by Governor Mike Dunleavy In the five years since the pandemic upended the world as we knew it, many aspects of our everyday lives have returned to normal. The pandemic and the upheaval that resulted […]
by Kendal Kruse Education is the cornerstone of a thriving society, and in Alaska, our education system is at a critical juncture. The need for comprehensive reform is not just a policy discussion; it’s necessary […]
by SalmonState The system is broken, but persistent testimony is making a difference. North Pacific Fishery Management Council moves to consider amended alternatives for managing trawlers’ chum bycatch at its December meeting. While the North […]
The State of Alaska filed a complaint today (Feb. 4th, 2025) – that challenges a series of federal administrative decisions that cast into uncertainty long-settled jurisdictional authority over land in Alaska. The lawsuit was filed […]
by Meg Zaletel and Brian Wilson Alaska is facing a crisis — one that shouldn’t be up for political debate. Housing is not a privilege; it is a basic human necessity. Yet, too often, the […]
by the Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance The “A” Season for wild Alaska pollock officially opened on January 20, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for thousands of Alaskans. The fishery, one of the largest and […]
by Senator Dan Sullivan My state is a huge national asset, but Biden treated it like a national park. There’s been a lot of talk about President-elect Trump’s idea of buying Greenland. But one U.S. […]
by Ted Williams The black market for bear parts in the U.S. drives poaching of Earth’s eight species of bears including America’s blacks and grizzlies. Trade in bear parts is illegal in Alaska, but policing […]
by Alaska Law Enforcement Agencies Alaska HIDTA initiative increases enforcement efforts after increased overdose deaths. Alaska law enforcement agencies, as part of the state’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Initiative, increased their enforcement efforts […]
by Mike Williams Sr. The following is the written testimony of Mike Williams of the Akiak Native Community to Rosie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), U.S. Department of Justice. On […]
by Governor Mike Dunleavy Alaska is a land of unmatched potential and opportunity. It always has been, and it always will be if we choose the right policies and priorities. This past week, I fulfilled […]
by Edgar Tall, Sr. Tribal members from the Native Village of Hooper Bay plan to testify in upcoming public meetings and ANILCA 810 hearings hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding a proposed […]
by Chynna Lockett King salmon have sustained people in Alaska for at least 12,000 years, but over the past three decades their populations have begun to dwindle. Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks linked […]
by EarthJustice Plaintiffs argue key state permits authorizing the world’s largest gold mine are illegal. Four tribes in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region of Southwest Alaska and Cook Inletkeeper, an Alaska environmental group, are challenging […]
by Better Jobs for Alaskans Alaskans vote to increase the minimum wage, secure paid sick leave, and protect worker freedom. Ballot Measure 1, a measure to gradually raise the minimum wage, allow workers to earn […]
by Adrienne Gregory As a licensed clinician and behavioral health administrator at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC), one role I fulfill is answering calls to YKHC’s 24-hour Behavioral Health Crisis Line. I have the opportunity […]
by Dr. Angelia Trujillo While Alaska has the highest rates of interpersonal violence in the country, including domestic violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse, many health care personnel and first responders do not ever […]
by Kristina Morris Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with an elder in a YK-region village that is experiencing high rates of pertussis, also known as whooping cough. She mentioned that she has […]
by Valerie Nurr’araluk Davidson Thanks to a 2020 ballot measure, Alaska’s nonpartisan election system protects every Alaskan’s right to vote for their chosen candidate at every election, regardless of party affiliation. This change was supported […]
by Mother Kuskokwim Judge Rules Federal Analysis for Donlin Gold Mine Unlawful. In a landmark decision for the communities of the YK Delta, U.S. District Court Judge Gleason ruled on Monday that the federal analysis […]
by Michelle Sparck Voters in the Calista region used to be legendary voters, and the “Native” vote meant all the difference in very tight statewide races. Those who are now our Elders, knew that our […]
by Chris Bye What Alaska has, it has a lot of. The Last Frontier has a lot of land, natural beauty, natural resources, mosquitoes, and bright, independent people. Living in the Last Frontier is not […]
by Alaskan Mayors Jim Smith, Sand Point Vince Tutiakoff, Unalaska Joe Bereskin, Akutan Alvin Osterback, Aleutians East Borough Patricia Branson, Kodiak As mayors of coastal communities in Alaska, we see every day how the health […]
by James Akerelrea and Stephen Maxie Jr. Dear Friends and Citizens of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, I want to take a moment to discuss the work that the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Tribal Government (Y-K RTG) has […]
by the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition The Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition celebrates the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s announcement today (August 27th, 2024) that it is moving forward with protections for 28 million acres of […]
