Hometown, Alaska - Alaska Public Media

What if our latest conversations about Alaska didn’t lodge on the dollar amount of a PFD, or how much a budget should be cut? What if we leaped over these sticking points and employed our collective imagination to envision an Alaska of the future? What kind of place do we want Alaska to be? What kind of place do we want the next generation to experience?

These are the questions that moved Ky Holland, an educator, community organizer and a start-up kind of guy. Read: Entrepreneur. His LinkedIn “About” section lists “30 years of technical and community leadership focused on the challenge and paradox of building consensus and implementing significant change.”

Ky wanted to start a conversation about Alaska’s future, and the result is Alaska Version 3.0 where innovative thinkers come together and imagine Alaska in the next 30, or 300 years. Recognizing that its oil economy has beneficially driven state growth, but is now in a mature state and can no longer sustain us. What comes next?

As always, your questions and comments are welcome throughout the program. Please join us.

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Ky Holland, Alaska Version 3.0
• Sarah Katari, communications, Alaska Version 3.0
• Meda DeWitt, Alaska Native traditional healer, director Haa Jooni Productions, Alaska Version 3.0
• Margi Dashevsky, Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, regenerative economies, Alaska Version 3.0
• Ryan Witten, Seeds of Change, Alaska Version 3.0

LINKS:

• Alaska Version 3.0 website
• AKV3 Group on Facebook, webpage
• Alaska v3 Group on LinkedIn (must be a LinkedIn member to access), weblink
• Email address to communicate with AKV3: [email protected]
• Writing Contest details, AKV3 website
• Downloadable working and thinking outline of Alaska Version 3.0 (PDF)
• Watch a short video of Ky Holland thinking aloud about Alaska Version 3.0. blog
• Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, include regenerative economy working group, website
• What is a regenerative economy? From Wikipedia, webpage
• University of North Alabama paper on reaching a new economy, Shoals Shift 2019, PDF

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, June 14, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, June 14, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

The stand of a bouquiniste, the French term for second-hand books resellers, in Paris, near the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Paris. Books are as popular in Alaska and in Anchorage as they are in Paris, thanks to public libraries, bookstores and the Alaska Center for the Book. (Benh Lieu Song/Wikimediia Creative Commons)

For three decades, the Alaska Center for the Book has promoted literacy throughout Alaska by celebrating books, creative writing, poetry and author outreach. On this edition of Hometown Alaska, two founding mothers of the center share stories of challenge and success, and let us know what’s in store for the next 30 years.

We also invite a guest librarian from Loussac Library who has been leading a community read called Anchorage Reads. Their book? Ibram X. Kendi’s “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.” Reading and panel discussions began in February and will continue through June.

Take a listen:

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Sara Juday, Alaska Center for the Book
• Sandy Harper, Alaska Center for the Book
• Stacia McGourty, Anchorage Public Library Adult Services Coordinator

Key Dates for Anchorage Reads:

• Thursday, June 2, 7 to 8:30 p.m.: The Economic Impacts of Racism In this panel discussion, participants will hear from community members about the economic impacts of racism, especially on Alaskans.
• Thursday, June 24, 7 to 8:30 p.m.: Race & Criminal Justice In this panel discussion co-hosted by the ACLU of Alaska, participants will hear from community members on the impacts of the criminal justice system on our communities.

LINKS:

• Alaska Center for the Book website
• Poems in Place, ACB project, read the poems here, ACB website
• CLIA awards (Contributions to Literacy Awards), ACB project, ACB website
• Join the Conversation with Anchorage Reads website
• Facebook page for Anchorage Reads, Facebook

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, May 24, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, May 24, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

Acting Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy poses for a photo in the Anchorage Police headquarters in downtown on May 7, 2021. (Hannah Lies/Alaska Public Media)

On this edition of Justice Alaska on Hometown Alaska, the Anchorage Police Department’s Acting Chief Ken McCoy joins host Kathleen McCoy for a conversation on APD’s work in Anchorage and on modern policing, a public safety field that has come under increasing scrutiny as social media and video cameras have captured police at work.

