Olivia Ebertz, KYUK - Bethel
Southwest Alaska ranks highest for maternal mortality
Alaska has a lower rate than the national average, but still sees 6 to 13 maternal deaths each year, according to the Alaska Maternal Child Death Review Committee. Rates are highest among Indigenous mothers in Southwestern Alaska.
Bethel elder Eula David, co-author of English-Yup’ik medical dictionary, dies
Originally from Scammon Bay, David was a worldly, culturally fluid and fluent woman who went on to live in Fortuna Ledge, Mekoryuk, and eventually Bethel.
Alpha variant of COVID-19 appears in Y-K Delta
The Alpha strain is also known as the B.1.1.7 variant. It has also previously been referred to as the UK variant.
Visiting construction worker puts out house fire in Y-K Delta village
A man was injured during the blaze, but nobody was injured when a house caught fire in Crooked Creek, which lacks a fire department.
Here’s how Alaskans can get help with monthly internet bills
If you make less than $21,722 or lost income during the pandemic, you could qualify for a $75 per month internet subsidy.
Hunt opens for musk ox stranded on ice floes
The musk ox were stranded on the ice floes after wandering onto the sea ice during breakup.
After pandemic cancellation, Russian Orthodox residents in Bethel celebrate Pascha in person
On May 3, Orthodox Christians in Bethel celebrated their most important religious holiday: Easter, or Pascha. It’s the first major holiday the congregation has gathered together for in nearly a year and a half.
Tuluksak got a special water treatment system meant for the whole village. Only the school was using it.
Entry into the school was restricted on due to concerns about health hazards and disruption of the school day.
Tuluksak gets access to running water 45 days after fire destroyed its only clean water source
A fire destroyed the community’s water purification plant and washeteria in mid-January. From then until the first week of March, residents had been living on donations of bottled water.
Early winter, later race, smaller field: Local mushers ready for chance to shine in Kuskowim 300
The top 25 finishers will get a share of the prize money, but there are only 16 starters.
Gov. Dunleavy issues emergency declaration for Tuluksak water crisis
The declaration comes nearly a month after a fire destroyed the village’s only source of drinking water. In the interim, residents of Tuluksak have been drinking bottled water donated by private citizens and businesses.
3 weeks later, Tuluksak is without running water or disaster relief
On Jan. 16, a fire in Tuluksak destroyed the village’s washateria and water plant building, which was their only source of clean, running water. (Kristy Napoka)
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3 weeks after fire, state still hasn’t provided disaster funds for Tuluksak water crisis
Gov. Dunleavy has yet to declare a state-level disaster to address Tuluksak’s water crisis. In doing so, he’s holding back up to $1 million in disaster relief funding for the village.
Water donations trickle into Tuluksak but may not be enough for village in crisis
After the Southwest Alaska village's water plant burned in a fire two weeks ago, Tuluksak's residents are struggling to find a solution to their crisis.
No easy answers after fire destroys Tuluksak’s water supply
The temporary well being used at the school pulls up water from the Tuluksak River, which isn’t safe to drink.
Tuluksak without water, laundry after fire destroys washeteria
Donated bottled water in Bethel is ready to be shipped out on the next plane, but Tuluksak’s runway has been unusable because of weather conditions. The man who usually plows it is in Anchorage being treated for COVID-19.
Iconic Bethel video store closes for good
While video stores in other parts of the country mostly closed years ago, the exorbitant cost of high-speed internet in the region kept the business alive.
After 16 years with unpumped sewage, Red Devil citizens try to reestablish government
Red Devil can’t get funding together to pump its tanks or to dig a lagoon because it doesn’t have any entities to act as recipients on the community’s behalf.
11-year-old shares springtime fun in Bethel and Yup’ik language on ‘Molly of Denali’
On Dec. 4, PBS aired a “Molly of Denali” segment shot and narrated by a young fan from Bethel.
Activists organize to get infant formula to Russian Mission babies in need
A KYUK story about the baby formula shortage in Russian Mission caught the eye of artist and activist CeeJay Johnson, who stepped in to organize a big donation.