Top Stories

News stories, radio and TV episodes that warrant one of six spots on our homepage. The homepage is in chronological order of publication date, so stories are moved off the homepage as more are categorized “top stories.”

Hundreds of UAA students quickly move out of dorms, while some prepare to hunker down on campus

About 120 students will ride out at least part of spring semester, if not all of it, on a nearly empty campus in the middle of Anchorage.

Without clear guidance, child care providers make tough choices on whether to close or stay open

Even though hundreds of thousands of Alaska schoolchildren have been sent home until May, the state put out a memo on Tuesday recommending that child care facilities stay open “if they can safely do so.”

State extends Alaska school closures as coronavirus count grows to 14

Alaska public and private schools are closed until at least May 1. Students will continue to receive instruction "through distance delivery methods," state officials said.

Berkowitz issues an emergency ‘hunker down’ order for Anchorage residents, effective Sunday

Standing next to leaders from the state’s largest hospitals, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz issued the city’s most sweeping emergency order yet Friday evening, asking residents to minimize social contact and limit movement in the city to essential errands.

Dunleavy administration ‘strongly advises’ against non-essential air travel as pressure builds

Dunleavy's administration has released a "strong advisory" that Alaskans "cease non-essential out of state personal, business, and medical travel now." It's also strongly advising against non-essential, long-distance travel inside the state.

Gov. Dunleavy’s COVID-19 economic plan includes dividend payments in April, plus $1 billion in statewide relief

Dunleavy called for $1,300 dollar Permanent Fund dividend payments in April, as well as for a one billion dollar fund, to stabilize the state’s economy.

Ketchikan has third positive COVID-19 test, increasing state total to 13

The case adds to additional two that were reported by the state this week.

Some Alaskans still struggling to access coronavirus testing, even if providers think they might have it

Mitchel Howell had trouble breathing. Then he woke up with a sore throat, and then he came down with a fever. He says his medical provider told him he was a "suspected confirmed” case of the coronavirus. But then Howell was sent home without a test.

What are your questions about the coronavirus in Alaska? What do you want us to know?

Gathering information is a little more tricky when we're practicing appropriate social distancing. So we're hoping you'll talk to us.
Young girl holding a duck

Without arrest, girl’s murder in Quinhagak prompts village curfew

A Quinhagak girl whose body was discovered Monday is the victim of homicide, according to Alaska State Troopers.

At Alaska Airlines, flight reductions coming as COVID-19 causes passengers to rebook or cancel

Like other airlines, Alaska Airlines continues to grapple with passengers rebooking or canceling flights due to the widening coronavirus pandemic, including reducing its overall number of flights in April and May.

Anchorage airman is among those who have tested positive for COVID-19

The airman is one of the state’s nine confirmed cases of the virus.

Anchorage families scramble to work and care for children with school closures keeping kids home

Thousands of Alaska parents are in a tailspin as they scramble to find care for their kids during the global coronavirus pandemic that has closed public schools across the state.
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As Canada closes the border, unanswered questions from Alaskans pile up

Canada is closing its land borders to “non-essential travel” to slow the spread of coronavirus. And that’s leaving many Alaskans scrambling for answers.

Alaska’s U.S. senators vote for multi-billion dollar coronavirus bill; Rep. Don Young is absent

Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan support a major stimulus bill but were critical of President Obama's stimulus bill during the Great Recession.

Alaska COVID-19 count jumps to 9 cases, with patients in Anchorage, Seward

Two of the new cases were in Anchorage and one was 75 miles south in the Kenai Peninsula town of Seward.

Anchorage bar, restaurant closure throws thousands of workers into limbo

“Decisions were made politically that they had their reasons for. But for us, it was a complete blindside,” said Jack Lewis, who co-owns and runs seven different Anchorage area eating places. “Nobody really was prepared for it, or saw it coming.”

‘An actual dream’: Norwegian musher Thomas Waerner notches his first Iditarod victory

Thomas Waerner is the winner of a race hobbled by the coronavirus, which became a global pandemic as mushers raced to the finish line.
Close up shot of a woman with dark hair and eyeglasses looking into the distance

State bans restaurant dining as Alaska’s confirmed coronavirus cases grow to 6

Three samples — from people in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Ketchikan — tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, doubling the number of confirmed Alaska cases.

4th Alaska coronavirus case reported in Ketchikan; UAF says one of the Fairbanks patients is an employee

The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center reported a positive test for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The man has a history of travel to the Lower 48, officials said.