Chief McCoy has served more than two decades with APD after joining in 1994. He is a longtime local, graduating from Bartlett High School before attending the New Mexico Military Institute. He served 10 years in the Alaska Army National Guard and retired in 1990 with the rank of captain. He has a bachelor’s degree in Justice from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a criminal justice certificate from the University of Virginia. He has graduated from several FBI training sessions.

He was named Acting Chief in April 2021 upon the retirement of former Chief Justin Doll. He had previously served as Deputy Chief of Operations for four years before that.

RELATED: McCoy makes history, with appointment to Acting Chief of the Anchorage Police Department

Listen to the episode of Hometown Alaska here:

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Acting Police Chief Ken McCoy, APD

Key Dates:

• June 16, 2021, 6-8 p.m., Community Listening Session with Acting Chief Ken McCoy on body-worn camera policy, Bettye Davis East High School
• May 19, 2021, 6 p.m., Public Safety Advisory Commission meeting. See links for agenda and how to connect.

LINKS:

• APD website
• Public Safety Advisory Commission, muni.org website
• Public Safety Advisory Commission, next meeting May 19, 2021, 6 p.m. Agenda here. Link to join meeting here.
• Body Worn Camera, draft policy, February Public Safety Advisory Commission meeting, muni.org website
• Alaska ACLU suggestions on body worn camera policy, ACLU website
• Do Body Cams Make A Difference?, PBS Newshour, 6.20.2020
• Muni Press Release on Ken McCoy appointment as Acting Chief, bio info, Muni.org

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, May 17, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, May 17, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

Guests Nithya Thiru (left) and Joshua Albeza Branstetter (right) discuss anti-Asian racism on Hometown Alaska. (Images courtesy of guests)

Recent events have put a spotlight on anti-Asian racism. Many Americans even seem shocked & surprised that it’s happening. But is anti-Asian racism new? Is anti-Asian racism rare? What does it look like? Where does it happen? And how does it impact Asian Americans? Join us as we discuss the complexities of anti-Asian racism on this episode of Hometown, Alaska.

HOST: E.J. David

GUESTS:

• Nithya Thiru, Executive Director of Story Works Alaska.
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• While in high school, she developed a love of storytelling as an Alaska Teen Media Institute producer. She later went on to work as the News, Sports and Public Affairs Director for KRUA 88.1 FM at the University of Alaska Anchorage where she graduated with a BA in History. She recently completed her Master of Public Administration in Human Rights and Gender Policy at Columbia University. Growing up among immigrant communities in Anchorage, she has witnessed the power of storytelling to bring folks together and create spaces for both healing and joy. NIthya is a co-founder of the Alaskan Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (AK APIDA) organization.
• Joshua Albeza Branstetter, Filmmaker
• 
  
• A Filipino American filmmaker and photographer living in Anchorage, Branstetter has received international acclaim for his documentary work with a focus on themes of cultural reclamation, personal identity, and social justice. He founded Branstetter Film in 2016 with a vision of telling courageous Alaskan stories with authenticity and intimacy. Josh received a 2020 Rasmuson fellowship for his work with “Absolute Zero” – a multi-disciplinary arts team uplifting survivors of abuse throughout Alaska. Josh is a co-founder of the Alaskan Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (AK APIDA) organization.

LINK:

Alaskan Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans Facebook page

PARTICIPATE:

• CALL: 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• SEND E-MAIL: to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• COMMENT: or post a question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, May 3, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, May 3, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program

Dave Bronson and Forrest Dunbar head to a runoff election on May 11. (Photos courtesy Bronson and Dunbar campaigns)

Hometown Alaska will host RUNNING 2021: Runoff Candidates for Mayor Monday May 3 from 10-11 am. Both candidates will join us for the program. Questions are welcome from the listening audience (see format below). The program will air again at 8 pm Monday evening and will be podcast on this page afterward.

FORMAT: Hometown Alaska has three segments and we’ll use those segments to organize the discussion between candidates.

Segment One (first 20 minutes): Questions from the moderator for the candidates.

Segment Two (next 20 minutes): Candidates pose questions to each other. If candidates run out of questions or this format proves otherwise unproductive, the moderator will resume questions.

