Don Young to file for re-election today; Rep. Cissna has four bills against TSA; Nome Board of Education approves one-year contract for Superintendent Mike Brawner; exploration work on graphite mine 40 miles north of Nome expected this summer; Van Meter and McKenna again take $10-thousand for being first to Nome; country artist to entertain at Iron Dog Halfway banquet. Hear Wednesday's news.

House and Senate disagree over increasing funding to schools; House bill would give 250 gallons of heating fuel to eligible Alaskans; bill advances to create Alaska Arctic Policy Commission; rocket measuring effects of northern lights launched Saturday; leaders in Iron Dog taking final northbound layover in Unalakleet. Hear Tuesday's news.

Over the weekend, ten students from Nome Elementary went to the junior NYO games at Begich Middle School in Anchorage. They came home with some impressive results. In this Profile, some of the student athletes – as well as their coach, Joni Earp – talk about their season and the benefits of NYO games. Hear the full story.

Alaska women are first same-sex couple to marry at Empire State Building; climate warming causing extensive yellow cedar deaths in southeast Alaska; Anchorage and Unalakleet students switch places and volunteer for Iron Dog; Nanooks split with Wolverines; ten Junior NYO athletes compete in Anchorage. Hear Monday's news.

Pebble Limited Partnership to move to permitting process this summer; environmentalists say blow out at a North Slope exploratory well shows threat to marine environment in further development; NPS Superintendent contract now in question; 6th grade to remain at Nome Elementary; field for 2012 Iron Dog ultra-competitive. Hear Friday's news.

Rural utility managers tell House Energy Committee high cost of energy is forcing people out of homes; blow out at North Slope exploratory well; TSA pat downs may become illegal with HB262; Conoco-Phillips presents oil production plans to Senate Resources Committee. Hear Thursday's news.

21-year-old man indicted in death of Bethel cab driver; Anchorage police still assuming Samantha Koenig is alive; Governor Parnell called education funding bill the ultimate giveaway; petroleum tax consultant says oil companies are harvesting investments in Alaska; Iditarod dog missing in Anchorage, found. Hear Wednesday's news.

Big changes are in store for how the Norton Sound Health Corporation handles primary care. A new initiative, beginning this week, places a heavy focus on preventive care and on coordinating prevention methods with all members of a household using a new “family focused care” approach. Hear the full story.

Chief Papasadora wants support for Community Service Officer program; President Obama's budget includes $8 million to look at building a new icebreaker; closest finish in Yukon Quest history – Hugh Neff wins; Paul Johnson 450 Man's Best Putty Award to Judy Currier at last night's banquet. Hear Tuesday's news.

Bethel's Pete Kaiser is the champion of the inaugural running of the Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 Sled Dog Race; Yukon Quest mushers advance to Braebrun, 100 miles from the finish, led by Allen Moore; in Juneau, hearings on oil taxes, budgets, PFDs, and immunization programs; a candlelight vigil is held over the weekend in Anchorage for a local barista kidnapped from her coffee stand. Hear Monday's news.

A new initiative to combat childhood obesity is kicking off at more than 100 schools this week, and Nome Elementary and the Teller School are two local participants. It's called the Healthy Futures Challenge, and it will encourage students to stay active outside of class for 30 minutes, three times a week, for four weeks. Hear the full story.

A fire destroys a building at the Trident Seafoods plant on St. Paul island; state health officials responding to an increase in confirmed cases of tuberculosis in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region; the initiative to restart the Coastal Management Program is heard before the Alaska House/Senate Judiciary Committees; Ketchikan artist Sherman Roger Alexander sentenced to prison for selling otter parts; the Healthy Futures childhood obesity challenge launches throughout the state this week; a new study shows that housing for chronic inebriates, like Anchorage's Karluk Manor, saves money and helps tenants drink less. Hear Friday's news.

When the mushers of the Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 gathered in Unalakleet this week, some took time to remember the person whose name the race bears.

Paul Johnson – the subject of the mushers’ stories, fond memories and reminiscences – was himself a musher, as well as a respected community figure whose life meant so much to so many.

Hear the full story.

Kotzebue Democrat Reggie Joule lauds place-based education in speech to Native Issues Forum; the House Judiciary Committee hears a bill designed to ban texting while driving; as the Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 and Portage 200 get underway, mushers and race officials share memories of Paul; $67.4 million in Indian housing block grants awarded to 46 villages and tribes in Alaska; both sides appealing a Superior Court judge's ruling in the Alaska redistricting suit. Hear Thursday's news.

Inaugural running of the Paul Johnson Memorial NS450 begins today at 4pm in Unalakleet; John Baker training in Big Lake due to extreme January weather in Kotzebue; NPS Superintendent Brawner wants equality in teacher/student ratios, proposes changes for 6th grade. Hear Wednesday's news.

Bonanza raises fuel prices, still competitive with Crowley; mother arrested after Barrow child’s assault, death; legislators look at Coastal Management Program initiative; Fuglvog scheduled to be sentenced today; leaders in Yukon Quest most likely will cross Alaska-Canadian border today. Hear Tuesday's news.

US House passes FAA re-authorization bill, continuing federally subsidized air travel in Alaska; two men sentenced to life in prison for 2010 beating death of Hooper Bay man; Alaska Senate to begin work on oil tax bill this week; VP of Shell Alaska confident the company will drill in Beaufort, Chukchi Seas this year; Coast Guard Cutter Healy back in home port in Seattle; Brent Sass takes an early lead in the 2012 Yukon Quest; weekend Nanook basketball sees a second place tournament finish for the girls, double-header win for the boys. Hear Monday's news.

Nome Public Schools is considering changes to the 6th grade. Options include keeping 6th grade at the elementary school or moving it to Nome Beltz and creating a middle school out of 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The decision comes as the school board begins to prepare the budget for next year. Either option would involve staffing changes to balance the student-teacher ratio and new administrative positions. Hear the full story.

Troopers find body of Bethel cab driver, foul play suspected; Nome School Board to consider moving 6th grade to Nome Beltz; Statoil meets in Nome, hopes to decide on Chukchi drilling plans by April; Alaska House passes bill to give veterans college or vocational school credit for their service; 12 mushers to take part in the inaugural Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450; and more. Hear Friday's news.

School lunches don’t always get high marks for being healthy. Tim Stettinger – lead cook at Nome-Beltz High School – is working to change that. Tim recently spoke with KNOM about the food that is placed on students’ trays each day. In his tenure as Nome-Beltz’s lead cook, Tim has done his best to improve the lunch menus, making sure that the food being consumed by the students is both satisfying to their taste buds and good for their health. Hear the full story.

Parnell says he doesn't support Senate plan to increase base student allocation; government recommends 5 month prison term for Arne Fuglvog; Parnell calls for divestment in businesses that invest with Iran; Nome-Beltz High lead cook Tim Stettinger works toward healthier school lunches; Alaska Film Group and NANA-owned subsidiary pushing to extend state film incentive program; a second resident of Anchorage's Karluk Manor, a complex that provides housing for homeless chronic inebriates, passes away. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome Public Schools is considering changes to the 6th grade. Options include keeping 6th grade at the elementary school or moving it to Nome Beltz and creating a middle school out of 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

Background information from Superintendent Mike Brawner is available here. People can give input on the school alignment through a survey:

http://beltz.nomeschools.com/... /Planning_for_6th_Grade_20122013.html

Joan Kane is a poet who traces her family to King Island and Mary’s Igloo. Her path as a writer has taken her to an undergraduate degree at Harvard, a master of fine arts at Columbia, and a prestigious $50,000 Whiting Writers' Award in 2009 for her poetry, collected in a book titled “The Cormorant Hunter’s Wife.” And now her path is bringing her back to Nome for two events: a writing class at Nome’s Northwest Campus, and a public reading of her work at Old St. Joe’s this Saturday. Hear the full story.

Kotzebue Regional Jail closed to some prisoners amid an ongoing funding dispute; Anchorage stabbing victim dies; Olson's bill to create language preservation council heard by Senate's State Affairs committee; January 2012 goes down as Nome's coldest January on record; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

Davis Sockpick was born and raised in Shishmaref. He spent his childhood subsisting with his family: hunting, trapping, making everything by hand, preparing all summer for the long winter, and taking care of his sled dogs. With no real income to speak of, he practiced carving, and he was able to supplement his family's diet with luxuries like sugar and tea with the money he made selling his work. Though he learned to hunt from his father, Davis recalls always preferring to hunt alone: his dog team was all the help he needed. Hear Davis' story.

Two rural Alaskans – Hydaburg's Anthony Christianson and Barrow's Charles Brower – join the Federal Subsistence Board; North Slope Borough Police arrest Dave Evikana after a shooting in Barrow leaves 2 injured; State Troopers arrest Kivalina woman after weekend stabbing; the Senate Education Committee approves an increase to the Basic Student Allocation; last Friday's premiere of "Bering Sea Gold" ranks as the highest-rated series start for Discovery Channel. Hear Tuesday's news.

Russian tanker Renda and USCG cutter Healy make their way out of the ice and into open water; Nome's Common Council shuffles legislative priorities for alternative energy, addresses snow removal ordinance; Bering Sea ice, larger than average this year, has implications for commercial fish species; Nome's boys and girls basketball teams win championships at Bethel tournament. Hear Monday's news.

State settles in education inequality lawsuit; expanding sea ice in Bering Sea threatening crab fishery; crew in Savoonga cleaning contaminated snow after fuel spill; Alaska’s senators speak on Senate floor about fuel delivery; Bering Sea Gold premieres tonight at 9pm. Hear Friday's news.

Moore vs State of Alaska settlement expected to be announced today; Northern Waters Task Force to submit recommendations to Alaska Legislature, identify three priorities; Drew's Foundation formed this month in Bethel; Alaska Airlines to remove prayer cards from meal trays. Hear Thursday's news.

At this year's Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race, the sled bags of the mushers bore a special badge with a simple but important message: "Suicide is never the answer. Call someone."

The badges were made by Paul O'Brien, who started Drew's Foundation a month after his son's death. He aims to make a difference. More information at http://www.drewsfoundation.org.

Nome School Board discussing moving 6th grade to Beltz; Alaska lawmakers considering bill requiring suicide prevention training for teachers; Bethel tattoo shop owner sentenced to four years; sun storm on Sunday lights up the sky today; State of Alaska in retirement? Hear Wednesday's news.

The Nome Common Council receives an update on new museum/library as council members call for an accounting of fuel delivery; Renda, Healy still 300 miles from ice edge; federal Marine Mammal Commission meeting in Anchorage this week to discuss conservation policies, research activities; and more. Hear Tuesday's news.

Troopers investigate shooting in Wasilla that may involve a trooper; Anchorage police respond to early Monday shooting; Alaska Legislature to study cost-effective crime fighting; graphite exploration project underway near Windy Cove; Rohn Buser wins 2012 Kuskokwim 300; and Nome basketball teams compete at Cordova Tipoff tournament. Hear Monday's news.

Sergey Kopytov is the Captain of the Russian tanker Renda. And he was in charge of the vessel for only six hours before setting off on a journey that would take the ship from its home port in Vladivostok, Russia, to Korea, Dutch Harbor, and ultimately Nome. But before being a part of Nome’s first winter fuel delivery through the ice, he spent four years doing winter deliveries in the ice-choked seas of the Russian Far East. Hear the full story.

Judge says NMFS followed procedures in issuing fishing restrictions to protect stellar sea lions; troopers investigate former Fish and Game official accused of falsifying bear hunt records; Healy and Renda to begin icebreaking operations; Parnell pushes for natural gas alignment; bill aims to leverage state money for local charities; salmon packers back out of certification program; former soldier to be sentenced in murder conviction; Renda Captain speaks about life working in the ice. Hear Friday's news.

Cold weather leads to 30% boost in Bonanza's heating fuel sales; Renda's diesel to be used in the case of shortages; BSNC shows interest in acquiring Rock Creek Mine; Governor Parnell calls for alignment on a LNG gasline; troopers dismiss charges against man who traded moose meat for firewood; fish hatchery set to open in Fairbanks; Renda and Healy prepare to depart Nome. Hear Thursday's news.

The closure plan for the Rock Creek Mine is out for public comment until 5 pm Friday, January 20. The full closure plan and information on how to give comments is available at the Alaska Department of Natural Resources website:

http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/mining/largemine/rockcreek/index.htm

Mark Smith is the CEO of Vitus Marine, the company that chartered the Russian tanker Renda for Nome's winter fuel delivery. While he's been working with Sitnasuak, the Coast Guard, and countless others during the fuel delivery, he's also been calling on the lessons he learned growing up in Alaska. Hear the full story.

Rep. Joule says rural energy issues critical; Tonya Mackey arrested on assault charges; K300 race organizer says 2012 race has one of the most accomplished fields in history; Renda and Healy may depart tomorrow; Vitus Marine CEO calls on lessons learned growing up in Aleknigak. Hear Wednesday's news.

Coastal Management Program initiative gains enough signatures to put on ballot; Sen. Olson says legislature to address issue this session; Nome residents have until Feb. 8 to comment on comprehensive plan; Renda is pumping fuel to Bonanza Fuel tanks; 3 Alaska Airlines flights grounded in Kotzebue. Hear Tuesday's news.

In Tuesday's News: City of Nome Comprehensive Plan (link and contact information)

Tuesday's news includes a story about the City of Nome's new comprehensive plan. A link to the plan is available on the City of Nome's website:

http://www.nomealaska.org/

You can mail comments to:

Nome City Clerk
P.O. Box 281
Nome, AK 99762

Or email:

vmusich@nomealaska.org

Renda could begin pumping fuel today; Sen. Murkowski and Lt. Gov. Treadwell call for increased Coast Guard presence; Obama plans to put NOAA and NMFS under Interior Dept.; Copper Basin 300 canceled; Nome Nanooks take Nome Subway Showdown; Valdez hiring another 50 at $20.30/hour to remove snow. Hear Monday's news.

