In our Native Land

Ethan Cooke (at left) and Avery Hoffman of Bethel are the banner and star carriers for the St. Sophia Russian Orthodox Church during last week’s Slaaviq caroling at the Lulu Heron apartments. The carolers sang […]

by Mary Catharine Martin About a year ago my friend Julienne Pacheco dropped by our house with an ocean-caught steelhead. Before we cooked it, she got out a filet knife and carefully separated the flesh […]

by Mary Catharine Martin If you’ve fished around Frazer Lake on Kodiak Island over the last 20 years, odds are you’re familiar with jack salmon — a salmon, usually sockeye or a king, that returns […]

The Department of Public Safety today (Nov. 2nd, 2018) released its annual report to the Legislature on the status of testing sexual assault kits (SAKs) from across the state of Alaska. The report shows significant […]

The Alaska minimum wage will increase from $9.84 to $9.89 in 2019. Voters passed a ballot initiative in 2014 to raise the minimum wage by one dollar in both 2015 and 2016, and thereafter required […]

On October 22, 2018, 52-year-old Louis Nations pled guilty to oil pollution, a violation of Alaska’s environmental laws. Magistrate Judge Kay Adams presided over the hearing. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s (ADEC) Environmental Crimes […]

The Department of the Interior revokes five Public Land Orders making way for Alaska land conveyance and mineral development. The Secretary of Interior today (Oct. 4, 2018) issued a Public Land Order (PLO), which affects […]

There were 19 fire deaths in Alaska in 2017, a 6% increase from the previous year. Of those deaths, six were children under the age of 10. Additionally, juvenile firesetters were responsible for igniting 22% […]

by Ned Rozell Leaving cloven hoofprints from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, more than 3,500 muskoxen live in Alaska. All of those shaggy, curly-horned beasts came from one group of muskoxen […]

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday advanced S. 785, the Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act, out of committee by voice vote. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, […]

Joshua Pavil of Bethel got his moose on September 2nd, 2018 above Pilot Station.

by Mary Catharine Martin By mid-August Bristol Bay’s river systems are choked with fish, but early July, when most of the bay’s sockeye salmon are fighting their way in from the sea, is another story. […]

by Ned Rozell Maybe she has the right idea, the arctic ground squirrel. Sniffing the chilly air, looking up to see the first stars of the season, she has decided to check out. A few […]

The State of Alaska today (Aug. 14th, 2018) in an amicus brief urged the U.S. Supreme Court in Sturgeon v. Frost to uphold state management of state navigable waterways and overturn the Ninth Circuit Court […]

by DPS Staff Alaska Wildlife Troopers are continuing their enforcement and patrol actions at commercial and personal use fisheries across the state. Recent patrol and surveillance efforts yielded a significant number of citations and charges […]

The State of Alaska today (Aug. 14th, 2018) in an amicus brief urged the U.S. Supreme Court in Sturgeon v. Frost to uphold state management of state navigable waterways and overturn the Ninth Circuit Court […]

ALET 1802 boasts large class of recruits for multiple police agencies. The Alaska Law Enforcement Training (ALET) Academy’s second session of the year began Sunday, with 47 recruits for police agencies across the state. The […]

by Ned Rozell “She’s starting to wail,” Chris Florian says, referring to the worrisome shriek of a peregrine falcon across the river. Florian, her biologist husband Skip Ambrose and I are sitting on warm gravel […]

by Heather McFarland Bowhead whales are the marine mammals most vulnerable to disruption from increased ship traffic in waters off Alaska, a new study has concluded. Across the Arctic, narwhals are the most vulnerable. The […]

by Magen James Alaska’s Office of Veterans Affairs receives many walk-ins from service members, veterans, their families and the general public inquiring about benefits and anything to do with veteran services. They received a special […]

It is salmonberry season and Ava Howard of Akiachak filled her bucket while berry picking last week with her family at the mouth of the Atmautluak River.

