Podcasts about western alaska

Meteorologist Bailey Braun details the winter storm our weather team has been tracking as it is finally making landfall in Western Alaska. And The Iron Dog finish line is lit up! We will get you up to date with the race.  

Photo: Crews install the final stages of a new fiber-optic internet network across four tribal nations in northern New Mexico. (Courtesy NMPBS) The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion has announced more than $900 million in investments towards broadband infrastructure, with the help of both federal and state support. Some of the funds will go to the Navajo Nation. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has more. Among the 17 projects announced, the Navajo Nation was awarded $111 million. That is the largest single supported project from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Sonia Nez manages the Navajo Nation Broadband Office. She says the project will affect 11,000 households across New Mexico's portion of the Navajo Nation. She also says an effort to bring broadband to the community like this has never been done before. “Telehealth, education across the whole spectrum, lifts the people up to a new level where there was no connectivity before, but now they will have connectivity at the home, and so just opens the whole door of opportunity for the people, businesses, entrepreneurship, education, across the whole spectrum.” Nez says tribal members continue to face challenges without broadband. “So without internet connection, for example, you have to go either to get college education, you have to go off the reservation, you have to go to the cities, you know. So this will give them opportunity to have school right there at home and not have to leave the Nation.” Nez says the BEAD program will help more homes have broadband service. She also says Navajo Nation is working to establish broadband in all chapter houses and install 5G towers for mobile internet. A few dozen people gathered in Anchorage on January 31, 2026, while several dozen more joined virtually, to discuss whether to rebuild or relocate Kipnuk. (Photo: James Oh / Alaska Public Media) Kipnuk was one of the Western Alaska villages hit hardest by the remnants of Typhoon Halong in October. Residents are starting to vote on whether they want to rebuild their community, or relocate to higher ground. The Alaska Desk's Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA reports. Rayna Paul sits in an Anchorage office, scrolling through a spreadsheet filled with hundreds of names of Kipnuk tribal members. “We are just on As…” (laughs) Paul is in charge of the village's voting process. Over the next several days, she and her team will call every single adult tribal member — that's about 900 people — and ask them: Do they want to rebuild the village in its current location or move to higher ground? “It’s very important for us to find out what the tribal members from Kipnuk want.” Last fall's disastrous winds and flooding destroyed homes and infrastructure and contaminated land and water. Most of Kipnuk's residents remain evacuated, including Paul. She says she wants the future Kipnuk to be safe. “We love our community. We miss our community. We’re doing it for our future generations to come, because they might not know what to do when this happens again. I think we’re just going to be hit with many, many storm events.” The first community meeting about whether to relocate happened about a week ago. The decision to start voting followed swiftly. Sheryl Musgrove directs the climate justice program under the Alaska Institute for Justice. She says the village needs to act fast to make the most of both the short construction season and the available funding for disaster recovery. “They don’t have decades. They need to do it immediately. … That’s my hope is they can show other communities that are going to be faced with this in the future, that you can rebuild someplace else– if that’s what they decide– on a short timeline as the disaster recovery process.” Right now, Kipnuk leadership is looking at two sites for relocation. Both spots are located on higher ground. During the voting process, Paul and her team of four are also asking residents if they want to suggest any other sites. 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, February 19, 2026 – The growing AI appropriation threat