The Renda and the Healy stop 7 miles from Nome as plans for fuel transfer are finalized; the Coast Guard to establish a perimeter around tanker and fuel lines during transfer; residents of Wales, Savoonga share knowledge of ice and currents in wake of Renda’s and Healy’s journey; Royal Dutch Shell secures air permits for exploratory drilling in Arctic waters; state Fish and Game official Corey Rossi charged with criminal hunting violations; Nome boys and girls score victories in first day of Subway Showdown. Hear Friday's news.

Fuel 78 miles from Nome; BFI now purchasing fuel from Crowley, cold snap adds to demand; coldest villages pay highest prices for energy; more snow expected for Anchorage; Bethel students get extended winter break. Hear Thursday's news.

Renda and Healy six miles forward, six back; Savoonga and St. Michael back to full water service; Nome Elementary Principal Keller resigns; Nome Beltz Senior nominated for admission to West Point. Hear Wednesday's news.

Cold causes water issues: Savoonga may face city-wide water freeze up, 35 homes in St. Michael using honey buckets; amidst historic fuel delivery, two AK villages face fuel shortages; Renda and Healy 90 miles south; unmanned aircraft used to scope out ice; Nome's Chuck Fagerstrom honored by governor. Hear Tuesday's news.

Renda and Healy make slow progress over weekend, arrival pushed back; drama at finish for Knik 200, Berkowitz wins; Nome Nanooks boys team brings home victories in Galena, lady Nanooks upset at home. Hear Monday's news.

Andy Mahoney studies ice as an assistant research professor with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute. Mahoney's data will help define the crucial final mile of the Russian tanker Renda's historic journey through the ice to the port of Nome. Hear the full story.

DEC approves Renda fuel delivery operation's oil spill prevention and contingency plans; ban on texting while driving included in 30 pre-filed bills for legislative session; Red Dog Mine produces 777 million pounds of toxics annually, according to EPA report; Nome Beltz Lady Nanooks host Galena. Hear Friday's news.

It’s still not known how the extraordinary measures involved in this month’s unprecedented fuel delivery will affect fuel prices in Nome. Residents may be spared gas prices at 9 dollars a gallon, but the operation to deliver fuel with icebreaker support is not cheap for the government agencies involved. Hear the full story.

Renda back at sea after returning to Dutch Harbor last night; government's expenditures in fuel delivery may approach or surpass money saved by consumers; voters in Kivalina want school built at new site; Unalakleet cooperative now owns utility company; Romanesko reappointed to transportation committee. Hear Thursday's news.

After the Renda leaves Dutch Harbor, it will soon come to the ice edge and begin to break through the thickening sea ice. Kathleen Cole - Sea Ice Program Leader for the National Weather Service - says the Renda could encounter ice as thick as three feet on its journey. Hear the full story.

Renda set to depart Dutch Harbor, ice in Bering Sea 12-24 inches thick; jail in Kotzebue closed; icon of pioneer aviation Marge Baker laid to rest; Nome breaks another daily record low at -38°. Hear Wednesday's news.

Russian tanker Renda may depart Dutch Harbor this afternoon; man dies at Karluk Manor; Hooper Bay woman charged with assaulting peace officer; Alaska Sea Party seeking signatures for coastal management program ballot initiative; PFD sign-up period open. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Department of Homeland Security grants Jones Act waiver for Russian tanker Renda to load gas in Dutch Harbor before heading to Nome; China emerging as Alaska's top export customer; Nome Police Department identifies body found on West Beach as Napoleon Bergamaschi; a fatal shooting in Juneau leaves a man dead, woman injured; Nanook basketball at the weekend ACS Invitational sees girls taking third, boys fifth; December 2011 was one of Nome's wettest and snowiest on record. Hear Monday's news.

Decision on Jones Act waiver expected soon, Vitus Marine files oil spill prevention and response plan; Nome Elementary school hires administrative help to deal with behavior issues at the 5th and 6th grade level; Stebbins man arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer; and Marjorie Baker, the mother of Iditarod Champion John Baker dies at 79. Hear Friday's news.

Russian tanker Renda to pick up gasoline in Dutch Harbor if a waiver for the Jones Act can be secured; 15-year-old boy reported missing in Bethel found dead in park; Alaska State Troopers seize two pounds of marijuana in Bethel; PFD charity Pick.Click.Give getting new focus in 2012; updates for Gin Gin 200 sled dog race. Hear Thursday's news.

A federal judge lifts BP’s probation after ruling the oil company was not negligent in 2009 oil spill; Norton Sound’s summer salmon season nets fishermen $1.2 million; RuralCap and NANA working on energy-saving upgrades in western Alaska; ACLU sues the state of Alaska over medical records; thousands of prehistoric artifacts from Point Barrow returned. Hear Wednesday's news.

Ardith Weyiouanna grew up herding reindeer with her parents before she moved to Shismaref as a young girl. Those formative years following the herd, learning how to subsist from her parents and her grandmother, had a profound influence on her. Even now, Ardith and her husband of almost 50 years, Johnnie Weyiouanna Sr., enjoy collecting berries, drying fish, and fermenting walrus. They are traditions that have been passed down over the years that they still continue to this day. Hear Ardith's story.

If you’ve ever traveled to the community of Wales, you may have seen the sculpture of the giant blue hands. It’s called “Arctic Arc,” and on a hilltop to the south of town sits two massive wooden hands that meet at the wrist. Between those hands is a metal bird, its wings spread wide, as if it’s about to fly across the Bering Strait.

A collaboration between Wales-born artist Joe Senungetuk and Michigan sculptor David Barr, the birds and hands face west for a reason: about 60 miles across the strait is another sculpture, in Naukan, Russia. On the Russian side of the strait is a huge metal umiak, a traditional native skin boat. The boat crests a green hilltop as if it were a wave, and looks ready to sail across the strait and on to Wales. On each side of the umiak, open hands reach toward the prow. Like the hand waving west and the bird flying toward Russia, the umiak’s hands reach across the strait to it's companion piece on the other side. Hear the full story.

Anchorage man arrested for allegedly injecting 14-year-old with heroin; $10 million in Governor's budget to go towards design and planning of new state building in Nome; state troopers report high numbers of assaults in Western Alaska; lawyer working for Joe Miller to question Fairbanks NSB employees; beachcomber finds Japanese tsunami debris in Kodiak; a pair of sculptures bridge the Bering Strait; and Mike Williams Jr. wins the K300 holiday classic. Hear Tuesday's news.

Russian tanker to buy gasoline in Dutch Harbor en route to Nome, seeking Jones Act waiver; Kenai Magistrate challenges state law banning texting while driving; Federal disaster assistance available for Bering Sea Storm damage; Norton Sound Sled Dog club to host inaugural Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 race; and law enforcement teams statewide continue crackdown on drunken driving. Hear Monday's news.

The Coast Guard confirms cutter Healy will break ice for Russian tanker’s winter fuel delivery in Nome; President Obama issues disaster declaration for November’s Bering Sea storm; Elim girl treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the Christmas tree in her sled triggers her rifle; police in Bethel investigate the death of a second woman this month. Hear Friday's news.

With confirmation from the Coast Guard that the cutter Healy will be used to break ice for a Russian tanker's historic fuel delivery to Nome, a C-130 flies over the sea ice Thursday afternoon to assess ice conditions. See an additional picture here.

Searchers find body of missing Savoonga man; Fort Wainwright soldiers reassigned in Afghanistan; organizers begin to gather signatures for Coastal Management initiative; NJUS plans additional water and sewer work; Stellar sea lion lawsuit in court; Alaska Energy Authority moves to begin Susitna Dam permitting. Hear Thursday's news.

NOAA declares "unusual mortality event" for ringed seals, expands investigation; 8 soldiers charged in the death of Alaska-based solider; Pebble Mine opponent fined for inappropriate campaign contributions; House Ethics Committee says Don Young legal defense fund did not receive improper contributions; Alaska-made film On the Ice headed to theaters. Hear Wednesday's news.

NSEDC to distribute $500 utility subsidy; ConocoPhillips receives key Colville River permit; Sitnasuak fuel delivery expected in late December; cause of deaths in Kipnuk still unknown; proposed Coastal Managment Program to cost $5.4 million annually; and north winds push sea ice into the Norton Sound. Hear Tuesday's news.

Health Aides avoid a strike; infant in Kipnuk found alive in house with two deceased adults; Shell receives conditional approval for Chukchi drilling in 2012; Rosita Wohl speaks on ANCSA at 40 years; tsunami debris may reach Alaska; and Nome Beltz basketball teams sweep their opponents. Hear Monday's news.

With all the snow, it's the perfect time to build a snow cave. NWC's Arctic survival instructor Garrett Godek shares snow cave building tips. Also, Emmonak's Paul Andrews shares how a snow cave saved his life during a blizzard. Hear the full story.

Despite threat of termination, Norton Sound Health Aides say strike still on for Monday; Sen. Begich chairs hearing on "Frankenfish"; District 39 gets $123 million in capital projects in Gov. Parnell's budget; opening Nanook games tonight at Rec Center; snow caves are fun and can save your life. Hear Friday's news.

Norton Sound Health Aides call for administrator to be fired, will go on strike Monday if demand not met; Bethel police investigating death of 30-year old woman; Gov. Parnell to release budget today; state proposes new standards; Nome Airport plan online at nomeairport.com; Navajo is largest Native American language in the US. Hear Thursday's news.

Woman charged with hit-and-run accident killing a Chefornak man released on bail; driver left unharmed after being hit by a train; toddler hit by a bullet showing signs of improvement; Nome Board of Ed. passes tobacco policies; Alaska has 7,500 homeless children; 9 sign up for 2012 Kuskokwim 300. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome Common Council members concerned about city employees' hours put in toward winter fuel delivery; price tag for Bering Sea storm damage is $30 million, $24 million for Nome-Council Hwy.; hefty to-do list remains before Congress can leave Washington. Hear Tuesday's news.

NOAA wants delay in ice seal threatened species decision; AST investigating death of 3-month-old girl in Hooper Bay; 2-year-old child hit by bullet in Anchorage home; Nome Nanook freshman Emory Booshu a state champion wrestler; Kikkan Randall again gets World Cup victory. Hear Monday's news.

70 homes without power in Savoonga; another storm on the way to Norton Sound and the Seward Peninsula; state now accepting disaster relief applications; State Wrestling Tournament coverage at akmat.org, 1A2A State Volleyball coverage at bssd.org. Hear Friday's news.

The state is now accepting applications for people seeking financial assistance for damage from the November Bering Sea Storm. Governor Parnell declared a disaster earlier this week and activated the state's disaster relief programs. Applicants can call a toll-free Disaster Assistance Hotline. Read more.

State of AK sells $21 million in oil leases; details being worked out on tanker fuel delivery to Nome; study finds natural gas pipeline results in big savings for Alaskans; signatures to be gathered in Coastal Management Program initiative. Hear Thursday's news.

Fairbanks woman pleads guilty to negligent homicide charges in the death of Jamison Thrun; Obama administration voices support for allowing tribes to apply for disaster funding; state teams prepare to move out for the Governor's disaster declaration; Lt. Governor approves application for a petition to put Coast Zone Management on the 2012 ballot; Governor wants $10 million for the first leg of a road to Nome; and Savoonga woman testifies in international lawsuit against pesticide manufacturers. Hear Wednesday's news.

Russian (not US) tanker to make history with Sitnasuak; Alaska's Congressional delegation says situation in Nome shows America's limited capacity in Arctic; Gov. Parnell declares state disaster from November storm; huge bag of PCB-contaminated soil drops in Nushagak Bay. Hear Tuesday's news.

Sitnasuak and a Russian shipping company may very well make history this month. Sitnasuak Native Corporation has signed a contract with Vitus Marine LLC to deliver 1.5 million gallons of fuel to Nome – via the Russian marine tanker Renda. The delivery in the double-hulled Ice-Classed Russian vessel is scheduled for late December and will replace the 1.6 million gallons not delivered by Delta Western due to the November storm. Read the full story.

Alaskan congressional delegation says bypass mail report is inaccurate and incomplete; White House hosts tribal nations conference; survey shows 81% of BBNC shareholders oppose Pebble project; Western Alaska wrestlers head to state competition. Hear Monday's news.

The Coast Guard says the nation's only functioning icebreaker may be able to help bring in a fuel delivery to Nome. Rear Admiral Thomas P. Ostebo says the cutter could potentially break ice and escort Nome's delayed fuel barge, similar to what is done in Antarctica. Read the full story.

Shipping season not over? Healy may help bring fuel delivery to Nome; fall storm blamed for failure for fuel delivery, companies not opening up; Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell tells congressional subcommittee America needs more polar-class icebreakers. Hear Friday's news.

Sec. Salazar to sign off on national policy on tribal consultation; White House Tribal Nations conference tomorrow; 80% of Alaska's funding from the Indian Reservation Roads program may be cut; Kiana's Teressa Baldwin honored by White House. Hear Thursday's news.

With the last fuel barge prevented from reaching port, Nome-bound fuel headed back to Cook Inlet; three sentenced for violating Lacey Act; groups challenge Shell's air permit; on last day to sign up for 2012 Iditarod, Swenson not on list; Craisins recalled after metal found in some packages. Hear Wednesday's news.

In reverence, we present an encore of our June 2011 episode of Elder Voices featuring Walter Toolie, a Savoonga elder who passed away after his interview first aired. Walter was the oldest elder in Savoonga when we interviewed him. Hear Walter's story.

US Postal Service Inspector General calls for changes to bypass mail; Senator Murkowski calls for investigation into why Justice Dept. is not prosecuting Bill Allen; Fairbanks militia leader pleads guilty; branded sea lions found on St. Lawrence Island. Hear Tuesday's news.

State Attorney General is resigning; Congress has work to do before adjourning for the year; District Rep. Foster setting 2012 game plan for development of Norton Sound natural gas; more parents opt out of school vaccinations for their kids. Hear Monday's news.

North Pole could be ice-free in summers by 2015; spokesman for Rep. Don Young says verbal dispute with researcher was a publicity ploy; data shows abundant gold in the Iditarod and Innoko region; NSEDC again gives $100-thousand in Community Benefit Share program; snow clones made at Eielson. Hear Friday's news.

*KNOM Update News did not air on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24.

