Podcasts about Southeast Alaska

Small Cap Breaking News You Can't Miss!Here's a quick rundown of the latest updates from standout small-cap companies making big moves today:Cassiar Gold Corporation (TSX Venture Exchange: GLDC, OTCQX: CGLCF) has launched its fully funded 2026 exploration season, commencing a 10,000-metre Phase 1 diamond drill program at the Taurus Deposit in northern British Columbia. The Taurus Deposit hosts an Indicated resource of 1.43 g/t gold for 410,000 ounces and an Inferred resource of 0.95 g/t gold for 1.93 million ounces, with 91% of ounces within 150 metres of surface. The company is also evaluating high-grade targets at Cassiar South, where historical mines produced over 315,000 ounces of gold at grades between 10 and 20 g/t.Amex Exploration Incorporated (TSX Venture Exchange: AMX, Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MX0, OTCQX: AMXEF) has completed the final tranche of its oversubscribed C$80 million private placement, raising aggregate gross proceeds of C$79.7 million. Strategic investor Eldorado Gold Corporation purchased the final tranche of 4.58 million shares at C$4.50, increasing its stake to approximately 26.9% of outstanding shares. Proceeds will fund the bulk sampling program and phase 1 development of the Perron Gold Project in Quebec.PJX Resources Incorporated (TSX Venture Exchange: PJX) announced a $6.3 million non-brokered private placement of up to 44 million units to fund exploration at its properties in the historic Sullivan Mining District near Cranbrook, British Columbia. The company is targeting a Sullivan Sedex-type deposit at Dewdney Trail, where 2025 drilling intersected a 30-metre anomalous zone rich in zinc, lead, silver, and copper, and a Reduced Intrusion Related Gold System at the Zinger Property, where grab samples returned gold values up to 28.84 g/t with visible gold.Q-Gold Resources Limited (TSX Venture Exchange: QGR) launched its summer 2026 exploration campaign at the Mine Centre project in Ontario, featuring detailed field mapping, systematic channel sampling, and targeted diamond drilling near the historic Foley Mine. The company plans to significantly expand its pipeline of drill-ready gold targets, having previously focused on only five veins with the majority remaining untested across the broader Mine Centre land package.Vizsla Copper Corporation (TSX Venture Exchange: VCU, OTCQB: VCUFF, Frankfurt Stock Exchange: 97E0) commenced its 2026 diamond drill program at the Palmer VMS Project in Southeast Alaska, with two rigs targeting approximately 10,000 metres. The Palmer Project hosts an Indicated resource of 4.77 million tonnes grading 1.69% copper and 5.17% zinc, containing 178 million pounds of copper and 543 million pounds of zinc, making it one of the premier critical minerals exploration opportunities in the region.Bottom Line: Canadian small-cap mining companies are ramping up exploration activity this summer, backed by strong gold prices and strategic institutional investments. From Cassiar Gold's multi-million-ounce gold target to Amex Exploration's C$80 million war chest backed by Eldorado Gold, and Vizsla Copper's critical minerals push in Alaska, these companies represent compelling opportunities for investors looking to get ahead of the next wave of resource discoveries.Stay ahead of the market -- follow AGORACOM for more breaking small-cap news and insights.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:State senators are closely examining a House-passed bill offering tax cuts for a North Slope natural gas pipeline as they near the end a special session on the issue. Lisa Murkowski is among members of Congress trying to prevent the dismantling of an instrument system that monitors the nation s oceans. And a brown bear attacked a man biking the Dome Trail in Anchorage Saturday afternoon.Photo: A brown bear walks through tidal grass at Pack Creek in Southeast Alaska on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. (Nat Herz/Alaska Public Media)

Photo: Pullers on Petersburg's killer whale canoe paddle in the water at Auke Recreation Area near Juneau on June 2, 2026. (Olivia Rose / KFSK) Petersburg (Séet Ká Kwáan), Alaska's first traditional canoe (kéet yaakw) in a century recently completed its maiden voyage. A small group of pullers paddled more than 100 miles through Southeast Alaska, following the tradition known as Journey before arriving in Juneau, Alaska for Celebration. KFSK's Olivia Rose spoke with some of Petersburg's pullers about the experience. Over 200 people, many wearing regalia, are gathered on a sunny afternoon at Auke Recreation Area, the former site of a Tlingit village. Ten canoes are floating near the shore, each taking turns for traditional protocols before landing on the beach. Among them is Petersburg's killer whale canoe. Brandon Ware is the skipper. He shouts an introduction from the water. “My name is Shashanee, my English name is Brandon Ware. I am Naanyaee with the mud shark house. Gulancheesh for having us. We are so grateful to be here. Forgive me if I miss protocol. This is our first Journey in over 100 years [rowdy applause]!” The 39-foot, fiberglass kéet yaakw is Petersburg's first in a century or so. This was its first multi-day Journey, and had its inaugural launch out of Petersburg – another big first – just ten days earlier. Soon, after introductions, permission is given and all the canoes land on the beach. Dozens of pullers from communities throughout and beyond the region are welcomed ashore. There is singing, dancing, and drumming. Friends, family and loved ones find each other in the crowd, hugging, taking pictures together, and congratulating the pullers on their arrival. Ten canoes take turns asking for permission to land at Auke Recreation Area near Juneau on June 2, 2026. (Photo: Yvonne Krumrey / KTOO) Ware says arriving feels … “…bittersweet, man. This is the most incredible feeling in the world, being able to pull up and see everyone here. I had tears in my eyes when we were coming ashore. This has been a dream of mine since I was since I was little, and to be able to see this and see it through, I can’t describe it, I can’t describe it.” Only about nine pullers signed up to paddle kéet yaakw through Alaska's Inside Passage — including his brothers. Sagooch Billy Ware describes the moment as powerful for keet yaakw and his community. And he says coming all this way feels surreal. “I’ve crabbed and I fished in these waters all the way from Petersburg to Juneau, but being able to take the time and camp on the beach, like in sum dum underneath the glaciers, it was breathtaking. It was amazing, and it really gave you a different perspective on just how tough and durable our people were, and just the life that they lived. This has been an amazing experience.” The group did a number of traditional landings, like today's, while making stops at villages along the way. He says the first time they did after departing from Petersburg was especially meaningful to him. “We got to do the first official landing for a canoe out of Séet Ká Kwáan in over 100 years, and I was privileged enough to do the landing introduction, and just ask for the permission to be on their land, and that was an incredibly important moment for me.” That first landing happened in Kake, a village on Kupreanof Island. The group ended up spending about three days there, waiting out some weather. For puller, Young Duane Gabe Dunham, it was the most memorable part of this Journey. “Kake was, they were wonderful hosts, and they fed us every night … and while we were there after dinner, we just, everybody got up and they shared songs, and we all danced … people from almost a half a dozen different communities just came together … and it was a really powerful thing to be able to share with my boys.” Dunham says he joined this historic paddle from Petersburg so he and his two young sons could learn more about Tlingit culture. Christian and Jacob, who tagged along on Journey, mostly aboard the safety boat. There are a couple other special moments on the 10-day Journey that stick out for Dunham, too, like when he earned a nickname from Billy and the group: “We got the Paddle Beaver over here. He chomped through two of them with the power strokes there.” “We were trying to break six knots speed in the canoe, and we nearly got there, but we were all paddling at about 110% and we’re working hard, and that’s when I broke my second paddle [light laughter].” Gooch tláa Victoria Moore paddled the canoe from Petersburg with her son, Đat xá a gutch Alex, who has autism. Like most of the pullers on keet yaakw, this was their first canoe Journey to Celebration. “He did great, I just so appreciate everybody helping me bring him to his culture and to Celebration, to my homeland here in Juneau, and, man, what an incredible to be a part of the canoe that it’s been over 100 years … that’s pretty special to me, and that my son got to join me on that Journey of, you know, making some new connections, so this is beautiful. Gualancheesh,” Over 100 years, ten days, and 100 miles later, Journey is complete for the first traditional canoe out of Petersburg. Kéet yaakw was shipped home to Petersburg after the ceremony – and the four-day Celebration wrapped up on June 6. Reporting help from Yvonne Krumrey 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 Friday, June 12, 2026 — Indigenous representation during the world's largest sporting event