Federal fisheries regulators approved some limits on Western Alaska chum bycatch in the Bering Sea last week. The highly debated – and long awaited – decision aims to protect declining salmon stocks, a crucial food resource for Alaska tribes. The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA has this story. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to set a Western Alaska chum bycatch limit in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The council said the move will balance protections for Western Alaska salmon returns, while also allowing pollock fisheries to continue their harvest. Council member Nicole Kimball voted for the motion. She says it addresses those needs and reflects best available Western and Indigenous science. “I think it’s going to change behavior. I think it’s going to reduce Western Alaska chum bycatch … I’m sure, as per usual, nobody is very happy, but all of the discussions have really helped … inform the outcome.” The trawl fishery in the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands is focused on pollock, but boats also scoop up other types of fish. That includes chum salmon, some of which migrates to Western and Interior Alaska rivers and is a crucial subsistence resource there. But chum runs have been declining, leading to repeated fishing closures in some communities. Alaska Native Council member John Moller, originally from Unalaska, is a commercial fisherman. He says he is fortunate to put fish up each year and feels for those who cannot. “I know how important that is to me, how important that is to my family, and passing that on to my children – I get that. And my heart is ripped out, speaking with all of you that are living on the rivers right now that don’t have that same ability that I have living in Southeast.” The council voted to support a motion that sets a limit to Western Alaska chum bycatch. Exceeding that limit would trigger a partial closure. Rachel Baker is the Deputy Commissioner at Alaska Department of Fish and Game. She presented the motion. Several members who voted against the motion said it is not likely to provide a meaningful improvement for salmon returns, but Baker argued. “We’re at this table used to thinking about large volumes of fish, in tons … we heard in testimony that four fish were able to provide the needs for a potlatch.” The plan goes to the National Marine Fisheries Service next before it can be implemented. (Courtesy AMC) This weekend saw the recent premiere of Season 4 of AMC's award-winning detective drama, “Dark Winds” which takes place in 1970s Navajo Country. As Brian Bull reports, tension and resentment threaten the romantic relationship between two main characters. After Bernadette Manuelito quits the U.S. Border Patrol and returns to the Navajo Tribal Police Department, it looks like a carefree and intimate rekindling of her romance with fellow officer, Jim Chee. But Lt. Joe Leaphorn shares a life decision with Manuelito that will shake up the force, a secret which Chee inevitably learns. Feeling affronted and mistrusted, a schism occurs between the couple. Actors Kiowa Gordon and Jessica Matten talk about bringing this conflict to their characters. “Leaphorn's coming from a place of understanding the matriarchy system, and in order to protect this relationship dynamic, she doesn't feel like she's lying to Chee, she feels like she's actually protecting him from what he doesn't need to know.  Y'know she's dealing with a lot of the PTSD of her just killing a man in season 3, and sometimes you just don't want to tell the truth right away because you might actually spiritually just drown, because it’s too much.” “And he is dealing with his own demons that he's been pushing away but now they've come to collect. And having to deal with that and trying to maintain your professionalism when you're working with the love of your life at the same time, and so there's a lot of dynamics being played out.” (Courtesy AMC) Meanwhile, an investigation takes the pair and Leaphorn to Los Angeles. Gordon and Matten say much of the filming still happened in New Mexico, parts of which resembled L.A. more than 50 years ago. New episodes of “Dark Winds” air Sunday nights on AMC and a fifth season has already been greenlit. The premiere episode of “Dark Winds” season 4 ended with a tribute to executive producer Robert Redford, who passed away last September. (Courtesy AMC) 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, February 18, 2026 – Native in the Spotlight: Keeya Wiki

The federal panel that oversees commercial and subsistence fishing in Alaska is putting a hard limit on the number of chum salmon that are caught — and wasted — by commercial pollack trawlers. It is a long awaited — and controversial — decision by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council after years of outcry by tribes to address the factors that go into the disappearing runs of salmon that Alaska Native people have always relied on for survival. Although presented as a compromise, the bycatch limit is seen as a severe blow by commercial fishers, who say such restrictions could be catastrophic to the industry. The decision comes as the state also instituted severe regional restrictions on king salmon fishing because of low numbers. They are among the latest measures to address the big and complex ecological threats to what is historically the most productive salmon fishery in the world. GUESTS Charles Wright (Athabascan), secretary/treasurer for Tanana Chiefs Conference Jonathan Samuelson (Yup’iaq and Dene), vice-chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Craig Chythlook (Yup’ik), executive director of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Terese Vicente, policy and programs director for the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Full statement from the Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance (APFA) mentioned in today’s show: “The Council's decision reflects the seriousness of the challenges facing Western Alaska chum salmon and the complexity of managing a dynamic fishery. The pollock industry respects the Council process and remains committed to working within this new framework while continuing to invest in science-based, real-time avoidance tools that have already delivered meaningful reductions in Western Alaska chum bycatch. We share the goal of protecting salmon and the communities that depend on them while also providing the flexibility to respond to real-time fishing conditions. This allows the fleet to harvest its pollock while providing important benefits to Alaskan coastal and fishery dependent communities. While the alternative chosen establishes a restrictive cap and includes elements of fixed closures that may inhibit responsiveness to changing conditions, we understand the Council's desire for strong incentives and clear parameters for management. We adhere to the principles of continuous improvement and will work with managers, scientists, and engaged partners to ensure the use of all available tools, including the use of real-time genetic analysis, to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes.” Break 1 Music:  Canoe Song (song) Chenoa (artist) Spirit of Salishan (album)

 Western Alaska man missing since Saturday has been rescued, according to state officials. We hear from his father. Plus, Alaska senators will vote this week on a bill to enable new funding streams for Mt. Edgecumbe High School, but it’s unclear if it can survive another veto from Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who rejected identical funding eight months ago — months before lawmakers toured the school and called conditions “deplorable.”