by Kaila Pfister and Eliza Posner, storiesACT.org Project Leads “I know I am not the only one. Our voices need to be heard.” – Alaskan survivor of child abuse and neglect If you have experienced […]
an Essay by Ciukaq Cadence Cedars As I awaken from a night of camping in the Yukon wilderness, a chill in the air prompts me to burrow deeper into my cozy sleeping bag. Relishing the […]
by Chief Edgar Tall Sr. O ur community, “Naparyarmiut” in Yup’ik, is located along the shore of Hooper Bay in the Bering Sea on the western edge of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. While we live several […]
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) sent a letter yesterday to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman urging them to provide greater transparency and a full accounting of the […]
by Michelle Macuar Sparck In 2022, Alaska became the first state in the country to run a top-four open primary in tandem with an instant runoff general election. Alaska also happens to have the largest […]
by Charlene Lupie When hearing the word “recovery”, what do you think of? Recovering addicts? Recovering alcoholics? The definition of “recovery”, according to Cambridge Dictionary, means “the process of becoming successful or normal again after […]
by Jeff Richardson The ability of salmon hatcheries to increase wild salmon abundance may come at the cost of reduced diversity among wild salmon, according to a new University of Alaska Fairbanks–led study. The number […]
NPS Rule Follows 2017 Law Rescinding Nearly Identical Attempt by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to Illegally Usurp State’s Fish & Game Management Authority. U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Representative Mary […]
by Brian Kay Hello, I am a former Bethel Supervising Public Defender, Office of Public Advocacy Supervising attorney for Bethel, and private practice of law in Bethel. I recently completed active service in the Israel […]
by the Alaska Children’s Trust Alaska’s foster care system is a critical support for children, youth, and families.* Last week, Alaska’s foster care families saw a huge win – the Department of Family and Community […]
by Heather McFarland The University of Alaska Fairbanks has released a set of resources to help researchers and academics working in rural Alaska understand the complexities of tribal communities. The new materials come amid increased […]
by Matt Calhoun As a young student, I never envisioned the path that would lead me to where I am today. I’ve earned multiple degrees as an ANSEP student, including being the first Alaska Native […]
by Representative Neal Foster Hello to House District 39 constituents in the Lower Yukon. This includes Russian Mission, Marshall, Pilot Station, Saint Mary’s, Pitka’s Point, Mountain Village, Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay, Nunam Iqua, Alakanuk, Emmonak, […]
N orthern Dynasty Minerals & Pebble Limited Partnership Lawsuit is challenging EPA’s Clean Water Act Final Determination for Bristol Bay. Today (May 17th, 2024), the United Tribes of Bristol Bay, Bristol Bay Native Association, Bristol […]
by Beth Baker Sick of winter? Waiting for the snow to melt? Alaska’s native plants survived winter and are waiting too. Some, like pasqueflower, are so impatient they’ll push right through the snow. Nearly every […]
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today (May 2nd, 2024) slammed the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) – including Secretary Deb Haaland – for repeatedly sanctioning resource development in Alaska regardless of local support, national […]
Mother Kuskokwim Tribal coalition members expressed deep disappointment with Alaska’s Congressional delegation, which today (APRIL 24th, 2024) filed an amicus brief in support of mining interests planning what would be the world’s largest gold mine […]
by NOAA Alaska Regional Office P etition did not meet criteria necessary for emergency action. NOAA Fisheries denied a request for emergency action to institute a cap of zero on Chinook salmon bycatch in the […]
by the Mother Kuskokwim Coalition A new report released today (April 11th, 2024) by a team of scientists and engineers found that a failure or breach of the dam designed to hold toxic mine waste at […]
by Heidi Hedberg The mission of the Alaska Department of Health’s Division of Public Assistance (DPA) is to promote self-sufficiency by providing essential living expenses to those in need, with a focus on assisting Alaskans […]
by Governor Mike Dunleavy If you read the mainstream papers and blogs and spend just a little bit of time on social media these days, you will see, read, and be told that the education […]
by the Alaska Department of Law When the United States tied up 309 square miles of State land in Bristol Bay with new regulations, it broke its contract with the State, violating the Cook Inlet […]
by Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Mary Peltola When President Biden recently suspended the approval of new U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) export facilities, he drew bipartisan condemnation for an election-year move […]
by Arevgaq Theresa John Caputnguarmiut yuarutiit “Imumi tamaani, qulirat nalliitni…’ Traditional dance of Cevv’arnermiut entitled “In times old, during ancient story times…” Ukanirpak qasgimi yura’arqameng nutemllarnek takellrianek qaspertelallruut. Since time immemorial dancers only used long […]
by Doug Molyneaux Sleetmute students and staff have retreated to portions of their school building that have yet to threaten collapse or require use of raingear and hardhats in class. State government has failed to […]