Celebrate Great Outdoors Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio's Quiltripping Travel" Podcast. Travel expert, photographer and host Rose Palmer joins producer Lisa D. Smith from France — where she's in between trips — to share her unforgettable experience aboard Windstar's brand-new Star Seeker on its inaugural Alaska cruise.  Unlike the big-ship experience, the Star Seeker's small size unlocked a side of Southeast Alaska most travelers never see. Rose takes us deep into Misty Fjords National Monument by zodiac, up close to the Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm, and through the authentic streets of Wrangell — one of Alaska's last truly uncrowded towns. She shares wildlife encounters including humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and even a mother black bear and her cubs in Ketchikan. Along the way, Rose explores the Tongass National Forest — one of Earth's last great coastal temperate rainforests — and reflects on why slow travel is the only way to truly experience Alaska's wild, pristine beauty.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comment through June 22nd on a draft feasibility report for a Homer Harbor expansion; the minimum wage in Alaska will jump to $14 on July 1; and every two years, Indigenous people from across Southeast Alaska and around the world gather in Juneau for Celebration.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comment through June 22nd on a draft feasibility report for a Homer Harbor expansion; the minimum wage in Alaska will jump to $14 on July 1; and every two years, Indigenous people from across Southeast Alaska and around the world gather in Juneau for Celebration.

Photo courtesy Navajo Nation Council Over the last year, the Navajo Nation Council has been investigating what happened to the $24 million in COVID relief allocated for ZenniHome, a failed housing initiative. A week-long public hearing on the matter got off to a slow start Monday when subpoenaed witnesses failed to show up on the advice of the tribe's justice department. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports. Those witnesses included Navajo President Buu Nygren, but the tribe’s Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a same-day memo advising all government employees to not attend or testify. “The Department of Justice is not here to hinder the process and our main emphasis is that we protect the attorney-client relationship.” Acting Deputy Attorney General JoAnn Jayne says the best way to do so is in executive session. “We can advise you as to what can be disclosed and what cannot be disclosed, and so the sooner that we do that, you know, then the legislative branch can move on.” Budget and Finance Committee Vice Chair Carl Slater questions whether the DOJ is operating in good faith. “It's very difficult to ascertain – between the politically appointed leadership of the department and the rank and file employees – what the position of the department is with respect to trying to quash this whole endeavor.” Meanwhile, Nygren himself has filed several motions to stay the public proceedings. Tlingit Master Carver Israel Shotridge, left, was known to work with family members like nephew Robert Jackson. (Courtesy Sue Shotridge) If you have spent time in Ketchikan, Alaska, you have likely seen the work of Israel Shotridge. The Tlingit Master Carver passed away in Washington state in April at the age of 75. Shotridge is being remembered for his artistry, gentleness and love of family. KRBD's Hunter Morrison spoke with two of Shotridge's loved ones about his life and legacy, and has this story. Shotridge's Tlingit name Kinstaádaál (The Bear That is Standing up) is also the name of a song he wrote for and sang with his mother, Esther Shea. They were members of the Bear Clan of the Tongass Tribe. Born Howard Jackson in 1951, Shotridge was raised in Ketchikan and later changed his name. Growing up, he excelled in school and sports, but Shotridge's passion was for the arts. Willard Jackson, his older brother, says Shotridge liked to draw at a young age. “Creativity for him came easy, but he was good at it.” After going to college in Seattle, Wash., Shotridge returned to Ketchikan and eventually began carving. His first major project was to carve a replica of the 55-foot Chief Johnson totem pole. It was the first pole in over 50 years to be carved and raised in Ketchikan, and still stands downtown today. Shotridge also met his wife Sue around that time. “He was friendly to everybody, and I just fell in love with him. He was fun to be around. We laughed. We both had the same interest in the culture, it was a fun journey.” In addition to his totem work, Shotridge carved bentwood boxes, masks, and other ceremonial pieces. In the 1990s, Shotridge and his wife moved to Washington state, where they opened their shop The Shotridge Collection, but art was not Shotridge's only interest. He had a love for music and was also a family man who loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. His wife says this, his art, and cultural preservation, will be Shotridge's lasting legacy. “He was the humblest and most modest artist that I ever knew.” Willard says Shotridge's carvings, and legacy, can be found all around the globe. “You can’t go through town or anywhere else without seeing his artwork. It’s there. And every time I see it, I know it’s his.” His wife plans to return Shotridge's ashes to Southeast Alaska next year for a canoe journey from Wrangell to Ketchikan. She says Shotridge wanted to do that, but never had the chance when he was alive. 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, June 10, 2026 — Columbia River tribes weigh in on future dredging plans

Photo: Nahaaygm Łagyigyedm (Spirit of Our Ancestors) sits ashore One Tree Island outside of Metlakatla, Alaska. (Hunter Morrison / KRBD) Wildlife across southern Southeast Alaska is emerging from wintertime hibernation, but in Metlakatla on Annette Island, animals are not the only things waking up. Canoes are hitting the water again, marking this year's start of a Tsimshian tradition that is tied to the village's history. KRBD's Hunter Morrison tagged along for a recent canoe journey, and has this story. About a dozen people are holding cedar boughs in a driveway on the outskirts of town. Seated atop a nearby trailer is a long, white canoe. David Nelson grabs his drum and begins singing. As the drumbeats echo through the subdivision, the mixed-aged crowd cleanses and awakens the vessel by brushing the cedar along its sides. The song's lyrics honor the canoe and welcome its paddlers. It has not been performed in three years. “We believe they’re like a living, breathing thing, so we treat it as such. We say ‘hello' to it, and when we put it away, we tell you ‘it was good to be you,' and we thank it for doing everything.” The ceremony marks the start of the canoe's spring and summertime journey. The 40-foot long Nahaaygm Lagyigyedm (Spirit of Our Ancestors) has navigated Metlakatla's waters and traveled to neighboring islands since 2013. Johon Atkinson, president of the nonprofit Liwaayda, says the organization's goal is to share Tsimshian culture and bring Metlakatla back to its canoeing roots, which dates back over 130 years. “So the whole reason why we got this canoe was to get our people in Metlakatla out on water.” While today's canoes are often used to educate people about Tsimshian culture, Atkinson says they are still important to traditional practices. Later this month, the Spirit of Our Ancestors will be used in Metlakatla to harvest seaweed from neighboring islands. “It’s that feeling of we’re going to be on the ocean, on the highways of our ancestors. And just that feeling is so comforting. I feel complete when it is canoe season.” Minutes after its blessing, the canoe is towed to a boat launch, from which they will paddle to nearby One Tree Island. Johon Atkinson, right, and family members cleanse the Spirit of Our Ancestors with cedar boughs before the canoe's first journey of the season. (Photo: Hunter Morrison / KRBD) Atkinson, who is joined by his son, niece, and nephew, hopes fun opportunities like these can help keep Tsimshian traditions alive for the next generation. “Having them experience this now is something that many of us adults have not experienced at their age. So the fact that they are here, learning and leading – there’s just no words on how amazing that is.” Atkinson says folks from all over the country visit Metlakatla each summer to experience the village's canoe journeys firsthand. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) Robert Nick was a man of the Southwest Alaska tundra – and much more. He died last month at the age of 84. His memorial service was at St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Anchorage last week where, as Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA tells us, he was remembered for a lifetime of public service. Robert Nick's Russian Orthodox service was fitting for a man who loved the harmonies of the Slavonic choir. He was known to pass out recordings of his favorite hymns to friends and fellow singers. For Andrew Guy (Yup'ik), president of the Calista Native Corporation, Nick represents the end of an era. “He's part of that group that came from having no electricity, no outboard, to where we are today.” (Courtesy Robert Nick family) Nick helped bring electricity to villages throughout Southwest Alaska through his work with the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, an organization he helped found. He also ran a store in Nunapitchuk, a village near Bethel, Alaska where he grew up. Richard Jung (Yup'ik), who owned Jung's Trading Post, in the neighboring village of Napakiak, said Nick's leadership grew from the values he was raised in. “One of the things you're taught is to help people. You try to do what you can for your village and your region. And he was one of those guys that did that./ He knew that he could get things done and was one of the ones that knew he had to do it. He was just a fine person.” Robert Nick was very proud that he was the first in his family to receive a Western education and graduate from high school. That achievement became a foundation for decades of service on boards and commissions that focused on a wide range of causes: health, education, housing, economic development, job training, and protecting the Yup'ik subsistence way of life. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) His niece Karen Cooke Phillips (Yup'ik) says he was tireless. “Attending meetings, after meetings, for days and hours, and for continued years.” And yet, Phillips says, his home was filled with love, a reflection of his early life. Nick was the eldest of nine children. After his father died, he took over his father's store and helped to provide for his younger brothers and sisters – an experience Phillips says shaped his lifelong role as a father figure – not just within his family but across the region. “He has been in those arenas, leading in lots of different organizations and providing a voice for people from our region, or the lifestyle of the people of our region.” Nick had two twin passions, housing and education. He dedicated many years of his life to improving housing conditions in rural Alaska. Eventually, he became a national advocate for federal Indian housing programs and brought attention to the Third World conditions in Alaska villages. He also served on the Lower Kuskokwim School Board for two decades and became its longtime chairman. Steve O'Brien, a former school principal, remembers giving Nick a copy of Robert Rules of order to help him. “And he laughed, and he said, ‘Oh, I already have that book.' And he reached behind from the bookshelf, and he pulled down this very worn and earmarked copy of Robert's Rules with sticky pages and stuff. He was an expert about this stuff.” O'Brien says it is no surprise that Robert Nick was eventually asked to chair almost every board he served on. In 2014, Nick received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) 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, June 9, 2026 — Lawsuit threatens unique century-old Native Hawaiian land benefit

