When homelessness is around the corner, even the helpers can become helpless
Dion Wynne was working full-time and preparing to open a therapeutic foster home. Then he fell ill and was hospitalized for over a month. Join him as he tries to save his home -- and his dreams.
AK: Mysterious pink pond prompts a question and a quest
A hydrologist’s marker dye is unlikely, but there are a variety of biological processes that could be responsible for discoloration of the pond that’s located about 4 miles down the Herbert Glacier trail. Listen now
AK: What’s it like to drive a 54,000 pound DOT plow truck?
It’s winter, and that usually means plenty of snow and ice. Or at least it did in November, when Adelyn Baxter had the chance to ride shotgun in a 54,000-pound plow truck to learn a little about how roads in Juneau are cleared. Listen now
Prince of Wales Island schools started growing food. Now 1st graders are binging on broccoli
One Southeast school district has been raising fruits and vegetables in greenhouses, because it’s easier to get kids to eat their greens if those children have grown those vegetables themselves. Listen now
AK: Leaving Alaska on the ferry
Alaska is a big place, but doesn’t have a lot of roads to show for it. It does have the Alaska Marine Highway System, and Alaskans travel all over the state on the ferry. Some people use the it to move to Alaska, and others when it’s time to leave. That latter group includes Alaska Public Media correspondent Vikram Patel, reporting from from somewhere between Haines, AK and Bellingham, WA, last November.
AK: Anchorage’s thriving skateboard scene retreats underground
Skateboarders in Anchorage are taking over parking garages with impromptu sessions and home-made ramps. Listen now
AK: Anchorage celebrates winter solstice with tour of trees
The event raises money for the local ski association and brings thousands of people together to tour the festive ski trails. Listen now
AK: How do you recruit more young Alaska Native nurses?
More and more programs have sprung up locally to familiarize students with trades and professions in the hopes of getting more Alaska Natives employed. That’s what the University of Alaska Anchorage did 20 years ago for Alaska Native nurses. The program is called RRANN: Recruiting and Retaining Alaska Natives into Nursing. Listen now
AK: In the industrial heart of Anchorage is a warehouse full of wild birds
Bird TLC is a non-profit that's somewhere in between a veterinary clinic, animal shelter, and zoo. Now, it's on the cusp of moving to a dramatically different new home. Listen now
AK: Talking Trash: Composting startup tackles Juneau’s green waste
A small Juneau start-up is proving that household composting works. Lisa Daugherty of Juneau Composts! is already receiving accolades for her subscription-based service that's keeping tons of green waste out of the landfill. Listen now
AK: Various looks at the controversial Alaska Day
The holidays are a time of tradition, but also reflection for why we celebrate the way we do. And in Sitka, no holiday is as much of a lightning rod for cultural debate as Alaska Day. Listen now
AK: “Kicking the sky with your feet,” four teams compete in Bethel’s NYO Invitational
Bethel’s Native Youth Olympic Invitational went on as scheduled. Teams arrived by boat and small planes through thick fog to compete in the traditional games of strength and endurance at Bethel’s Gladys Jung Elementary School. Listen now
AK: Practicing for a plane crash in Ketchikan
Every three years, always on a rainy day it seems, Ketchikan practices for a plane crash. The drill involves pretty much every emergency response agency, and a whole lot of volunteers. Listen now
AK: Anthropologists excavate 13,000-year-old secrets near Fort Greely
Anthropologists with the University of Alaska Fairbanks say a site they’re excavating near the Delta River west of Fort Greely was first inhabited by people some 13,000 years ago – not long after humanity crossed over a now-submerged land bridge that connected Asia and North America. Listen now
AK: The Birdman of Alcatraz’s grisly Juneau connection
In this spooky pre-Halloween edition of AK, we revisit the scene of the crime, the site of a cold-blooded murder over a hundred years ago in Juneau. KTOO’s Matt Miller spent this summer researching what happened when the Birdman of Alcatraz killed for the first time. Listen now
AK: The mystery behind Ketchikan Ghost Tours
Ketchikan is home to plenty of supernatural phenomena. That’s the theory, at least, behind a new venture: Ketchikan Ghost Tours. Listen now
AK: At Wales’ Kingikmiut Festival, dancing to heal
Last month, the community of Wales, in Western Alaska, hosted one of the biggest Alaska Native dance festivals in the state. 10 groups from around the region and as far as Anchorage flew in to the village over Labor Day weekend, to sing, dance, drum, talk — and heal. Listen now
AK: Juneau business showcases diverse artists’ work in postcard contest
Kindred Post, a post office, gift shop and gathering space in downtown Juneau held a recent art contest. The prize? 10 winners will now get their art printed on the shop’s postcards. The selections came from around the state, and from a purposely diverse group of artists. Listen now
AK: $15,000 and 2,000 miles later, Kotzebue High volleyball players show Sitka their skills
Alaska’s high school sports teams spend a lot of time and money on travel. But $15,000 and 2,000 miles for a single trip? That’s unusual. Earlier this month the Kotzebue Girls Volleyball team travelled to Sitka to play Mount Edgecumbe and Sitka High School. Listen now
AK: At Katmai’s Brooks Camp, tourists and bears mingle mostly carefree
NPS has recorded only three bear-related incidents dating to 1950 at its most famous viewing spot. Park rangers attribute that to good orientation, supervision, accountability of food and gear, and abundant supply of Bristol Bay sockeye. Listen now