The Norton Sound Health Corporation announced they've hired a CEO and President. Deven Parlikar takes the position after Carol Piscoya's departure this summer. Parlikar was a 7-year President and CEO of a tribal health consortium in San Diego and has extensive experience in improving patient satisfaction and quality of care. Hear the full story.

NSHC hires new CEO/President (hear more in our Profile); ANC gives $1 million in support of new tribal health center in Fairbanks; Occupy Fairbanks tent causes dispute in city; Nome school staff & board members could face heavy consequences if they smoke; 20 Nome Beltz wrestlers stuck in Kodiak*; Guggenheim Partners to set up new fund dedicated to investing in Arctic.

*Note: After the time of this newscast, Nome Public Schools' athletic director, Pat Callahan, confirmed that the Nome-Beltz wrestlers had been re-booked on a flight out of Kodiak departing 1pm Wednesday afternoon; they are expected into Nome Wednesday night.

Hear Wednesday's news.

Woman dies of exposure in Aniak; Alaska National Guard soldiers from the YK Delta prepare for deployment; legislators and most AK Natives support tribal law bill, State of AK does not; State of AK crunching numbers in storm survey. Hear Tuesday's news.

Investigator says prosecutors in Sen. Ted Stevens case should not face charges, findings could have helped Stevens defense; sparks fly at ANWR hearing after Congressman Young chastises witness; Fuglvog sentencing set for February; NovaGold splits into 2 companies; Operation Santa Claus gets scaled back. Hear Monday's news.

Congress passes bill requiring removal of Alaska’s two heavy duty ice breakers from service; BOEM takes public comments on Shell's Chukchi exploration plan; UAF professor warns US Senate Oceans Caucus of acidification; City of Nome and Mike Benchoff still in dispute over derelict vessel; BSSD holds 30th Cheerleading and Wrestling Tournament. Hear Friday's news.

Friday's news contains a story about a public comment period regarding Shell Oil's plans to drill next summer in the Chukchi Sea. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is conducting a 30 day review of the company's proposed plan to begin exploratory drilling in July.

Shell's exploration plan is accessible at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management website:

http://www.boem.gov/ShellChukchi2012

People can submit comments at the Regulations.gov website:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=BOEM-2011-0122-0001

Many hope NMFS will classify number of seal deaths as an Unusual Mortality Event; damage at Kivalina $30-thousand; Nome city manager to identify experts that could assist in efforts to access Norton Sound gas; earliest bronze artifact found this summer; AK Board of Game recognizes former member Paul Johnson. Hear Thursday's news.

Charlotte Brower sworn in as NSB mayor, Ahmaogak claims votes improperly counted; Alaska soon to get first female judge appointed to federal bench; Murkowski's staffer Bob Walsh to visit western AK communities this week; Nome Elementary makes changes due to diminished funding; AK Wilderness League wants ANWR coastal plain protected. Hear Wednesday's news.

Water and sewer work is top legislative priority for City of Nome; Nome City Council and Rep. Neil Foster discuss possibilities for local energy development; crews travel to Western Alaska to assess storm damage, with eye towards possibility of disaster assistance; and more. Hear Tuesday's news.

Last week's storm location saved mainland Alaska from severe flooding; Diomede cleans up flood debris to get water back to residents; three area residents receive Governor's EMS awards; Joint Armed Services Committee meets tonight to discuss improving services for veterans and active duty members. Hear Monday's news.

Teller man still missing; City of Nome compiling expenses in case storm is declared a disaster; Alaska's senators honor veterans today, veteran Young is not attending any Veterans Day events; FEC dismisses complaint against ANCs filed by Joe Miller. Hear Friday's news.

State troopers looking for Teller’s Kyle Komok, last seen 4pm Wednesday; water, rocks, ice, and trees move in with storm surge; coastal flood warnings still in effect; coastal flooding and erosion reported across Western Alaska; two 19-year-old men shot and killed after break-in and attempted robbery in Anchorage, police looking for third intruder; Charlotte Brower leads North Slope Borough mayoral race, with some ballots still to be verified; and more. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome experiences morning power outage due to flying debris; emergency personnel watch for moving harbor ice; debris covers east Front Street; several roofs experience damage from 60 mile per hour winds; US Coast Guard evacuates a troubled vessel in the Aleutians; and Mead Treadwell seeks to have an election complaint dropped. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome and Western Alaska communities brace for massive Bering Sea storm; small plane crashes near Bethel; Army charges an Alaska based soldier with attempted espionage; and more. Hear Tuesday's news.

Monday's news includes a story about preparing for the expected fall storm this week and creating an emergency kit. The state's Ready Alaska program has a list available here:

http://ready.alaska.gov/prepare/index.htm

A veteran member and past chair of the Nome Local Emergency Planning Commission, Charlie Lean, explained how to prepare for fall storms in a Profile in August:

http://www.knom.org/profiles/2011/08/26/index.html

White House and congressional Republicans clash on icebreaker plans; Shaktoolik man found dead in Sand Point last Monday; Juneau police investigate death of man who fell from a cliff; large Cook Inlet gas discovery announced; House Speaker Chenault calls for legislation to advance an in-state natural gas pipeline; a judge to hear Pebble Mine lawsuit. Hear Monday's news.

Former NWC Director set to be charged with 4th-degree felony misconduct for mailing marijuana to herself; GOA conducts ANC investigation; Alaska's senators put further pressure on Coast Guard; Flying Wild Alaska has online video game. Hear Friday's news.

The health fair returns to Nome this weekend, with lots of opportunities to learn about healthy living and, in the words of CAMP staffer and health fair organizer Jessilyn Dunkelberger, “for the whole family to be proactive in their health” and to discover that “healthy [living] can be fun and enjoyable.” Hear the full story.

Providence will not hire tobacco users; State's Director of Oil & Gas says absence of Coastal Management means less oil in pipeline; Bob Metcalf interim NWC Director; Pamyua the band now has Pamyua the blend; weekend health fair features free flu shots and comprehensive blood tests; Nanooks hungry for conference trophy. Hear Thursday's news.

AK senators vote for “minibus” package that funds fishery stock assessments and Essential Air Service; auction in Unalakleet raises more than $20-thousand for 16-year-old receiving chemotherapy treatments; defending Iron Dog champs split and team up with Nome racers; snowy October for Nome. Hear Wednesday's news.

Helicopter pilot worked in Nome prior to fatal crash; man charged for 1994 Bonnie Craig murder; state judge affirms Southeast tribes’ self-governance; Nome name from Nuuk?; Sullivan and Sheffield at odds over ANC port expansion; Nanook Volleyball heads to Western Conference Tournament. Hear Tuesday's news.

State alleges borough ban on large-scale mining is unconstitutional; with eye to Ambler district, NovaGold and NANA form committees and release financial agreement details; helicopter previously reported missing found near Iliamna, pilot confirmed dead; Governor Parnell talks of 2012 budget; earthquake hits Aleutians; Nome's Cabrera returns as ACS Wrestling Invitational 120-pound champion. Hear Monday's news.

Sister Cecilia Huber was a teacher in western Alaska throughout the 80s and early 90s, teaching in St. Mary’s, Emmonak, Kotlik, and Nome. Her mission work also brought her to Little Diomede, Stebbins, andv Teller. And with her Fine Arts Group, she traveled through Provideniyainin the then-Soviet Union. Her new book, titled simply “Quyana,” recreates her time in Alaska by piecing togetherletters she had sent back home. After compiling the letters and continuing to teach in her native Ohio, she finally decided to turn those letters into a book.

Hear the full story.

Prehistoric creature makes for an unusual commercial fishery on the Yukon; Yupik dance legend Maryann Sundown died Wednesday; second season of Flying Wild Alaska debuts tonight; Alaskan women lag behind men in pay; nun writes book recollecting years of teaching in western Alaska.Hear Friday's news.

On October 15, the NACTEC house finished the installation of its very own wind turbine. A continuation of its ongoing renewable energy curriculum, building the turbine also gave NACTEC students hands-on experience with the construction methods used to support a lucrative new energy technology. Hear the full story.

Illness in seals concerns hunters and puzzles scientists; three coastal community leaders aim to get coastal management program fate on a ballot; Bering Strait residents form non-profit to access program funds; NACTEC students install wind turbine; Alaskans asked to comment on five-year suicide prevention plan. Hear Thursday's news.

Over 100 sick or dead pinnipeds with diseased patches of skin have been discovered in the arctic in recent months. The cause is unknown, but it is currently being studied. During July near Barrow, ringed seals were reported with blisters on their flippers and face. Hair loss was also reported. This condition is now being reported in the Bering Strait/Norton Sound region.

If you find an unusual seal in the Bering Strait region, contact:
The Eskimo Walrus Commission in Nome, 1-877-277-4392

Gay Sheffield with the UAF-Marine Advisory Program in Nome, 1-800-478-2202

NMFS and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Juneau, 1-877-925-7773

It is generally recommended to not eat seals or walruses that look sick. Until more is known, if you harvest or find a sick seal, you should:

• Wear gloves.
• Wash your hands.
• Cook meat before eating it.
• Wash your equipment and rinse with a bleach solution.

AST intercept 27 bottles of vodka and 26 grams of marijuana headed to a 3 year old in Stebbins; three-day summit focused on suicide prevention; NPS works to double number of students reading at grade level; White Mountain could save $96-thousand a year from waste heat. Hear Wednesday's news.

Barbara Koogasagoon has lived her whole life in Savoonga. She remembers a time before electricity, before airplanes; a time when men spent their days hunting and trapping and women sewed skins and gathered greens; a time when supplies from “outside” came but once a year via barge. Hear Barbara's story.

The Nome City Council approves port lighting, discusses energy during regular meeting; Diomede and other rural communities receive money for water quality improvement projects; the Department of the Interior takes nominations for two seats representing rural subsistence users for the Federal Subsistence Board; lamprey eels targeted by subsistence as well as commercial fishermen; with charges against the crew of an illegal fishing vessel "unlikely," its catch is sold for bait. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Department of the Interior is currently taking nominations and accepting applications for the two new seats on the Federal Subsistence Board that will represent rural Alaska subsistence users. For questions, call 907-271-5485 or contact the Office of the Secretary in Anchorage:

mail:
Department of Interior
Office of the Secretary
1689 C Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501

email:
subsistence@ios.doi.gov

fax:
907-271-4102

Background information on the federal subsistence program and the board can be found at the Office of Subsistence Management's website.

Shell receives air permit for Beaufort exploratory drilling; hundreds of Alaskan troops headed home from Iraq; AFN participants debate tribal/state relationship; study shows northern migration of commercial fish stocks could be delayed; Alaska Energy Authority hires manager for Susitna Dam project; Nome organizations reach out for national domestic violence and sexual assault awareness month; and Nome wrestlers take third at Kotzebue Bush Brawl. Hear Monday's news.

2011 Iditarod Champion John Baker gave the keynote address to open the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention on Thursday. Baker spoke about teamwork: specifically, how his team strives to achieve unity on the trail. North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta introduced Baker. Hear Baker's keynote address (.mp3 file). (Story also available as an .ogg audio file.)

Two former Alaska lawmakers to plead guilty to corruption charges; NovaGold and NANA sign an agreement to work in the Ambler mining district; Nome Port Commission discusses derelict vessels; John Baker opens the 2011 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention; and Nome's Erin Forton awarded $22,000 in the Alaska Marketplace competition. Hear Friday's news.

2011 Iditarod Champion John Baker spoke Wednesday at the First Alaskans Institute’s Youth and Elders Conference. Since Baker's first Iditarod in 1996, his dream had been to win the 1049-mile race. Baker spoke about his journey to the top of the sport and how he deals with challenges on and off the trail. Hear the full story (.mp3 file). (Story also available as an .ogg audio file.)

U.S. Senate passes Salmon Lake lands dispute bill; Nome gold miners discuss permitting disputes with DNR and DEC representatives; House Special Committee on Fisheries takes on AYK salmon management in Anchorage; and Iditarod champion John Baker addresses the First Alaskans Institute's Youth and Elders conference prior to AFN. Hear Thursday's news.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Tony Gorn explains why the Nome area population of muskoxen has grown in recent years. He also explains a restricted weapons hunt that will open January 1st, along with tips for property and dog owners. Hear the full story.

NJUS board asks state to cover possible reductions in federal heating assistance funds; Eyak Corporation executive charged in government contracting fraud remains behind bars; ADF&G discusses abundance of musk ox near Nome; First Alaskans Institute's Youth and Elders conference continues in Anchorage. Hear Wednesday's news.

Shawn Oquilluk enters not-guilty plea in the death of Marie Pushruk; Shishmaref woman sentenced to 20 days in jail for contributing to child's truancy; voters approve a measure aimed at stopping the Pebble Mine; GCI's Terra Southwest broadband project nears completion; funeral services set for Unalakleet's Paul Johnson; and the First Alaskans Institute's Youth and Elders Conference kicks off in Anchorage. Hear Tuesday's news.

NovaGold prepares closure plans for the Rock Creek mine; Ketchikan Republicans drop recall effort for Kyle Johansen; the carcass of a third killer whale found near Dillingham; Bangun Perkasa turned over to NOAA law enforcement; Alaska House Special Committee on Fisheries to hold meeting prior to AFN convention; Fort Yukon man receives Presidential Citizens Medal. Hear Monday's news.

NovaGold permanently closing Rock Creek mine; Sitnasuak again interested in partnering with City of Nome on state building; EWC members want more for biosampling vouchers; area's Fish & Game Advisory Committee met this week; Oct. 12 record rainfall set Wednesday. Hear Friday's news.

Yiki Kim's attorney argues she may have experienced a stroke when she struck Nome's Jamison Thrun; NPD has a suspect in last week's fires; North Slope Borough run-off election between Brower and Ahmaogak; Alaska Air using renewable energy at Nome terminal; Tom and BeeJay Gray receive NPS Partners in Education award for hosting culture camp. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome Beltz to launch new anti-bullying program; Nome School Board reorganizes with new members; Rep. Young calls for additional US icebreakers; senators split on President Obama's jobs plan; NSEDC SBI awards $105-thousand to entrepreneurs; James Adcox awarded arts fellowship grant. Hear Wednesday's news.

