The Chilkat Valley is home to one of the world’s largest gatherings of bald eagles. And this year, a local survey recorded the highest number of raptors in more than two decades. That marks a departure from longer-term trends, which have suggested that the local eagle congregation may be decreasing. But as Avery Ellfeldt reports for […]

Haines’ borough finance director was named the Alaska Municipal League’s Employee of the Year. KHNS’ Melinda Munson spoke with the recipient about what her job entails and why she has stayed so long in the job. And, for the first time, Juneau’s famous Mendenhall Glacier is not touching Mendenhall Lake, which was hidden beneath a […]

Haines’ mayor would like the borough’s Tlingit Park to be owned by the Tlingits. In November’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the mayor made the case for granting the land, part of which is a Tlingit cemetery, to a local tribe, the Chilkoot Indian Association. The plan was met with mixed reactions. KHNS reporter Melinda […]

A mineral exploration project north of Haines has changed hands twice in the last year. That included earlier this month, when Viszla Copper purchased the Palmer Project with  $15 million of its company stock. Steve Masterman currently serves as deputy director of the Alaska Critical Minerals Collaborative at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Before that, […]

Skagway Borough Assembly’s last meeting was more emotional than usual, with two former mayors making passionate remarks. One criticized the professionalism of the sitting body, and was asked to be removed by an assembly member. The other former mayor raised concerns about a Canadian news article. The article quoted the Yukon’s new premier in regards […]

Starting last Thursday, Juneau residents don’t have to pay local sales tax on essential food and residential utilities. Voters in Juneau approved exempting them during this fall’s recent municipal election. KTOO’s Clarise Larson reports what that will look like for residents and businesses.

The Skagway Traditional Council spent five years searching for records related to the Pius X Mission Resident School for Native Children. It’s unclear how many Native youth attended the former school, located in Skagway, and run by the Catholic Church. So far, the Tribe has located records of around 500 children. Skagway Traditional Council has […]

The Haines Borough Assembly tackled wildlife protection, infrastructure safety and litigation strategy at Tuesday night’s meeting that stretched for over four hours. The Assembly also honored a harbor employee and debated accountability for federal lobbyists. KHNS’ Brandon Wilks reports.

You may have heard before that Alaska imports 95% of food purchased by residents. The figure has been around for decades. But there’s a problem with it: food security experts say it isn’t real – or backed by data As Avery Ellfeldt reports for the Alaska Desk, that reality underscores how hard it is to track […]

The Skagway Borough Assembly voted to approve the 2023 Comprehensive Trail Plan at its last meeting – two years after it was completed. It’s a working document that the municipality will use to make decisions for trail planning and maintenance, and hopefully, to obtain grants. At the same time, the Parks and Recreation Committee changed […]