The University of Washington’s WWAMI medical school program just received a new $25 million endowment for scholarships and rural education support, as Alaska Public Media's Rachel Cassandra reports. The program gets its name from the five states it serves – Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho – and educates emerging physicians in those rural states. Dr. Nick Phelps, WWAMI's assistant dean at the University of Alaska Anchorage, says the gift will go to scholarships for 30 eligible students across the five-state class. “For the students who are accepted to receive this scholarship, it covers half of their tuition.” Phelps says those eligible to apply for the scholarships are students in two specific programs: one, a rural track, and the other, a tribal and traditional medicine track. Medical school tuition – and the debt students take on to pay it – can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Phelps says the scholarships change the financial equation. “Primary care practices and primary care physicians… are the bedrock of medicine, for lack of a better term. They’re also some of the lowest paid specialties for students to go into, so for somebody who really is strongly interested in family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, some of those other primary care specialties, they have to do a bit of an internal calculus.” Many medical students choose specialties that pay better, which has helped create a shortage of primary care practitioners, both in Alaska and across the U.S. Phelps notes that the U.S. Department of Education will soon start limiting student loan amounts that Americans can take out for higher education, including medical school. Philanthropists William and Carolyn Franke and their family gave the WWAMI program the $25 million endowment to create the Franke Medical Student Scholars Program. Phelps says he hopes that the resulting scholarships encourage more Alaska students to focus on medicine that serves rural, remote and Indigenous Alaskans. The cliffs of Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation on September 1, 2023. (Photo: Chris Clements / KNAU) An energy company is asking for preliminary approval from the feds to look into building a hydropower project on the Navajo Nation. KNAU's Chris Clements has more. The company Nature and People First is asking for a preliminary permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate building a pumped storage project near Chilchinbeto, Ariz. It would include two reservoirs holding a total of 20,000 acre-feet of water. Pumped storage projects generate energy by letting water flow downhill and then pumping it back up. Nature and People First tried to get federal approval for three pumped storage projects in 2021, but the Navajo Nation and the feds later said no. Critics cited concerns about overuse of aquifers and damage to the environment of nearby Black Mesa, which is considered sacred by the Navajo and Hopi tribes. If it is granted, the permit would not allow the company to disturb any land or give them permission to enter private property. Grand Exit at Celebration 2026. (Courtesy Sealaska Heritage Institute) Thousands of Alaska Natives and visitors gathered in Juneau, Alaska last week for Celebration 2026, one of the largest Indigenous cultural events in the state. The four-day gathering, organized by Sealaska Heritage Institute, brought together Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian dancers, artists, and culture bearers from across Southeast Alaska, Canada, and beyond. The event featured traditional song and dance performances, Native art, language activities, and cultural workshops. This year’s theme was “Enduring Strength”. Celebration began more than 40 years ago as a way to preserve Native cultures and pass traditional knowledge to younger generations. Organizers say the event continues to showcase the survival and persistence of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian traditions while strengthening connections among Indigenous communities throughout the region. 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, June 8, 2026 — Confronting division with Pride

Daniel Buitrago & Brandon Fifield are back in studio with return guests Josh Nix and his lovely bride Mrs. Nix to find out all about Crazy J's!   The AWP studio live edge table by Knik River Customs, episode #4 w/Josh Nix in March of 2021, spring moose attacks in Anchor Town, Hilleberg Tent event brought to you by Barney's Sport Chalet & Alaska Wild Project coming up on Monday June 22nd, “This Day in Alaska History” brought to you by “Northern Waste”, 1840: The British flag replaced the Russian flag over Fort Dionysius in Southeast Alaska. The Hudson's Bay Company subsequently renamed the outpost Fort Stikine, 1924: The U.S. Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act, granting American citizenship to all Native Americans born within the U.S. This had a profound impact on Alaska Native populations, extending their voting rights while recognizing their sovereign tribal affiliations, 1974: KISS performed at the Sundowner Drive-In Theater in Anchorage. Because of the Alaskan summer sun, the show started around 11:00 PM but still took place under a bright blue sky. The band built a stage directly in front of the drive-in's massive movie screen, digging the first guide boat out the trees, starting Crazy J's, vandalism at the boat launch, “PINKY” the bonker, 4AM starts to late night hook-ups, from the Knik to the Kenai, getting respect from your guide competition, separating from the pack through connections, full circle to the drift track in Montana, Kid friendly Northern Pike, Trivia Brought to our buy Connoisseur Crude          Visit our website - www.alaskawildproject.com Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/alaskawildproject Watch on YouTube - www.youtube.com/@alaskawildproject $upport on Patreon - www.patreon.com/alaskawildproject Visit Crazy J's Guiding - www.crazyjsguiding.com