Shawn Oquilluk arraigned Saturday on one count of 1st degree murder in the death of Marie Pushruk; PenAir flight to Dillingham makes emergency landing after reports of bomb threat; Nome Common Council to discuss possibility of developing natural gas; missing Bethel man's body found on sandbar on Kuskokwim River; Congress to receive a study reviewing nation's icebreaker options. Hear Tuesday's news.

Shawn Oquilluk arrested and accused of killing Marie Gabriella Pushruk Friday; Wales man sentenced on truancy charges; two people killed and two wounded in an Anchorage shooting; HS wrestling kicked off with Nome Tournament. Hear Monday's news.

Two Bethel men convicted of second-degree murder in 2010 torture death; Fuglvog trial moves back to December; three killer whales up Nushagak River; housing for chronic alcoholics in Anchorage to open in November; Senator Begich introduces legislation to promote tourism; write-in mayoral candidate Janice Doherty received 38.6% of overall vote in Tuesday’s election; Nome wrestling tournament begins today. Hear Friday's news.

The Nome City Council has released the official results of Tuesday's elections in Nome. Included in the City Council's canvassing report is a full accounting of the write-in votes received for Nome's municipal, utility board, and school board offices, as well as vote tallies for each of the registered candidates.

Download the City Council's canvassing resolution (election results) as a PDF file.

Three men accused in bribery case remain behind bars; Anchorage is again the talk in Washington; NPD investigating two fires that occurred Monday; Palin will not run for President; Dutch Harbor company hired to get rid of rats on Bangun Perkasa; flu vaccines now available. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome's municipal election has a few upsets; a write-in candidate for mayor recalls John Handeland's write-in victory in 1985; four arrested, including two from the US Army Corps of Engineers and an executive at an Alaska Native corporation, in $20 million bribery case; Senator Mark Begich calls on the Coast Guard to sink a pirate vessel anchored off Dutch Harbor; a 14-year-old lawsuit charging state neglect of rural schools reaches a settlement; the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and its effects discussed today during UAF panel. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome's Volunteer Fire Department battles 2 fires Monday night; a lawsuit blocking Shell Oil's exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea returns to the hands of a federal judge; lawmakers hold a summit in Anchorage looking to reduce Alaska's spending on prisons and corrections; state tourism industry "moving in the right direction;" last week's mineral lease auction in Nome brings in $9.3 million. Hear Tuesday's news.

The 2011 PFD, due Thursday, threatens increases in bootlegging and other crimes; the assistant superintendent for Fairbanks North Star high schools arrested for DUI; a stateless vessel suspected of illegal fishing intercepted by the Coast Guard; a meeting on Alaska's rare-earth minerals draws government, industry, and research officials; and more. Hear Monday's news.

The equipment used to fluoridate Nome's water has been broken for several months, and the city is currently deciding whether to fix the equipment or to discontinue the fluoridation of city water entirely. In the view of ANTHC's Chris Fish, the decision to fluoridate or not to fluoridate is clear. Hear the full story.

Alaska Native and environmental organizations sue to block offshore oil drilling in the Beaufort Sea; ANTHC chimes in on fluoride issue; man who drove stolen police cruiser on the frozen Kuskokwim River found guilty; state holds summit on rare-earth elements; Nome Nanook and BSSD runners head to State XC Championships; 4.0 earthquake shakes Kobuk. Hear Friday's news.

The results of a school connectedness survey recently taken across the state of Alaska reveal an unacceptable level of bullying happening in Nome Public Schools. In the wake of the survey, KNOM spoke with anti-bullying expert Jim Jordan. Hear the full story.

More than a dozen Alaska Native environmental organizations sue to block offshore drilling on the Beaufort Sea; a non-partisan agency reports Governor Parnell's oil tax overhaul could cost the state its credit rating and up to $2 billion a year; Alaska Housing Finance Corporation addresses housing needs in Nome; Trident Seafood to pay millions in fines and waste controls after Clean Water act violations in Alaska; bullying expert Jim Jordan speaks about bullying in the region; cranes make a late-season exit from the Seward Peninsula. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome resident Dorothy O’Connor files suit against landlord Jim West, Jr.; the Nome School Board receives an update on the Read 90 program; the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation holds a housing finance and lending meeting in Nome today; the National Indian Health Board convention meets in Anchorage to focus on health and delivery of care for Native communities; at NIHB, Nome's CAMP department wins award for innovative diabetes prevention programs; in Nome, an historical mural is taken down. Hear Wednesday's news.

Ida Bismeir is teaching the language and culture she almost forgot. Born in Kotzebue, Ida spent her youth on the move and, as a younger adult, lived for years in California and Montana, where she eventually embraced a career in education. Ida is now back in Alaska: the only place, she says, that's ever felt like home.

Hear Ida's story.

A new study says the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline could work with low throughput if some fixes are made; the Department of Natural Resources schedules public hearings for permitting overhauls; the Nome City Council still undecided about fluoridating city water; NOAA begins a month-long survey of waters near Prince of Wales Island; UAF Geophysical Institute forecasts active aurora. Hear Tuesday's news.

Alaska's senators and educators comment on major changes to No Child Left Behind; new UAA study says the state needs to prepare for "post-Prudhoe economy;" bypass mail targeted by California lawmakers; searchers continue looking for Bethel's Walter Springer, lost more than a week ago on the Kuskokwim River; UA President Pat Gamble receives raise; results of the weekend Region 1 North cross country meet in Kotzebue. Hear Monday's news.

Former Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission executive director indicted on embezzlement charge; NOAA to conduct environmental review of bowhead whale subsistence quota; new report shows high rates of tooth decay among rural Alaska Native children; and more. Hear Friday's news.

Crowley tugs reestablish tow of adrift barge carrying 145,000 gallons of fuel; Republicans say opening ANWR good for job development; Nome dentists against the ban of fluoridating city water. Hear Thursday's news.

The Norton Sound Health Corporation is holding a health fair in Teller Thursday, September 22. Family Nurse Practitioner Kim Matthews organized the fair, and said the theme is taking responsibility for your own health. Hear the full story.

Nome’s Joint Utility meeting sees NJUS recommend a stop to fluoridating city water; after spill in Nome, Kaktovik II barged to Seattle; EPA approves air permit for Shell drilling in Chukchi Sea; BOEMRE plans study in Hanna Shoal; PFDs ($1,174 this year) used for charity; NSHC health fair in Teller. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome goes smoke free today; AST looking for Bethel man after boat capsize; state working on smaller design for state building in Nome; Anchorage judge  says same-sex couples entitled to same benefits as married couples; PFD amount to be announced today. Hear Tuesday's news.

Jim Lanier boasts that he races with people half his age -- and younger -- in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Now he can boast that he's an award-winning writer. Listen to him recite his story, “A Fowl Experience.” Hear the full story.

Fight over Pebble ballot initiative heats up; earth quake and volcano activity shakes up Aleutian Islands; court rules against Kivalina in global warming case; homeless man beaten in Anchorage; Nanooks Volleyball Team claim two victories over Bethel; Jim Lanier wins creative writing contest. Hear Monday's news.

Officer Shane Miller is the latest member of the Nome Police Department, but his partner is a first for Nome: Sage is the NPD’s first K9 officer. Officer Miller and Sage trained together for two months as the prestigious Top Kennels in Grayslake, Illinois, completing hundreds of hours of simulation exercises. Sage is trained for building and area searches, tracking people who are lost or hiding, narcotics detection, and package searches. Officer Miller says the training just reinforces what comes naturally to German Shepherds: Sage is just following his nose. Hear the full story.

Woman accused of killing Jamison Thrun not released to 3rd party; USPS services expected to slow; Arctic sea ice at 2nd lowest level since 1953; Nome Elementary to address bullying; after success at Sand Point, Officer Miller and K-9 Officer Sage look ahead at work in Nome. Hear Friday's news.

DNR takes public comment on permitting review; Larry Westlake appointed to Alaska Minerals Commission; three survive plane crash; clay discs found in Noatak Preserve pose questions; earthquakes shake southeast AK; NACTEC students install wind turbine. Hear Thursday's news.

Norton Sound commercial fishermen break ex-vessel value record; canoe accident takes life of McGrath man; Pat Callahan hired as Activity Director; ANWR on the table in Washington, D.C. this morning. Hear Wednesday's news.

City of Nome has first official K-9 officer; Kaktovik 2 to be hoisted onto dock this afternoon, no sheen visible; Nome residents can expect tax item on Oct. 4 ballot; Emmonak woman sentenced in tribal theft case; Sen. Murkowski to co-chair Oceans Caucus; Fort Wainwright soldier's body on its way home to Indiana; NOAA gives out La Nina advisory. Hear Tuesday's news.

Up to 1000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled near Nome harbor; Beringia Days held this weekend in Nome, youth that attend propose new dance group bringing together Chukotka and Alaska; soldier based at Fort Wainwright, killed in Afghanistan, remembered; Aaron Schutt promoted to Doyon President and CEO. Hear Monday's news.

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day. It's a day to remember that suicide can be prevented, a day to educate ourselves about suicide prevention, and a day to reduce the stigma of suicidal ideations. This week KNOM has aired profiles featuring the voices of those who work with suicide prevention throughout our region. Today we're featuring voices on the other side of the story: the voices of the youth. Hear the full story.

When suicidal thoughts are detected early, lives can be saved. Help is available, all day, every day.

You can call at any time, toll-free and confidential:

Alaska Careline: 877-266-4357
National Lifeline: 800-273-8255

To get in touch with a mentor in your community, call Kawerak Wellness at 907-443-4364.

To connect with a counselor in your area, call Norton Sound’s Behavioral Health at 907-443-3344.

And to learn more about World Suicide Prevention Day, visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) website.

http://www.iasp.info/wspd/

ICC Chairman urges Inuit to eat country food; Wales and White Mountain post offices spared; Donlin Creek mine's $7 billion price tag; Sen. Murkowski searches for Fuglvog replacement; auction for Nome Federal Building continues; tomorrow is World Suicide Prevention Day. Hear Friday's news.

Continuing a look at suicide prevention efforts in the Bering Strait region in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day this Saturday, September 10, today KNOM Profiles features the voices of village-based counselors and volunteer wellness mentors. VBCs, counselors are the first responders to mental health emergencies throughout our region. In addition to being employees of Norton Sound Health Corporation, many also work voluntarily with Kawerak as mentors. Hear the full story.

US a step closer to new icebreaker; ICC honors former councilmembers Pungowiyi and Kawagley; miner killed at Kensington mine; search continues on the Yukon River for Pitkas Point man; low tides cause strange occurrences; KNOM Profiles features village-based Counselors. Hear Thursday's news.

The 37th Annual National Suicide Prevention Week culminates with World Suicide Prevention Day this Saturday, September 10. But the struggle with suicidal ideations happens every day. Two organizations in the Bering Strait region that work daily with mental health and suicide prevention are Kawerak Wellness and Norton Sound’s Behavioral Health Department.

Through different means, both Kawerak and BHS work toward similar goals: to foster a sense of community and open new lines of communication. Hear the full story.

Postmaster General says USPS in danger of defaulting; ICC meets in Nome beginning today; ADF&G to revise management plan for musk oxen in Nome area; “On the Ice” nears fundraising goal; this week is National Suicide Prevention Week. Hear Wednesday's news.

To contribute to getting "On the Ice" on to the theater screens, click here.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andrewmaclean/on-the-ice-the-movie?ref=category

The Beringia Days conference will be held in Nome September 9th and 10th. The biannual event brings together researchers, government leaders, and local residents from Russia and the United States.  A high level panel will discuss international cooperation across the Bering Strait, as well as native observations of climate change, and marine mammal research. This Profile features a conversation with Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Superintendent Jeanette Pomrenke and Ranger Nicole Andler. Hear the full story.

Strong chum run on Yukon; Nome Board to vote on AD contract next Tuesday; two pilots intentionally met up in the air before colliding; pilot breaks neck after losing power; Nome to host Beringia Days Friday and Saturday. Hear Tuesday's news.

In Tuesday's newscast is a preview of this weekend's Beringia Days conference in Nome.  More information about the event and a complete schedule is available at the National Park Service website:

U.S. National Park Service - Shared Beringian Heritage Program - Beringia Days 2011

NTSB investigates mid-air collision near Nightmute; Wales hosts 12th Annual Kingikmiut Dance Festival; GSA continues to extend deadline for Nome Federal Building auction; Kenai Peninsula residents at odds over halibut management. Hear Monday's news.

Driver who fatally injured Jamison Thrun charged with manslaughter and reckless driving; 6.8-magnitude quake causes Aleutian residents to evacuate, no tsunami; auction for Nome Federal Building ends tomorrow; anti-discrimination law revisited in Anchorage; Brother Francis Shelter sees 20% increase, preparing for winter; woman charged in Thrun's death told officer she took prescription drugs morning of incident. Hear Friday's news.

Nome City Council advances 10 properties slated for abatement; Wien Building to be demolished; State of Alaska will begin setting up a health care exchange; House Special Committee on Fisheries to take up halibut charter catch share plan; Anchorage utility workers vote to strike; and August goes down as the 23th wettest in 105 years of record keeping. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome Public Schools has been using a system called PowerSchool for five years. This school year makes it the sixth year, and the 2011-2012 term is bringing some changes: good changes for parents who currently use or wish to use the online program. Listen to Nome Public School's Director of Technology Robin Johnson on how PowerSchool can help parents keep in touch with their students' lives at school. Hear the full story.

11-year-old Jamison Thrun dies after being struck by a car in Fairbanks; the Coast Guard rescues 3 men after their boat goes aground near the Alaska Peninsula; researchers tag walruses near Point Lay to learn about haul out behavior; Nome Public Schools makes changes to PowerSchool, the online resource for parents; and some Alaskans still have time to donate to charities through the Pick.Click.Give program. Hear Wednesday's news.

Wednesday's newscast includes a story on PowerSchool. Parents of Nome Public School students can sign up and create an account with PowerSchool at:

http://pwrschool.nomeschools.com/public/

Parents can also download two PDF files - a QuickStart Guide and a User Guide - for more information. The Quick Start Guide is a 2-page document that gives an overview of the functions on the site. The User Guide offers more detailed information on PowerSchool.