by Mary Catharine Martin It’s a summer tradition for many in Alaska: pack up the car, drive to Chitina and dipnet for Copper River red salmon. It’s a tradition, however, that many won’t fulfill this […]

United Tribes of Bristol Bay released new polling results today (July 19th, 2018) highlighting local concerns about the proposed Pebble mine, showing more than 80 percent of the region believes that the mine poses a […]

by Thom Leonard 44th Meeting Held in Bethel on July 6. Calista (cha-LIS-tuh) Corporation Shareholders reelected three directors and elected a new director to the Board. Additionally, the one resolution up for vote passed. A […]

The annual World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games (WEIO) will take place at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks from July 18 through 21, 2018. A four-day series of traditional Alaska Native athletic competitions, WEIO draws Native athletes […]

by Paula Dobbyn Something new is happening in the cold waters off northern and western Alaska. Unusual injuries such as bite marks and flipper amputations are showing up on seals in the Bering Strait, Chukchi […]

Martha-Mae John of Kipnuk helps her mom Alice prepare the harvest of herring caught the first part of June.

Miss Aaliyah Isaac shows the two whitefish that she caught while fishing for bait at the beach in her village of Marshall. This is her first ever catch of fish. She gave the fish to […]

by Mary Catharine Martin Study shows river systems behave like financial investments: diverse portfolios get better returns. Turns out finance and salmon survival have something in common: the importance of diversification. As a PhD student […]

by K.J. Lincoln A large painting spanning the length of the hallway at the Kuimarvik YK Delta Fitness Center in Bethel now brightens the view for visitors, and it is inspiring, inviting, and is in […]

by Ann Feinup-Riordan When word came that John Active had passed away, we at CEC (Calista Elders Council) were deeply saddened. Right now we are finishing a new bilingual book that will be published later […]

by Mary Catharine Martin The Taku Kwáan Dancers have been traveling from Atlin, British Columbia to Juneau’s biennial Celebration for years. This year, for the first time, seven of them did it the traditional way: […]

by Chantal de Alcuaz Last week, Alyse Galvin visited Bethel for the second time as part of her bid to unseat Don Young in Congress. She is an independent running in the Democratic Primary which […]

by ADFG Staff (Fairbanks) – An abundance of hares reported this week (May 30th, 2018), including dead hares with Tularemia and voles covered in ticks, could mean diagnosis of the summer’s first cases of Tularemia […]

Back on May 2nd, 2018, the Kuskokwim Ice Classic pod started to sink through the rotting ice of the river. Folks lined the banks, watching and waiting. Then, as the clock struck 7:51pm, the 100-foot […]

by 2nd Lt. Marisa Lindsay FORT BENNING, Georgia — Ten Alaskans earned their place within the ranks of the Alaska Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment, as infantry Soldiers after graduating from the […]

Brayden Kyle “Puk’aq” Friendly caught his first White-Fronted Goose on April 23, 2018 at Nunapigpak. Brayden is 5 years old and is from the village of Tuntutuliak.

The Alaska LNG Project reached a historic milestone today (May 7th, 2018) as BP Alaska and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) announced the parties have agreed to key terms of a Gas Sales Agreement, including […]

In the interest of maintaining transparency, the Division of Alaska State Troopers (AST) is releasing the following information regarding an Alaska State Trooper under arrest for attempted sexual abuse of a minor. On Thursday, April […]

by Sally Russell The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Rural and Community Development (UAF CRCD) Kuskokwim Campus (KuC) held its forty-fourth commencement ceremony at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center in Bethel on Thursday, May […]

by CVRF Staff Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) is launching a series of educational videos on the CDQ program and CVRF’s operations in Western Alaska. The series of videos is designed to support and complement […]

The Alaska Senate today (May 1st, 2018) unanimously passed a bill establishing the Marijuana Education & Treatment Fund to address the negative health and social consequences of marijuana use. “We need a way to monitor […]

by Rachel Lord On Wednesday, Alaska took a step closer to stronger laws and pro-active prevention of derelict vessels across the state. Passing both the Senate and the House, Senate Bill 92 is heading to […]

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a $450,000 “imminent threat” grant to the Village of Chefornak in western Alaska to begin restoring a barge jetty that was badly-damaged in the 2017 […]

Troy Gregory, age 5, went ice fishing with his parents Constantine and Sophia Gregory 14 miles below their village of Kalskag. He caught this whitefish on April 8th, 2018.

