Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media
Zachariah Hughes reports on city & state politics, arts & culture, drugs, and military affairs in Anchorage and South Central Alaska.
@ZachHughesAK About Zachariah
Cannabis deadline means beginning of applications, but not sales
Wednesday is an important date in the state's long process of licensing commercial cannabis in Alaska: The deadline for the state to have a permit application up and running.
Japanese community recalls JBER internment camp
New historical evidence is shedding light on the internment of Japanese people in Alaska during World War Two. A small ceremony held last Friday at Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson was one of the first of its kind, according to officials present. The ceremony fell on the official Day of Remembrance held nation-wide, and is part of an expanding effort to recognize the experiences of Southeast Alaska’s Japanese community during the war years. Download Audio
Budding cannabis entrepreneur not who you’d expect
For one family-run operation, the last few months of tracking regulations, securing a location, and figuring out how to start a new business that banks won't lend to hasn't been easy. Download Audio
12 Assembly candidates to appear on Anchorage ballot
With five contested seats spread across the municipality, race has the potential to reshape the Assembly's political character.
Slow or steady? Lisbet Norris and the great Siberian debate
A family in Willow runs a renowned kennel for the breed, and one of the youngest members is keeping the Siberian tradition alive as she prepares for her third Iditarod run. Download Audio
Leverage your leopard: the biz behind Alaska’s only zoo
If you've ever wanted to feed a snow leopard, a moose, or a pack of wolves, this year you've got a chance. Albeit, for a tidy sum. It's part of the special programming that helps keep cultural institutions in Alaska afloat during the long, lean winter months. Download Audio
The nitty-gritty rules that will shape Anchorage’s cannabis industry
Assembly members in Anchorage have passed a bundle of rules that will shape the business landscape for the state’s largest commercial cannabis market in the months ahead. Download Audio
‘Kill the Indian’ challenges artistic boundaries in Alaska
Three provocative new exhibits at the Anchorage Museum showcase changing boundaries within Alaska's contemporary art scene.
Anchorage to buy ConocoPhillips gas field for $152M
After months of closed door meetings, the city has worked out a deal to buy a section of the Beluga River Unit owned by ConcoPhillips since the 80s. Download Audio
Price tag on LIO sale: $37M
The developer says the sale would save the state $2,052,000 over the next nine years of the existing lease, and eliminates the potential for lawsuits if legislators walk away from the agreement. Download Audio
Final cannabis laws hammered out in Anchorage
During public testimony, residents gave feedback on the finer points of the zoning and licence requirements nearing their final form.
45 days later, a proposal with few details on LIO building
Tuesday was the deadline set by the Legislative Council to figure out a plan for the controversial lease on the Legislative Information Office in downtown Anchorage. Download Audio
Words with friends: Anchorage clerks arrange Assembly election
Anchorage voters will elect five of the city's 11 Assembly members this April. Filing for those races opened today. City officials have devised an ingenious ritual to keep elections as fair and impartial as possible. Download Audio
Emergency preparedness in Alaska
On this week's Alaska Edition, we discuss emergency preparedness in the state.
Police and public health officials collaborate to combat Spice
According to the latest figures 9.7 percent of emergency transports are spice-related emergencies across the municipality. Now, the city is pulling together a broad spectrum of experts from different fields to develop long term strategies.
Spice conference convenes as overdoses in Anchorage persist
Medical emergencies connected with synthetic cannabinoids remain stubbornly high in Anchorage -- 6 to 8 percent of daily calls for hospital transport, according to Fire Department officials. City officials are convening for a two-day workshop to try to address the Spice epidemic.
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Rash of car thefts unnerves Anchorage
Sixteen cars were stolen in a single 24-hour period in Anchorage, starting yesterday (Jan. 25) and running through this morning (Jan. 26).
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Unnerved but unharmed, Anchorage residents tidy up after 7.1 quake
In Anchorage, Portage and the Mat-Su Valley the earthquake knocked out power to thousands of homes. By midday Sunday, electricity had been restored to all but a handful of homes.
Alaska soldiers talk Bergdahl, Serial podcast
But what Alaska soldiers who served with Bergdahl are saying about the case and podcast depends on who you ask.
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Looking ahead: the legislative session
The Legislative session started this week, and battles are already brewing over the budget, several pre-filed bills ranging in relevance. This week's Alaska Edition explores what's ahead this session and how it stacks up to previous years.