Alaska Native advisor, mentor and educator Caleb Pungowiyi died of cancer in July. He inhabited a gentle spirit full of wisdom, and in 2009, he shared memories and lessons learned while growing up on St. Lawrence Island. Listen to hear words directly from Caleb Pungowiyi. Hear the full story.

NEST (Nome Emergency Shelter) to open every night this winter; Fairbanks-based soldier killed in Afghanistan; Fairbanks borough wants Joe Miller lawsuit dismissed; Gov. Parnell reappoints Tom Vaden to Emergency Response Commission; Nome Beltz makes changes to schedule. Hear Tuesday's news.

As summer in Alaska draws to a close, many of Nome’s warm-weather visitors have already made their way south for the winter. But if you were lucky, you might have been able to catch a final glimpse of some of Nome’s more eccentric summertime guests: its birders. Hear the full story.

Institute of the North sees agencies engage more with small communities; Kotzebue airport closed additional two days; brother and sister take top spots in Nome Beltz Invitational; researchers study the year's musk ox mortality event; park ranger explains why Nome's a hot spot for birders. Hear Monday's news.

What does it take to be prepared for an emergency? Or for the fall storms sometimes experienced in Western Alaska? Hear insights from Nome's Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC) and Charlie Lean, who has worked with Nome's emergency services for over 35 years (even acting as the LEPC chairman in the past). Hear the full story.

Ahnangnatoguk charged with attempted murder; Pilot Station man dead after his boat flips in Yukon River; Nome Federal Building opening bid lowered to $100 thousand; Russian authority vows support for rail between Russia and North America; Nome's LEPC prepares residents for fall storms; former Alaska police officer convicted of living in country illegally. Hear Friday's news.

NPD has trouble recruiting and retaining officers; Gov. Parnell frustrated with lack of pipeline progress; FCC Chairman to visit Dillingham today; four Nome finalists in Alaska Marketplace competition; BP security guard kills polar bear; Russian tanker sets record for traversing Northern Sea Route; and more. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome Public Schools advertising for Activities Director, volleyball team trip to Chugiak canceled; NJUS moves to next phase in applying for wind power system grant; Nome's Mike Morgan to race with 2-time reigning Iron Dog champ; Gov. Parnell urges state to prepare for natural disasters; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

NPD conducts attempted homicide investigation after weekend shooting; smoking ordinance will still go in effect as planned despite Nome CHARR's request for delay; construction crews on Little Diomede, renovating school; 25 Alaska Post Offices to remain open, 11 still being reviewed; state extends merit scholarship application deadline. Hear Tuesday's news.

Nome Common Council discusses public intoxication with Police Chief Papasadora; Ft. Wainwright soldier dies in Afghanistan; Kasilof man dies in head-on collision on the Seward Highway; Tanana Chiefs Conference purchases old Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks for housing for homeless; removal barge in harbor costly; Nome Elementary begins Read 90 program today. Hear Monday's news.

Researchers studying pathogens in Alaska’s wildlife say that parasites, bacteria, and viruses are becoming more active for longer periods of time, thanks to warmer and longer summers in the Arctic. With a changing climate, there has also been an increase in invasive species that are finding a new home in a warmer Alaska. Hear the full story.

Dr. Karsten Hueffer - featured in Friday's Profile on the impact of climate change on pathogens in the Arctic - encourages hunters and trappers who have caught Arctic and silver foxes over the years to share their data and observations with him. That data could help his research with rabies in both species, and help determine their geographical area.

To help with Dr. Hueffer research with rabies in Arctic and red foxes, contact him at:

Institute of Arctic Biology
Department of Biology and Wildlife
Tel: 907-474-6313
khueffer@alaska.edu
http://users.iab.uaf.edu/~karsten_hueffer/

Dr. Bob Gurlach, also featured in Friday's Profile, requests anyone who has seen evidence of unusual animal behavior, or an increase in morbidity or mortality of animals in the wild, to contact the appropriate state agency. He can be reached at the state veterinarian’s office at:

http://www.dec.state.ak.us/eh/vet/
907-375-8214

Dr. Gurlach also urges people to contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

Phone: 907-465-4100
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm

and, when necessary, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife:

http://alaska.fws.gov/
907 271-2888

Checks go out to victims of clerical sexual abuse; oil spill in Chukchi Sea could take 74 days to contain and release up to 2.2 million barrels, according to BOEMRE; orange goo in Kivalina not eggs, but fungal spores; filing period begins Monday for Nome municipal elections in October; Nome Schools moves 4th grade teacher to kindergarten to address high enrollment; higher temperatures in Alaska mean more pathogens. Hear Friday's news.

Former owner purchases Bethel and Seward newspapers from Calista; Pebble Mine initiative allowed in Oct. 4 vote – could sidetrack mine development; majority of Bristol Bay fishermen strongly oppose Pebble Mine, according to new poll; man in Anchorage dies when pinned underwater by bulldozer; plane washes ashore near Cordova – two presumed dead; Nome Gold Alaska Company begins placer mining operations. Hear Thursday's news.

Nome School Superintendent temporarily appoints Pat Callahan as Activities Director; Nome parents request to move teacher from 4th grade to kindergarten to address class sizes; Nome CHARR petitions City Council to push date for city-wide smoking prohibition; DOT cancels plans to reroute Snake River for Runway Safety Area; TransCanada says so far no customers for natural gas pipeline; powdery substance sent to Alaska delegation was concrete mixture. Hear Wednesday's news.

China is building world's most powerful icebreaker – US plans on using buoy tenders; state offices for Alaska’s Congressional delegation receive suspicious packages; Senator Murkowski says relationship between state and federal governments needs to improve; and more. Hear Tuesday's news.

USGS scientists depart Barrow today. They will take continuous water samples over the next 7 weeks to help gauge regional and localized changes in ocean acidification. To find out why we should care about the pH levels in the world's oceans, listen to USGS Senior Research Scientist Kim Yates. Hear the full story.

Two die in plane crash outside McGrath, four treated at Providence hospital; USGS begins 7-week cruise studying ocean acidification; Nome Elementary and Nome Beltz do not make AYP; Nome Beltz volleyball team aiming for regional title; Nome Beltz basketball players Devyn and Dylan Johnson compete in first Alaska AAU team. Hear Monday's news.

Monday's newscast includes a story on USGS scientists who will be doing baseline monitoring of ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean. They're scheduled to depart from Barrow Monday on the Coast Guard Cutter Healy. Track their 2011 Arctic Cruise here:

http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/ocean-acidification/arcticcruise2011/

ACEP researchers find Pilgrim geothermal system larger than expected; Nome Public Schools still without an Activities Director; daily rainfall record broken yesterday in Nome; Murkowski's former fisheries aide entered guilty plea yesterday. Hear Friday's news.

Murkowski's former fisheries aide, Arnie Fuglvog, expected in federal court today; the late Caleb Pungowiyi recognized by Alaska Conservation Foundation; Alaska Redistricting Board releases final report on legality of new plan; Nome-Beltz XC girls team looking ahead to state, boys developing new talent; state expects to award $4 million in merit scholarships this year; Alaska Food Policy Council aims at reducing number of overweight Alaskans. Hear Thursday's news.

The Alaska Food Policy Council is looking at ways to reduce the number of overweight Alaskans. It's estimated that $2.9 billion worth of food is shipped to Alaska from the Lower 48. One of the council's goals is to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables. To view their blog, visit:

http://alaskafoodpolicy.blogspot.com

UAF held two ethnobotany courses this summer. Students spent mornings in the classroom, learning about plant morphology and other botany basics, before heading out each afternoon onto the tundra, sampling plants in the field while learning about traditional uses of greens as food and medicine. Hear the full story.

Aksik project tells human story of climate change; Alaska Senate funds study to get information on oil industry labor force; volcano in Aleutians erupts; ethnobotany course emphasizes traditional uses for plants and embraces new applications; Apple to open store in Anchorage. Hear Wednesday's news.

Wednesday's news includes a story about the Aksik project. Researchers from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York are working on a website that features video interviews with residents of Shaktoolik and Savoonga describing the effects of climate change in their communities.

You can visit the Aksik website here:

http://aksik.org/

High price in gold creates mining boom in Alaska; orange goo in Kivalina identified as eggs; Wales kept out of loop regarding post office closure; City of Emmonak to create task force regarding harassment and assaults; Salazar visits Alaska; trial date set for challenges to Alaska redistricting plan. Hear Tuesday's news.

Tuesday's news features a story about potential United States Post Office closures in Wales and White Mountain. People interested in sending the Postal Service their thoughts on closures can write to:

Beverly Christie
USPS Consumer and Industry Contact
3720 Barrow Street
Anchorage, AK 99599-9632

2-time Iron Dog champion's son dies in traffic collision; two die in Elim after vehicle rollover; man in Ninilchik dies after head-on collision with a truck; Nome-born Jason Evans and Kotzebue's Kiana Peacock buy 5 publications from ANI; Juneau thinks of taxing plastic shopping bags; Brent Sass first to sign up for 2012 Yukon Quest. Hear Monday's news.

Harassment and vandalism causes Emmonak Fish & Game office to close; Coast Guard investigates orange sheen on waters near Kivalina; NSEDC approves $300 thousand for community development center in Teller; off-the-job FAA employees can soon get back to work; Senator Murkowski says she did not know Fuglvog signed plea agreement. Hear Friday's news.

Norton Sound crab fishermen receive record payout; Arctic sea ice reaches lowest level for month of July; NSHC makes repairs to Gambell clinic to ensure service; Senator Begich asks House and Senate leaders to call Congress back into session to end partial shutdown of FAA; K330 hires race manager; Iron Dog adopts new race rules; season of northern lights viewing begins with a strong show. Hear Thursday's news.

FAA partially shut down, 79 in Alaska furloughed; PFD now worth $40 billion; Alaska moves ahead with Susitna hydro project: highest dam to be built in the US in decades; mining companies go to court to silence opponents of proposed Pebble Mine; Cordova Times to continue publication under new owner; Ground Zero flag carried to Alaska yesterday. Hear Wednesday's news.

A man dies after being shot in Fairbanks; state troopers shoot a Fort Wainwright soldier; Pebble Partnership challenges borough's plan to stop development projects thorough a ballot proposition; troopers call off search for a man missing near Anderson; a watchdog group says BOEMRE's suspension of a scientist is about polar bear research; and the 2012 Yukon Quest will have a purse of $150 thousand. Hear Tuesday's news.

4 people die in a mid-air collision Saturday near Trapper Creek; police find a body near an Anchorage homeless camp; Bering Sea pollock fleet enacts rolling hot spot closures; special legislative sessions cost the state $1 million in 2011; and July 2011 goes down as the 7th wettest July in 105 years of record keeping. Hear Monday's news.

Senator Lisa Murkowski signs legislation giving priority to military salaries if there is a federal funding gap; Senator Mark Begich co-sponsors a bond program dedicated to transportation infrastructure; US Fish and Wildlife officials visit Moscow to work out details of a treaty managing subsistence harvests of polar bears in the Chukchi Sea; a Goodnews Bay man indicted on charges of attempted murder; a state court judge agrees to allow a vote near Juneau on an amendment that would bar permitting on large mines, possibly impacting the Pebble Mine; and more. Hear Friday's news.

Ric Brodeur, a fish biologist who has worked with NOAA and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Newport, Oregon, says that jellyfish in the Bering Sea have experienced a recent "bloom" in their population. He says that prolonged increases of jellyfish populations could have serious consequences for fish used for subsistence and commerce. Because jellyfish often act as a "sentinel species," keeping an eye on their numbers can tell us a lot about the health of the Bering Sea ecosystem. Hear the full story.

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake rattles Anchorage Thursday morning; Nome's City Council discusses a new location and funding for the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum; a recap from Representative Neal Foster's and Senator Donny Olson's community meetings in Nome; Calista Corporation receives offers for recently-closed Alaska Newspapers Inc.; federal wildlife biologist Charles Monnett under investigation for scientific misconduct; and more. Hear Thursday's news.

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shakes the Mat-Su area early Wednesday morning; the Nome Port Commission reports on funding projects, harbor dredging, and motions to expand its members to seven; a successful season for king crab in the Norton Sound as the season draws to a close before the weekend; nationwide closures by the US Postal Service may affect several communities in Western Alaska; Caleb Pungowiyi, a Savoonga native who for decades was an activist for indigenous peoples of the north, passes away at age 69. Hear Wednesday's news.

Velma Brown and her family moved from Solomon to Nome before settling in White Mountain as a little girl. She has vivid memories from her childhood, but her youth was not carefree: she was plagued by illness, first suffering from hearing loss as a young girl and later having to spend two and a half years recovering from tuberculosis in Kotzebue. Hear Velma's story.

The FAA is in partial shutdown, furloughing 79 Alaskan employees and freezing airport construction and improvement funds; Governor Sean Parnell moves ahead with the $4.5b Susitna dam project; House Representative Neal Foster and Senator Donny Olson hold two community meetings in Nome to discuss the last legislative session, including redistricting; and more. Hear Tuesday's news.

Tuesday's newscast will include a story on Nome's exceptionally rainy July and what the wet weather may mean for this year's crop of tundra berries.

You'll find publications on the oval-leafed blueberry and the cloudberry (often called the salmonberry) on the website of the Cooperative Extension Service (of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks).

A grizzly sow and her cub attack several teens outside of Anchorage, seriously injuring two; a Unalakleet teenager drowns while swimming across a river; a chain of newspapers serving rural Alaska is closed by Calista Corporation; Senator Mark Begich hopes the Law of the Sea treaty will be ratified soon; and more. Hear Monday's news.

Increased beaver activity has affect on salmon: cohos benefit, chum don't; Canadian military exploring ways to increase Arctic presence; Senator Ted Stevens Gallery now open at UAF; $2 million awarded for tribal energy projects in Alaska; Sitka seafood plant leaked ammonia: 10 or 11 taken to hospital after fainting or dizziness. Hear Friday's news.

Sitnasuak Native Corporation has new President, CEO and board chair; Alaska Native Language Map updated and now digital (and available online); joint US-Russian research expedition happening now in the Chukchi; AK Gasline Development Corp. to propose to Gas Caucus the advancement of small, in-state gas pipeline. Hear Thursday's news.