Congratulations to Angela George of Kwethluk who won the 2018 Rookie Race. She took first place last Saturday in Bethel with her family’s team from the Tag Along Kennels. The Rookie Race is sponsored by […]

The Alaska Senate today (April 6th, 2018) unanimously passed a bill to give Alaskans the option of donating all or a portion of their Permanent Fund dividend directly to the state general fund. “I’ve heard […]

by Laura Ellsworth The UAF Kuskokwim Campus Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, and the Best in the West (BITW) partners are pleased to announce the winners of the tenth annual small business competition for 2018. This […]

Nicholas Kelly caught this very big pike while manaqing on March 30, 2018 at Ecuilnguq 32 miles out of his home town of Pilot Station. His fish was 46” long.

by K.J. Lincoln This past weekend featured another win for musher Maurice Andrews of Bethel. He and his team from the Simons Family Glare Ice Kennel won the Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee sponsored 100-Mile Challenge. […]

by Thom Leonard Calista Corporation opens nominations for the 2018 Shareholder Awards. The Calista Awards are focused on Calista Shareholders and Descendants. Nominations are open to Shareholders and Descendants living in and out of the […]

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) is pleased to announce its recent hire of Michelle Humphrey who has joined the CVRF team as the company’s first-ever Outreach Manager. Humphrey will be coordinating CVRF’s internal and external […]

by Amy O’Brien Angela Asicksik was born on October 4, 1934 and raised in Fish Village along a slough connecting to the Yukon River. She lived in a one-room log cabin with two windows, a […]

Emilie Entrikin of Fairbanks is the winner of the 2018 Western Alaska Sprint Championship dog race in Bethel. She had the total best time for three days of racing which took place last weekend, March […]

AHFC funds four projects for safety, health and education professionals. The Village of Tununak is the recipient of a grant that will be used to build a three-bedroom house. Tununak has been recruiting for a […]

by AVCP Staff The Yupiit Piciryarait Museum was established in 1994 by the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP). The mission of the YP Museum is to promote Yup’ik culture through history, language and arts. […]

The 2020 Census discussion planned for February 27 has been rescheduled for March 13 from noon to 1 pm. The talk will be led by Foraker Group’s Mike Walsh and co-hosted by the Kuskokwim Campus […]

by K.J. Lincoln The Holiday Classic dog race that took place in Bethel this past weekend has a new champion. Matt Scott of Bethel won the race with a time of 3 hrs. 30 minutes. […]

Karen Kaganak of Scammon Bay is happy for her first musk oxen this past weekend from Nelson Island. Here she is with her catch. Behind her are the snow covered hills where the musk oxen […]

Laney Gefroh, 14 mos., enjoys the daily adventures that she has with her mom Keira and their faithful Collie/husky dog Tucker on the frozen tundra. Here they are on their afternoon walk in Bethel last […]

by Lonny Cruff Nunapitchuk, Alaska – As part of his commitment to stay connected with his constituents, Alaska State Representative Zach Fansler made a swing through the tundra villages this week (Dec. 5th, 2017). Weather […]

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) was honored with two awards at the 2017 Prism Awards ceremony hosted by the Alaska chapter of the American Marketing Association. The Prism Awards is a yearly competition showcasing the […]

by Bethel Search & Rescue Summary: It’s early December and we have far less ice than we usually have at this time of the year. Yet People are traveling. They need to – for many […]