The federal panel that oversees commercial and subsistence fishing in Alaska is putting a hard limit on the number of chum salmon that are caught — and wasted — by commercial pollack trawlers. It is a long awaited — and controversial — decision by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council after years of outcry by tribes to address the factors that go into the disappearing runs of salmon that Alaska Native people have always relied on for survival. Although presented as a compromise, the bycatch limit is seen as a severe blow by commercial fishers, who say such restrictions could be catastrophic to the industry. The decision comes as the state also instituted severe regional restrictions on king salmon fishing because of low numbers. They are among the latest measures to address the big and complex ecological threats to what is historically the most productive salmon fishery in the world. GUESTS Charles Wright (Athabascan), secretary/treasurer for Tanana Chiefs Conference Jonathan Samuelson (Yup'iaq and Dene), vice-chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Craig Chythlook (Yup'ik), executive director of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Terese Vicente, policy and programs director for the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Full statement from the Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance (APFA) mentioned in today’s show: “The Council's decision reflects the seriousness of the challenges facing Western Alaska chum salmon and the complexity of managing a dynamic fishery. The pollock industry respects the Council process and remains committed to working within this new framework while continuing to invest in science-based, real-time avoidance tools that have already delivered meaningful reductions in Western Alaska chum bycatch. We share the goal of protecting salmon and the communities that depend on them while also providing the flexibility to respond to real-time fishing conditions. This allows the fleet to harvest its pollock while providing important benefits to Alaskan coastal and fishery dependent communities. While the alternative chosen establishes a restrictive cap and includes elements of fixed closures that may inhibit responsiveness to changing conditions, we understand the Council's desire for strong incentives and clear parameters for management. We adhere to the principles of continuous improvement and will work with managers, scientists, and engaged partners to ensure the use of all available tools, including the use of real-time genetic analysis, to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes.” Break 1 Music: Canoe Song (song) Chenoa (artist) Spirit of Salishan (album) Break 2 Music: Digital Winter (song) Ya Tseen (artist) Stand On My Shoulders (album)

A man is found dead in a Western Alaskan village. And the evidence is prompting investigators to look into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.  Plus, temperatures are on a cooling trend to start the week, with the next winter storm making landfall in Western Alaska by tomorrow.And Iron Dog racers make their way past the first major check point. We check in with them on the trail, including a title contending team that's now out of the race.

863 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/866 Presented by:   Togiak River Lodge Today's story bridges two very different worlds: the tight banks and icy tributaries of the Great Lakes, and the raw, tidal power of Western Alaska. Bailey Adamavich learned to fish where forty-foot casts matter and low water forces precision, then carried that foundation straight into blown-out rivers, chrome-bright kings, and some of the most intense Chinook grabs you can imagine. Bailey was our guide on the Togiak River, and we talked through one of my best days ever swinging for king salmon. We also dig into how Great Lakes tactics translate to Alaska, why simple flies still win, and what it really feels like to guide a full Alaskan season. If you're curious about Chinook on the swing, Midwest steelhead and browns, or the leap from small water to truly big rivers, this one's for you. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/866  

