Gold mine threatens Alaskan economy, delicate ecosystems
Advocates in Alaska’s Interior warned a proposed gold mine on the Johnson Tract in Lake Clark National Park threatens critical habitat ecosystems and a large chunk of the state’s economy.
Fairbanks Sees Wettest September on Record as Flood Watch Continues
Fairbanks is closing out one of its soggiest Septembers in more than a century, with rainfall totals climbing past 279% of the monthly average and a flood watch still in effect for the Chena River Basin through the weekend. A storm system pulling moisture up from a Pacific hurricane broke a 101-year-old daily rainfall record on Sept. 15, dropping 0.46 inches and edging out the previous mark of 0.42 inches set back in 1925.
Fat Bear Week Kicks Off With Biggest Bracket Yet as Voting Opens Today
Fat Bear Week returns to Katmai National Park and Preserve starting today, with the public invited to vote on which of 16 brown bears has packed on the most weight ahead of winter hibernation.
Alaska Awards $2.2 Million to Boost Trails From Southeast to the Interior
Fifteen trail projects across Alaska are getting a funding boost this year, after state transportation officials distributed more than $2.2 million in federal dollars through the first major grant cycle of a newly launched trails initiative.
Fall Harvest Festival Caps Off Calypso Farm’s Season Sunday
Calypso Farm & Ecology Center will host its Fall Harvest Festival on Sunday, marking the nonprofit farm’s final public gathering of the year. The free, family-friendly event runs from noon to 4 p.m. at the farm’s location on Old Nenana Highway.
Skagway Ferry Terminal Back in Service After Emergency Repairs
Ferry travel to Skagway resumed Friday following nearly a month of downtime caused by damage discovered at the town’s dock. Engineers found spreading cracks in the concrete structure holding up the vehicle transfer bridge, plus deterioration in the chains anchoring the floating dock — a combination serious enough to halt service entirely while crews assessed the risk.
Anchorage invests in waste-to-energy plant as natural gas lags
City officials in Anchorage are turning waste that would otherwise be buried in a landfill into energy.
Alaska State Fair Opens Friday in Palmer
The Alaska State Fair opens Friday at the fairgrounds on the Glenn Highway, running through Labor Day, September 7. The fair is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which leaves 14 open days with gates from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bristol Bay Sockeye Run Falls Short of Forecast as Season Winds Down
The 2026 Bristol Bay sockeye season is essentially over, and the fish came in under what biologists predicted.
World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Marks 65 Years in Fairbanks
The 65th World Eskimo-Indian Olympics opened this week at the Carlson Center, running July 15 through 18.