Segment Three: (last 20 minutes): Questions from the public. If we run short of questions, the moderator will ask more questions.

ELECTION REMINDER: Mail-in ballots are already in the community and are due by Monday, May 11. Get all the voting details at muni.org/elections. If you prefer to vote in person or need assistance, check this Voter Information page for three locations you can vote in person (scroll to see Anchorage Vote Centers in red type). Calendar information for the Mayoral Runoff can be found at this link.

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Forrest Dunbar, current Assembly member, captain in the Alaska Army National Guard, candidate for mayor
• Dave Bronson, retired commercial and military pilot, candidate for mayor

LINKS:

• Dave Bronson for Mayor, campaign website
• Forrest Dunbar for Mayor, campaign website
• Municipal election information website
• Mayoral runoff calendar information website
• Community panel on what the next mayor should be working on, Alaska Public Media, website
• Alaska News Source Mayoral Runoff Candidate Conversation, website
• Anchorage Daily News questions for mayoral candidates, website
• Anchorage Daily News runoff candidates answer video questions, website

PARTICIPATE:

• CALL: 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• SEND E-MAIL: to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• COMMENT: or post a question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, May 3, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, May 3, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

Students play during recess at Dena’ina Elementary School in Wasilla in September. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Today’s question came from a listener, a father who has weathered and completed his own family’s journey through expensive childcare, for which he’s grateful. But his own success don’t solve the huge challenge in our community, and he asked us to share with listeners the scope of the issue here in Anchorage.

We invited panelists who work everyday to define what quality early childhood education is, how to collaborate with community partners to achieve it, and how to pay for it.

As always, listeners questions and comments are welcome throughout the program. Have you taught in a preschool setting? How about during the COVID experience? Are you a parent who quit your own job and returned home because your wages didn’t cover childcare expenses? Consider sharing your experiences with us on the phone, or sending us an email during the show.

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Stephanie Berglund, CEO of nonprofit thread, a quality childcare advocacy organization
• Bill Falsey, former Anchorage municipal manager, quality childcare advocate
• Hilary Seitz, professor of early childhood education, UAA

LINKS:

• Alaska daycares, critical during the coronavirus crisis, are endangered, Anchorage Daily News, 4.20.21
• Childcare is Essential to Rebuilding Alaska’s Economy, Anchorage Daily News Op-Ed 4.20.21 by Reps. Ivy Spohnholz and Zack Fields, co-chairs of Alaska House Commerce and Labor Committee
• Child Care in Alaska, 2021 Policy Fact Sheet, PDF, thread website
• Alaska’s Childcare Challenges, Solutions and Progress, thread website
• Early Care and Education Data Dashboard, thread website
• 2020 Economic Impact Report, Early Care and Education report (7 pg. PDF), thread website
• Why Childcare is So Ridiculously Expensive, The Atlantic magazine, 11.26.2019
• Why Daycare Workers are so Poor, Even Though Daycare Costs So Much, The Atlantic magazine, 11.5.2015
• Investing in Children: Changes in Parental Spending on Children, 1972-2007, academic paper from University of Pennsylvania and University of Sydney, 2010, link to paper

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, April 26, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

A listener posed a question for Justice Alaska on Hometown Alaska and we tackled it on this week’s show. Where are the Alaska Native defenders, prosecutors and judges in our state’s judicial system? What would justice in Alaska look like if there were more robust representation of Alaska Natives throughout the process?

Sigvanna (Megan) Topkok, staff attorney for Kawerak in Nome.

In conversations with local attorneys to prepare for the show, some said the pipeline of Alaska Native lawyers is just too small to propel them to the bench. Others thought that too simplistic, explaining Alaska Native lawyers may hold different cultural values on arguing in court or passing judgment from a raised dias.

We’ll explore these questions and discuss efforts to change the makeup of the judicial bench so it more accurately reflects the community it serves. Listeners questions and comments are always welcome — please join us.

Nicole Borromeo, AFN Executive Vice President and General Counsel.

HOST: Kathleen McCoy, in for Elaine Andrews.