Thursday's newscast will include a story on the Alaska Native Language Center's updated Alaska Native Language Map, which you can view and download here:

http://www.uaf.edu/anla/map

World Eskimo Indian Olympics celebrates 50 years; Kuskokwim 300 in serious need of race manager; woman pleads guilty to illegally obtaining walrus ivory and polar bear hides from Savoonga residents; Arctic Sea ice on pace to beat record low; polar bears log 50 long-distance swims; Alaska Nanuuq Commission pushes for multi-year harvest limits; climber summits Mt. McKinley 50 times; kiteboarders in Teller and Wales attempting to cross Bering Strait. Hear Wednesday's news.

Two soldiers based at Fort Wainwright killed in Afghanistan; DEC says 15 barrels of methanol and oil recovered at BP site; ACLU sues State of Alaska on behalf of transgender woman; Alaska-Russia polar bear commission to meet in Moscow next week; Stebbins gets $5 million for new water storage tank and treatment facility; construction of new Norton Sound hospital on schedule; Kenai River red salmon run strong. Hear Tuesday's news.

Marine Exchange of Alaska's vessel tracking system can help area hunters see ship traffic; Alaska's congressional delegation continues fight against genetically engineered salmon; methanol spill at BP North Slope oil field; Senator Begich files bill to strengthen tribal court systems; dental therapy program begins training students in Alaska. Hear Monday's news.

40-year-old Salmon Lake land dispute gets closer to resolution; subsistence whalers gain support from conservation groups at IWC meeting; man shot in the leg in Allakaket; Governor Parnell signs legislation allowing AEA to pursue Susitna dam project; chickens lure in bears in Anchorage; State of Alaska works to regain moon rocks allegedly stolen. Hear Friday's news.

For the 5pm newscast on KNOM's 40th anniversary - July 14th, 2011 - KNOM news alumni Claire Richardson, Katy Clark, Michael Jones, and Paul Korchin reunited to read the news of the day. Hear our 40th anniversary newscast.

July 14, 2011 is KNOM’s 40th Anniversary. To celebrate 40 years of broadcasting to Western Alaska, David Dodman and Kelly Brabec look back on the years that have come before them: from KNOM’s first broadcast 40 years ago to Iditarods past and present; from revisiting old spots to reminiscing about the voices that have been on the air throughout the years. Hear the full story.

Senator Murkowski says failure to raise debt ceiling would be disastrous; Air Force removing contaminated soil and asbestos panels from White Alice site in Nome; IWC hopes to stop "cash for votes" scandals with new rule; Iditarod Champion John Baker to give keynote address at AFN in October; KNOM celebrates 40th Anniversary (find schedule of events here). Hear Thursday's news.

Thanks to a grant designed to promote technology initiatives in the tracking of salmon migration, Patrice Kohl spent several days in June working with biologists at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Pilot Station sonar site. In this third and final Profile from Pilot Station, Patrice and KNOM talk with Fish and Game biologists who are using a new form of boat-mounted sonar, called side scan sonar, that allows them to see through thick silt bands in the river and count fish that would otherwise be obscured from traditional sonar signals. Hear the full story.

Nome Board of Education does not act on Activities Director contract; President Obama creates inter-agency working group to coordinate energy development in Alaska; Coast Guard taking public comment on the Bering Strait Port Access Route Study; ADF&G incorporates boat-mounted sonar at the Pilot Station sonar site. Hear Wednesday's news.

The Coast Guard is asking for traditional knowledge for their Bering Straits Port Access Route Study.

To provide comments please contact:

LT Faith Reynolds
(907) 463-2270
faith.a.reynolds@uscg.mil

Or send comments to:

http://www.regulations.gov
Document type: "Notices"
Keyword: "USCG-2010-0833"

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has been improving its counts of Chinook and chum salmon at its Pilot Station sonar site this year by fishing longer, 50-fathom gillnets. Since sonar can count raw numbers of fish, but can’t determine species, the sonar data complements information gathered from gillnet fishing to sketch an accurate picture of fish populations along the Yukon. (This Profile is part two of a three-part series.) Hear the full story.

Mayor Michels vetoes port commission appointment; AVEC to retrofit insulators in a number of communities; Senator Murkowski and Fran Ulmer to speak at Arctic oil and gas development conference today; Alaska Democrats do not plan to file lawsuit on new redistricting plan; Governor Parnell creates timber industry task force; ADF&G works to get more reliable data on the Yukon. Hear Tuesday's news.

In part one of a three-part series, hear ADF&G's Bruce McIntosh and Patrice Kohl and the Association of Village Council Presidents' Myron Naneng, Sr. on the challenges of counting salmon in the Yukon, and how new technology - such as acoustic tags - may make fish counting more accurate. Hear the full story.

Port infrastructure looms large at Northern Waters Task Force meeting; ADF&G improves technology at Pilot Station sonar site; three Alaskans plead guilty in illegal wildlife trafficking case; UAF researchers making rocks that may cut costs of building roads in rural Alaska. Hear Monday's news.

Meet Nome School Superintendent Michael Brawner. Brawner comes from Tennessee but was most recently a school administrator in Petersburg. He enjoys hunting and fishing, looks forward to implementing the district's strategic plan, and has history in Nome Elementary's Read-90 Program. Hear the full story.

Chum bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery looking a bit high; low king salmon returns for Unalakleet and Shaktoolik Rivers prompts sport and subsistence closures; new research suggests polar bears got their start in Ireland, not Alaska; Coast Guard stationing a new cutter next year; AST releases names of two troopers involved in fatal shooting; Michael Brawner now Nome School Superintendent. Hear Friday's news.

Fairbanks borough plans to sue over Alaska's redistricting plan; Northern Waters Task Force to meet in Nome on Friday; Kotzebue plans to build port and calls coastal communities to work together; BOEMRE accepting comments on Shell Oil's revised exploration plan for Beaufort Sea; Russia announces they plan to claim the Lomonosov Ridge in the Arctic Ocean; small plan crashes near Knik Glacier, two on board survive; first daughter Grace Parnell to wed at the Governor's Mansion on Saturday. Hear Thursday's news.

North Slope Gas could head to Anchorage; AVEC plans to connect electrical lines between Brevig Mission and Teller; search continues for man who fell overboard near Bethel; Kivalina water tank out of water; Nome ties record for coldest average temperature on Independence Day. Hear Wednesday's news.

Throughout the summer, Nome Eskimo Community has been holding a free youth camp on Wednesdays and Fridays focused on traditional Inupiaq values, culture, and language. It’s called the Outdoors Club, and in addition to offering daily activities, like collecting greens and identifying wildlife on hikes, each day is structured around lesson plans compiled from the input of community elders. In this Profile, a day at Dexter Camp just outside of Nome has the students studying Inupiaq Values and making agutaq, or Eskimo ice cream. Hear the full story.

Alaska State Troopers fatally shoot a Palmer man; a jetskier is missing south of Fairbanks; Coast Guard calls off search for man who fell overboard near Goodnews Bay; two Russian army brigades will be based in the Arctic; Kasilof man dies in car accident; University of Alaska joins childhood obesity study; and Nome Eskimo Community's Outdoors Club brings youth and elders together for time outdoors. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Environmental Protection Agency grants new draft air quality permits for Shell Oil Company, paving the way for Shell's 2012 exploratory oil drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas; Millrock Resources is conducting exploratory work at two sites on the Seward Peninsula; the United States Postal Service will continue to process mail through Juneau after conducting an efficiency study; the Centers for Disease Control reports a decline in fatal occupational aircraft crashes from 2000-2010; the US Coast Guard warns against using emergency flares for Independence Day fireworks. Hear Monday's news.

State of Alaska to offer 14.7 million acre petroleum lease sale; 19-year-old woman shot at an assisted living home in Anchorage; Norton Sound herring fishermen set roe recovery record; Shishmaref to conduct new relocation site study; capital budget sets aside $14 million for Nome's Richard Foster building. Hear Friday's news.

Bering Strait region gets some and loses some in Governor Parnell’s latest budget; NSHC gets 7 million for new Quyaana Care Center; AST find body believed to be Jeffrey Romie Jr. of Ekwok; judge backs government scientists on polar bear decision; Senators Murkowski and Begich want more oil pumping through TAPS; Nome is the first city in Alaska to register for the First Lady's "Let's Move" program. Hear Thursday's news.

Coastal Management Program will close Thursday; Nome Beltz Activities Director Pat Callahan's contract not approved; National Guard medevacs infant from Little Diomede; investigation continues in death of man in Anchorage PrideFest Parade. Hear Wednesday's news.

At 84 years old, Walter Toolie is the oldest elder in Savoonga. He moved to the village from Oregon when he was a little boy. He learned Yupik and spent his youth as many from Savoonga spend theirs: hunting, trapping, and fishing. He remembers how to prepare for whaling hunts and his first successful walrus catch, and he recalls one year when he caught over 200 Arctic foxes. Hear Walter's story.

Alaska Senate passes bill to extend Coastal Management Program; state takes over Norton Sound Public Health July 1st; Nome Common Council sets mill rate at 10 and passes budget; former Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission director accused of stealing more than 100 thousand dollars; trans Alaska pipeline shut down today. Hear Tuesday's news.

Legislature meets in special session to discuss Coastal Management Program; Village Internet Agent program to train rural Alaskans for upcoming rural expansion of broadband internet; operator error believed to blame for death of man during gay pride parade; National Park Service to study effects of grazing on lichen; Jeff King comes out of retirement. Hear Monday's news.

The Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation awards grants every year to new and aspiring business owners through a program called the Small Business Initiative. Designed to help start new businesses or grow existing small businesses in the region, applications for the grant are due by July 15. In this Profile, business owners who have been granted SBI funds talk about their experiences while encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to apply. Hear the full story.

Coastal Management Program not necessarily dead; Arctic Imperative Summit Tour ends in Nome; Alaska's senators blast Obama's decision to release oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve; federal scientists think more information needed on the effect of oil and gas drilling in Arctic waters; Governor Parnell signs bills; NSEDC's SBI applicants can receive up to 35-thousand dollars. Hear Friday's news.

Point Hope residents oppose drilling in the Chukchi; ADF&G cancels second subsistence fishing period; 30 Coastal Management employees leave; proposed Nome state building still in beginning phases. Hear Thursday's news.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game cancels a second subsistence fishing period on the Yukon River for king salmon; a meeting of the Nome Joint Utility Board sees several grants for sewer and water projects, a promising evaluation for wind projects, and favorable results from annual water testing; and Laureli Kinneen reports from Girdwood on the end of the Arctic Imperative Summit and on what role Alaska will play in the future of the Arctic. Hear Wednesday's news.

District 39 Representative Neal Foster on the Alaska Legislature’s debates over coastal management; Senator Mark Begich reintroduces legislation aimed at protecting the health of Arctic residents and urging the creation of a "US ambassador to the Arctic"; the Arctic Imperative Summit in Girdwood discusses national security, investment, and resources; Norton Sound Seafood Products announces higher prices for chum and pink salmon; state flags at half staff in memory of former House Speaker Ben Grussendorf. Hear Tuesday's news.

The 2011 Nome Midnight Sun Folk Festival was held over the weekend, and guest band Pamyua (BUM-yoo-uh) gave several performances for the community. In this Profile, hear from Pamyua's visit to KNOM and from their other appearances during the 2011 Folk Fest. Hear the full story.

Alaska Senate President says the senate is willing to open a special session for an extension of the Alaska Coastal Management program; Governor Parnell vetoes a bill barring convicted felons from serving on state boards and commissions; Nome's federal building put up for public auction; crab prices are up this summer; and the first Arctic Imperative Summit begins in Girdwood (hear multiple reports from Laureli Kinneen, on assignment in Girdwood). Hear Monday's news.

Nome Port Commission sends amended budget to city, District 39 Representative Foster weighs in on redistricting plan; former Anchorage police officer facing charges of illegal immigration and fraud; Norwegian oil company StatOil opens Anchorage office; Alaska based solider missing in Afghanistan is promoted; Alaska's unemployment rate is at 7.4 percent. Hear Friday's news.

Former ADF&G Commissioner Lloyd pleads guilty to driving under the influence; National Ocean Council releases outline of strategic plan for Arctic waters; House moves to keep genetically-modified salmon off dinner tables; Alaska Democratic Party has new director; runway expansion impact studies not available until August; cruise ships hit with norovirus. Hear Thursday's news.

Waterskipping claims a death in St. Michael; NSHC CEO & President Carol Piscoya resigns; ADF&G closes fishing on the Yukon to allow kings to head upriver; Nome Board of Education approves changes to 2012 budget; Senator Begich reintroduces Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act; dredging begins today in the small boat harbor. Hear Wednesday's news.

District 39 is now the biggest district in the state, stretching to the Canadian border; lightning took out power on Sunday to Banner Creek residents; EPA to hold two public hearings in Barrow this week; Run for Wes raises $12,670; NBC's Al Roker makes spring rolls in Anchorage; registration open for Wind Turbine Installation course. Hear Tuesday's news.

NPFMC delays review of chum salmon bycatch measures in the Bering Sea and sets chinook salmon hardcap in the GOA pollock fishery; city of Anchorage cracks down on illegal campsites; wildfire crews get a break from the weather; at one park in Anchorage, beavers attack dogs. Hear Monday's news.

NPFMC takes testimony on the Northern Bering Sea Research Area Plan; a 6-year-old in Koyuk undergoes treatment in Anchorage following an accidental gunshot wound;  Obama establishes White House Rural Council; troopers call off search for musher Melanie Gould; firefighters northwest of Fairbanks welcome cooler and wetter weather. Hear Friday's news.

NPFMC's Advisory Panel says more information is needed in the chum bycatch analysis for the council to begin initial review; Gov. Parnell has until July 1 to review state capital budget; city of Anchorage to conduct sweeps of illegal homeless camps; Nome gears up for Beringia Days; search for Melanie Gould widens. Hear Thursday's news.