The Alaska chapter of Safari Club International took a group of men from Kipnuk deer hunting last month. The hunters were evacuees from a storm that ravaged the Western Alaska coast, unleashed by Typhoon Halong. After more than a month of staying in shelters and hotel rooms in Anchorage, they were quick to accept the invitation. As KNBA's Rhonda McBride tells us, what transpired turned out to be more than just a hunt. The Safari Club and Alaska Native subsistence hunters have often been on the opposite side in debates over fish and game management. And some who have followed the politics over the years find it puzzling that the Safari Club reached out to help Kipnuk hunters displaced by the storm. But John Sturgeon, a longtime Safari Club member, says it should not be a surprise. “The Safari Club and the subsistence people are much closer together than most folks would think. We're hunters. They're hunters.” Sturgeon helped to organize the hunt. “We have the resources to help. And them eating wild game and going out after wild game is really important to them. And we just said, ‘Well, this is something we can do to help, especially at Christmas time.' So we're hoping this will make a few people happy.” What started out with five hunters snowballed. The evacuees had no clothes or gear, which they either lost in the storm or had to leave behind. Club members loaned them guns and scopes. One dug into his own pocket to outfit them for the hunt. The Safari Club bought them hunting licenses and chartered a boat from Whittier, Alaska to Montague Island, where the men took nine Sitka black-tailed deer. It's the first time Darrell John had gone hunting since an ocean surge carried his house away. “We were hunting deer on a beach, which I never ever thought I would be hunting.” “When I was gutting deer, I knew my family was going to eat something. Made me feel like I was providing for my family again.” Although John never dreamed he'd go hunting in a such in a faraway place like Prince William Sound, he suddenly felt more like his old self. When the hunters returned, they wanted to share their catch with others displaced by the storm. Suddenly plans mushroomed into a feast to feed more than 200. The Safari Club collected donations of fish and wild game, which included a seal from Kodiak Island. John's wife Lacey John knew right away what was cooking. “Seals have a strong scent. The seal that was baking. It smelled like home. I just breathed in. (laughter) ” Karson Apodaca. (Courtesy Sayetsitty Family / gofundme) A Christmas parade on the Navajo Nation was suddenly cut short this week after a suspected drunk driver struck and killed a child and injured three bystanders. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has details. The Kayenta Township near Monument Valley shared joy on social media ahead of its annual Christmas market and parade at the rodeo grounds. “The parade is going to start on Navajo Route 591, which is right behind Chevron, okay? It's like you're going to the flea market here if you live in Kayenta … That one's gonna start right at 5:00 p.m., so be ready.” But about 10 minutes later, that holiday cheer came to an abrupt halt after an alleged drunk driver entered the parade route and hit four people, including a child and a pregnant woman. The Navajo Police Department confirmed three-year-old Karson Apodaca died and a suspect is in custody. The Kayenta community and guests came together to honor and remember Karson Apodaca with a peaceful vigil walk, the singing of Christmas carols, and the decoration of a Christmas tree in his honor, followed by prayer circle. (Courtesy Sayetsitty Family / GoFundMe) The sale of alcohol, as well as possession and consumption, is prohibited on tribal land. Josephine Romines, a volunteer from Unconquered Life, during the Holiday Resource Rally on December 10 in Ada, Okla, which served about 800 families during the event. (Courtesy Chickasaw Nation) This year, the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and Feed the Children partnered to bring holiday packages to an estimated 800 Ada, Okla. area families. The recent drive-thru distribution included a 25 lbs. box of food, and a 15lbs box of personal care items, books, toys, and other products. This is the 10th year the tribe and organization have partnered to help families during the holidays. 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 Friday, December 26, 2025 – For all its promise, AI is a potential threat to culture

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: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. Representatives of the proposed Donlin Gold mine recently offered a status update on the project to the Bethel City Council. And Kodiak couple faces possible deportation due to error by the state.Photo: The company behind the Donlin prospect in Western Alaska says it contains gold worth more than $100 billion. (Novagold Resources photo)

For the last few months, Navajo Nation leaders have been butting heads over who is its official controller – the person responsible for handling the tribe's finances. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren tried firing that top official. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, that dispute is now over. Sean McCabe has been reaffirmed as the sole lawful controller through a legally binding stipulation between him and President Nygren, which also orders Controller McCabe to receive backpay and have his attorney fees covered. Nygren recently apologized for sending profanity-laced texts leaked by McCabe to council delegates. “I used language that I shouldn't have. In moments of great stress we don't always act as our best selves. This was one such occasion for me.” The October exchange preceded his sudden termination. Screenshots show Nygren pressured McCabe to unlock his government-issued purchase card, but McCabe told him there's no budget. Nygren reiterates that his agreement with McCabe isn't a “compelled admission” of any “unlawful action” or “wrongdoing.” Quinhagak resident Patrick Jones deploys a buoy in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in early summer 2025. (Photo: Sean Gleason) A program that helps boaters in Indigenous coastal communities use buoys to track weather conditions wrapped up another season this fall. Advocates of the Backyard Buoys program say it increased safety for fishermen in Western Alaska – and helped hunters in Alaska's Arctic land whales. The Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA has more. Several years ago, seven boaters went missing in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region and were never found. The loss motivated residents to find ways to better understand their changing waterways. Nalaquq is an organization that integrates Indigenous knowledge into research in the region. The company joined a nationwide initiative, called the Backyard Buoy project, and deployed three buoys in the area for the first time this year. Lynn Marie Church is Nalaquq's chief executive officer. “We wanted to understand what was going on in our ocean … in our waterways, especially with the changes in the environment that we've seen over the past 10 years.” Backyard Buoys project helps Indigenous coastal communities in Alaska, as well as the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Islands, support maritime activities. Buoys track wave height, temperature, and barometric pressure in real time. Residents can see that information in an app and decide whether it is safe to travel. Church says that using the Backyard Buoys app has been easy. “When you look at where the locations are, it's not by latitude and longitude, it's by place names. That's how we learn in rural Alaska.” Sean Gleason is the head of Research and Development at Nalaquq. “We picked locations where people travel for subsistence or daily travel.” The goal was also to spread out those buoys so communities in different parts of the region can use the data. “There's no one community. Everyone's related.” In Alaska's Arctic, the project has been ramping up as well. The Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission facilitated the installment of buoys in six communities this year. Martin Edwardsen is the commission's coordinator for the project and is also a whaling co-captain. “I was looking at the app and seeing that the waves weren't too big in the general area where we were headed. So we went out that way and we successfully harvested a whale and brought it back to our community to feed.” The whaling commission is now looking for translators to allow users of the Backyard Buoys app see information in their Native language. Correction: In a previous newscast, we mistakenly said the Wounded Knee Massacre was observing its 130th anniversary this December. Actually it's the 135th anniversary. 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, December 15, 2025 – A Native entrepreneur's view of the retail shopping season