GUESTS:

• Nicole Borromeo, AFN Executive Vice President and General Counsel
• Sigvanna (Megan) Topkok, staff attorney for the tribal consortium Kawerak in Nome
• Joel Bolger, Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court

LINKS:

• Link to an interview of then retired Alaska Native Superior Court Judge Roy Madsen by Arthur Snowden on his time in the judiciary, especially his view on tribal courts. UAF Jukebox Oral History Project.
• Link to an interview with Bethel District Court Judge Nora Guinn, who often gave her judgments in Yupik. UAF Jukebox Oral History Project.

PARTICIPATE:

Chief Justice Joel Bolger, Alaska Supreme Court.

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2-3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, April 19, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, Aprll 19, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.

The nuclear-generated power industry is taking off. Among the latest developments are microreactors that might have advantages for remote communities in Alaska struggling with high energy costs, or military bases, or remote mining operations. It’s time to find out more. (Image courtesy of Office of Nuclear Energy, US Department of Energy.)

It’s probably time for everyday Alaskans to learn more about new developments in nuclear technology that may have potential benefits for Alaska—an energy-producing state that still faces rural high energy costs and challenging geography. The time is right because the industry is making fast progress on size and safety. Still, disastrous events like Chernobyl and Fukushima taint common perception about the safety of nuclear power. It’s time to learn what has changed and what could be headed for Alaska.

Right now, Alaska is in the beginning stages of exploring whether small nuclear technologies could be an option for the state. Recent studies published by the Alaska Center for Energy and Power and University of Alaska Center for Economic Development analyze technology readiness, potential in-state markets, licensing and permitting, and economics of a hypothetical deployment.

On today’s Hometown Alaska, two guests who’ve helped to author those introductory studies on the nuclear industry’s potential future intersection with Alaska are here to explain what’s known so far, what remains to be understood, and how Alaskans might consider the coming of nuclear power to Alaska.

As always, your questions and comments are welcome throughout the show. Please join us!

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Gwen Holdmann, Executive Director, UAF Center for Energy and Power
• Richelle Johnson, Lead Analyst, UA Center for Economic Development, UAA Enterprise Institute
• Dr. John Jackson, National Technical Director for the Department of Energy Microreactor Program, Idaho National Laboratory

LINKS:

• “Small scale modular nuclear power: An option for Alaska?” By Alaska Center for Energy and Power, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 4-page infographic-style PDF
• “Small scale nuclear power: An option for Alaska? By Alaska Center for Energy and Power, University of Alaska Fairbanks, updated in January 2021, 60-page PDF
• “Microreactors in Alaska: Use case analysis, October 2020, UA Center for Economic Development, housed at the UAA Enterprise Institute, 76-page PDF
• Infographic: What is a micronuclear reactor? US Department of Energy website and video
• Could micro nuclear be a fit for Alaska? Alaska Center for Energy and Power, video
• What is a nuclear microreactor? 1 min You Tube video, Office of Nuclear Energy
• Department of Energy Microreactor Program, Idaho National Lab, 2-pg PDF Fact Sheet
• Experts explore options for microreactors in Alaska, Idaho National Laboratory website, Aug. 1, 2019

ZOOM PUBLIC EVENT:

• Thursday, April 15 from 11:30 am-1:00 pm Small Scale Nuclear Power – An opportunity for Alaska? Details and link to join on Facebook

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
• Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
• LIVE: Monday, April 12, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, Aprll 12, 2021 at 8:00 p.m.

Indigenous Peoples and Languages of Alaska. (Alaska Native Language Center)

Over the past few years, acknowledging the Indigenous roots of the places we call home has become more common. This is especially true in Alaska, a state rich with Indigenous history and the state with the highest percentage of Native people in its population.

Alaska, however, also has a rapidly growing non-Native population that may not completely and accurately understand that this state has been and always will be a Native place. Why is it important for new Alaskans to know their home state’s Indigenous roots? What are some respectful and productive ways to do this?

Join us as we explore these questions and more on the upcoming episode of Hometown, Alaska.

