AK: Juneau cops and homeless strike common ground at the bowling alley
Earlier this month, homeless Juneau residents and local police competed on equal terms at a downtown bowling alley to draw donations for the cities Glory Hole homeless shelter. Listen now
AK: Mod Carousel brings boylesque world premiere to Juneau
For eight years Seattle-based boylesque collective Mod Carousel blurs gender expression in Alaska. It’s newest show, Gilded makes its world premiere in Alaska. Juneau residents will be treated to the world premiere of a dance production this weekend. Listen now
AK: ANSEP students get an inside look on the world of sharks
Last week, more than 50 students from the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program participated in a Career Exploration program, delving into the realm of marine science. The week-long program was designed to introduce the students to marine biology. Listen now
AK: Ketchikan Arts Council hosts summertime story slams
On a recent evening in Ketchikan, locals and seasonal residents gathered at the Arctic Bar to carry on perhaps the oldest tradition known to humankind – storytelling. It was a chance for residents to tell their deepest secrets and reveal their sillier sides. Listen now
AK: How do you grow a zoo in Anchorage?
The Alaska Zoo has dramatically transformed over the last five decades. The process of expanding a collection of rare animals isn't easy. None the less, there have been some acquisitions lately. The process of integrating new wildlife into the facility combines non-profit budgeting with the whims of mother nature. Listen now
AK: World’s only urban king fishery has lines casting in downtown Anchorage
Anchorage's annual Slam'n Salm'n Derby is in full swing this week. Since last Friday, fishermen at Ship Creek have been competing to see who can hook the biggest king salmon. Listen now
AK: Juneau city manager: ‘People genuinely don’t have somewhere to go’
A tent city sprang up in Alaska's capital city this spring. Juneau is struggling with a ballooning homeless population and so far efforts to crack down have just moved the problem around. KTOO's Jacob Resneck reports.
AK: McPherson Music leaves behind a legacy of Ketchikan performers
McPherson Music has been the cornerstone of Ketchikan’s music scene since the 1980s. Now, though, McPherson Music is for sale. Listen now
AK: Fire investigators train to determine how blazes begin
When a fire breaks out, it’s not always obvious how it started. Not only could the entire structure be wiped out, but items that started the fire could be partially destroyed or altered beyond recognition. That’s the job of the fire investigator: interview witnesses and find clues at the scene that would help them determine how the fire started. Listen now
AK: New book of poetry explores indigenous thought
Juneau poet Ishmael Hope has released his new book of poetry titled “Rock Piles Along the Eddy. KTOO’s Scott Burton spoke with Hope and brings us this preview of the new collection two years in the making. Listen now
AK: Feeding the hungry Susitna Valley residents
The Upper Susitna Food Pantry, with locations in Talkeetna and Trapper Creek, provides food assistance to hundreds of Susitna Valley residents. While many volunteers work together to help in that process, there is one person without whom the pantry could not function as it does. Listen now
AK: Close combat trooper training in Sitka
Twice a year the Trooper Academy in Sitka gets a new class of recruits. Over a 15-week period they go through everything from spelling tests to target practice. They also get close combat training. Listen now
AK: From tree to cream; how birch syrup makes its way to dessert bowls
The chartreuse leaves of the birch tree are one of the first signs of spring in Southcentral Alaska. But for a few weeks before the leaves unfurl the trees offer a sweet treat –a watery liquid that when tapped and boiled down turns into a rich, nutty syrup. Birch syrup is becoming a favorite flavor in the state's budding local food scene. Listen now
AK: How to be an Alaskan Ninja Warrior
What do you get when you mix reality television with an obstacle course? American Ninja Warrior. Now in it’s 9th season, the show is a glitzy display of human strength that one former competitor has decided to take off the road system. Cody Johnston operates a ninja-style training gym in Sitka that he practices at with his family. Listen now
AK: Yukon cowboy shares love of old country songs at folk festival
Art Johns has been playing at the Alaska Folk Festival since 1995. But his musical roots go way back -- almost 80 years. Listen now
AK: Attacking avalanches before they strike
Most of Juneau's power is hydroelectric. Getting that power to the community requires transmission lines that traverse through miles of avalanche country. That's why Alaska Electric Light and Power Company hires helicopter crews to trigger slides to prevent destructive avalanches from knocking out the power. Listen now
AK: Celebrating Turkish culture in Anchorage
The Republic of Turkey is about as far as you can go from Alaska on the other side of the globe. The country of nearly 80 million people straddles the edges of Europe and Asia, with a Mediterranean climate, and a rich history as the seat of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Again, not a lot of parallels with Alaska. But both places have food and dance at the center of their cultural traditions. Listen now
AK: Fishing for herring from the sky
The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is in full swing. In less than a week, the fleet has caught over half of its quota. And while most crew members work on the water, spotter pilots fish for herring from the sky. Listen now
AK: How genetics changed mush dogs of the past
The huskies running today’s Iditarod bear little resemblance to the bulky sled-dogs Alaskans used to rely on year-round. As breeding programs have refined genetic lines to create dogs designed to excel at the thousand-mile winter-time race, the cost of specialization has been a lack of versatility. Listen now
AK: Wild salmon on the school lunch menu in Sitka
KCAW’s Emily Russell in Sitka reports on how wild salmon makes its way out of a fisherman’s net and onto a student's plate. Listen now