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The use of artificial intelligence for translation, and its implications for tribal data sovereignty. As ConocoPhillips reduces its global workforce, its North Slope employees are considering unionizing. And Aleutian Airways will provide federally subsidized air service to three Western Alaska communities. Photo: ConocoPhillips' Alpine facility on the North Slope. (Elizabeth Harball/Alaska's Energy Desk)

A search and rescue effort in Western Alaska. A teenager's body is found after he fell into the Yukon River. What trooper say happened. Plus, surveying damage in Kipnuk. Our crew is on the ground, seeing what repairs still need to be done as winter is setting in.

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Hundreds of evacuees from Western Alaska are staying in Anchorage hotels after last month's storms destroyed their homes. A controversial mineral exploration project near Haines is changing hands again – just one year after the last shakeup. And totem poles at the Ketchikan Totem Heritage Center are getting a facelift.Photo: Evacuees Ally Shangin, her partner Garrett Kashatok and their four daughters – Katelynn, 9, Allyssa, 3, Lola, 2, and Shameka, 11 months – in their room at the Wingate hotel on Nov. 14, 2025. ( Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Recovery in the isolated Western Alaska communities slammed by typhoon Halong will be a long process. University of Alaska President Pat Pitney will retire this spring. And three tribal governments and several environmental groups have sued the Trump administration to try to block a deal to build a road from King Cove to Cold Bay.Photo: University of Alaska President Pat Pitney announced her retirement for May 2026, on Nov. 13, 2025. (Screenshot of UA video announcement)

A group of state lawmakers tasked with studying how Alaska pays for public education convened on the Kenai Peninsula to visit schools and speak with staff. A month after ex-typhoon Halong struck Western Alaska, the flow of relief supplies for the displaced and building materials needed to shore up villages is going strong in Bethel.

A group of state lawmakers tasked with studying how Alaska pays for public education convened on the Kenai Peninsula to visit schools and speak with staff. A month after ex-typhoon Halong struck Western Alaska, the flow of relief supplies for the displaced and building materials needed to shore up villages is going strong in Bethel.

The Anchorage Police Department says a man is dead after a shooting at an Anchorage business Saturday. What we know so far. Plus, helping Alaskan impacted by Halong.  The governor signs to extend the disaster declaration for Western Alaska. How his office says that will help.

In this newscast: Alaska might soon regulate its own hazardous waste if authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Haines and Skagway are among the communities across Alaska are doing what they can to support the more than one thousand people displaced by Typhoon Halong; The largest community in the North Slope Borough has a new grocery store; College Gate Elementary School now have 70 new students who evacuated from Western Alaska communities after ex-typhoon Halong last month.

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:A controversial higher education compact from the Trump administration has sparked a petition from several University of Alaska unions. Months before a storm devastated parts of Western Alaska, a federal agency canceled a grant that would have helped protect one of the communities from flooding. And some residents of Juneau's Telephone Hill refuse to leave despite being evicted by the city.Photo: The village of Kipnuk, largely submerged by the remnants of Typhoon Halong, is seen from the air on Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy Alaska National Guard)

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:State officials say there are no longer evacuees from Western Alaska staying at mass shelters in Anchorage. The nearly 70,000 Alaskans who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, are still waiting for their November benefits to hit their accounts. And Mary Peltola, is about even in a head-to-head match with Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, a new poll shows.Photo: Mary Peltola, in her official Congressional photo. (Leah Herman)

Nearly three weeks after former Typhoon Halong displaced hundreds of Alaska Native residents from dozens of Western Alaska communities, Chris Ondola and his wife Kathleen Simon still don’t know how they’ll get home to Tuntutuliak. As more than 66,000 Alaskans could lose food assistance benefits when SNAP funding is scheduled to run out Nov. 1, a spokesperson for Gov. Mike Dunleavy, R-Alaska, told Alaska’s News Source Thursday emergency funding has still not been identified to bridge the gap during the ongoing government shutdown.    