The Alaska Rural Water Association has honored Quinhagak and Toksook Bay at their 19th Annual Training Conference where they recognized rural water systems, wastewater systems, and their operators for outstanding achievements. The Lower Kuskokwim School […]

by Ned Rozell MOUTH OF THE DELTA RIVER — On a morning with biting air in the single digits Fahrenheit, this river smells like sulfur and is splashy and loud. Bald eagles and ravens swoop […]

MyCalista.com: Manage Contact Information, Review Dividend Payments, More Calista (cha-LIS-tuh) Corporation upgrades interaction with Shareholders with its secure, interactive MyCalista online portal. Found at https://MyCalista.com, Shareholders now have a suite of options at their fingertips. […]

Four year old Darius Vaska of Russian Mission went on a hunting trip with their dog and his uncle who caught a moose. He is holding the antlers with the nice fall foliage and sunshine […]

by Heidi Geerdts I wanted to take this opportunity to share some details on an extraordinary experience that Diesel Geerdts will be embarking on this month. He has been offered a spot in the Millsaps Training […]

by Vanessa Lynn Hunter Esther Green was born and raised in Nunapitchuk, Alaska to Lucy Evon and her biological father Wassillie B. Evon. Esther shares her story of growing up with her single mother and […]

by Kathleen McCoy One year after completing her degree in natural sciences at UAA, Jasmine Gil stands at a crossroads. What comes next? The signpost in one direction reads medicine. Back when she started college […]

by Diana Campbell Beaufort Sea – If the sea had a dinner bell, the Beaufort Sea shelf break is a ringer for one part of the Arctic food web, from plankton to whales and seabirds. […]

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces an Emergency Order closure of the resident moose season in Zone 1 of the RM615 Kuskokwim moose hunt. The State resident season for bull moose by registration […]

In the first week of August, several hundred Pacific walruses were observed on a barrier island near the Native Village of Point Lay, a small, Iñupiaq community on the northwest coast of Alaska. This is […]

It was a once in a lifetime family trip to Kusilvak over the Labor Day weekend, wrote Alicia Ramoth of Scammon Bay. “A day of hoping ended in breathtaking rewards. Madison Rose Ramoth, age 13, […]

by Dr. Mikhail Malakhov It is with great satisfaction that I say to our friends in Anchorage, Bristol Bay and on the Kuskokwim River that the 2017 Russian Expedition to Alaska was successfully completed. The […]

by Wesley Nicholai Moose hunting is always the season when everybody is hunting to get moose and to get meat for the winter. It is the biggest game hunting animal around the Kuskokwim delta. One […]

The crescent moon hangs over the lights of Bethel while waiting for the solar eclipse that will take place on Aug. 21st. Jupiter shines brightly above it. Photo taken on Aug. 19th, 2017 at 4:43am.

by K.J. Lincoln The second E-Waste drive in Bethel made a lot of folks happy, happy to get rid of their old electronics in an environmentally conscientious way. The Association of Village Council Presidents through […]

by Tracy Kalytiak Qiujie “Angie” Zheng grew up in the coastal city of Tianjin, China, a place brimming with a rich selection of seafood. There, she could see tanks of live seafood stocked with all […]

by Thom Leonard The Calista (cha-LIS-tuh) Corporation Board of Directors elected officers following the successful Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Each officer serves a one-year term. Wayne Don was elected as board chair. Recently promoted to […]

It’s blueberry season and Marilan Ilutsik picked these big juicy berries near their village of Eek. Photo taken by her Father Brian Ilutsik.

by Ned Rozell June 8, 2017: RIKA’S ROADHOUSE — Sitting in the shade of a poplar, I watch the Tanana River flow by. It’s flat and tan, dimpled by eddies and darted over by swallows […]

July 21st, 2017: Since the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the sale of products incorporating the nonedible parts of migratory birds, such as feathers has been prohibited. New regulations publishing on […]