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Fat Bear Week down to 4 contestants. See who's in line for the title

Fat Bear Week down to 4 contestants. See who's in line for the title

Voting for the annual beloved online showdown resumed Monday after breaking for the weekend. See the four remaining contestants.

Alaska woman charged for using car horn to frighten bear from hunters

Alaska woman charged for using car horn to frighten bear from hunters

Archery hunters were stalking black bear 300 yards from highway.

Anchorage Assembly Members Express Concern Over JBER Expansion's Impact on Housing Market

Anchorage Assembly Members Express Concern Over JBER Expansion's Impact on Housing Market

Anchorage Assembly members are raising concerns about the potential impact of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) expansion on the city's already strained housing market. The 'Fightertown Recapitalization' project is expected to bring over $2 billion in federal funding next year, potentially rising to $7 billion over several years, and will introduce approximately 2,500 new service members and their families to the area. While on-base housing will accommodate junior personnel, the remaining influx will seek housing in the private market. This comes as Anchorage's housing market is already experiencing significant pressure, with the average home price at $481,000 (a 42% increase over a decade) and average two-bedroom rent exceeding $1,700. The municipality's Office of Management and Budget Director, Ona Brause, confirmed that staff are working with JBER to identify financing and locations for potential housing development.

Over 4,000 Earthquakes Recorded in the U.S. in the Past Month

Over 4,000 Earthquakes Recorded in the U.S. in the Past Month

According to QuakeMate, the United States has experienced significant seismic activity over the past 30 days, with 4,027 earthquakes recorded nationwide. The most active regions include the West Coast, Alaska, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and the New Madrid seismic zone. The strongest earthquake during this period was a magnitude 5.6 event near Offshore Chiapas, Mexico. In the last 24 hours alone, 104 earthquakes were reported, with the most recent being a magnitude 3.0 near the Dominican Republic region. Data for these events is sourced from USGS, EMSC, and regional seismic networks, and updates in real-time.

2 new giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, arrive in Atlanta

2 new giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, arrive in Atlanta

A pair of giant pandas sent by China have arrived in the United States.

Three Whaling Crews Successfully Harvest Bowhead Whales, Delivering Traditional Food to Utqiaġvik Community

Three Whaling Crews Successfully Harvest Bowhead Whales, Delivering Traditional Food to Utqiaġvik Community

Three whaling crews, the Anaġi, Aaluk, and Aaġa Crews, successfully harvested bowhead whales and brought them ashore in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. This event, which occurred on a Saturday, involved towing the massive animals to a defunct runway for processing, a task that continued into early Sunday morning. The community celebrated the return of the crews with honking horns and shouts. The Anaġi Crew, co-captained by Qaiyaan Leavitt, brought in a 31-foot, 10-inch whale after traveling 26 miles east of Point Barrow and towing it for 4.5 hours. The Aaluk Crew's 40-foot, 3-inch bowhead was harpooned by 18-year-old John Adams, marking his first successful hunt. The butchering process involves separating skin, blubber, and meat, which are then distributed among crew members, those who assisted, and the wider community, following traditional practices. Portions of skin and blubber, known as unalik, were boiled and shared on-site, with larger distributions planned for Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.

ConocoPhillips Workers in Alaska Form Union After Wage and Benefit Cuts

ConocoPhillips Workers in Alaska Form Union After Wage and Benefit Cuts

Workers on ConocoPhillips' oil fields in Alaska's North Slope have successfully formed a union, voting overwhelmingly in February to join the United Steelworkers (USW). This decision came after ConocoPhillips implemented significant cuts to pay and benefits and laid off highly skilled workers in 2024, despite the company reporting billions in profits. Employees, including Bryan Goode and Will Kholeif, expressed that the company prioritized shareholder needs over its workforce, leading to safety concerns due to a reduced staff being asked to do more in extreme working conditions. The organizing drive united approximately 270 workers across several remote sites, overcoming logistical challenges through the use of a secure online platform for communication and electronic signatures for union cards.

