Emily Schwing, special to Alaska Public Media
As lumber prices climb, Alaskans increasingly mill their own
A year and half ago, Rittgers said he was taking orders for one sawmill a week. Now, he and his daughter take deposits for three or four sawmills a day.
Tiny beetles threaten spruce trees and homes in Alaska
https://youtu.be/JanC26BhtAw
Take a flight over the Mat-Su valley, the Anchorage Bowl, or the Kenai Peninsula and you may notice areas that were once evergreen, but have now...
Alaska Native pilots fly with hometown values
https://youtu.be/lFbyE7-XH9A
Many of the pilots who fly for smaller commercial airlines in the state didn’t grow up in the remote communities they serve. Recruiting local Alaskans to...
What’s up with that igloo by Denali and also the tallest building in Fairbanks?
https://youtu.be/AyXEiQecad8
A giant, artificial igloo marks the halfway point between Fairbanks and Anchorage along the Parks Highway. It was supposed to be a roadside hotel, but it...
Weekend storms pummel Arctic coastal villages
Over the weekend, much of the state saw snowfall, icy roads and the first wintery conditions. Photos from Shishmaref, a small village along the Bering Sea coast, show a large swath of road that leads from the community to the sewage lagoon has been completely washed away by waves. A number of other villages were also battered by high seas and gusting winds.
Alaska Federation of Natives stays mum on Climate Change Task Force progress
A year after a contentious resolution was passed at AFN declaring climate change an emergency, a planned task force that would address the issue hasn't been created.
Kivalina on the Coast: how an Arctic community is responding to climate change
https://youtu.be/3QI7SplPviM
The rapid pace of climate change is affecting the arctic region at a more accelerated pace than anywhere else in the world. In 2003, the federal...
Why a baby dinosaur bone in the Arctic could change what we know about dinosaur habitats
The find of a baby dinosaur bone in a stream bed on Alaska's North Slope says a lot about dinosaur migration - or lack thereof - say scientists who made the discovery.
Alaska Regional Hospital opts out of state directive to halt elective surgeries, for now
Alaska health officials issued a directive Monday asking hospitals statewide to postpone non-essential surgeries for 90 days. But, It’s not a mandate.
As coronavirus concerns grow in Alaska, officials warn shoppers not to overdo it
Zidek said it’s unlikely the coronavirus outbreak will cause a disruption to the delivery of goods from out of state.
Two former Jesuit officials resign from Gonzaga University after revelations about abusive priests
Two priests in high-level positions at Gonzaga University resigned today. Both previously held leadership roles in the Jesuits’ Oregon Province while it sent Jesuits accused of sexual abuse to live in a home on campus.
These priests abused in Native villages for years. They retired on Gonzaga’s campus
Gonzaga University served as a retirement repository for Jesuit priests accused of sexual abuse in Alaska Native villages and on Indian reservations.
AK: The crafty side of AFN
People have come to Fairbanks from all over the state to sell their handmade goods during the Alaska Federation of Native Conference this week. At the craft fair, you can find everything from ivory carvings and hand-made masks to mukluks, kuspuks and even kippered salmon. With few available jobs in the villages, these handicrafts and homemade foods are one of the few ways people pay their bills. Listen Now
AK: High tunnel greenhouses on the Kenai Peninsula
Alaska, a farming capitol? It seems far-fetched, but it’s fast becoming a reality. In the last six years, a federal cost chare program through the USDA means giant greenhouses are popping up all over the state. Most of them can be spotted on the Kenai Peninsula. Listen now
Young skiers enjoy the Nana Nordic Program in Ambler, AK
in 2011, an Olympic skier started a program to get kids in four Western Arctic villages in Alaska outside and on skis. Five years later, that program, known as NANA Nordic, has expanded to 40 villages statewide, with help from over 100 volunteer cross-country ski coaches.
Standings remain competitive as Kobuk 440 mid-point nears
The small community of Ambler was buzzing all day as dog teams pulled in for a rest roughly 200 miles into the Kobuk 440. The community gave mushers a warm welcome serving up platefuls of French toast, sheefish and all kinds of other treats. But dog teams have roughly 240 miles of travel ahead and it’s still anybody’s race. Download Audio
Fifteen mushers set to compete in Kobuk 440 Race
The last major sled dog race of the season got underway Thursday in Kotzebue. Fifteen mushers drew bib numbers Wednesday night at the start banquet for mid-distance Kobuk 440. Download Audio
Some of the fastest teams ever among top ten Iditarod finishers
Never in Iditarod history have as many teams finished the 1000 mile race in under nine days, but this year, eight of the top ten teams did just that. Some of the mushers who crossed the finish line faced enormous adversity on their way to Nome. But without any major weather events most of the mushing that took place was simply the fastest in the race’s history. Download Audio
AK: New “marriage” between Iditarod and politics
It’s not rare to see mushers touting various brands and companies as they drive their dog teams down the Iditarod trail. Sponsorship is a major source of financial support. This year a few mushers have gotten involved in touting political candidates as both the congressional and presidential election season heats up. Download Audio
For some teams, Iditarod’s final miles make the biggest difference
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race is 1,000 miles long, but for a couple dog teams, the most competitive stretch of trail came down to the final mile.