Talk of Alaska

By Alaska Public Media

Alaska’s only statewide call-in forum for discussing the issues impacting life on the Last Frontier. Politics, science, culture and current events are covered by host Lori Townsend and members of the ... more

4.3

2727 ratings

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FAQs about Talk of Alaska:

How many episodes does Talk of Alaska have?

The podcast currently has 532 episodes available.

Talk of Alaska episodes:

February 24, 2026 The federal review of the subsistence management system | Talk of Alaska
The word subsistence is used to describe a broad range of activities on land and water that aim to help people sustain their families and traditions for living a life off the land. Indigenous people have used these practices for thousands of years.Federal law codified priority protections for rural subsistence in 1980, but now the federal government is reviewing the subsistence management program and changes could be coming. What could that mean for life in remote communities?Learn about the review and how you can be heard in the process.
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56min
February 10, 2026 The need for reliable child care in Alaska | Talk of Alaska
Finding affordable child care in Alaska is tough. Rising costs, long waitlists and staffing challenges mean families don’t have a lot of options. State and local leaders are tackling the problem from a variety of angles, but is it enough?
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54min
February 03, 2026 The 34th Legislature’s 2nd session | Talk of Alaska
What is the best path forward for Alaska’s economy, public health and safety and future energy development? School districts need funds for crumbling infrastructure and state facilities are also backlogged for maintenance. But where will funds come from to meet these expensive obligations? And is there a path to a sustainable permanent fund dividend that won’t run the state’s main spending account out of money? The legislature is back in Juneau and House and Senate leaders are with us to describe the work before them, on this episode of Talk of Alaska.
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59min
January 28, 2026 Rural health funds | Talk of Alaska
Improving health outcomes for Alaskans is at the heart of a multi-billion dollar federal plan aimed at improving rural healthcare systems. Alaska is in line to receive as much as 1.3 billion dollars over 5 years. What will the funding support-- and what do state health officials think Alaska’s healthcare system needs to help all Alaskans have healthier lives? We’ll learn about the Rural Health Transformation program on this Talk of Alaska.
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59min
January 20, 2026 This winter's extreme weather | Talk of Alaska
Alaska has always had periods of dramatic weather, but recent bouts of long periods of deep cold and swings from subzero temperatures one week to rain the next are difficult and tedious to contend with. How are weather experts and city leaders working to understand and meet the unpredictable weird weather test of the future? We learn about planning for weather chaos and disasters today on Talk of Alaska.
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55min
January 13, 2026 Building an integrated railbelt | Talk of Alaska
A plan for a more affordable and efficient electric system is at the heart of an effort to build a grid that meets the future needs for Alaskans. Nearly 75% of Alaska’s residents live along the 700 mile railbelt system from Homer to Fairbanks. The utilities, consumer groups and energy experts are all in the mix to solicit ideas to make the power grid more efficient and resilient. What do you need to know about how you can weigh in? We discuss it on this Talk of Alaska.
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55min
January 06, 2026 John McPhee and Coming into the Country | Talk of Alaska Rewind
John McPhee’s 1977 book Coming into the Country inspired young people to visit Alaska and many stayed. More recently, one of McPhee’s former students followed his path around the state, and was featured on Talk of Alaska. On this Talk of Alaska, we revisit Lori Townsend's 2017 conversation with McPhee about his book and his travels. Join us for a walk down memory lane on this very special Talk of Alaska.
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56min
January 06, 2026 Learning to love the winter | Talk of Alaska
Winter in Alaska can be lots of fun. It can also get long, and deep cold, combined with darkness, can make even the most optimistic among us get a little anxious, a little less productive, and a little cranky. But instead of dreading the long, northern winter, there are lots of ways to embrace it and enjoy snow and even cold. Join us for a discussion and tips on how to love winter on this Talk of Alaska.
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55min
December 23, 2025 Talk of Alaska: Holiday Greetings from Across the State 2025
Alaska Public Media’s warmest holiday tradition, Talk of Alaska: Holiday Greetings from Across the State, is back again this year with hosts Steve Heimel and Wesley Early.
Connecting Alaskans, from Utqiaġvik to Juneau, hear festive greetings, well wishes and sentiments from those who call Alaska home. With listeners all over the state, and even in the Lower 48 and Hawaii, this show is the perfect opportunity to send love to friends and family, no matter where they may be.
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1h 57min
December 16, 2025 The Home for Good program | Talk of Alaska
Stable housing helps people live healthier, happier lives with less risk of injury, illness and trauma that our unhoused neighbors face on a daily basis. In the past decade, increased attention to the growing numbers of people experiencing homelessness has resulted in multiple efforts to help get people off the streets with mixed results. The United Way, the Municipality of Anchorage, Southcentral Foundation and other partners started the Home for Good program in 2019 and are beginning to see results. We learn about the ideas behind the program and how success is being measured on this Talk of Alaska.
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55min

FAQs about Talk of Alaska:

How many episodes does Talk of Alaska have?

The podcast currently has 532 episodes available.

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