Photo: Siletz tribal members Todd Logan, Joshua Rilatos, and Dylan Gorman work next to anatomic pathologist Kurt Williams of the Oregon State University necropsy team on November 18, 2025, The tribe removed the whale’s blubber, bones, and baleen for cultural use, while the OSU crew took away tissue samples for diagnostic testing. (Jens Odegaard / Oregon State University) A group of Siletz Indians in Oregon are holding a presentation this Saturday to honor a humpback whale that washed ashore in Lincoln County last fall and died. As KLCC's Brian Bull reports, it is to help non-Natives understand the historical and cultural significance of these mammals. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI) sent a team in mid-November to do a traditional salvage of the whale, a common practice for coastal Native people for centuries. Lisa Norton, CTSI's chief administrative officer, and several others will discuss whales through storytelling, in a welcoming and open space near the Amanda Trail in Yachats. Norton hopes the audience leaves with one main takeaway. “Gaining and understanding of what it meant to us as a people, as individuals. And for those who were already connected with the whale, to understand that connection a little bit deeper or maybe understand that that connection isn’t over. And that it will live on in the stories that we do tell.” Norton says CTSI's cultural and natural resources department will eventually decide what will be done with the whale's bones and other materials. Ḵaayák'w Brandon Gomez introduces the Wind Dancer yaakw and asks permission to come ashore at Auke Recreation Area on June 2, 2026. (Photo: Yvonne Krumrey / KTOO) Thirteen canoes bringing Alaska Native paddlers from across Southeast Alaska and Canada arrived in Juneau, Alaska Tuesday afternoon. The canoes landed in two separate groups — one in downtown Juneau and the other at a traditional Aak’w (AHK) village site, north of town, as KTOO's Yvonne Krumrey reports. Áak'w Kwáan Elder Seikoonie Fran Houston waits on the shore at Auke Recreation Area as yaakw (canoes) enter the bay. “It’s going to be good to see family and family and family and friends, and it’s a beautiful day, so the ancestors are happy also.” Every other June, more than 100 paddlers arrive in Juneau this way to kick off Celebration, a gathering of Alaska Native people celebrating cultural revitalization. Sealaska Heritage Institute started the event more than four decades ago. They come to Celebration the old-fashioned way — paddling yaakw that were carved for this occasion. Some travel from as far north as the Yukon. “My name is Ughąts'etsӓna Ma. I'm Crow Clan. We’re from Dakwäkäda, Haines Junction, Yukon… We’re looking to celebrate now.” Ughąts'etsӓna Ma Cheyenne Sparvier-Kinney introduces her boat to the shore. Later, she reflects on the multi-day journey down Lynn Canal. “The journey was great. It was really a healing journey for a lot of us, not just our boat, but from the experiences that we’ve shared together. Yeah, it’s a healing journey for all of us.” Others, like ShaaL'aanee Brandon Ware, are from as far south as Petersburg. This was the community's first time sending a canoe to Celebration. “Gunalcheesh for having us. We are so grateful to be here. Forgive me if I miss protocol, this is our first journey in over 100 years.” In downtown Juneau, three yaakw make their way to shore as hundreds stand watching. As the yaakw neared, Shangukeidí Casey Moats stands up to greet the crowd. “I had heard that I would never know my language, I’d never belong to a clan, I’d never have a name, I wouldn’t know my songs, and to do this means everything in the whole world.” X'ash Kugé ka Yaanasax Barbara Cadiente-Nelson is a council member and secretary at Douglas Indian Association. She was one of the original planners for the first-ever Celebration in 1982. As she watches the yaakw arrive downtown, she says that for Alaska Native culture to continue to flourish, the next generation has to be grounded in place. “When you take a look around and you see our people of all ages and our youth, we are, yeah, and the young people that are singing and dancing, that they’re connected to place, they’re understanding and growing in their responsibility as Lingít, Haida, Tsimshians.” Celebration officially starts Wednesday, with a Grand Entrance parade into Centennial Hall downtown. Over the coming days, there will be numerous events and ceremonies dedicated to honor and uplift Alaska Native culture. With reporting help from Clarise Larson 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 Thursday, June 4, 2026 — Telling the full story of Route 66

In this newscast: Celebration officially starts with a Grand Entrance tonight; Carvers have developed a new method to build traditional canoes without relying on old growth trees; Some cruise ship companies in Southeast Alaska say customers are concerned about Hantavirus, but state health officials are more worried about other diseases; Dozens and dozens of candidates officially kicked off their campaigns for governor, Congress and the state Legislature on Monday

In this newscast: Twelve people were infected by an outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness while aboard a cruise ship traveling through Southeast Alaska last week; A new public use cabin opened near Ward Lake this week; Thirteen canoes bringing Alaska Native paddlers from across Southeast Alaska and Canada arrived in Juneau Tuesday afternoon; A soon-to-be change in shipping services for Juneau's Costco is expected to make it more difficult for small businesses in outlying communities to get products to their towns; Petersburg residents give items at the dump a second life through the borough's salvaging program.

Photo: U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola addresses a crowd during a meet and greet in Petersburg on May 26, 2026. Peltola is running for U.S. Senate. (Taylor Heckart/KFSK) Former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) visited Petersburg, Alaska Tuesday in her campaign to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Peltola addressed a group of more than fifty people at Petersburg's Alaska Native Brotherhood John Hanson Sr. Hall as part of a one-hour meet and greet. She encouraged residents to get out and vote this year. “So many of the things that we are working on in Alaska just become political footballs for people in the lower 48 or some administration, and we’re better than that. We’re bigger than that. We are going to put our foot down and not be used as a political football.” During her speech, Peltola emphasized supporting elders, children, and addressing affordability. Peltola's campaign told KFSK she was not available for questions from local media during her visit. Local assembly member James Valentine says Peltola made time to talk to local leaders about a wide range of issues before the event. Valentine says he spoke with her about outmigration in the region. “Me, as a younger assembly member and a young, I guess, community leader, I asked her, and just more of stating, just my concerns about the younger generation retention in Southeast Alaska, and then she’s from Western Alaska, and I know she feels the same way.” That same day, Peltola also hosted a meet and greet in Wrangell, Alaska on a neighboring island. This week, she visited other Southeast Alaska communities including Ketchikan and Sitka – and she will be in Haines on Friday. The Senate primary takes place in August, and the general election is in November. This story was provided by KFSK's Taylor Heckart. An aerial view of the Yukon River as it breaks up downstream of Beaver, Alaska on May 10, 2026. (Courtesy U.S. National Weather Service Alaska) The thick winter ice of the Yukon River has washed out to the Bering Sea, signaling the end of breakup season on the Yukon Delta. Last week, communities along the Yukon River experienced ice jam related flooding. For some, it was among the most severe breakup impacts in recent memory. The communities of Holy Cross and Pilot Station saw water enter homes and in some cases, cover airport runways, but as of Tuesday evening, significant ice jams close to the mouth of the Yukon gave way and the water began to recede. Mike Ottenweller is a meteorologist with the Alaska Pacific River Forecast Center. He has been part of the River Watch team doing daily aerial surveys, tracking the Yukon River's breakup. “We watched the very last little bit of the ice run that was at one point 40 miles long, and maybe even if you go back a couple weeks, 90 miles long at some points, but we watched that clear out to the coastal areas and past those last villages and making its way out to the Bering Sea.” Overall, he says this year's Yukon River breakup trended toward dynamic and was about five days later than average, which was expected coming out of this year's frigid winter. Laura Havameister with the State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management says though the flooding is receding, the recovery process is still ongoing. She points to Alukanuk, which experienced flooding on some roadways. “We could not make it into town, unfortunately, just because of that flooding. So we’re working with the city manager and with the SAR team to really understand those, those inundation areas.” From shuttling the team from the airstrip to providing on-the-ground updates, Havameister with the state says the community aspect of the operation is a powerful one. The team concluded their aerial surveys for the 2026 Yukon River breakup on Tuesday. This story was provided by KYUK's Samantha Watson. 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 Friday, May 29, 2026 — The Menu: Dawn Butterfly Café, camas restoration, and the Indigenous food pyramid

In this episode, journalist and author Sara Kehaulani Goo discusses her book Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land and Legacy in Old Hawaii. She summarizes the story of how a shocking tax increase on land granted to her family 175 years ago nearly cost them the property. The story is highly relatable as wealthy non-locals gobble up land which prices out many locals in tourist destinations like Hawaii and Southeast Alaska. We also talk about her journalism career across major outlets, the rise of creator-driven media, potential uses and risks of AI for reporting, and practical advice for aspiring journalists. 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  

