affecting various regions, with a particular emphasis on the hazardous conditions prevalent in the Pacific Northwest. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for the Washington Cascades, predicting an accumulation of snow ranging from 10 to 36 inches, accompanied by ridge gusts reaching up to 65 miles per hour. Furthermore, the episode highlights the ongoing flooding situation in the Skagit River area near Mount Vernon, where major flooding is anticipated, prompting an extension of the flood warning into Friday. In addition, we examine the winter storm warnings affecting Juneau in Alaska, as well as the persistent lake effect snow impacting parts of New York. The episode concludes with a reminder for listeners to remain vigilant and heed local advisories regarding these severe weather conditions.A comprehensive analysis of the current meteorological conditions reveals a significant winter storm warning in effect across the Pacific Northwest, particularly impacting the Washington Cascades. The National Weather Service has forecasted an alarming accumulation of snow ranging from ten to thirty-six inches, accompanied by ridge gusts reaching up to sixty-five miles per hour. This substantial snowfall is anticipated to commence in the late afternoon and persist through Wednesday night, thereby creating hazardous travel conditions and raising concerns for residents in the affected areas. Moreover, the Skagit River is experiencing notable flooding, with warnings extended until Friday, underscoring the urgency for vigilance and preparedness among local communities.In the broader context of weather phenomena, Alaska's Panhandle is similarly grappling with winter storm warnings, predicting an additional three to seven inches of snowfall, coupled with gusty winds of thirty-five to forty miles per hour. These conditions are expected to pose challenges for both residents and travelers alike. The Great Lakes region is not exempt from winter weather, as lake effect snow continues to affect parts of New York, particularly Jefferson and Lewis counties, where visibility may be severely compromised by intense snow bands producing rapid accumulations and slick road conditions. Such developments necessitate heightened awareness and adherence to safety protocols as the region navigates through these tumultuous winter conditions.Takeaways:* The Pacific Northwest is currently experiencing severe winter storm conditions and hazards. * The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for multiple regions until Wednesday night. * Significant flooding is forecasted near Mount Vernon, affecting low-lying areas and access. * Alaska's Panhandle continues to face winter storm warnings with additional snowfall expected today. * Cold temperatures persist in North Carolina, with wind chills posing risks to sensitive populations. * Lake effect snow continues to impact visibility and road conditions in parts of New York. Sources[NWS Juneau | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=all][NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=hnx&wwa=all][NWS Monterey Marine | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=hnx&wwa=all] [NWS Honolulu | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=high+surf+advisory][NWS Wilmington NC | https://www.weather.gov/ilm/aviation][NWS Buffalo | https://www.weather.gov/buf/BUFHWOBUF][NWS Seattle | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=SEW&wwa=flood+warning][NWS Seattle | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=winter+storm+warning] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe
In this newscast: The Juneau School Board took another step toward finding a new superintendent; Eaglecrest Ski Area's gondola cabins are headed to Colorado next month for repair and paint job; An Alaska Airlines flight headed from Juneau to Sika this morning was struck by lightning just before landing; Congress approved critical funding for rural schools last week with the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act; Gov. Mike Dunleavy is dropping a longtime priority ahead of next year's legislative session.
Photo: Josh Engle, manager and peer support specialist at True North Recovery in Wasilla, gives out cookies as part of homeless outreach efforts in Anchorage on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. (Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media) For people experiencing addition, it can help to talk to someone who has been through recovery themselves. Peer support specialists offer a different kind of support from therapists or psychiatrists. And in Alaska, there are state certifications for peer support roles, including a special track for Indigenous people with lived experience in recovery. Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra has more on peer-to-peer care in the state. Josh Engle is bundled up on one of the first really cold days in October. He walks along a forest path to do outreach in an encampment in Anchorage. He approaches a man in a weathered coat. “How long you been out here on the streets?” “Too long. Yeah. Yeah.” Several tents and makeshift structures lean together. “You connected with any resources?” Engle is a manager and peer support specialist at True North Recovery – and one of his aims today is to help guide people into recovery. It's a path Engle knows well because he's in long-term recovery himself. Now he supports people in ways that go well beyond what a more traditional therapist or psychiatrist can do. He may text with clients outside business hours, help them find work or get connected with benefits – anything that supports them in a way that might lead to recovery. “I personally, really enjoy being able to connect with them on a personal level of someone that has walked their path.” When patients interact with workers with lived experience, research shows it can aid recovery and can reduce healthcare costs. Aaron Surma is Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Juneau, which runs training for peer support. And Surma experiences mental illness himself. He says psychiatrists and mental health professionals play an important role in supporting recovery and treatment, but there is a strong power difference. “You’re in a small room, you’re making intense eye contact, and the dynamic is that you have the expert and the person who needs help.” Surma says he was arrested multiple times during high school and was court ordered to go to Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. He says hearing peers in those groups was awesome, but things felt different when talking with his formal providers. “When I was a teenager, I was lighting stuff on fire and buying garbage bags of weed. So then to go into a small room and talk to somebody who you know, like, imagine the counselor from “South Park” who’s saying ‘Drugs are bad, Mkay?’ And it’s a million miles from what you know.” He says it's easier for peers to bridge those gaps in early recovery. Peer support specialists speak the language of addiction and mental illness and also understand the more traditional language of behavioral health professionals. Seeds of Eden, which offers addiction recovery services and community-based behavioral health services, recently received a $30,000 grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation. The grant will help the organization’s work to provide sober living, peer support, care coordination, and case management, including a project to build a recovery housing facility on the Standing Rock Reservation on the South Dakota side. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe straddles the South Dakota and North Dakota border. Isaiah Keller is one of the co-founders of Seeds of Eden. He says they're already secured a home, which is being remodel to offer future services. “The house that we have been remodeling is about 90% complete. So, a small portion of the funds that were awarded will go to finish that project, that house and to make it livable and to make it functional.” Keller says Seeds of Eden was designed to help fill a gap when it comes to addiction recovery services, and he says the group realized there was a need for assistance within tribal communities. He says they've been working closely with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Native American board members, and Native advocates. “We’ve partnered with a really good ally and advocate. And her name is Bobbi Jamerson. She’s the chairwoman of the Bear Soldier District on the South Dakota side of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. And she has been advocating and promoting recovery and community involvement. We’re at a point right now where we feel like we have some great traction and some great movement.” Keller says they would like to expand services across South Dakota and beyond. 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 Wednesday, December 10, 2025 – Mental health experts point to personal connections to maintain winter mental health
Allen Marine was voted Ketchikan's 2025 Business of the Year. In this episode I talk to Matthew and Emma about the company's humble $82 first season fifty years ago to a fleet of custom vessels running tours out of Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau. The episode covers wildlife practices and Ketchikan-specific excursions, vessel lineup, and what makes the Misty Fjords a must-see. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers