Podcast Summary

Alaska News Nightly – Friday, November 28, 2025

Host: Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media
Airdate: November 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly delivers a wide-ranging roundup of key statewide stories affecting Alaskans, from concerns over Canadian mining pollution in Southeast rivers to individual stories of resilience following natural disasters, local business initiatives for Small Business Saturday, and recognition for Native storytelling in children's media. Throughout, the tone is informative, empathetic, and community-focused, providing both hard news and uplifting human interest stories.

Key Segments & Topics

1. British Columbia Mining Pollution & Alaska’s Response

[00:06 – 03:41]

• Background:
  Ten years ago, Alaska signed an agreement with British Columbia to give Alaskans a voice in upstream mine development that could affect cross-border rivers. Environmentalists now say the Dunleavy administration has let key parts of this agreement lapse, notably scaling back water quality monitoring and excluding important local voices.
• Voices & Opinions:
  • Brianna Walker (Salmon Beyond Borders): Criticizes the state for inadequate communication and for ending water quality monitoring. She points to the Hyder mine pollution as an example of government inaction.
    • “Alaskans learned about that pollution through the media. They did not learn about that from the state or from the province of British Columbia. And that’s a clear example, in my opinion, of how the state is abdicating the responsibility that they have to Alaskans.” ([02:22])
  • Sam Dapsevich (Dept. of Environmental Conservation): Argues the state continues to advocate for Alaska’s interests and remains committed to protecting rivers, citing coordinated cleanup efforts and public engagement.
    • “And I just want people to understand that our agencies are deeply involved between the two governments advocating for cleanup, and we're using shared science to protect these rivers.” ([03:13])
• Insight:
  The debate highlights ongoing tension between environmental advocates, state agencies, and the cross-border dynamics of mining oversight.

2. Anchorage Bear Mauling Survivor’s Story

[03:41 – 06:06]

• Event Recap:
  Victoria Lidell recounts her harrowing survival from a bear attack while hiking in East Anchorage and her deep gratitude toward rescuers.
  • She used her Apple Watch to call 911, staying on the line for 90 minutes until helicopter rescue.
  • Her injuries included nerve damage and deep cuts but is recovering.
• Quote:
  • “I do remember laying there being chewed on and trying to play dead.” — Victoria Lidell ([04:11])
  • “I’m not exactly proud of it, but I’m glad I survived. Yeah, I guess time will tell what it really means at the end.” — Victoria Lidell ([05:57])
• Community Response:
  • Public safety workers from several agencies reunited with Liddell; both sides expressed gratitude and pride in the rescue’s outcome.

3. Southcentral Earthquake Update

[06:14 – 07:52]

• Details:
  • Magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Anchorage on Thanksgiving morning, with no major damages reported.
  • Michael West (state seismologist): Explains the quake’s depth (45 miles) mitigated damage, notes minor aftershocks possible.
• Quote:
  • “I would fully anticipate a little bit of cracked drywall here and there, and I won’t be surprised if we hear of other incidents, but my expectation would be pretty minor damage.” — Michael West ([06:50])

4. Bering Sea Pollock Fleet: Fish Left Uncaught

[08:00 – 10:10]

• Industry Challenge:
  • An unusually large percentage of the pollock catch was left in the water this year due to accidental bycatch and repeated storms, impacting shore-based processors.
  • Frank Kelty (Resource Analyst): “This year we’re leaving a lot of pollock in the water, over 30,000 metric tons...” ([08:27])
  • Tom Enlow (Unisea CEO): Points to logistical difficulties for land-based processors with weather and closures.
• Takeaway:
  • The industry faces increasingly complex environmental and operational constraints; harvest limits for next season will be re-evaluated soon.

5. Humpback Whale Entanglement Fatality near Kodiak

[10:10 – 12:09]

• Incident:
  • The 13th dead humpback whale around the Kodiak archipelago; believed to have drowned after becoming entangled in old fishing gear.
  • Matt Vandale (Natural Resources Director): Expresses frustration that the whale was not discovered in time to save it.
    • “It’s really frustrating and a bummer that she wasn’t spotted while she was still alive because she would have been a perfect candidate to attempt a disentanglement.” ([11:28])
  • The response team used the incident as an opportunity to refine disentanglement skills for future rescues.

6. Rebuilding Hope: Construction Training for Western Alaska Evacuees

[12:30 – 16:53]

• Context:
  • After hurricane-force winds and floods destroyed homes in Kipnuk and surrounding areas, displaced residents took part in construction skills training in Anchorage via Alaska Works Partnership.
  • Tiffany Caudle (Training Coordinator): “I do think that this is really helping them stay positive and stay hopeful. They’ve all been so grateful for this training.” ([13:20])
• Personal Accounts:
  • Devin Mann, a young evacuee, describes how he and his brother survived a house floating away in floodwaters and his hopes for returning to rebuild.
    • “I had hope. I had hope.” — Devin Mann ([14:49])
    • “Everything we’re learning in here and doing, it’s gonna be useful in the future for our village.” ([14:58])
  • William Andrew (training instructor): Expresses optimism that training locals will shift construction jobs into community hands.
    • “I’m excited about their future and I’m hoping that they get to rebuild it.” ([16:15])
• Insight:
  • The training program is a first step toward local empowerment and long-term recovery.

7. Shop Local: Small Business Saturday

[17:02 – 18:24]

• Importance of Local Spending:
  • Harley Hedlund (Alaska Small Business Development Center) touts Small Business Saturday as pivotal, noting that more money stays in the community when spent at local businesses.
    • “When you spend $100 at a local business, $63 stay in the local economy compared to $22 at national chain stores. That drops to $0 if you buy something online.” ([17:36])
    • “It’s keeping food on the table for people. It’s keeping their kids doing sports. It’s allowing them to also give back in meaningful ways.” ([18:17])
• Initiatives:
  • The Anchorage Downtown Partnership offers resources to connect shoppers with local events.

8. Alaska Native Emmy Nominee: Vera Starbard & Molly of Denali

[19:08 – 22:05]

• Cultural Recognition:
  • Vera Starbard is nominated for her writing on a “Molly of Denali” episode about Thanksgiving from a Native perspective.
  • The episode addresses both the grief and resilience related to Native traditions suppressed by colonization.
    • “It wasn’t something lost… Native people just sort of blacked it out for some reason. It was taken from us. It was very forcefully and violently taken from us.” — Vera Starbard ([20:07])
    • Scene with Molly’s Aunt Myrna: “When we remember our ancestors together and talk about what was lost, we know we’re not alone. Then we can all heal together and celebrate what we have.” ([20:48])
  • Starbard reflects on the personal bittersweetness of her fourth nomination, recalling her late father’s pride and missed opportunity to attend.
• Message:
  • The segment underscores the importance of honest storytelling and the role of children’s media in recognizing communal grief and healing.

9. High School Wrestling: Overcoming Disability & Inspiring Others

[22:14 – 25:15]

• Profile:
  • Ari O'Damien, a senior wrestler from Bristol Bay, shares her journey overcoming Erb’s palsy (limited use of her left arm) to compete among the state’s top female wrestlers.
  • Interviewed by classmate Liv Harvilla, Ari talks about her motivations (her sisters, her uncles), challenges with weight classes, and self-belief.
    • “With my arm, there’s just like, not really anything I can do but really try harder and make myself believe that I can beat them. And it really helped.” — Ari O’Damien ([24:57])
• Theme:
  • Value of determination, representation for younger girls, and community support.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Context | |-----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:22 | Brianna Walker | “Alaskans learned about that pollution through the media. They did not learn about that from the state or the province of British Columbia. And that’s a clear example, in my opinion, of how the state is abdicating the responsibility that they have to Alaskans.” | | 03:13 | Sam Dapsevich     | “Our agencies are deeply involved between the two governments advocating for cleanup, and we're using shared science to protect these rivers.” | | 04:11 | Victoria Lidell | “I do remember laying there being chewed on and trying to play dead.” | | 05:57 | Victoria Lidell | “I’m not exactly proud of it, but I’m glad I survived. Yeah, I guess time will tell what it really means at the end.” | | 11:28 | Matt Vandale | “It’s really frustrating and a bummer that she wasn’t spotted while she was still alive because she would have been a perfect candidate to attempt a disentanglement.” | | 13:20 | Tiffany Caudle | “I do think that this is really helping them stay positive and stay hopeful. They’ve all been so grateful for this training.” | | 14:49 | Devin Mann | “I had hope. I had hope.” | | 16:15 | William Andrew | “I’m excited about their future and I’m hoping that they get to rebuild it.” | | 17:36 | Harley Hedlund | “When you spend $100 at a local business, $63 stay in the local economy compared to $22 at national chain stores. That drops to $0 if you buy something online.” | | 20:07 | Vera Starbard | “It wasn’t something lost… It was taken from us. It was very forcefully and violently taken from us.” | | 24:57 | Ari O’Damien | “With my arm, there’s just like, not really anything I can do but really try harder and make myself believe that I can beat them. And it really helped.” |

Segment Timestamps

• Mining Pollution & Cross-Border Rivers: 00:06 – 03:41
• Bear Attack Survivor: 03:41 – 06:06
• Earthquake Recap: 06:14 – 07:52
• Pollock Harvest Shortfall: 08:00 – 10:10
• Whale Entanglement Fatality: 10:10 – 12:09
• Construction Training for Storm Evacuees: 12:30 – 16:53
• Small Business Saturday: 17:02 – 18:24
• Vera Starbard & Molly of Denali: 19:08 – 22:05
• Ari O’Damien Wrestler Profile: 22:14 – 25:15

Tone & Style

The episode is marked by balanced storytelling: direct and transparent when covering environmental or disaster stories, and warmhearted and community-oriented when profiling individual resilience and positive news. The voices of Alaskans—from state officials to students—feature throughout, providing authenticity and a sense of statewide connection.

Conclusion

This Alaska News Nightly episode blends investigative reporting with inspiring Alaskan human interest stories. Main themes include government and environmental oversight, disaster recovery, the power of local initiatives and businesses, celebration of Native perspectives and storytelling, and examples of both individual and community resilience in the face of adversity. The episode continues Alaska News Nightly’s tradition of connecting all corners of Alaska with news that matters most to its residents.