North Pacific Fishery Management Council Advisory Panel takes testimony on Chum bycatch; Senator Olson still pushing for a Coastal Management program; search continues for Melanie Gould; veteran Alaska State Trooper charged with drunken driving; wildfire in the interior moves closer to homes and pipeline; three climbers rescued from Mt. McKinley. Hear Wednesday's news.

The Obama administration proposes cancelling a program that reduces deaths in the fisheries; Senator Donny Olson urges people to contact Alaska Redistricting Board regarding expansion of HD39; ground and air searches continue for missing musher Melanie Gould; Pete Kott provided a lawyer at the government's expense; forestry officials advice people to move pets and valuables away from Hastings Fire. Hear Tuesday's news.

Alaska Redistricting Board adopts a plan expanding District 39 to the Canadian border, making it the largest in the state; more than 500 firefighters battle a fire that is headed toward the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline; Fort Knox mine mill operator dies in a fall; two Kenai residents drown in Tustemena Lake, three survive; Sarah Palin says she’s not worried about the state's release of 24,000 pages of emails during her time as governor. Hear Monday's news.

US House Committee passes legislation that would speed up permitting process for Shell Oil; Kwikpak Fishery in Emmonak gearing up for fishing season; Fort Wainwright soldier killed in Afghanistan; RurAL CAP to conclude Providers' Conference in Dillingham today; wildfire in the interior doubles in size; Joe Miller forms political action committee; state fair draws in performers Garrison Keillor, Uncle Kracker, Staind and Colbie Caillat. Hear Friday's news.

State designates 320 acres off west beach in Nome as public mining area; Nome School Board gets most of money requested from Nome Common Council; Gov. Parnell seeks federal disaster declaration for Crooked Creek and Red Devil; fires continue in the interior; federal government to hold hearings in Kotzebue and Pt. Hope this month; Alaska enrolls 13-thousand children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Hear Thursday's news.

Thursday's news includes a story about public hearings for a new environmental report on oil and gas leases in the Chukchi Sea. The new report from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is available at BOEMRE's site:

http://www.alaska.boemre.gov/

People can submit comments at regulations.gov at the following link:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=BOEM-2011-0044-0001

Exploratory drilling for gold to begin north of the Kougarok Road; test fishing planned for commercial herring fishery; walrus hunters in Savoonga complete this season's walrus biosampling collection project; Senator Gary Stevens says coastal management program appears to be "effectively dead"; Alaska Democratic Party seeks new director; polar eclipse today at 12:48pm. Hear Wednesday's news.

Enid Lincoln calls White Mountain home, and though she spent most of her life there, she hasn't always lived with the people of the Fish River. She reflects on the changes time has wrought in White Mountain, how technology has changed people's lives, and how she maintains optimism for the future: “In order to hang on to yourself and in order to be grounded, you need to keep track of who you are... you need to remember your traditional values... and where you come from." Hear Enid's story.

Top official for veterans affairs says they must do a better job of reaching military veterans; Admiral Bob Papp says the Coast Guard's presence in the Arctic is a far cry from what it needs to be; cold water and winds at the shores of the Norton Sound keep herring from spawning; AST say two walk away from a small plane crash behind Sheep Mountain Lodge; thunderstorms cause expansion of interior wildfire; e-waste collection site available later this week; five Army Rangers summit Mt. McKinley. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Alaska House and Senate delay plans for a second special session over differences on the Coastal Management program; two are unharmed in a plane crash near the Sheep Mountain Lodge; Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki visits Alaska; and a new cultural center in Juneau will be named for the late Dr. Water Soboleff. Hear Monday's news.

President Obama and Russian President Medvedev meet and talk about the protection of the Bering Strait region; Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to observe Memorial Day in Alaska; woman not wearing a helmet dies in a 4-wheeler accident; two mountaineers die on Mt. McKinley Wednesday; and more. Hear Friday's news.

North Pacific Fishery Management Council Analyst Diana Stram* explains the four ways the council is looking at lowering chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The alternatives are explained in depth in a new, 471-page analysis, and the council will review the document at the June meeting in Nome. Hear the full story.

*Ms. Stram will be among our in-studio co-hosts for this Friday's Touchstone on the subject of chum salmon bycatch.

Yukon River ice now broken up and sea ice dissipating, opening the way for the Norton Sound herring fishery; Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook now available online for marine mammal hunters; NPFMC will take written comments on the chum bycatch analysis until Tuesday, May 31st; Coast Guard suspends search for a man who fell overboard from a fishing vessel west of Togiak; and more. Hear Thursday's news.

Thursday's news will include a story on an upcoming meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council*. For those who will not attend the NPFMC meeting, your comments on the chum salmon bycatch issue can be faxed to (907) 271-2817 or mailed to:

North Pacific Fishery Management Council
605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306
Anchorage, AK 99501-2252

All comments must be received by Tuesday, May 31st.

*NPFMC's meeting is also the subject of this Friday's Touchstone (call in-show).

Thursday's newscast includes a story about the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO). SIWO provides sea ice satellite imagery and forecasts for walrus hunters in the communities of Savoonga, Gambell, Wales, and Shishmaref. Find more at these sites:

http://www.arcus.org/search/siwo

http://www.facebook.com/seaiceforwalrus (Facebook page)

National Transportation Safety Board finds no definitive cause for the crash that killed former Senator Ted Stevens and four others; Norton Sound herring fishery can open as early as Sunday; Nome Board of Education discusses changes to the teacher request process; celebration of life services for Walter Soboleff scheduled for Saturday; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome will be smoke free on September 20: the Common Council has passed a smoking pollution control ordinance; material for broadband service for the Bristol Bay and Y-K Delta has arrived in Alaska; Senator Murkowski calls for the US to move ahead with an Arctic strategy; Wes Perkins continues responding well to treatment after his bear attack nine days ago. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Nome City Council is holding a public hearing on Monday, May 23, to take public comment on a new ordinance that would prohibit smoking in eating establishments, places of employment, and public buildings in the city of Nome. KNOM's Leah Radde and Matthew Smith discuss the questions that surround the proposed smoking ban, while encouraging those in Nome to attend the city council meeting and make their voices heard on the issue. Hear the full story.

Federal government releases revised environmental review for leases in the Chukchi Sea; Nome Common Council to take public comment on the proposed smoking ordinance; Reverend Dr. Walter Soboleff died Sunday; Alaska State Troopers launching a different Click It or Ticket campaign Wednesday. Hear Monday's news.

The Polar Geospatial Center has been supporting scientists and mapping Antarctica's most remote corners since 2004. Now, the Center has announced funding to expand its services to the Arctic. Hear the full story.

School shop burns down in St. Michael; flood warning still in effect for Buckland; 12-year-old boy in Wasilla dies in a house fire; Rear Admiral Thomas P. Ostebo takes over command of Alaska's Coast Guard operations; Polar Geospatial Center to extend mapping and geospatial services to the Arctic. Hear Friday's news.

The next episode of Profiles (to be posted Friday afternoon, May 20th) will discuss the Polar Geospatial Center's plans to expand its mapping services to the Arctic. You can view maps and images at the center's website:

http://www.agic.umn.edu/

The Nome Community Fire Department has set up a savings account at Credit Union 1 for the Perkins family; Galena musher loses home to cooking fire; Army releases names of the four soldiers killed in Afghanistan Monday; Alaska Supreme Court Justice Morgan Christen nominated to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals; Governor Parnell appoints Nome's Barb Nickels to State Community Service Commission; moose attacks girl in Anchorage. Hear Thursday's news.

The Perkins family gave a statement Wednesday on Wes' progress at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Wes Perkins was attacked by a bear on Sunday and his son Casey gave the report. Hear the statement from the Perkins family.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council prepares to set chum salmon bycatch limits in the Bering Sea pollock fishery; residents of Nome ask the Nome Joint Utility Board to address sinkholes on East 3rd Avenue; the Denali Pipeline Partnership drops its bid to build a natural gas pipeline to North American markets; Governor Parnell declares a state disaster for flooding on the Kuskokwim river for the communities of Crooked Creek and Red Devil; the Danish government prepares to make claims on the outer continental shelf of Greenland that stretches to the North Pole. Hear Wednesday's news.

Wednesday's news includes a story on the intentions of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) to reduce the amount of chum salmon incidentally caught in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. You can download their environmental assessment on various reduction methods at this link (PDF format, approximately 15 MB):

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/bycatch/ChumEA511.pdf

After his bear mauling on Sunday, Wes Perkins, in a Seattle hospital, responds to messages relayed by his family; three Fort Wainwright soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan; aviation officials begin investigation into Medevac plane crash near Barrow; Italian climber dies on Mount McKinley; spring breakup on the Koyukuk and Yukon Rivers going smoothly so far. Hear Tuesday's news.

Nome resident Wes Perkins in surgery after bear mauling on Sunday; Senator Murkowski says Congress plays a role in preparing country to uphold obligations in Arctic after last week's Arctic Council; President Obama singles out Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve as part of plan to boost domestic production; and more. Hear Monday's news.

Eight Arctic nations sign search and rescue operations agreement at the Arctic Council minister's meeting; Emmonak Traditional Chief Joe Agathluk dies at age 94; flood waters at Crooked Creek recede; Senator Olson says changes to coastal management program bill are small and the Governor has no reason to dispute; Crowley christens two double-hulled petroleum barges that are bound for the Norton Sound. Hear Friday's news.

GCI plans to bring broadband internet service to Nome and area communities by 2013; Rep. Foster says legislators frustrated with gridlock in budget contingency language; Gov. Parnell does not support Senate's coastal management bill; health officials go to Crooked Creek; Norton Sound has some of the highest smoking rates in the world*. Hear Thursday's news.

*You can share your comments here on May 12th's Sounding Board on smoking in public places.

50 residents in Crooked Creek evacuate as other Kuskokwim River villages prepare for possible flooding; Alaska Senate passes $2.8 billion capital budget; lawmakers push for changes to the coastal management program; Arctic Council meets in Nuuk, Greenland tomorrow; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome Eskimo Community's maintenance garage catches fire early this morning; 11-year-old boy in St. Mary's dies of a gunshot wound; 8 Nome residents face felony charges for possessing and distributing oxycodone; Norton Sound commercial sac roe herring fishery to open soon; City Council meets with Nome Board of Education over 2012 budget; emergency preparedness and mass-casualty workshop to be held in Nome on Wednesday. Hear Tuesday's news.

In Western Alaska, it’s a time of activity along the coasts, as floating pack ice, shorefast ice, and open water interact and respond to changing temperatures and sunlight. Spring breakup is underway. Hear the full story.

The next episode of Profiles (to be posted Monday afternoon, May 9) examines the factors at play in this spring's sea ice breakup. To view satellite images, ice forecasts, and contribute sea ice observations, visit the National Weather Service's Ice Desk website:

http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/ice.php

The head of the Alaska Redistricting Board dies of an apparent heart attack; police shoot a man at an Anchorage gas station; Troopers find a man dead in a Wasilla home following a fire; Troopers evacuate a Trapper Creek neighborhood and detonate 550 pounds of abandoned explosives; 300 soldiers from Fort Wainwright deploy to Afghanistan; and spring breakup in the Norton Sound is well underway. Hear Monday's news.

The GuysRead program is a reading initiative coordinated by Nome Eskimo Community, Nome’s Kegoya Kozga Public Library, and the Nome Elementary School. There’s a GirlsRead program, too, and they’re both designed to help improve reading skills in fourth graders, as well as to ignite a passion for reading at an early age. Hear the full story.

The Alaska Legislature continues budget negotiations in the final days of the special session; the House Energy Committee debates energy projects; the Alaska Supreme Court agrees to hear a case regarding whether the state should have access to union records; a magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattles Sand Point; representatives from the Alaska Youth Military Academy visit Nome; and the Guys Read and Girls Read programs encourage reading for elementary students. Hear Friday's news.

The Alaska House and Senate come to an agreement on an operating budget; Shell Oil moves forward in seeking permits for 2012 Chukchi and Beaufort drilling programs; organizers gather ideas on a sobering and wellness center in Nome; the Nome Port Commission discusses upcoming maintenance and construction projects; Nome-Beltz senior Christian Leckband signs a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Hear Thursday's news.

In April, Anchorage artist Shala Dobson visited White Mountain for two weeks as the school’s artist-in-residence, thanks to grants made to the Bering Strait School District. Shala’s visit was only one part of a district-wide effort by BSSD to bring more artists into the schools. Hear the full story.

Governor Parnell's budget director fears Alaska may lose federal dollars if a state capital budget isn't decided soon; security at Alaska's major military installations is heightened after the killing of Osama bin Laden; Alaska's Department of Health and Social Services reports the state has some of the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea infection in the nation; the Norton Sound Health Corporation plans to hold a community conversation today (Wednesday) at 2pm in Old St. Joe's as it begins designing a sobering center or alcohol treatment facility; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

Sitnasuak donates $100,000 for Nome JROTC program as Board of Education passes 2012 budget; BSSD Board may change grading system back to traditional letter grades, board enters executive session for superintendent evaluation; Federal Subsistence Board to discuss the possible addition of two rural subsistence representatives; Point Hope whalers land three whales in a week; Miss Indian World Marjorie Tahbone thanks the community of Nome. Hear Tuesday's news.

Tuesday's newscast includes a story on a meeting of the Federal Subsistence Board that will take place in Anchorage on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 3rd and 4th.

You can listen to the meeting, and find more information about it at this page (link will open in new window or tab):

http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/board.cfml

The Alaska Nanuuq Commission is working on a management plan to enforce last summer's polar bear treaty, an agreement between the United States and Russia which, for the first time, sets a limit on the Chukchi polar bear harvest for Alaska Native hunters. Hear the full story.

Alaska congressional delegation applauds death of bin Laden; Nome's Marjorie Tahbone crowned Miss Indian World; Savoonga IRA in the process of setting procedures to reduce ivory trafficking after last week's arrests; and more. Hear Monday's news.

Three indicted for illegal sale of walrus ivory and polar bear hides; White Mountain students' artwork on display today at 3pm, artist Shala Dobson worked with students for two weeks; 41st Annual NYO State Meet begins today, John Baker to address athletes; NYO features a Pilot Bread Recipe Contest, submit your recipe at www.citci.org; Fat Freddie Memorial Snowmachine Race tomorrow at 1 o'clock. Hear Friday's news.

