Alaska News Nightly - Alaska Public Media

A new bill in the legislature aims to bring back a pension system for public employees. On Kodiak Island, a village fights to keep its hydropower system running. Plus, from trail conditions to this year's lineup, everything you need to know for the Iditarod.

DNA evidence leads to a suspect in a decades old sexual assault case. Also, what's keeping mushers from entering the Iditarod? (Some say it's economics). And the Anchorage Fire Department assists with the unusual rescue of a sled dog from an ice floe.

Alaska Native leaders rally in DC to support the Willow project. The VA secretary speaks to veterans in Bethel. Plus, get to know the rookie mushers in this year's Iditarod.

The Anchorage Assembly says it's not ready to approve a settlement over a project it never approved. Concentrations of dangerous forever chemicals are higher than previously thought in some Anchorage and Fairbanks lakes. Plus, eyes are on the winner of last year's Iditarod as teams gear up for this year's race.

Sen. Dan Sullivan says the U.S. isn’t sending weapons to Ukraine fast enough and the Anchorage Assembly considers offering parental leave to city employees.

A look at search and rescue needs as shipping traffic increases in the Arctic. Debate over a Board of Fisheries proposal that could limit a Gulf of Alaska salmon fishery. Plus the life of Elizabeth Kudrin, the great survivor.

The ACLU alleges the state isn't respecting early release dates for prisoner programs. The potential fallout from a lawsuit over access to abortion pills. Plus local communities want their voices heard when it comes to Arctic military expansion.

Representative David Eastman is censured, again, for offensive comments. Coastal communities wonder what to expect as shipping increases in the Arctic. Plus Senator Lisa Murkowski pushes the state legislature for a more proactive approach.

After last week's fatal roof collapse in Anchorage, residents are wondering if they should shovel. The implications of a shipping boom in the Arctic. Plus, during a recent drug bust in Southeast, the drugs themselves were found in an usual package.

Local school districts are making difficult and uncertain choices with next year's funding levels in limbo. New research shows particular species of kelp absorb pollutants in the environment around them. Plus a ceremony at Elizabeth Peratrovich's alma mater celebrates her legacy.

Some lawmakers remain wary as the Governor's budget amendments seek to address the state's food stamp backlog. Mary Peltola praises the state's reputation for bipartisan work in her first address to Alaska's legislature. Plus, difficult decisions as Tuluksak passes a week without running water.

The Justice Department finds the Anchorage School District illegally restrained and secluded students. Mat-Su Parents are struggling to find alternatives as the school bus driver strike passes two weeks. Plus, celebrating the legacy of Elizabeth Peratrovich.

A look at homelessness in Fairbanks, a frigid city with no low-barrier shelter. A third subpoena as the Anchorage Assembly looks into the former health director's fraudulent credentials. Plus a Ketchikan podcast breaking down Filipino culture tries to be as cool and smooth as its namesake dessert.

North Slope groups make the case for the Willow drilling project as the Biden administration considers approving it. Also, Alaskan scientists are still cut off from Russian colleagues, and research is suffering. And chickpea water as a cookie ingredient? Cooks experiment with egg substitutes.

Sen. Dan Sullivan asks for more transparency from the White House on the object shot down off Alaska's coast. Also, more Alaskans are having their food stamp benefits restored, but the long backlog continues. And lawmakers welcome valentines from kids, with a message on the education budget.

Less than a week after the Chinese Balloon, now an object shot down over Alaska. A number of Toyo heat stoves failed during a cold snap in December, and nobody quite knows why. Plus business is blooming for flower shops ahead of their busiest day of the year.

Kodiak residents have safety concerns after last month's failed rocket launch. School districts around the state have to make tough calls in the face of budget deficits. Plus a surprising second-place team gave Yukon Quest veterans a run for their money.

The Anchorage Assembly is suing to get answers from the Mayor and his administration. Also tonight, as the state struggles with a food stamp backlog, local schools are trying to fill the gap. Plus an Anchorage artist says he won't sit on the sidelines and wants to support the city's homeless population.

Reactions to Congresswoman Mary Peltola's pick for Josh Revak as her state director. Mushers on the Yukon Quest share their tricks for keeping their bodies, and minds up to the task. Plus, how short skits about life in rural Alaska led to a big social media following.

A teenager is sentenced for a series of arson attacks near Fairbanks. Also, a new daycare focused on Hmong language and culture opens in Anchorage. And dogs and mushers enjoy good racing conditions on the Yukon Quest trail.

The state reveals new information about last year's record number of inmate deaths, but more questions remain. A look into how Alaska's data on homelessness is collected, and how reliable it really is. As the Yukon Quest kicks off this weekend, there are serious questions about the race's future.

Congresswoman Mary Peltola calls for more action and less talk. Not everybody's on board with a Fairbanks utility's deal to source North Slope natural gas. Plus the Alaska State Troopers now have a plan for body-worn cameras.

What does the EPA's veto of the proposed Pebble Mine really mean? We will discuss. Investigators use genetic genealogy to identify human remains found 25 years ago. Plus a Sitka chef is a semifinalist for a prestigious national award.

Pebble opponents celebrate an EPA decision to ban the mine. Mat-Su school bus drivers go on strike, but not before dropping kids off at school. Plus, Team Alaska is racking up the medals at the Arctic Winter Games.

A classic fight is brewing over drilling for oil in Alaska, but with some modern nuance. Also, they held out for better prices, and now Kodiak's tanner crab fleet is going… crabbing. And Mt. Edgecumbe High School aviation students get access to some nifty technology.