On this episode of The Social from Must Read Alaska, host Todd explores the powerful connection between food, health, and self-reliance with two expert guests: Kristen Rasmussen from the Culinary Institute of America and Brenda Josephson, Haines-based Culinary Institute of America-trained chef and author of MRAK's popular Foodies & Foragers column. In “Food, Health & the Future of What We Eat,” they discuss the groundbreaking Food is Life, Food is Health Summit held May 6–8, 2026, at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, California. Co-organized with Stanford Medicine, the summit brought together chefs, physicians, dietitians, and researchers to reimagine food as the foundation of personal and planetary health. Kristen shares insights from the national perspective — including cross-disciplinary kitchens where doctors and chefs trained side-by-side, the science validating traditional food wisdom, and practical strategies for culinary therapeutics. Brenda brings the authentic Alaska voice, connecting the summit's themes to real-life practices like foraging kelp, harvesting wild salmon, using devil's club, and embracing subsistence living in Southeast Alaska. This conversation celebrates food independence as a core Alaskan value. In a time of supply chain vulnerability and rising chronic disease, it affirms that hunting, fishing, gardening, and foraging aren't just traditions — they're powerful acts of health sovereignty and resilience. Listeners will gain validation for their lifestyle and fresh inspiration for making food truly medicine in their own homes. Whether you're deeply rooted in Alaska's wild food traditions or seeking practical ways to build greater self-sufficiency, this episode bridges national momentum with frontier wisdom. Tune in for thoughtful discussion on reclaiming control over what we eat — and why it matters now more than ever.   Food is Life, Food is Health Conference: https://www.foodislifefoodishealth.org/about Kristen Rasmussen Instagram: rootedfood   MRAK Foodies and Foragers with Brenda Josephson: https://mustreadalaska.com/foodies-and-foragers-food-is-life-food-is-health/   SPONSORS: Must Read Alaska: https://mustreadalaska.com/subscriptions/ Promo Code: thesocial10 for 10% off the 'All In' or 'In For News' prepaid annual plans The Wellness Company: https://www.twc.health/alaska Promo Code: ALASKA for 10% off + free shipping on every order

Kris Cantrell CantrellOutdoors.com and the Bear Country Podcast on his Southeast Alaska bear hunt! // Northwest Outdoor Report Brought to you by 3riversmarine.com! // Duckworth Wheelhouse Bob Buchannan’s Shrimping sunrise semester,,, Live and IN-Person! // FishQCL’s Really? Where? FishQCL.com listener trip May 29-June 1

On this episode of Garden Talk, host Bostin Christopher talks with Darren Snyder about soil preparation: fertilizing it, warming it, and the various soil types and how to manage them.

This week we had the exciting opportunity to travel to Anchorage, Alaska, to participate in the Fifth Annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. The conference convenes researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to discuss the future of energy development, infrastructure, technology, and resource leadership across Alaska and the broader global energy landscape. We had the honor of moderating a discussion featuring Governor Mike Dunleavy and Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Given Alaska's strategic importance across energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and geopolitics, it was a fascinating and timely discussion. In our conversation, Governor Dunleavy emphasizes the dramatically improved partnership between the federal government and the State of Alaska under the current Administration, contrasting it with prior years when Alaska faced significant federal restrictions on development. Drawing on their experiences leading major energy-producing states, Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum reflect on the operational, economic, and political realities of energy development and infrastructure investment. They walk us through renewed lease sale activity, rising investor interest in Alaska, and the broader role Alaska could play in supporting U.S. energy dominance and Western Hemisphere energy security. We explore the increasing importance of affordable, reliable, and secure energy in attracting manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and industrial investment, as well as the rapidly growing electricity demand tied to data centers and advanced technologies. Secretary Burgum provides an overview of the Administration's efforts to accelerate permitting reform and reduce regulatory bottlenecks, including examples of projects receiving approvals in weeks rather than years. We touch on domestic mining and critical mineral development, LNG exports, the role of nuclear, hydro, geothermal, and natural gas in future energy systems, and the Administration's broader push to accelerate infrastructure and resource development across the United States. We cover the transformational potential of the Alaska LNG project, the growing energy needs of U.S. allies across Asia, the importance of codifying regulatory and permitting reforms for long-term investment certainty, and why Governor Dunleavy and Secretary Burgum both believe Alaska is entering a new “golden age” of development and opportunity. Thank you to Governor Dunleavy for inviting us and to Secretary Burgum for joining us for a thoughtful discussion on the future of Alaska, energy, and American economic development and energy security. About Governor Mike DunleavyGovernor Mike Dunleavy arrived in Alaska in 1983 as a young man looking for opportunity, and he found it. His first job was working in a logging camp in Southeast Alaska. Later on, Governor Dunleavy earned his teacher's certificate, and then a Master of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Governor Dunleavy and his family moved to Wasilla in 2004, where he owned an educational consulting firm and worked on several statewide education projects. Dunleavy served on the Mat-Su Borough School Board, with two years as Board President, and then as a state senator for five years. Dunleavy was first elected Governor in 2018 and then again in 2022. Governor Dunleavy has kept the health of the economy and jobs at the forefront of his Administration's policy setting initiatives and has been a true champion for the Alaskan business community. Governor Dunleavy's wife Rose is from the Kobuk River Valley community of Noorvik. Together, they have three children who were raised in both rural and urban Alaska. Governor Dunleavy is focused on moving Alaska forward and believes that our greatest years are yet to come if we work together to maximize our potential. About Secretary Doug BurgumDoug Burgum is the 55th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Raised in Arthur, North Dakota, Burgum worked as a chimney sweep to help pay his way through North Dakota State University before earning an MBA from Stanford University. In 1983, Doug literally “bet the farm” to provide seed capital for a software startup called Great Plains. Doug led Great Plains through a successful IPO and grew the company to over 2,000 employees before its acquisition by Microsoft. Burgum remained with Microsoft for six years as the Senior Vice President of Business Solutions. Doug later co-founded Arthur Ventures and served as chairman for international software companies including Atlassian, SuccessFactors, and as a board member for Avalara. In 2016, Burgum was elected to serve as North Dakota's 33rd Governor. In 2020, he was re-elected in a landslide. Under his leadership, North Dakota passed the largest tax cut in state history and dramatically reduced red tape. As a testament to Burgum's leadership, Forbes named him “America's Best Entrepreneurial Governor.” During his tenure, North Dakota experienced the highest growth in real GDP and had the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Burgum has three adult children. He is married to Kathryn Burgum, a nationally recognized advocate for addiction recovery. We hope you enjoy today's discussion as much as we did. This certainly won't be our last trip to Alaska. Our best to you all!

Kayhi seniors talk about their post-graduate plans. Plus, a Canadian mining company wants to reopen a gold mine upstream from Southeast Alaska's most productive salmon stream, and marine heatwaves could make Alaska waters especially warm this summer.

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board is on a tight timeline to find new revenue streams because of a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. Plus, Tracy Day, a Tlingit woman who disappearing in Juneau in 2019, is remembered by her daughter, and high schoolers from across Southeast Alaska visit Ketchikan for a music festival.

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: A bill that seeks to make it easier for Alaskans to repair consumer electronics cleared the state Senate yesterday and is on its way to the House. The Unalaska City School District students and staff have launched a chess club. And hundreds of highschoolers from across Southeast Alaska flocked to Ketchikan last month for the annual Region Five Music Festival.Photo: The Haines High School Band catches the ferry for the Region Five Music Festival. (Photo by Matt Davis)

