Emily Russell, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Emily Russell is the voice of Alaska morning news as Alaska Public Media’s Morning News Host and Producer.
Originally from the Adirondacks in upstate New York, Emily moved to Alaska in 2012. She skied her way through three winters in Fairbanks, earning her Master’s degree in Northern Studies from UAF.
Emily’s career in radio started in Nome in 2015, reporting for KNOM on everything from subsistence whale harvests to housing shortages in Native villages. She then worked for KCAW in Sitka, finally seeing what all the fuss with Southeast, Alaska was all about.
Back on the road system, Emily is looking forward to driving her Subaru around the region to hike, hunt, fish and pick as many berries as possible. When she’s not talking into the mic in the morning, Emily can be found reporting from the peaks above Anchorage to the rivers around Southcentral.
Iron Dog rookie from Nome has high hopes
The 33rd Annual Iron Dog snowmachine race kicked off this weekend. While most racers come from Southcentral, a few are based out of the race’s halfway point in Nome. Shawn Pomrenke dredges for gold in the summer with his race partner Amos Cruise. Pomrenke says it’s been a long road to the race’s start line.
Nome’s port commission confronts near-empty bank account
Nome’s Port & Harbor finances are not looking good. The city’s Finance Director Julie Liew broke the news at the most recent Port Commission meeting.
Olson jumps to GOP caucus for budgetary reasons
The Senate Majority got a little bit bigger last week when Democrat Donny Olson announced his move from the minority. Born in Nome, Senator Olson represents all of northwest Alaska. He says concerns about budget cuts convinced him to switch over.
Senator Olson’s move to majority leaves Democrats in vulnerable position
The Senate Majority got a little bit bigger last week when Democrat Donny Olson announced his move from the minority. Born in Nome, Senator Olson represents all of Northwest Alaska.
Organizations call for ban of heavy fuel oil in Arctic waters
A group of non-governmental organizations recently sent a letter to the state department calling for a ban on heavy fuel oil, or HFO, in Arctic waters. HFO is tough to cleanup, but the widespread use of HFO throughout the Arctic makes the ban an especially hard sell. Download Audio
Future of heavy fuel oil in Arctic waters challenged
A group of nongovernmental organizations recently sent a letter to the US Department of State calling for a ban on heavy fuel oil, or HFO, in Arctic waters. HFO is hard to cleanup, but the widespread use of HFO throughout the Arctic makes the ban an especially hard sell. In the Arctic, HFO is used in both big and small ways. It fuels large cargo ships and helps heatand power homes in Canada and Russia. It’s banned in Antarctic waters and in northern Europe,partly due to its dirty emissions. It’s also hard to clean up.
Rep. Nageak’s nephew killed in police shooting
There was an officer involved in a fatal shooting in Barrow early Wednesday morning. According to the North Slope Borough Mayor’s office, the incident happened around 4:00 a.m. A North Slope Borough Police Officer was responding to a call for assistance when the shooting took place. The Mayor’s office identified the victim as Vincent Nageak III, the nephew of State Representative Ben Nageak (D-Barrow).Download Audio
Obama transfers Port Clarence land to Bering Straits Native Corporation
President Obama signed the Coast Guard Authorization Act last night, transferring 2,500 acres of federal land at Port Clarence to local, state, and federal stakeholders. Located 120 nautical miles northwest of Nome, Port Clarence has long been left out of discussion as the location for the nation’s Arctic deep draft port. Download Audio
Nome delegation attends conference, visits capital urging Arctic port development
The Arctic has been a hot topic lately. The region has the subject of countless conferences around the world, many of which also address issues of climate change and sustainability. But another focus of Arctic discussions has been development.
City council passes Nome’s first commercial marijuana regulation
When the topic has been brought up at past meetings, the Council focused far more on understanding the basics of the state’s regulations, rather than working out the fine details of their own. That’s because, even with the recent legalization of commercial marijuana, the barriers to actually transporting it legally to anywhere off Alaska’s road system are significant.
Red Dog Mine Sues Northwest Arctic Borough Over Tax Hike
The Northwest Arctic Borough’s largest private employer and source of revenue is suing the borough over a recent hike in taxes. Teck Alaska, the operator of Red Dog Mine, filed the legal complaint last Friday, noting the tax increase could put jobs and economic activity in the region at risk.
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Board of Fish considers Arctic proposals
The Alaska Board of Fisheries is meeting in Fairbanks this week. The board has reviewed proposals for the Yukon and Kuskokwim fisheries and will review those for the Arctic.
Murkowski visits Nome, addresses port development
Senator Lisa Murkowski made her first trip to Nome in almost four years this Thursday. She toured local facilities, talked with leaders, hosted a community meet-and-greet, and rounded out the day at a high school basketball game.
Arctic air warming, but North Pole not turning to slush
The North Pole is melting according to many news outlets. But Walt Meier, a research scientist for NASA and a co-author of NOAA’s 2015 Arctic Report Card on Sea Ice, said that’s not quite accurate. Download Audio
Russian icebreaker makes record-setting Arctic voyage
According to the Russian media outlet Port News, a Russian icebreaker has just completed the fastest transit of the Northern Sea Route. Along with setting the speed record, the icebreaker also completed the trip over a month after the shipping season usually ends in the Arctic.
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City council considers ‘Nome Grown’ marijuana
In last year’s statewide elections, 53 percent of voters approved the Alaska Marijuana Legalization ballot. People 21 or older can now possess up to one ounce of marijuana and up to six plants.
Senate advances Port Spencer as Arctic port
The U.S. Senate has passed legislation aimed at assisting the development of a deep-water port on Alaska's west coast for Arctic-bound vessels.
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Stranded seal in Nome released into wild
Friday evening a seal made its way out of Nome’s iced-in port and up into the west side of town. Although it showed some physical signs of sickness, on Saturday local experts ultimately decided to release the seal back into the wild.
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U.S. Senate advances Arctic efforts at Port Clarence
Port Clarence is one small step closer to serving as the nation’s Arctic deep draft port. In a press release from Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced the senate passed the Point Spencer Land Conveyance Act.
Stranded seal pup turns up in Nome parking lot
A bearded seal came ashore Thursday night and made its way into a parking lot on Nome’s west side of town.