Guests and their backgrounds:

Melissa Shaginoff

Melissa Shaginoff is part of the Udzisyu (caribou) and Cui Ui Ticutta (fish-eater) clans from Nay’dini’aa Na Kayax (Chickaloon Village, Alaska). She is an Ahtna and Paiute person, an artist, a social activist and currently the curator of Alaska Pacific University’s Art Galleries. Her work is shaped by the structure and processes of the Dene ceremony of potlatch. Melissa has participated in the Island Mountain Arts Toni Onley Artist Project in Wells, British Columbia, as well as the Sheldon Jackson Museum Artist Residency in Sitka, Alaska. She has been published in the Alaska Humanities FORUM Magazine, First American Art Magazine, Inuit Art Quarterly and the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Learning Lab.

Ruth Miller

Ruth (Łchavaya K’isen) Miller is a Dena’ina Athabaskan and Ashkenazi Russian Jewish woman, raised in Dgheyay Kaq (Anchorage), Alaska. She is a member of the Curyung Tribe from the Lake Iliamna region, and also has roots in Bristol Bay. She is a recent graduate from Brown University, built on occupied Wampanoag and Narragansett lands, and received a BA in Critical Development Studies with a focus on Indigenous resistance and liberation. Ruth is the Climate Justice Director for Native Movement, a matriarchal grassroots Indigenous organization that fights for the rights of Indigenous peoples, our lands and waters, and justice for our ancestors and descendants.

HOST: E.J. David

GUESTS:

• Ruth Miller, Climate Justice Director for Native Movement
• Melissa Shaginoff, curator of Alaska Pacific University’s Art Galleries

LINKS:

• Native Movement website
• Melissa Shaginoff website

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2-3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
• Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
• LIVE: Monday, April 5, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, April 5, 2021 at 8 p.m.

Tying different colored ribbons to a tree to remember victims of crimes is an annual event across the nation, including in Anchorage, during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24. The focus on victims is an opportunity to review and evaluate how victims’ rights are being observed, and what changes still need to happen. (Photo courtesy of Victims for Justice, Alaska.)

One week in the month of April 2021, the 18th-24th, is set aside to remember victims of violent crimes in communities across the United States. In Anchorage, Victims for Justice, an organization that advocates for victims, will share its annual ribbon-tying ceremony at Hostetler Park in downtown Anchorage on social media platforms. The event is somber. Each ribbon is a victim remembered.

Different colored ribbons represent the victims of different types of crimes. Black ribbons refer to homicides; yellow to kidnapping; purple to domestic violence; teal for sexual assault; navy blue for human trafficking; orange for assault; white for hate crimes; light blue for child abuse; green for robbery; red for drunken driving; red, white and blue for crimes against those in uniform.

On today’s Justice Alaska, three organizations that work to help victims of crime navigate the justice system and receive the full authority of their victims’ rights will offer details on the history of the movement, the current status for victims, and a look toward what change still needs to happen.

As always, your questions and comments are welcome throughout the program. Please join us for this community conversation on understanding victims’ rights.

HOSTS: Kathleen McCoy and Elaine Andrews

GUEST:

• Victoria Shanklin, Executive Director, Victims for Justice
• Erin Terry, FBI Anchorage Victim Specialist
• Tami Truett Jerue, Executive Director, Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center

LINKS:

• Victims for Justice website
• 2021 Victims Service Awards Nominations open through March 31, webpage details
• Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center website
• FBI Victims Assistance Program, PDF
• History of the establishment of the FBI Victim Assistance Program, webpage
• National Crime Victims’ Rights Week webpage
• Crime Victims’ Rights, US Department of Justice, webpage
• Pilot Project Launched to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, press release from the Alaska District U.S. Attorney’s Office, Feb. 8, 2021
• State of Alaska, Office of Victims’ Rights, an agency of the Alaska Legislature, webpage
• Alaska Criminal Justice Commission 2020 Annual Report, Oct. 30, 2020. See pages 3-8 for current analysis of issues and recommendations to improve victims experience with the criminal justice system.

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
• Send e-mail to [email protected] before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
• Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
• LIVE: Monday, March 29, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, March 29, 2021 at 8:00 p.m.