Federal officials who toured former Typhoon Halong-devastated Western Alaska villages this weekend heard residents dispute official damage assessments, with one community advocate saying destruction in Kwigillingok was far worse than what the governor’s disaster declaration request reported. Residents of this storm-damaged village are pushing back against federal plans for quick repairs, demanding instead that their entire community of 425 people be relocated to higher ground. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is urging evacuees impacted by former Typhoon Halong to submit a Change of Address request, in order to have their mail delivered. That includes evacuees currently living in an Anchorage shelter.

In this week's episode we hear about new Kodiak Island Borough Assembly members swearing in, YMCA Alaska has a new program at East Elementary, Kodiak College held a college and career fair, Fish and Game upped its commercial harvest limits for Bering Sea snow crab, and several groups are coordinating relief efforts for Western Alaska after damage from remnants of Typhoon Halong.

A person of interest in a violent crime is being sought in the Fairbanks area. Plus, an Alaskan senator and officials from D.C. are on the ground in Western Alaska this weekend. We joined their trip.

An Alaskan senator and members of the trump administration survey the damage from Former Typhoon Halong. A photographer in Anchorage is helping raise money for the pets left behind when the storm area in Western Alaska was evacuated. And its trick or treat season! Downtown Anchorage was a little spooky Saturday. We're checking out Anchorage's big Trick or Treat Street event.

In this newscast: A private beach in Gustavus, known as the Beach Meadows, is now protected by a conservation easement the owners signed with the Southeast Alaska Land Trust; The Trump administration, reverting to a decision during the prior Trump presidency, is again advancing the Ambler Road project in Northwest Alaska, to help mining interests; In the days after Typhoon Halong tore through Western Alaska, the state evacuated hundreds of people to Anchorage. The evacuees say they mostly have what they need, but it's the things the Red Cross can't change that haunt them; In Juneau, young people in Juneau have a new way to find their voice: a podcast club for youth 

Tonight on the KRBD Evening Report….A Sitka high school is preparing to welcome students from Western Alaska who have been displaced by Typhoon Halong.Industry experts weigh in on mitigating rockslide threats in Skagway. A new history exhibit highlights an iconic Filipino restaurant owner in Ketchikan.Stay with us.

In this newscast: Local advocates have gathered more than 600 signatures in an effort to pause the looming evictions and demolition of the historic Telephone Hill neighborhood in downtown Juneau; Alaskans will not receive SNAP, or food stamp, benefits for November, according to the state division of public assistance. That's unless the federal government shutdown ends before then; Dozens of communities in Western Alaska are working to restore essential infrastructure and repair damaged homes after the remnants of Typhoon Halong devastated coastal communities. But one stands out. In Kipnuk, Halong's high winds and storm surge left a catastrophe. The state Department of Transportation estimates that 90% of the structures in the community were destroyed. Most of Kipnuk's residents evacuated on military helicopters in the days after the storm; Alaska Congressman Nick Begich has a new challenger. Pastor Matt Schultz of First Presbyterian Church in Anchorage launched his campaign earlier this week. 

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Evacuees of Western Alaska are taking comfort in donated traditional subsistence foods. Farmers in the Interior have to diversify to make ends meet. And a long growing season doesn't always mean higher production for Alaska farmers.Photo: Tom Zimmer picks cherry tomatoes at the Calypso Farm and Ecology Center greenhouse on Oct. 9, 2025. (Shelby Herbert/KUAC)

On today's Morning Edition, Alaska Airlines says it's back online following an IT outage, but still experiencing cancellations and delays. Plus, uncovering Alaska history. How ex-Typhoon Halong led to the discovery of hundreds of Indigenous artifacts in Western Alaska.

  Spirit Lake Tribal Council declares emergency due to shutdown   Trump approves disaster declaration for victims of Western Alaska storm   Arizona tribe polls members on possible name change   Ho-Chunk Inc targets labor, housing shortages with training program  

In this newscast: Final results for Juneau's municipal election dropped Tuesday, showing that voters chose not to implement a new seasonal sales tax system in Juneau next year; The Juneau school board will have two new board members and one returning member following the release of final election results yesterday; Scientists in Southeast Alaska recently established that avalanches are a leading cause of mountain goat mortalities; Over 3 million people visited Alaska during the tourism season that ended in April 2025, marking a new record for the state; President Trump has signed a disaster declaration for Western Alaska; Anchorage officials say they're continuing to assist hundreds of people evacuated from Western Alaska after the catastrophic storm.