Actor Nathan Chasing Horse, known for his role in “Dances with Wolves”, has been sentenced in Nevada to 37 years to life in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls. A jury found him guilty on 13 charges, mostly involving sexual abuse. Prosecutors say he used his position as a Lakota spiritual leader to gain trust and manipulate victims over many years. One woman, who was 14 when the abuse began, told the court her childhood was taken from her. Chasing Horse was arrested in 2023 and has denied the charges. Tongass National Forest Deputy Supervisor Barb Miranda talks about the Tongass Forest Plan Revision agenda to Wrangell, Alaska residents at the Nolan Center on April 21, 2027. (Photo: Colette Czarnecki / KSTK) U.S. Forest Service (USFS) personnel have been visiting Southeast Alaska communities to understand how residents want the Tongass National Forest used. The federal agency is doing a comprehensive revision of the Tongass National Forest plan, which will guide long-term management. They are focusing on tribal, subsistence, recreation, tourism, and timber aspects. Tongass National Forest Deputy Supervisor Barb Miranda with USFS visited Wrangell last week and gave a brief presentation to community members. “Down in the lower 48, the towns and wild places are surrounded by civilization. Here it’s the opposite — we have our communities surrounded by this wild place that provides so much for our food, for our subsistence and for our economies.” Miranda says the plan aims to balance ecological preservation and community needs. Towards the back of the room were activities where people could write down their thoughts and take a survey. Community members highlighted the importance of balancing commercial activities like logging and recreation with subsistence needs. Albert Rinehart is the tribal administrator for the Wrangell Cooperative Association. He just finished an activity that had him identify the greatest subsistence harvest in a certain area of the Tongass. “Subsistence is important to a lot of our smaller communities, rural communities. If we’re gonna be doing any planning, it should be to help those habitats prosper and have our subsistence game be available.” The current comprehensive plan for the Tongass was revised in 1997 and was last amended in 2016. The deadline for Southeast communities to comment is May 6. USFS plans to release a draft of the environmental impact statement in November with a 90-day comment period following. Additionally, they plan to release the final draft of the statement in the summer of 2027, and the final plan in January of 2028. This story was provided by KSTK's Collete Czarnecki Perseverance Lake in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Photo: Leila Kheiry) The Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) voted last week to uphold Ketchikan's rural designation. That is after two tribal organizations on Prince of Wales (POW) Island submitted requests for reconsideration to the federal Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) last July. FSB voted in 2025 to reclassify Ketchikan from a non-rural status, allowing all residents to hunt and fish on federally managed lands and waters that were previously closed to them. That designation was challenged by Craig's tribe and Native corporation. They said the board failed to “fully consider the unintended consequences” of allowing new subsistence hunters from Ketchikan to access POW's deer population. The Ketchikan Indian Community was in favor of the rural designation, and worked for years to get rights to federally regulated subsistence activities. The tribe argued that the rural designation allows its tribal citizens to exercise traditional subsistence practices. The vote to sustain Ketchikan's rural designation came in the final hours of the board's four-day wildlife regulatory meeting in Anchorage. The vote also followed an executive session on April 23 to discuss the requests for reconsideration. This story was provided by KRBD's Hunter Morrison 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, April 29, 2026 — The Menu: Traditional diet success and the first Indigenous ‘Chopped' champion

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Civil rights advocates are suing over Alaska's decision last year to share confidential voter data. The state Senate Finance Committee released its first revision of the state's operating budget YESTERDAY, including a $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend and a $150 energy relief check. The Chilkat River, in Southeast Alaska on a list of ten most endangered waterways.Photo: The Chilkat river and broader watershed, pictured above in March 2026. (Avery Ellfeldt/ KHNS)

Most nonprofits rely heavily on donations to survive. The Boat Company took a different path.For more than 40 years, this Alaska-based organization has operated as the only nonprofit cruise line in the world, using earned revenue from mission-driven travel to fund conservation efforts across Southeast Alaska.In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, Executive Director Hunter McIntosh breaks down how the model works, what “mission-based travel” actually means, and the lessons learned from running a nonprofit for decades without relying on traditional fundraising.Show Notes The origin story behind the world's only nonprofit cruise line  How mission-based travel evolved from traditional ecotourism  The Boat Company's earned revenue model vs. donation reliance  Partnerships with environmental organizations and local nonprofits  What guests experience on small-ship conservation-focused trips  Real-world impact, including $30M+ reinvested into conservation  Leadership lessons from 30+ years in the nonprofit sector  Advice for new nonprofit founders on funding, operations, and growth 

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Alaska Seaplanes can use new, proprietary approaches and departures to improve flight safety and reliability in cloudy Southeast Alaska. Less than two dozen votes separate two candidates for an Anchorage Assembly seat. And a SWAT team converged on a middle school in Fairbanks for what turned out to be a false report of a shooter.Photo: An Anchorage voter looks over the city election ballot on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at the Loussac Library. (Mikayla Finnerty/ Alaska Public Media)

After much speculation, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced earlier this week that he will seek reelection later on this year. KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. President Nygren became the youngest president in Window Rock after defeating incumbent Jonathan Nez four years ago. Nygren won that race by just more than 3,500 votes. In a video message on social media, Nygren picked up his signature, black open crown hat. “And I will be tossing my hat into the race for Navajo Nation president. Let's keep building on the momentum that we've built so far.” Since his inauguration, the sitting president has faced considerable scrutiny. A special prosecutor has called for his immediate resignation over alleged ethics violations that included the misuse of public funds, while Navajo Nation Council delegates continue trying to oust him. (Courtesy Mircea Brown) The nonprofit tribal organization Sealaska Heritage Institute has published a new book that presents Tlingit Raven stories for the first time in the original language with English translations. The 860-page volume brings together 50 stories by seven Tlingit storytellers born in between 1870 and 1915 across Southeast Alaska. As KCAW's Hope McKenney reports, the stories were transcribed from recordings of oral performances and include some of the oldest known recordings of these stories told in Lingít. The book is currently available through Sealaska Heritage Institute's website. Geiger says they also hope to make the original audio recordings of these stories available in the near future. 75-year-old Ḵ'ashgé Daphne Wright grew up listening to her aunt Katherine Mills tell her stories of Raven, a cultural hero, world-maker, and trickster figure among the Tlingit of Southeast Alaska. “I can just remember we’d be sitting in the kitchen, around the kitchen table, and it was maybe in the evening, with everyone just kind of sitting around and just listening, and just kind of a warm feeling. And just listening to my aunt’s voice.” Wright says reading this book, which features stories from her aunt, is like hearing her aunt's voice again. “I miss her so much, you know. And I miss my mother … And so it just means so much that there’s something here and an actual physical book that has her stories in it.” This volume has been more than four decades in the making. It is the fifth in a series of books from Sealaska Heritage Institute called the “Classics of Tlingit Oral Literature,” and is the first in the series to be exclusively focused on Raven. Will Geiger is a research specialist with the Southeast nonprofit. “The intention of this series is to present standout examples of the Tlingit oral tradition in a written form, so that people who whether you do speak Lingít or not, you’re able to appreciate the depth and the artistry and the history.” This book features a transcribed version of the original recording on the left hand page and an English translation on the right. Geiger says Raven is one of the most developed characters in the Tlingit oral tradition, with stories ranging from sacred to humorous. “Mostly, he appears in the form of a person. And he can change forms … He turns into a woman, a little hemlock needle … and a raven.” For Lgeik'i Heather Powell Mills, a Lingít language teacher in Hoonah, hearing or reading these stories in the original language leads to deeper understanding. “Hearing our language is it’s like medicine to us… to have a strong connection to the land, to understand where you come from, in order to know where you’re going.” Mills says she's grateful these stories were recorded and preserved for future generations. “We don’t have the time we used to have. I think this is a great way for us to learn. It was their dream for us.” 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 Friday, April 10, 2026 – Money management during economic uncertainty and the rise of Buy Now Pay Later

