Not so very long ago, a group of committed Alaskans banded together to pass a ballot measure to protect fish from pollution. These Alaskans were heavily out-funded by outside corporations. The corporate opposition cried and wailed that this ballot proposition was poorly written, would kill jobs, was bad for Alaska, and would shut down businesses far and wide. Sound familiar? …
Wild Salmon Day events attract hundreds in Alaska
Alaskans turned out by the hundreds on Aug. 10 for the state’s third annual Wild Salmon Day, to celebrate the fish deeply rooted in the state’s history, culture and economy. Celebrations in Anchorage, Cooper Landing, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau, Palmer, Sitka, Soldotna and Talkeetna brought out the crowds to enjoy a taste of fresh caught wild Alaska salmon and learn more …
Voter turnout up from 2016, but still third-lowest
Alaskans came to the polls in earnest on Election Day, and according to figures from the Alaska Division of Elections, turnout has already beaten 2016 figures, even with thousands of absentee and questioned ballots still to be counted. That good news is limited: Even with boosted turnout, the proportion of Alaskans participating in the primary is the third-lowest since 1976, …
AK Wild Salmon Day honors iconic fish
PALMER — Over the weekend, people from across the state celebrated the importance of Alaska’s wild salmon with several events organized by The Alaska Center’s Stand for the Salmon program, spanning from Fairbanks to Juneau. On Aug. 11, Adrian Baer hosted his first Stand for Salmon event as the new Mat-Su Organizer for the Alaska Center. “I’ve been getting oriented …
Shishmaref student Alaska Youth for Environmental Action Salmon Fellow
Four teenagers from around Alaska were chosen to be Youth for Environmental Action Youth salmon fellows. Fifteen-year-old Gabby Nakokpuk of Shishmaref was among that group. Nayokpuk first learned about the program through a Facebook post and knew she wanted to be a part of it. For her, as for many Alaskans, fish is more than food- it is part of …