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Power has been restored to all Adak residents following a 17-day outage. President Trump has signed a disaster declaration for Western Alaska. And Alaskans will not receive SNAP, or food stamp, benefits for November unless the federal government shutdown ends before then. Photo: SNAP

Anglers who purchased an Alaska sports fishing license in 2025 may soon receive a copy of the 2025 Alaska Sport Fishing Survey, according to an Oct. 22 press release; the float running parallel to the beach at Jakolof Bay Dock is no longer usable, according to a Tuesday, Oct. 21 public notice from the City of Seldovia, although boaters will still be able to access the beach from the approach; and dozens of communities in Western Alaska are working to restore essential infrastructure and repair damaged homes after the remnants of Typhoon Halong devastated coastal communities. But one stands out.

Anglers who purchased an Alaska sports fishing license in 2025 may soon receive a copy of the 2025 Alaska Sport Fishing Survey, according to an Oct. 22 press release; the float running parallel to the beach at Jakolof Bay Dock is no longer usable, according to a Tuesday, Oct. 21 public notice from the City of Seldovia, although boaters will still be able to access the beach from the approach; and dozens of communities in Western Alaska are working to restore essential infrastructure and repair damaged homes after the remnants of Typhoon Halong devastated coastal communities. But one stands out.

On today's Morning Edition, details on how federal money will be used to start the rebuilding process after the devastating Western Alaska storm and what it means for communities racing against winter's arrival. Plus, amidst the chaos of evacuations, a tiny turtle became a ginat symbol of hope.

A Homer community member is helping organize donations for evacuees from Western Alaska's coastal villages after Typhoon Halong forced them to relocate to Anchorage and other communities; a rescued walrus from the Alaska SeaLife Center will appear on public television this week; and although voting for fat bear week in Katmai National Park closed last month, Juneau's black bears are really starting to pack on the pounds to keep from starving during hibernation — and they're going for whatever they can find.

Jeff was joined by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R - Alaska), who is also one of several Republican candidates for governor. They discuss the large field of Republicans in the governor's race, the recent typhoon that devastated Western Alaska, the housing problems facing Anchorage, her thoughts on the Permanent Fund Dividend issue that has plagued Alaska politics for the last decade, the dynamics of the open primary, and the complexities in Juneau next session in an election year. 

Anchorage now has a central donation site to help victims of former Typhoon Halong, located at 1120 East 1st Avenue, in the former Chugach Electric warehouse. It is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, seven days a week. The Anchorage School District welcomed over 100 displaced students into classrooms this week after they had been evacuated from their villages in the aftermath of the destructive storm that hit Western Alaska last week. Anchorage police are investigating a shooting that occurred inside a midtown Walmart on Monday afternoon that left one man dead.

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:Anchorage city leaders voted Friday to extend an emergency declaration as the city welcomes hundreds of people displaced by heavy flooding in Western Alaska. Gov. Mike Dunleavy visited two Western Alaska villages to assess the damage left by high winds and flooding. Dozens of attendees at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention stood in protest during U.S. Sen.Dan Sullivan's speech.

The state is in the process of allowing Alaskans impacted by former Typhoon Halong — including those from the evacuated villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok — to return to their homes before winter, state officials said. Hundreds of people have evacuated and lost their homes after floodwaters contaminated with toxic chemicals destroyed dozens of buildings in communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim area of Western Alaska. Anchorage police are investigating a shooting that occurred inside a midtown Walmart on Monday afternoon, leaving one man injured.

In this newscast: Dozens of attendees at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention stood in protest during U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan's speech Friday morning; Juneau residents got a glimpse of what life in town looked like in the mid-20th century - in Kodachrome; Community leaders in Ketchikan and Saxman have teamed up with the state to build more affordable housing units; Western Alaska residents from the storm-ravaged communities of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok continued to land Thursday night in Anchorage at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson.

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:The theme of unity has been prominent at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention. A massive airlift is underway in Western Alaska, bringing evacuees of last week's storm to Anchorage. And Adak is without power.Photo: Adak Alaska. Aleut Adventures.

Friday morning, Blackhawk helicopter after Blackhawk helicopter arrived in Bethel carrying families and animals fleeing the toxic flood waters from ex-Typhoon Halong that have swamped many parts of Western Alaska after storm waters picked up homes and destroyed multiple villages. Evacuees share stories of harrowing escapes.    

In today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:More than a thousand people in Western Alaska are sleeping in their local schools after a massive storm Sunday made their homes unlivable. The Elders and Youth Conference is underway. And Nome celebrates Indigenous Peoples day.Photo: Residents and their dogs in Kipnuk navigate high waters on Oct. 12, 2025, as the remnants of Typhoon Halong collide with the community. (Jacqui Lang)

State Troopers on Wednesday confirmed the identities of two people still missing in the village of Kwigillingok, a community reeling from the destruction wrought by a powerful Bering Sea storm over the weekend. Hundreds of Alaskans forced from their villages in Western Alaska by the destruction of the remnants of Typhoon Halong are being relocated where shelters are being set up.