by the US Department of the Interior The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture today (Feb. 15th, 2024) announced a proposal to strengthen Alaska Tribal representation on the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB), which manages subsistence […]
by Josiah Swope My name is Josiah Swope, I’m a 17-year-old junior in the ANSEP acceleration program and serve my age group as the executive at-large student body secretary for the Bethel Regional High School. […]
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized Maria Downey, longtime Alaska news anchor, on the Senate floor Thursday (Jan. 25th, 2024) for her journalistic career of more than 40 years. Downey first joined Alaska’s news industry […]
by the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition Tribal leaders seek to avoid similar damage from proposed Donlin Gold Mine. Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition celebrates the long overdue announcement by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to […]
by Ulric Aloysius The Regional Tribal Government (RTG) is desperately needed after decades of fractionalized power and division in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta. It is obvious tribal members are frustrated with their tribal council’s red […]
by Deena M. Bishop, Ed. D As the newly appointed Commissioner for the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), I am honored to serve the people of Alaska, particularly our youth, as well as […]
by the Alaska Senate Minority Concealed Carry Job Duty Assigned to at Least One Individual if Qualified, Trained per School. Today (Jan. 12th, 2024) Senator Shelley Hughes pre-filed SB173 “The Safe Schools Act” to help […]
by Fred Dyson I n the early 1930s Adolf Hitler was rebuilding war torn Germany and telling the world that the Aryan race was superior to all others. Germany was the host of the 1936 […]
by Mary Catharine Martin An abandoned mine on the banks of the Tulsequah River, BC, Canada. Photo by Chris Miller Sockeye salmon jumping up waterfalls in the Taku River watershed, BC, Canada. Beneath the glaciers […]
by Gov. Mike Dunleavy As I enter my sixth year as Alaska’s governor, the Fiscal Year 2025 budget introduced this past week reflects a continuing policy to be guided by priorities rather than the price […]
Alaska Native and fisheries conservation organizations have filed an amicus curiae “friend of the court” brief supporting the lawsuit brought by the Association of Village Council Presidents, Tanana Chiefs Conference, and City of Bethel against […]
by Staff Sgt. Sharon Queenie Alaska Air National Guard surveillance technician proud of Native heritage, military service. Waqaa, wiinga Nunakuata, Tan’gauqcuguluk! Hello, I am Nunakuata, Tan’gauqcuguluk! My maurluq (grandmother) would always call for me when […]
by Anna L. Goemer I worked for the Bethel Police Department (BPD) from 2008-2010. One unsolved case that still haunts my thoughts is Stella A. Evon, born 2/11/79, disappeared on 9/29/1996, a Sunday with temperatures between […]
Alaska Governor Dunleavy announced the following proclamation on November 9th, 2023 to recognize and honor the servicewomen and their families of our country who served our State and nation to uphold our freedoms. WHEREAS, women […]
by Gloria Simeon This is the testimony to the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs delivered on November 11th, 2023 by Gloria Simeon, a citizen of the Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council, a woman of the […]
by Dr. Karissa Niehoff and Billy Strickland Participants in high school sports and performing arts are under tremendous pressure these days – from parents, teachers, coaches and peers. Their days are consumed with school, sports […]
by the Alaska Dept. of Law Fisheries management in Alaska is complex. The laws that govern it have created a patchwork State-federal system that unfortunately puts rural residents who need subsistence to survive in the […]
by Dan Gillikin Discussions around backhauling hazardous materials and refuse from fish camps along the Kuskokwim River have been ongoing for several years between interested parties. This summer, through financial support from Donlin Gold and […]
by Rep. Sarah Vance An Israeli family of five, including twin 6–year–old girls and their 4-year-old brother, were murdered by Hamas over the weekend. Tamar Kedem-Siman Tov and her husband Yonatan rushed into the bunker […]
by EarthJustice State of Alaska agencies failed to fully consider harmful impacts of the massive gold mine when issuing water permits and a water quality certificate. Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) and the Native Village of […]
by Commissioner James Cockrell Our state stands at a crossroads, where our choices today will shape the quality of life all Alaskans enjoy tomorrow. As the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety, I […]
by James Akeralrea Dear Tribal leaders of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region, I have followed with interest the discussion amongst our people about the Yukon-Kuskokwim Regional Tribal Government (“Y-K RTG”), of which I am the elected […]
by Doyon Corporation Staff T he Doyon Lands and Resources Department works collaboratively with village corporations and villages to address trespass. Doyon and village corporation lands are private property, and we have the right to […]
by Senator James Kaufman Alaska has always been a land of possibilities—a place where innovation meets ambition. Our history, with fishing, resource development, and tourism at its core, shows our ability to forge ahead through […]
