Alaska News Nightly – Friday, December 26, 2025

Host: Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media
Episode Theme: Statewide news coverage focusing on justice system failures in a Bethel cold case, legislative developments affecting Alaska’s military and infrastructure, winter weather impacts, Indigenous language revitalization, educational challenges, and community updates.

Main Stories & Discussion Highlights

1. Justice System Failures Spotlighted in the Bethel Cold Case Murder

With guest reporter Kyle Hopkins (Anchorage Daily News / ProPublica)

Background

• In 2015, Eunice Whitman, a 23-year-old Bethel woman, was killed. Her boyfriend, Justin Paul, was arrested for her murder and spent nearly seven years in jail without trial. In 2022, key evidence failed and he was released. The case remains unsolved.
• Hopkins’ reporting exposes broader, systemic problems in Alaska’s justice system, particularly long pretrial delays and investigative shortfalls.
  Quote:

"One big takeaway for me was I think we all assume that this process works better than it does." (Kyle Hopkins, 00:19; 08:53)

Key Points & Timeline

• Delays in the System (03:06):

  • Alaska courts have recurring gridlock; murder suspects can wait 5–10 years for trial.
  • Hopkins: "I was trying to understand how it would take six or seven years for someone accused of murder to get to trial... And the more I learned about that, how common it was for cases to be delayed and delayed and delayed dozens of times..."

• Case Details (03:54–04:54):

  • Whitman was found dead in a public place; case described as uniquely violent.
  • Police quickly focused on her boyfriend after he called, worried about her identity.

• Grand Jury & Evidence Issues (06:04):

  • Case against Paul initially seemed strong—bloody clothes found at his residence.
  • Hopkins: "But the problem was when that evidence started to be tested... the blood, it didn't match her DNA. It was his own DNA."
  • Other suspects were not rigorously investigated.

• Consequences (07:45):

  • Paul's release left the case unsolved; both the victim's family and the accused are failed by the system.
  • The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Unit has yet to solve a cold case homicide.

• Broader Justice System Critique (08:48):

  • The public's faith in the legal process is challenged by such failures.
  • Hopkins: "You can be indicted on an assumption and then when the lab results kind of blow up that assumption, you're not necessarily gonna be released..."

Memorable Quotes

• "The steps were not taken to exclude and kind of close the door systematically to these other likely suspects." (Kyle Hopkins, 06:04)
• "Justice was served to no one." (Kyle Hopkins, 06:55)
• "They've been working their butts on these cases... but just not yet in the arena of making an arrest on one of these cases." (Kyle Hopkins on MMIP Unit, 07:57)

2. National Defense Legislation & Alaska Military Benefits

Coverage: 00:43–03:06

• The $900 billion defense bill includes:
  • Military pay raises (4% nationwide).
  • Annual flight home for soldiers & Coast Guard in Alaska.
  • Additional cold weather equipment and vehicles.
  • Millions for Arctic infrastructure development, especially in Adak.
• Senators Sullivan and Murkowski quoted as noting the strategic focus on Alaska.

3. Severe Winter Weather Hits Juneau and Southeast Alaska

Coverage: 00:23 (intro) | 10:16–11:47

• Juneau expects over a foot of snow in 24 hours; atmospheric river will raise temperatures from record lows.
• Meteorologist Andrew Park: "Definitely be prepared. You're not going to be, I don't think you're going to be traveling on the roads if we get 20 inches of snow in 24 hours." (10:49)
• City officials urge residents to maintain heat, prepare for emergencies.
• Recent fires linked to heating failures; harbor master warns boat owners of snow impact.

4. Jury Selection Changes in Bethel Due to Housing Shortage

Reporter: Evan Erickson (KYUK)
Coverage: 12:34–15:35

• Starting January, Bethel will no longer draw jurors from 12 nearby villages, citing lack of hotel space.
• Judge Brent Bennett: "We've been having more and more difficulty with making hotel accommodations for the jurors..." (12:53)
• Trial juror service in Bethel will now last two months; grand jury service extended.
• Exclusion of rural jurors impacts community representation; changes likely temporary, pending new housing solutions.

5. Juneau School District Special Education Failures

Coverage: 15:35–17:49

• DEED found Juneau School District failed to provide required occupational therapy to students with IEPs after losing a specialist.
• Don Enoch (DEED): "The IEP guarantees the parents will receive those services for their students, and when that's not done, the district's obligated to make that right." (16:18)
• Fewer than 30 students affected; corrective plans in place.

6. Sitka High School Spanish Immersion: Final Trip After 20 Years

Reporter: Kathryn Rose (KCAW)
Coverage: 18:16–22:38

• Ariel Starbuck, Spanish teacher, led student trips to Guatemala for nearly two decades—boosting language skills and world perspective.
• The experience featured family stays, school, local travel, and memorable events (e.g., roasting marshmallows on volcano, travel mishaps).
  • "Kids that have gone on the trip have gone back to Guatemala and volunteered or gotten jobs..." (Davey Lubin, 21:35)
• Starbuck to retire after spring 2026, considering future adult immersion trips.

7. Language Revitalization: Inupiaq Kids’ Workbook Project

Reporter: Alyona Knighton
Coverage: 23:01–25:31

• Utqiagvik artist Alaina Bankston wins Rasmussen Award to create an Inupiaq alphabet & numbers workbook for young children.
• Motivation: Her son's learning and lack of accessible materials for families.
  • "You're learning the Alphabet, the numbers, the colors, and we have all that in English. But I'm like, what if we had that in Inupiaq?" (Alaina Bankston, 24:21)
• Broader context: Regional effort to revive the language (immersion programs, digital dictionary, Inupiaq Wordle).
• "It's definitely a dying language, but I think it's important we keep it alive." (Alaina Bankston, 25:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kyle Hopkins (Re: Justice System):

  • "I think we all assume that this process works better than it does..." (08:53)
  • "Justice was served to no one." (06:55)

• Andrew Park (Weather):

  • "You're not going to be traveling on the roads if we get 20 inches of snow in 24 hours." (10:49)

• Don Enoch (Special Education):

  • "When that's not done, the district's obligated to make that right." (16:18)

• Ariel Starbuck (Spanish Trips):

  • "It just meets them wherever they are. And it's just, it's something I can't recreate in the classroom." (Davey Lubin, 19:48)

• Alaina Bankston (Language Revitalization):

  • "It's really born out of necessity... I'm sure there are resources out there, but they're not something you can just go pick up at the store or buy online, you know?" (24:42)
  • "It's definitely a dying language, but I think it's important we keep it alive." (25:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:19 – Podcast opens, highlights Bethel cold case and weather impact.
• 03:06 – Kyle Hopkins discusses Alaska's court system delays.
• 06:04 – Evidence issues and investigative failures in the Bethel case.
• 10:16 – Snowstorm forecast for Juneau and related advisories.
• 12:34 – Bethel jury system changes and community impact.
• 15:35 – Juneau School District special ed failings and response.
• 18:16 – Sitka High Spanish immersion trips: legacy and final journey.
• 23:01 – Inupiaq language workbook project and language revival efforts.

Tone & Style

• The reporting remains factual, focused on accountability and impact.
• Soundbites from guests and field reporters add personal perspectives and urgency, especially in justice and language revitalization coverage.

For Further Reading/Listening

• Anchorage Daily News: Full cold case story by Kyle Hopkins
• Extended coverage and resources at AlaskaPublic.org

End of summary for Alaska News Nightly, December 26, 2025