Join Cedric for the EM Morning Brief on October 14, 2025. Western Alaska is in emergency response mode after Typhoon Halong's remnants cause devastation, resulting in at least one fatality, two missing persons, and over 50 rescues. Central and southern California brace for heavy rain and potential flash flooding from an early-season Pacific storm. Tropical Storm Lorenzo remains in the Atlantic with no U.S. impact. A minor 2.6 earthquake strikes New York overnight with no damage reported. State-specific updates include ongoing recovery efforts and coastal impacts. Stay informed with the latest emergency management news.00:00 Introduction and Headlines00:07 Western Alaska Emergency Response00:34 Pacific Storm in California00:54 Tropical Storm Lorenzo Update01:01 Minor Earthquake in New York01:08 State-by-State Weather Updates01:09 Alaska's Continued Recovery Efforts01:45 California's Storm Impact02:18 Connecticut Storm Cleanup02:38 New Jersey Coastal Flooding03:02 New York Disaster Emergency03:25 North Carolina Coastal Flooding03:52 Conclusion and Further TrackingSources[Alaska DHSEM | https://ready.alaska.gov/Documents/PIO/PressReleases/2025.10.12_Press%20Release%20-%20SEOC%202025%20October%20West%20Coast%20Storm%20-%20Update%20Oct.12.pdf][AP | https://apnews.com/article/44668913640e8482202320d38f08788e][WPC/NOAA | https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/ero.php?day=1&opt=curr][WPC MPD #1195 | https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/metwatch/metwatch_mpd_multi.php?md=1195&yr=2025][SPC/NOAA | https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=txt&glossary=1&issuedby=DY1&product=SWO&site=JKL&version=1][NHC | https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/?atlc][USGS | https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000rgze][Alaska DHSEM (official update Oct. 12 for ongoing incident) | https://ready.alaska.gov/Documents/PIO/PressReleases/2025.10.12_Press%20Release%20-%20SEOC%202025%20October%20West%20Coast%20Storm%20-%20Update%20Oct.12.pdf][AP | https://apnews.com/article/44668913640e8482202320d38f08788e][NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard | https://www.weather.gov/lox/ ][Cal OES | https://news.caloes.ca.gov/california-deploys-resources-to-southern-california-ahead-of-significant-early-season-storm/][NWS New York (OKX) briefing, Oct. 13 | https://www.weather.gov/media/okx/DSSBuilder/LatestBriefing.pdf][CT Insider | https://www.ctinsider.com/weather/article/noreaster-update-rain-wind-totals-21098270.php][NWS Mount Holly briefing, Oct. 13 | https://www.weather.gov/media/phi/current_briefing.pdf][6ABC (today) | https://6abc.com/post/least-3-dead-dayslong-noreaster-brings-final-surge-coastal-flooding-jersey-shore/18003561/][NYS Governor Exec. Order 53 | https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-53-declaring-disaster-emergency-counties-bronx-kings-nassau-new-york-queens][NWS New York briefing, Oct. 13 | https://www.weather.gov/media/okx/DSSBuilder/LatestBriefing.pdf][USGS | https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000rgze][DriveNC (NC-12 incidents) | https://drivenc.gov/index.html?id=749906&type=incident][NWS Morehead City briefing, Oct. 13 | https://www.weather.gov/media/mhx/LatestBriefing.pdf] 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

Mayor of Kotzebue reports that areas in outlying part of town continue to be either underwater or have standing water as a strom continues to batter Western Alaska. A Wasilla man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to distributing a deadly synthetic opioid that caused one near-fatal overdose and the death of a 16-year-old girl whose body was found on a Wasilla trail last year. One year after Palmer paid $75,000 to remove their controversial city manager, officials now tell Alaska’s News Source they’ve made no policy changes to prevent a similar situation.

In this newscast: The Juneau Assembly is moving forward with a plan to ask voters this fall whether to implement a new seasonal sales tax system next year; Like much of Alaska, Juneau has its share of disasters and emergencies. Part of living here is planning ahead for scenarios that may require evacuating your home. Juneau Animal Rescue wants to inform residents about how best to prepare to evacuate their pets too; An immigration detainee originally from Peru and recently held in Alaska was later hospitalized in Washington state with tuberculosis, according to his attorney. State corrections officials deny claims he contracted TB at the Anchorage jail; Multiple research vessels are out in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska this summer conducting surveys that inform stock assessments for fisheries managers. One of those surveys only happens every two years and comes during a challenging time for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; A fire burned through the public safety building and city jail in the Western Alaska coastal community of Chevak early Tuesday morning. City officials say the building is a total loss.