Alaska News Nightly - Alaska Public Media

Day two of sentencing hearings for the man who admitted to setting fire to seven buildings in Two Rivers in 2021. A outage in Newtok's school is just the latest in a pattern of power issues. What to expect as the Kuskokwim 300 kicks off.

Alaska gets hundreds of millions of federal dollars for the ailing ferry system. But it will require a commitment from the state, too. A sobering economic outlook for Alaska's largest city. Plus, a Sitka gymnastics coach takes a team to the Arctic Winter Games.

Questions over the origins of a court order for a mental health check, the courts say never existed. The story of two Russians who crossed the Bering Sea in a fishing boat to avoid the war in Ukraine. Plus the Alaska Long Trail is a long ways off, but supporters say the benefits are worth the wait.

Kodiak's tanner crab fishery is still at a standstill as the fleet holds out for higher prices. Governor Dunleavy lays out his priorities in this year's state of the state address. And after a long hiatus, Sitka's community orchestra is back in business.

A new ballot measure would repeal the state's ranked choice voting system. Also, teachers rally in Juneau for increased school funding. And the Homer Library Board votes to keep a small number of books that stirred up big controversy.

Confusion over discrepancies in Representative Mary Peltola's educational record. Families are stuck abroad after the Marine Highway System pulled a ferry from service. Plus Soldotna looks at creating a more walkable- and business friendly - downtown.

Alaska farmers step up to supply eggs as the national shortage drags on. Also, a Juneau resident gets her Regalia back, suddenly, two weeks after it was stolen. And a meeting between school officials in Ketchikan and Metlakatla helps heal a rift.

In a rare attack, a polar bear kills a mother and son in Wales. Also, the Alaska House breaks its deadlock and elects a speaker, Republican Cathy Tilton. And as Fairbanks gets ready to demolish a condemned hotel, developers are already thinking about what's next.

The state legislative session kicks off, but without a permanent speaker in the House. Also, Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she's working on a fix for getting fisheries disaster relief out more quickly. And Alaska Native leaders remember Oliver Leavitt as a whaling captain and a businessman.

Tanner crab fishermen consider their options as low prices keep them at the docks. Also, legislative leaders talk about the big issues ahead on the eve of the session. And a Homer woman survives an ice skating mishap that features an unusual rescue tool: a dead snowshoe hare.