"The more I learn, the less I know. Sometimes learning more means accepting that we don't really know." – Rachel MeadeIn the third episode of In The Company of Humpbacks, Rachel Meade joins Ayana to rethink what we mean by study, communication, and the goals of biology and conservation. What might change if we were more honest about our uncertainties and willing to admit what we don't know? Could that openness lead to stronger relationships and better science?Rachel guides us into the vast, largely unseen world of whale sound, beyond what we usually define as “song,” and into forms of communication that may lie outside human understanding. How do we show respect for something that resists being fully known?About this series: With delightful insight from Dr. Fred Sharpe, Rachel Meade, and Joseph Olson, In the Company of Humpbacks contains a wealth of knowledge and beauty. We're so excited to bring you along with us on this magical journey through the more than human world. Sounds and images collected under NOAA/NMFS Research Permit 26663.Learn more and support this work at thrums.org. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of our partners: Five Fingers Lighthouse, and the American Cetacean Society.Behind-the-Scenes ExtrasBy joining us on Patreon, you can get early access to episodes, reflection prompts, a bonus episode, and behind the scenes content. Patreon membership also gives you access to our zines, archives of extended episodes, and more. Join us at patreon.com/forthewild.BiographiesRachel Meade has long held a passion for marine mammal research. She has extensive hands-on experience in rehabilitation, response, and field-based research. She has worked across a range of species, including harbor and ice seals, sea otters, bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, and humpback whales. Since joining Dr. Fred Sharpe's research team in 2023, Rachel has developed a specific interest in cetacean bioacoustics, completing multiple remote field seasons in Southeast Alaska and presenting her work at the Society for Marine Mammalogy's 2024 conference in Perth, Australia. Her background includes marine vessel operations, scientific diving, veterinary assistance, and acoustic and data analysis using Python, R, and Raven Pro. Rachel holds a BS in Marine and Coastal Science from Western Washington University and is seeking opportunities to continue her research and academic studies through a master's program in marine mammal science.Support the show

Vizsla Copper announced a US$13.7 million for its Palmer project. Craig Parry, Executive Chairman and CEO, spoke to Mining Stock Daily to discuss the board-approved 2026 exploration and development budget for this VMS project in Southeast Alaska. Parry also talked about the company's Poplar project and recently announced drill holes. TH26-151 intersected the longest interval of continuous porphyry-related copper-molybdenum mineralization drilled to date at the Thira Discovery located at Poplar. 

Fishermen in Southeast Alaska will be able to harvest about 70,000 more king salmon this season than last year. Plus, Senator Lisa Murkowski pays a visit to Sitka, and three of Alaska's key shipping companies are set to hike rates amid fuel price increases.

In Haines, Alaska, the wilderness doesn't just surround you… it watches. In this episode of CruiseTipsTV Unplugged: Alaska Lore & Legends, we explore the story of the Kushtaka, a shape-shifting presence said to mimic human voices and lure people into the forest. When a routine walk along the Chilkat River takes an unexpected turn, the line between explanation and something more begins to blur. Because in Southeast Alaska… not every voice is meant to be followed. In this episode, we explore how those stories connect to a modern-day experience in Haines, where the environment, the legend, and one unsettling moment begin to overlap. This episode is a narrative exploration of Alaska's history, culture, and folklore, based on publicly available historical records, oral traditions, and multiple secondary sources. Details are presented for educational and storytelling purposes and may reflect differing historical interpretations. Legends and traditional stories are shared respectfully and in context. This podcast is independently produced and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any historical institution, cultural group, or cruise line. Follow and chat with us live on AmazonLive! at https://www.amazon.com/live/cruisetipstv

Towns across Southeast Alaska protest the Trump administration. The U.S. Interior Department extends the deadline for public comment on subsistence management.

In this newscast: Juneau broke its local record for snowiest March on Sunday with almost 64 inches, and now the capital city is just over an inch away from beating its winter snowfall record; The Juneau School District has reached a tentative agreement on a contract with its teachers union, after more than a year of negotiations that escalated to a successful vote authorizing the union to strike last week; The U.S. Forest Service is planning to hold a virtual meeting this week for residents across Southeast Alaska to share feedback on a revised Tongass National Forest management plan; Ten Juneau high school students gained real-world home-building experience earlier this month during a school district trip to Maui, Hawaii; Last month, Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs task force arrested a Juneau man and found about $160,000 worth of controlled substances at his residence, most of which was fentanyl; The U.S. Interior Department held its second round of tribal consultations on subsistence hunting and fishing on federal land this week

In this newscast: The Juneau Police Department is seeking assistance in locating a 17-year-old boy who has been reportedly missing for two days; Juneau's legendary Gold Medal Basketball Tournament kicks off this weekend for the 77th time; Juneau Police commander Matt DuBois speaks with KTOO's Mike Lane about a regional task force that investigates illegal drugs being distributed in Southeast Alaska; The Kodiak Island Borough School District is not recruiting international teachers for next fall due to an increase in the fee for H1-B visas. Nine seismic stations in Alaska are fully funded again after a new agreement with federal and state agencies.

The Ketchikan City Council approves an 8% utility rate increase for the city's electricity services. Plus, the numbers are in for Southeast Alaska's commercial Dungeness crab season, and Alaska youth and advocates are calling on lawmakers to create a statewide fund for suicide prevention.

Hey, friends. Ayana, here. We are so excited to announce our brand new audio documentary series in the company of humpbacks. Three episodes. One goal to take you into the quiet the thrums and the wild rhythms of Southeast Alaska. How it started. Fred Sharpe, old friend, longtime explorer of these waters, and we're always running into each other at his field station in Chichagof Island. Now, every time I see him, he brings a smile and usually a little giggle because of his very Dr Seuss like spirit, same place different years, and the conversations just keep getting longer. This summer, we ran into each other again, picking blueberries on a little boardwalk trail, and we just stayed there hours, talking about whales, politics, AI, the ocean, Alaska, life, everything just tangled together. A few months later, I'm at my neighbor's house picking cherries, hands full, not stopping very on brand for me. And Fred calls. He's got Joe Olson on speaker, and they say you've got to come to Five Fingers Lightbouse. Tiny island, remote cliff, storms, toddlers in tow, oldest lighthouse in Alaska, totally wild, and somehow I said yes.That yes turned into walks, recordings and hours of listening to whale thrums, wind and the subtle rhythms of life all around us along the way. Rachel Mead, Joe Olson, Fred and I shared stories that are funny, strange, challenging and often pretty magical. We couldn't have made the series without the generosity of the Alaska Whale Foundation, the American Cetacean Society, the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Five Fingers Lighthouse and Barnacle Foods. Thanks to these organizations, we are able to listen deeper, wander further and bring these stories to you. This series is also the first in the new chapter for for the wild. We're now a studio, and we are loving this new way of relational storytelling, collaborating with constellations of people who want their stories heard. If you've got a story, a campaign, or a place that feels like it needs to be shared. Connect with us at connect@forthewild.world now. In The Company of Humpbacks drop soon, so step into the quiet, tune your ears to the thrums and come along with us.Support the show

This episode features a panel of Southeast Alaska locals—guides, hunters, and conservationists—discussing the Tongass National Forest. We discuss past logging impacts, the Roadless Rule, and transitioning to young-growth management. We also share stories about effects on salmon, deer, and bear habitat, the growth of tourism and recreation, and how upcoming public comment periods regarding the next forest plan. Panel: Mary Glaves -Juneau Bjorn Dihle - Juneau Lucas Mullen - Petersburg 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.) Seawind Aviation (Ketchikan-based flightseeing and air charters) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

The state's transportation department and a Southeast Alaska nonprofit are partnering in a new way to help the region plan for its future.Plus, more than 100 people from around the world will arrive in Haines for a backcountry ski competition this week.

In this newscast: The U.S. Forest Service has announced its public meetings schedule for residents across Southeast to share feedback on a revised Tongass National Forest management plan. The plan will set the agency's priorities for the forest over the next decade or so; Community members had the opportunity to meet and ask questions to the three Juneau schools superintendent finalists during a forum Wednesday night; Researchers are documenting black seaweed across seven communities in Southeast Alaska. They are trying to get a baseline for the seaweed, and to look at whether the important cultural resource should be considered a keystone species; Three Southeast Alaska fishermen have been charged with intentionally sinking their fishing boats in waters near Sitka and Petersburg; The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday against a resolution that would have limited President Trump's power to continue the war on Iran. Nearly all Republicans voted against it , including Sen. Lisa Murkowski

In this newscast: The City and Borough of Juneau announced early facilities closures today, since a snowstorm has affected road conditions; The Arctic Winter Games begin Sunday in Whitehorse, and half of Alaska's snowshoe team has been practicing in Juneau; The state has expanded a fishing closure for shrimp in Southeast Alaska to protect the species. Shrimping in Southeast is now closed to all harvesters through the end of April; State lawmakers had some sharp question on Monday for Alaska's Division of Elections about its decision to share the state's full, unredacted voter list with the Department of Justice; The Alaska House unanimously passed a prohibition on AI-generated child sexual abuse material on Friday. But lawmakers vastly expanded the scope of the bill just before passing it, including provisions that would severely limit children's access to social media

The state expands a fishing closure for shrimp in Southeast Alaska. Plus, Wrangell could soon be home to Southeast's largest shipyard, and two popular Sitka restaurants are nominated to be within the top 10 in Alaska.