The Nome-Beltz Drama Club is not only undertaking an ambitious project this spring, they’re taking it on the road. This weekend in Nome, the Drama Club – led by Nome Elementary School teacher Nikki Scherer – stages “A Thousand Cranes,” which tells the story of a young Japanese girl growing up in the aftermath of the atomic bomb dropping on Hiroshima. The play is being realized through the talents of Nome’s youth, as well as the generosity of a few of its non-profit organizations, the Nome Arts Council and DAWN (Drugs Aren’t Wanted in Nome), which are financing performances of “A Thousand Cranes” in White Mountain and Golovin. Hear the full story.

Shell Oil is holding meetings in area communities in anticipation of work in Chukchi Sea in 2012; Gambell whaling captain lands three whales in 10 days; Alaska-based airman killed in Afghanistan; Alaska House Democrats send letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder asking for investigation in state's gas prices; Nome-Beltz Drama Club will premiere the drama "A Thousand Cranes" this weekend, show goes to White Mountain and Golovin next week. Hear Thursday's news.

Sister Alice Sullivan of Nome’s Little Sisters of Jesus says she's simply a fan of birds, but that simple truth belies her knowledge of one of Alaska's most fascinating year-round residents: ravens. Sister Alice has been using her raven expertise to conduct a citizen’s science project on the birds for over eight years. With some help from the Department of Fish and Game, she’s been monitoring raven nests and nesting habits in and around Nome. And throughout April and continuing into June, she’ll be surveying raven nests and looking for evidence of mating. Hear the full story.

Nome Board of Education tables approval of 2012 budget; no visible progress made on major issues during legislature's special session; 2,000 gallons of gasoline spills in Aniak; Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley has died; Sister Alice Sullivan currently studying raven nesting and mating and requesting help with her survey. Hear Wednesday's news.

Georgianne Anasogak lives in Koyuk, but her youth was spent moving to communities throughout the Seward Peninsula. Her family moved looking for work, and she herself moved for school at Mt. Edgecumbe. When she graduated from high school, she wanted to be a nurse, but it wasn't until she finished secretarial school and moved to Koyuk with her husband that she was able to follow that dream, by becoming a health aide. Hear Georgianne's story.

Anchorage police say they've located the vehicle they believe hit and killed Chefornak's Hubert Tunuchuk; Nome's bowling alley to reopen Saturday; Nome Common Council moves a resolution that bans smoking in public buildings to a second reading; National Ocean Council seeks input for their plan for Arctic waters; Governor Parnell doesn't believe lawmakers allotted enough money for merit scholarships; Nenana Ice Classic reaches a record jackpot at $338,000. Hear Tuesday's news.

APD needs help identifying the driver who struck and killed Hubert Tunuchuk II in Anchorage on Sunday; the man charged with Genevieve Tetpon's death in 2000 was released on bail on Saturday; area residents can voice their opinions on the District 39 redistricting plan by emailing info@akredistricting.org; Tre West won the Bering Sea Lions Club Cannonball Run Snowmachine Race; CIRI wants to build a wind farm on Anchorage's Fire Island. Hear Monday's news.

The Alaska House rejects a deal to move forward on a capital budget; an environmental group announces plans to sue to list walrus on the Endangered Species List; three conservation groups plan to intervene in lawsuits against the designation of polar bear critical habitat; four records fall in the Bering Strait School District NYO competition; and the Bering Sea Lions Club Cannonball Run snowmachine race begins Saturday. Hear Friday's news.

ACEP gives update on geothermal research at Pilgrim Hot Springs; local folks voice opinions on creating success in the Denali Commission; watchdog group sues Justice Department regarding corruption investigation of Rep. Don Young; Gov Parnell offers condolences to the family of a soldier killed in Afghanistan; BSSD NYO meet takes place today and tomorrow. Hear Thursday's news.

Troopers arrest a 26-year-old Stebbins man for shooting a weapon at his neighbor's house; the Nome Joint Utility Board meets to discuss the 2012 budget; local organizations come together for the Nome Energy Summit; the Senate Finance Committee passes a $158 million supplemental spending bill; the Senate passes legislation allowing the Susitna Dam project to advance; the Denali Commission may have to return $15 million; and Senator Lisa Murkowski says there is not enough support in Congress to dismantle the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program. Hear Wednesday's news.

Alaska Legislature begins special session; soldier attached to a unit from Alaska killed in Afghanistan; military veterans’ museum opens in downtown Anchorage; Pete Kaiser's 440 strategy formulated from past champion John Baker; Nome-Beltz student actors from the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theater perform Twelfth Night; theater travels to Kotzebue today. Hear Tuesday's news.

Governor Parnell calls the Alaska Legislature into a special session after lawmakers disagree on budgets and adjournment; the House passes a compromise coastal management bill; health officials say Alaska's fish are safe from radiation from Japan and will not require testing; a snowmachiner survives a 60-foot plunge into a glacier crevasse; Pete Kaiser wins the 2011 Kobuk 440; and Alaskan teachers meet in Nome to learn how to incorporate the Iditarod Trail in the classroom. Hear Monday's news.

The Alaska Legislature says it will not finish budget work within the 90-day limit; Gambell residents discuss options for a new, temporary clinic facility; the Eating Place project hosts a community dinner; the Alaska Native play "Time Immemorial" shows in Nome; Cynthia Barrand and Ken Anderson run in the front of the Kobuk 440; and the Nome Nanooks NYO team hosts Dillingham this weekend. Hear Friday's news.

This Saturday, the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum will showcase the films of Candle-born and Nome-raised Ray Mala, who rose to fame in the 1920s and 1930s working both in front of, and behind, Hollywood cameras. Hear the full story.

The Alaska Redistricting Board releases a draft plan showing District 39 expanding north to Shishmaref and south to Marshall; the Alaska Legislature scrambles to pass a capital budget by Sunday's scheduled adjournment; Senators hold out hope for an extension of the state's coastal management plan; the House sends the Governor a bill changing the rules for counting write-in ballots; the Kobuk 440 starts today in Kotzebue; and 1930s movie star Ray Mala's films to show in Nome with the release of a book about his life, Eskimo Star. Hear Thursday's news.

Negotiations to extend the state's coastal management program break off; the Nome Board of Education discusses instructional aides and funding for the JROTC program; a Senate committee advances legislation to designate a Ted Stevens Day; and the Kobuk 440 sled dog race starts tomorrow with a veteran field, but defending champion and Iditarod winner John Baker plans to sit out and have his handlers race. Hear Wednesday's news.

The Senate Finance Committee unveils a $2.9 billion capital budget with $7 million for an elder care facility at the new Norton Sound Hospital; the Nome City Council approves an agreement for the handling of artifacts found during 2005 harbor work; the Nome School Board begins work on the 2012 budget; and residents of Nome may be eligible for 100 gallons of fuel through the Citgo program. Hear Tuesday's news.

Two artists from the design group Spurse, Petia Morozov and Iain Kerr, are in Nome with Michael Gerace (an artist and architect from the non-profit Alaska Design Forum) for a week-long art project called “Eating Place.” They’ll be engaging the community of Nome throughout the week by collecting food and recipes, visiting classrooms, preparing community meals, and creating an online cookbook. Their goal is to begin a conversation about food in Western Alaska and how it relates to global issues of food, health, and environment. Hear the full story.

Two people charged in the death of a man at a homeless camp in Anchorage; Alaska Legislature debates oil taxes in the final week of the session; NOAA finalizes its designation of Cook Inlet critical habitat for beluga whales; Fairbanks safety officials temporarily close a recycling center due to the presence of photo processing chemicals; the state Board of Game moves to outlaw the use of tasers on wild animals; and a collaborative art project explores food, community, and public space in Nome. Hear Monday's news.

The National Weather Service expects dangerous ice conditions along the west coast of Alaska; the State of Alaska considers designating 2 miles of West Beach as a Public Mining Area; Senator Lisa Murkowski defends the Small Business Administration's 8(a) contracting program; the Alaska legislature considers options for extending the state's coastal management program; and the Alaska house considers legislation allowing the state to use discretion in counting write-in ballots. Hear Friday's news.

The storm battering Western Alaska is projected to create fractures in the Bering Sea with possible ice shoves on northern coasts; the Alaska Department of Revenue releases a better than expected revenue forecast; the state says North Slope oil production is expected to decline slightly in 2011; the Alaska Senate moves to remove a voter-approved limit of 90-day legislative sessions; the Alaska Senate approves funding for vocational education; and supporters of the Small Business Administration 8(a) program testify before Congress. Hear Thursday's news.

The community of Gambell searches for a temporary clinic facility with the main building closed for safety concerns; the National Marine Fisheries Service accepts testimony in Nome on the subsistence harvest of ringed and bearded seals, which are proposed for threatened status under the Endangered Species Act; the Nome Board of Education examines the 2012 budget and its options for balancing a projected revenue shortfall; Governor Parnell says he's open to compromise on the renewal of the state's coastal management program. Hear Wednesday's news.

Federal officials collect public testimony in Nome on the proposed listing of bearded and ringed seals as threatened; District 39 Representative Neal Foster pushes for favorable redistricting following 2010 census; the House Finance Committee opens hearings on a bill to declare the AGIA gas pipeline project "uneconomic"; the House State Affairs Committee considers legislation to allow discretion in the counting of write-in ballots; former State Senator Dick Eliason dies at age 85. Hear Tuesday's news.

The Alaska House passes Governor Parnell's oil tax bill with District 39 Representative Neal Foster voting in favor; the Pick.Click.Give campaign brings in $1.6 million in pledges; students from Elim create a web video and song about the Inupiaq word Alappaa; and more. Hear Monday's news, and watch (a bigger version of) the Alappaa video!

Morning show host Leah Radde came into work Friday to face a distressing reality: the coffee pot in the KNOM kitchen was missing. Who – or what – could have done such a dastardly deed? Hear the full story.

Wisconsin musher completes solo journey on historic Serum Run trail with Greenland huskies; coalition trying to stop development of copper and gold mine; state Director for Behavioral Health visits Nome; Governor Parnell says he will be forced to rein in capital spending if legislature doesn't pass oil tax bill; "Art for Autism" exhibit displayed at the Anchorage Museum; day one of WISA Championships in White Mountain complete with results; coffee pot at KNOM is missing. Hear Friday's news.

Michael Brawner will begin as Superintendent of Nome Public Schools this summer, replacing outgoing Superintendent Jon Wehde. Brawner is currently employed at the Petersberg district, and he’s originally from central Tennessee. In our Profile, Brawner speaks about community involvement, the district reading initiative, and his first impressions of Nome. Hear the full story.

Alaska Redistricting Board will hold a statewide teleconference to accept public comments; Gov. Parnell takes aim at senators skeptical of his oil tax legislation; incoming Nome School Superintendent Michael Brawner talks about his transition; Fort Wainwright will lose 156 soldiers and 10 helicopters under new Defense Department plan. Hear Thursday's news.

On Thursday, March 31, and Friday, April 1, Nome’s Northwest Campus will host a Disability Resource Training event for individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers. The free training includes six workshops led by presenters from throughout the state, covering topics related to social security, assistive technology, and disability awareness. Hear the full story.

Fish and Game Advisory Council requests a permanent ban on trawling in the northern Bering Sea; EPA says levels of radiation in Nome are well below levels of public health concerns; Bering Sea Women's Group to host a Choose Respect open house tomorrow; and more. Hear Wednesday's news.

Abraham Anasogak, Sr. has lived in Koyuk his whole life and has enjoyed a subsistence lifestyle since his childhood: hunting and fishing, spending summers at fish camp, and running a team of dogs for as long as he can remember. Hear Abraham's story.

Mayor Denise Michels will now start Nome Common Council meetings two hours earlier; Nome bypass road may be named after Greg Kruschek; Iditarod Banquet organizer requests that updates be made to the kitchen at the Nome Recreation Center, offers to write grant; lawmakers working to save the coastal zone management program; fourth Saturday of every July may be designated "Ted Stevens Day"; Republican lawmaker proposes that volunteer firefighters and emergency responders get tax breaks to encourage volunteerism. Hear Tuesday's news.

A team of Russian and American scientists came together last summer to study the Bering Strait: in part, by listening to it. Dr. Kate Stafford of the University of Washington learned about the Bering Sea through its sounds: the songs of belugas and bowhead and humpback whales, and even the "unbelievably noisy" movements of sea ice. Hear the full story.

Dillingham airport closed this weekend due to a standoff with a man carrying a gun; Governor Parnell holds firm on Denali Kid Care decision; federal funding for Planned Parenthood threatened, could affect thousands of women in Alaska; and more. Hear Monday's news.

Nome School Board selects Michael Brawner as district superintendent; Senate Finance Committee passes an operating budget with $1.5 billion in savings; Alaska Legislature considers an extension of the Coastal Zone Management Program; Kobuk 440 Sled Dog Race attracts new sponsors; Nome-Beltz athletes compete in BSSD ski and biathlon meet at White Mountain. Hear Friday's news.

Rep. Foster asks residents take part in oil and gas resources hearing; Nome residents meet Nome School superintendent candidates; military judge sentences US soldier for involvement in 3 murders of Afghan civilians; Alaska House passes bill calling for performance reviews. Hear Thursday's news.

Radiation levels in Nome well below dangerous; Senator Begich addresses Alaska Legislature; Democratic senators trying to expand Denali Kid Care, again; Missouri US senator Claire McCaskill under fire for unpaid taxes; 32 muskoxen die during flooding event in the Seward Peninsula. Hear Wednesday's news.

Nome School superintendent finalists to be interviewed this week; Senate Finance Committee advances bill to extend legislative session; House Education Committee rejects Senate proposal on how to pay for merit scholarships; inaugural Iditarod race veteran Ken Chase shares Iditarod history. Hear Tuesday's news.

Monitoring radiation in Nome; Senator Murkowski visits Nome to congratulate Iditarod Champion John Baker; Aliy Zirkle wins the humanitarian award; Rick Swenson is Iditarod Mushers’ Choice; and more. Hear Monday's news.