Talk of Alaska

High rates of substance abuse and addiction have long plagued Alaska, but in recent years, fentanyl has greatly increased the number of overdose deaths. New forms of the illicit drug are raising alarms for prevention advocates. The combination of pills that look like candy and the lethal risk of even small amounts of fentanyl means everyone should know what to watch for to help keep themselves and...

Ready or not, school season is upon us. After two years of pandemic interruptions, many districts are hopeful for consistent in-person instruction. But a shortage of teachers, bus drivers and other staff is creating a stressful start to the school year for administrators and parents alike. Some districts are looking outside the country for help, and others hope new legislation will attract more te...

Thousands of people move in and out of Alaska every year. But people who moved to Alaska in recent years are not staying as long as they used to. There are plenty of available jobs, so what are the factors that contribute to higher rates of outmigration and what might it indicate for Alaska’s future?

Whether you’re excited or dismayed with the change, Alaskans will have their first experience with the state’s new ranked choice voting method on August 16 for the special U.S. House race to fill the term ending in January. Voters will also decide on a wide range of other primary candidates. Confused? Election officials and voter advocates answer your questions.

Salmon hang to dry on a rack at Lake Clark National Park in 2018. Lake Clark is part of the Bristol Bay region. (National Park Service) Food connected to one’s culture does more than nourish the body, it also provides emotional and spiritual support. For Indigenous chefs, reviving traditional harvest and preparation techniques is a mission to both create healthier bodies and healthier, more vibran...

Zolian Tacang of Myanmar poses for a portrait with the bok choy he’s just harvested to sell at Grow North Farm’s first farm stand of the season on June 24, 2021, in Mountain View. The farm gives refugees and other recent arrivals to Anchorage the opportunity to grow and sell produce. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media) When conflict breaks out in other countries and people are displaced, Alaska is not...

Items inside the Mountain View community fridge include canned goods and produce as well as menstrual pads and baby formula. (Wesley Early/Alaska POublic Media) High prices at the gas pump and the grocery store are putting pressure on Alaskans just as federal COVID relief programs are coming to an end. In rural communities, reduced subsistence opportunities make it harder and more expensive to har...

The Arctic’s strategic location and energy assets are drawing more U.S. military interest than ever before. A new Department of Defense regional center for security studies based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage will track the region’s shifting priorities and changing climate. LISTEN: HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Randy “Church” Kee, Maj Gen, USAF (Ret), Senior Advisor, Arctic Securit...

Secure vestibules require visitors to go through multiple locked doors and walk through the front office before entering the rest of the school. (Katie Anastas/Alaska Public Media) School security is on every parent and educator’s mind right now. The disturbing trend of gun violence in schools continues to force school districts to look for ways to protect students and staff, and to prepare for th...

Participants in Celebration 2014’s grand entrance walk through downtown Juneau. (Photo by Heather Bryant/KTOO) Indigenous groups gather every other year in Juneau for Celebration, arriving by plane, ferry and dugout canoe. It’s a chance for Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian and others to dance and share their cultures. Due to the pandemic, this year’s Celebration is the first held in-person since 2018. Ce...

Solar and wind projects are providing increasing amounts of energy to Alaskan communities. Improved efficiencies, less pollution and independence from relying on expensive fuel shipments are making renewable systems attractive to urban and rural Alaskans. What’s been done so far and what’s on the horizon for the summer building season? Listen: HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Garrett Boyle , Fed Co-Cha...

Will Alaska always be an oil state, or is there a future in which energy development isn’t the end-all-be-all of our economy? What would a transition to that future look like? A group of community organizations from around the state are convening for the Just Transition Summit to explore sustainable concepts, and how we can build a more equitable economy. Listen: HOST: Adelyn Baxter GUESTS: Ruth M...

The Kwethluk Fire on April 22, 2022, when it was estimated at 9,693 acres. (Alaska Division of Forestry photo) It’s wildfire season in Alaska. Several fires have already burned in the state, including the largest April fire in a quarter century. How is climate change fueling early season fire conditions and prolonging them through the summer? We’ll hear from state and federal officials about how t...