by the Alaska Dept. of Law T oday (Sept. 1, 2023) the State of Alaska filed a motion for summary judgment asking the U.S. District Court in Alaska to reject claims brought by the federal […]
by Nels Anderson Jr. To the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): Aug 26, 2023 My experience tells me that a lot of the info that you folks present is based on incomplete data regarding […]
Scientists assessing tsunami threats throughout Alaska recently modeled the flooding scenario of the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and discovered that a tsunami could reach upper Cook Inlet, countering a long-held public belief that the region […]
by Maribeth Herron Hi, my name is Maribeth Herron, I am Yup’ik grown from Napakiak, and I now reside in Bethel, AK with my husband Charles and three children Honey, Charles Jr., and Kai. I […]
by Cindy Long In Rural Alaska and elsewhere, USDA is helping. As we begin preparing our kids for the back-to-school season, it is important to reflect on the critical role that summertime has in the […]
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), barred the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (Corps), from issuing any permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for 309-square-miles of State land in Southwest Alaska, […]
by Pamala Samash Here in Nenana, agricultural land has been opened up and we have had several meetings about the use of the land and the ideas people have for it. Personally, as long as […]
by Dave Kutcher We’ve all heard the old adage before, “Timing is Everything”. This statement couldn’t be more true when it comes to making sure you don’t outlive your money during your golden years. People […]
by Melanie Brown When wild salmon reach the point in their ocean lives where they recognize that it is time to return home to spawn, they begin to group up and travel together en masse. […]
The Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska will host the Annual AFN Convention from October 19-21, 2023. The keynote speakers include Sophie Minich, President/ Chief Executive Officer of Cook Inlet Region, Inc., and […]
Chevak Native Village has joined other Yukon-Kuskokwim Tribes in a federal lawsuit challenging the proposed Donlin Gold Mine. As proposed, Donlin would be an open pit mine and the largest pure-gold mine in the world […]
In a 7-2 ruling, the United States Supreme Court today (June 15th, 2023) resoundingly affirmed the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The Court clearly upheld Congress’ authority to protect Native children, and […]
by Vivian Korthuis If we ignore the problem, we won’t have to deal with it. That is the mindset of far too many federal agency decision-makers and government leaders in Alaska. The State Board of […]
by Colonel Bernard Chastain As the ice melts from Alaska’s world famous lakes and rivers, it’s time for many Alaskans’ favorite summer pastime, fishing. More than 500,000 Alaskans and visitors will purchase sport fishing licenses […]
O n May 5th, 2023 the Association of Village Council Presidents co-hosted a MMIP March for Justice to bring awareness to this issue that so heavily impacts our region. The following is the speech by […]
by Vivian Korthuis AVCP CEO Vivian Korthuis welcomed Dr. Jill Biden to Bethel, Alaska on May 17th, 2023. This is the first time in the history of Bethel that a First Lady of the United […]
by Norm McDonald, Tyler Anderson, and Kent Slaughter As Alaskans eagerly anticipate the delights of the approaching summer, they also worry about the upcoming wildfire season—and rightly so. Last summer’s 590 wildfires burned more than […]
by Crooked Creek Tribal Council As the Tribal leaders of Crooked Creek, a small Kuskokwim River village dependent on the subsistence way of life, we pay close attention to any threats to our sovereignty, culture, […]
by Stone Sibbett I started vaping around 2011 when I was 16-17 attending Wasilla High. My girlfriend started smoking cigarettes at 14 and she switched to a vape in an effort to stop. Back then […]
by Maaraq Alice Rose Crow The following is the public testimony of Maaraq Alice Rose Crow given at the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting on April 8, 2023 for Agenda Item C2: Salmon Bycatch […]
by Alice Crow At the direction of our mother, and in memory of our own late father who was Martin Moore’s Kusquqvak friend, I extend the Crow family’s appreciation for the life of our friend […]
by Earthjustice The massive proposed open-pit gold mine and its toxic chemicals threaten salmon, human health, and the Tribes’ traditional ways of life. Three Tribes in the Kuskokwim River region of Southwest Alaska, represented by […]
by Serena Fitka, Jennifer Hooper, Mellisa Maktuayaq Johnson, Kevin Whitworth, and Dr. Michael Williams Sr. If we were a school of chum salmon heading home to Western Alaska to spawn this summer, we would be […]
by Adeline Raboff Sustainability is an abstract thought when you’re young and invincible like the State of Alaska. Time and technology are now rolling into our great wilderness at record speed. So are the roiling […]
by the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission In this time of climate change, warming waters, and changing marine food webs, it seems more important than ever that we do all we can to protect declining […]
by Vivian Korthuis Critical Infrastructure, Communications, Technology, Climate Change, and Energy. The following is the testimony provided to the Panel: Critical Alaska Native Concerns on Economic Security, Energy Security and Food Security by Vivian Korthuis, […]
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