Alaska Childcare Advocates Urge Major State Investment Amidst Growing Gaps

Alaska Childcare Advocates Urge Major State Investment Amidst Growing Gaps

Childcare advocates in Alaska are calling for significant state investment and policy changes to address a severe shortage of childcare availability and funding. Non-profit groups, including the Alaska Children’s Trust, Southeast Childhood Collective, and thread, highlighted the immense strain on providers, families, and employers during an online webinar. They described Alaska as a 'childcare desert' characterized by a patchwork funding system, long waitlists, high costs for families, and a lack of qualified, adequately paid childcare providers. Since 2019, 25% of childcare facilities in Alaska have closed, with one of Anchorage's largest centers, Bright Beginnings Learning Center, shutting down last year due to rising costs and worker shortages, displacing 125 children and 35 staff. Advocates estimate that 50% of Alaskan families cannot fully participate in the workforce due to a lack of childcare access, with the average annual cost per child approaching $14,000.

University of Kentucky Researchers Monitor Arctic Bird Migrations for Predictive Avian Flu Risks to U.S.

University of Kentucky Researchers Monitor Arctic Bird Migrations for Predictive Avian Flu Risks to U.S.

Researchers from the University of Kentucky, led by Scott Berry, Ph.D., are collaborating with Alaska Native communities in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, to monitor migratory birds for emerging pathogens, particularly the H5N1 avian flu strain. Utqiaġvik is a critical ecological crossroads where multiple major flyways converge, making it an ideal location for viruses to spread among diverse avian populations before they migrate south. The team is implementing newly developed microfluidic chips to enable genomic analysis directly in the field, significantly reducing the time it takes to get results from weeks to a single day. This rapid detection capability is crucial for understanding potential human health risks and preparing for future outbreaks. The project also involves training local community members, including hunters, in sampling techniques and genomic analysis, empowering them to manage their own health data and respond quickly to potential threats. This initiative is part of a broader 'One Health' philosoph...

Todd Meadows' death chronicled in harrowing 'Deadliest Catch' episode

Todd Meadows' death chronicled in harrowing 'Deadliest Catch' episode

"Deadliest Catch" has aired its episode on Todd Meadows' death at sea with a never-before-seen interview and footage from that tragic day.

Great Sitkin Volcano Continues Slow Lava Dome Growth

Great Sitkin Volcano Continues Slow Lava Dome Growth

The Great Sitkin Volcano in Alaska is experiencing ongoing slow lava dome growth within its summit crater. The eruption, which began in July 2021, has filled most of the summit crater with lava and extended into nearby valleys. Weak earthquake activity, associated with the lava dome's growth, was observed over the past day. However, poor weather conditions have obscured satellite and webcam imagery. The volcano remains under a WATCH alert level and an ORANGE aviation color code, indicating heightened activity but no immediate explosive eruptions.

Alaska's Rivers Turn Orange and Acidic Due to Thawing Tundra, Exceeding Mine Drainage Acidity

Alaska's Rivers Turn Orange and Acidic Due to Thawing Tundra, Exceeding Mine Drainage Acidity

Rivers in Alaska are turning orange and becoming highly acidic, a phenomenon researchers are calling 'rusting.' This change is attributed to minerals, specifically iron and sulfuric acid, leaching from thawing permafrost in the Arctic tundra. A study conducted in northern Alaska's Brooks Range found that these 'rusting' waters are more metallic and acidic than typical drainage from metal mines. For instance, on the Salmon River, metal levels increased seventy-fold approximately 60 miles downstream. This process began in the summer of 2019, which was the hottest summer on record for Alaska, and has since been observed in over 200 rivers across Alaska and northern Canada. Scientists, including Brett Poulin, a professor of environmental toxicology at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of the new study, were surprised by this development, noting it was not predicted in climate change assessments.