Pulled out of the ocean by Sitka Tribe’s Resource Protection staff, herring eggs are bagged and delivered to elders and tribal citizens by drive-through pick-up. Sitka, Alaska. April 9, 2020. (Berett Wilber / KCAW) More daylight and less snow mean it’s almost peak subsistence season, and Alaskans are eager to harvest from the sea, rivers and land. But in many places, traditional subsistence has se...

Many people who are involved with the criminal justice system have mental health issues, substance use disorders, or both. Instead of going to prison, some people choose to participate in the Alaska Therapeutic Court System where a team of people helps them heal. We’ll hear from people who have graduated from the program and people who run it. Listen: HOST: Anne Hillman GUESTS: Ron Wilson, Therape...

A map of Arctic shipping routes, including the Northern Sea Route over Russia. Maersk is about to test that route with a cargo ship for the first time. (Public Domain photo courtesy the Arctic Council) The Arctic spans multiple countries and continents, making collaboration and diplomacy vital to its management. The war in Ukraine has strained the international community’s relationship with Russia...

Coastal erosion reveals the extent of ice-rich permafrost underlying active layer in the Teshekpuk Lake special area of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve . (Photo by Brandt Meixell/USGS) Climate change is warming the Arctic at least twice as fast as other places in the world. Our polar position means the effects of increasing temperatures are creating problems for coastal and Interior communitie...

With 48 candidates in the running to serve the remainder of Congressman Don Young’s term, Alaskans have a big decision to make in the upcoming pick-one primary election. What do Alaskans need to know to prepare for June’s primary and the ranked choice special general election in August? We discuss the special election to fill Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat and hear from candidates*. Listen: HOST: L...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Alaska continues to lead the nation in rates of violence against women. Two councils recently established by Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office are tasked with addressing missing and murdered Indigenous people and human and sex trafficking. We’ll speak to council members to learn about their role in addressing the epidemic of sexual assault in Alaska. Listen: HOST...

We all know a thing or two about isolation in Alaska. But the pandemic brought on a level of loneliness that many of us haven’t encountered before. Even two years in, we’re just beginning to understand how our communities and relationships have been affected. This special episode was recorded in person in Talkeetna and explores the importance of personal connection. The sign that welcomes visitors...

Rep. Don Young in his Washington, D.C. office in 2017. (Liz Ruskin/Alaska Public Media) Rep. Don Young’s death is a monumental loss for Alaska. For nearly 50 years, Young’s bombastic style both helped draw attention to Alaska’s legislative need and often found him crossed up in less than flattering headlines. Despite his steamroller approach, he was known as a highly effective congressman and his...

A Capstone Clinic employee prepares a COVID-19 test at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Jan. 5, 2022. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media) COVID-19 case counts continue to decline and CDC guidelines, mask mandates and mindsets, are all changing, with many people shedding masks in public. Schools across the country are relaxing or ending mask mandates. Will cases spike in coming weeks? Wha...

Alaska Native and Black children are significantly overrepresented in our state’s foster care system. A recent study found they make up 65% of those in foster homes. We’ll speak to the researchers investigating these disparities about the history behind them and their ideas for reform and solutions moving forward. Listen: HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Jessica Saniġaq Ullrich, study co-author & a...

Paige Drobny’s team during the 2021 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (Zachariah Hughes/for ADN) The Iditarod is an iconic annual sled dog race in Alaska that attracts mushers and fans from across the nation and world. This year marks the 50th running of the race. How has the competition changed over the last five decades and what might the next 50 years bring? Listen: HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Jeff...

Children in crisis need immediate help to keep them safe and longer-term assistance to stabilize their lives, especially if they can’t return to their families. Alaska’s foster care system has long been challenged by a need for more case workers and foster families, but now the lack of social workers and willing caretakers has reached a crisis level. What’s being done to help vulnerable young peop...