In this newscast: State transportation officials will hold a virtual public forum tomorrow evening on proposed safety improvements at one of Juneau's most dangerous intersections; For the first time, Juneau police confirm immigration enforcement activity in Alaska's capital during President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration push; A proposed mining road in Juneau is up for public comment; Mariculture experts and tribal members gathered in Juneau last week to talk about the pressing obstacles - and opportunities - shaping the mariculture industry in Southeast Alaska.

Dan Kirkwood works for SalmonState and in this episode we talk about forest management in Southeast Alaska, habitat for deer and salmon, the Tongass forest plan update, and the challenge of balancing logging, tourism, and local economies. 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  

In this one, I talk to journalist Paul Koberstein, whose recent book, “Canopy of Titans,” explores one of the most overlooked ecosystems on Earth: the Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest. Stretching roughly 2,500 miles from just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to the western Gulf of Alaska, it's the largest temperate rainforest on the planet. Fueled by Pacific storms and cool ocean currents, it supports towering redwoods, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and cedar — some of the largest and oldest trees in existence. Acre for acre, these forests store more carbon than tropical rainforests like the Amazon, with vast reserves locked in massive trunks, deep soils, roots, and centuries of accumulated woody debris. But even though it's one of the most carbon-dense ecosystems we have, and a critical buffer against climate change, it remains largely overlooked in global climate conversations. Paul pushes back on some of the most common narratives about forests and climate. He points to those industry ads that promise for every tree cut down, three more will be planted. It's an argument that sounds reassuring until you realize a young sapling can take a century to store the amount of carbon held in the massive tree that was felled. Trees are about 50 percent carbon. Through photosynthesis they pull carbon dioxide out of the air, lock that carbon into their trunks and roots, and release the oxygen we breathe. Southeast Alaska's Tongass National Forest alone holds more total carbon than any national forest in the country. That scale of storage is central to Paul's point: the science doesn't say we're powerless. It suggests that we can still influence the climate back toward something more stable. If fossil fuels loaded the atmosphere with excess carbon, then forests, if protected and restored, can help draw it back down. Forests have stabilized the climate for thousands and thousands of years. Whether they continue to do so depends largely on us letting them do their job.

Paul Koberstein is a journalist, whose recent book, “Canopy of Titans,” explores one of the most overlooked ecosystems on Earth: the Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest. Stretching roughly 2,500 miles from just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to the western Gulf of Alaska, it's the largest temperate rainforest on the planet. Fueled by Pacific storms and cool ocean currents, it supports towering redwoods, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and cedar — some of the largest and oldest trees in existence. Acre for acre, these forests store more carbon than tropical rainforests like the Amazon, with vast reserves locked in massive trunks, deep soils, roots, and centuries of accumulated woody debris. But even though it's one of the most carbon-dense ecosystems we have, and a critical buffer against climate change, it remains largely overlooked in global climate conversations. Paul pushes back on some of the most common narratives about forests and climate. He points to those industry ads that promise for every tree cut down, three more will be planted. It's an argument that sounds reassuring until you realize a young sapling can take a century to store the amount of carbon held in the massive tree that was felled. Trees are about 50 percent carbon. Through photosynthesis they pull carbon dioxide out of the air, lock that carbon into their trunks and roots, and release the oxygen we breathe. Southeast Alaska's Tongass National Forest alone holds more total carbon than any national forest in the country. That scale of storage is central to Paul's point: the science doesn't say we're powerless. It suggests that we can still influence the climate back toward something more stable. If fossil fuels loaded the atmosphere with excess carbon, then forests, if protected and restored, can help draw it back down. Forests have stabilized the climate for thousands and thousands of years. Whether they continue to do so depends largely on us letting them do their job.

The Ketchikan Wearable Arts show celebrates its 40th anniversary. Plus, a Southeast Alaska based cruise line is closing its doors.

Tribal leaders are among those raising concerns about the stability of local mental health and substance abuse services. That’s after a temporary major cut in federal funding last week, as Chuck Quirmbach reports. The White House announced roughly $2 billion in cuts to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The government said the money no longer aligned with President Donald Trump’s public health agenda. Then, about 24 hours later, and without explanation, the grants were restored. The HoChunk Nation is one of about 2,000 organizations that would have lost funding. HoChunk President Jon Greendeer says last week’s cuts, had they held, would have been on top of other reductions announced a year ago, that were only partly restored. “Those never came back on line completely. Especially those who work closely with the program.” Greendeer says the Indian Health Service has also lost staff nationwide. He says the uncertainty not only harms Indigenous communities, which he calls America’s most vulnerable populations. “It is dealing with the most vulnerable populations within a vulnerable population. We are working on mental health issues, we are working with addiction, domestic abuse and all the, you know, social determinants of health.” Greendeer says overall, the HoChunk Nation is providing a good level of services, but only after greater partnering with the state of Wisconsin and some nearby counties. The question for some organizations is whether the Trump administration will try again sometime to make major cuts in federal dollars. (Courtesy Sitting Bull College) Indigenous students and families are concerned about rising costs as the U.S. Department of Education resumes wage garnishment for federal student loans in default. The Mountain West News Bureau's Daniel Spaulding has more. The Department of Education started to send notices to borrowers whose loans have gone unpaid for more than nine months. Employers can withhold up to 15% of disposable income without a court order. This policy may hit Indigenous communities especially hard. Higher education analysts say that about 40% of Native borrowers default on their federal loans, and many carry balances longer after graduation than other groups. Nez Perce tribal member Sienna Reuben, who graduated from the University of Idaho in 2021, says wage garnishment adds another financial burden to Native families already stretched thin. “I feel like student loans obviously come last because are you eating them? Are they feeding you? Are they housing you? Are they doing any of this stuff?” Reuben also says that Indigenous alumni often have the additional responsibility of supporting family members. The Ketchikan Indian Community is one of over a dozen tribal governments that have signed onto the new alliance. (Photo: Michael Fanelli/KRBD) More than a dozen tribal governments have formed the Alliance of Sovereign Tribes of Southeast Alaska. KRBD’s Hunter Morrison reports. The new partnership promotes a unified approach to addressing regional tribal concerns while acknowledging each tribe's individual differences. Gloria Burns is the president of the Ketchikan Indian Community. She says the new partnership has already improved communication between the region's tribes. “And as we communicate, we're going to partner with each other, and when we partner with each other, then we're creating real movement and change with each other.” Albert Smith is the mayor of the Metlakatla Indian Community, the only reservation in Alaska. He says there has not been an established partnership of Southeast Alaska tribes in more than 20 years. “The importance is just tribes helping tribes, working together for a common goal of the betterment of our region, and Indigenous peoples of our region.” Other tribal governments in the alliance include the Craig Tribal Association, the Organized Village of Kake, and the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. 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 20, 2026 – Tribes see increasing urgency to confront flooding threat

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

What if hospital food could actually help you heal? In this episode of Proof, Reporter Otis Gray travels from the waters of Southeast Alaska to the Alaska Native Medical Center, the only hospital in the U.S. that serves wild game like moose, caribou, salmon, and seal to patients. We'll explore how traditional Indigenous foods can function as medicine, offering not just nutrition, but comfort, connection, and a sense of home. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rula.com/proof⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A review of Norwegian Jade on a repositioning cruise from Vancouver to San Diego, California, with stops in Southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Staff writer Richard Simms has this week's cruise news.