Alaska News Nightly – Friday, September 5, 2025

Podcast: Alaska News Nightly - Alaska Public Media
Date: September 6, 2025
Host: Casey Grove

Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly highlights significant news stories from across the state. Key topics include:

• A federal class-action lawsuit aiming to reform Alaska’s troubled foster care system
• A fatal car accident in Ketchikan and the community’s response
• Discussion on the projected impacts of the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Alaska’s economy
• Affordable housing breakthroughs in Sitka
• A combined Unangax̂ culture camp in Akutan

Key Discussions & Insights

Federal Lawsuit Targets Alaska’s Foster Care System

Reporter: Rachel Cassandra
Segment Begins: 01:14

• Background:

  • Alaska's Office of Children's Services (OCS) is facing a federal class-action lawsuit in Anchorage, brought by the national group "A Better Childhood," seeking court-mandated reforms.
  • Testimony shared by Matthew Vandenberg, a former foster youth, revealed harrowing experiences and systemic failures.

• Testimony Highlights:

  • Vandenberg described poor conditions, such as being limited to two packs of ramen a day and losing 30 lbs. He said he moved placements 13 times in four years.
    • “The people there would give you two ramen packs a day, and if you...ate them in the morning because you were hungry, you would have to wait until the next day to eat again.” — Matthew Vandenberg, [01:54]

• Problems Identified:

  • Alaska’s foster care system ranks among the worst in the nation on federal measures:
    • Fewer caseworker visits
    • Slower response times on child protection
    • Shorter average placements
    • More children maltreated in state custody
  • High worker caseloads, high turnover, underqualification (some workers lack college degrees)

• Expert Perspectives:

  • “Nice, well intentioned people can’t just do this job. They need an education.” — Marsha Lowry, Director, A Better Childhood, [03:21]
  • Lawsuits have worked elsewhere (e.g., New Jersey went from worst to best after a similar process).
  • Local leadership is critical for long-term change.

• State’s Response:

  • OCS Director Kim Gui noted that the system’s demands prevent caseload caps.
  • “Our perspective is child welfare work is really hard. It’s especially hard in Alaska because of the size and the remoteness of so many of the communities. And we are doing the best that we can to manage the challenges that we have.” — Margaret Patton Walsh, Assistant Attorney General, [06:03]
  • OCS claims incremental improvements but acknowledges ongoing challenges due to changing economic and demographic factors.

Fatal Car Crash in Ketchikan: Tragedy and Heroism

Reporter: Jack Darrell
Segment Begins: 06:47

• Incident Recap:

  • A cruise passenger from Indiana was killed when a car went over a guardrail into Ketchikan Creek.
  • The car, driven by a local business owner, accelerated over the curb, the boardwalk, and a railing, falling ten feet into the creek.

• Eyewitness & Rescue Efforts:

  • “We were about to go back in there, do some shopping and all of a sudden I hear this...her foot on the pedal and then it went and popped right over the curb.” — Bob Cooley, Texas cruise guest, [07:16]
  • Bystanders rushed to help, including Dylan Self, a local server, who smashed the car’s window and pulled the driver to safety despite injury.
    • “As soon as I seen her head go underwater, I knew she wasn’t going to last more than 30 seconds before the inhale. So scaled the rocks as fast as I could until I got to the car and then dove in.” — Dylan Self, [09:38]
    • “He literally ran and just jumped into the water...It was amazing.” — Bob Cooley, [09:23]

• Aftermath:

  • Police are investigating; cause could involve medical emergency for the driver.
  • Community is mourning the victim while honoring acts of selfless bravery.

Economic Analysis: The “Big Beautiful Bill” and Alaska’s Future

Reporter: Ava White
Guest: Kevin Berry, Professor & Chair, Economics, UAA
Segment Begins: 13:13

• Context:

  • The federal "Big Beautiful Bill" (enacted July, under the Trump administration), contains sweeping provisions affecting Alaska, including oil/gas, and changes to benefit programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

• Key Insights:

  • Many provisions are delayed (some until 2027), which could give the state time to prepare, though outcomes are unpredictable due to the potential for further federal legislative changes.
    • “A lot of the provisions in the bill that kick in later can potentially change over time. To the extent that law stays the way that it is right now, we can make projections…But some of these things…may change in response. There could be political will to change impacts to different programs or different rules or dates.” — Kevin Berry, [14:32]

• Alaska’s Economic “Three-Legged Stool”:

  • Composed of oil/gas, other industries, and the federal government.
  • Berry sees potential strengthening in the oil sector but uncertainty about the federal government’s role, with long-term impacts on state revenues and federal support.
    • “None of us expect that it’s changed dramatically, though these new developments potentially mean the oil sector is stronger into the future. ...I think that there’s questions about the increase in the budget deficit and whether or not that’s filled with spending cuts or tax increases in the future.” — Kevin Berry, [16:11]

• Personal Finances & Spending:

  • Past tax cuts had modest effects, and caution is urged in making predictions—COVID-19 disrupted reliable economic analysis data.

Affordable Housing in Sitka: Breaking Ground

Reporter: Hope McKinney
Segment Begins: 18:56

• Project Launch:

  • Sitka Community Land Trust began construction on six below-market rental units, part of a longstanding effort to address housing shortages and affordability.

• Approach:

  • Land trust model: Residents can own homes, not land, lowering purchase prices.
  • “Sitka has a housing problem. It has a housing crisis. It needs every kind of housing ownership and rental.” — Randy Huey, Executive Director, Sitka Community Land Trust, [20:12]

• Demographic Crisis:

  • Population dropped by 800 in a decade; the town is growing older, with fewer young families.
    • “That’s a demographic crisis. So if Sitka wants to be a vibrant, healthy living community and not just some vacation getaway...then we got to change something. And the first thing to change is housing.” — Randy Huey, [21:30]

• Outlook:

  • The city is seeking more sites for new development.
  • Smaller, more affordable homes are key to attracting and retaining young families.

Atka & Akutan Unangax̂ Culture Camp: Revitalizing Traditions

Reporter: Kenesha McGlashan Price
Segment Begins: 23:22

• Description:

  • Two Aleutian communities joined for a two-week culture camp on Akutan Island, focusing heavily on song, dance, and language.

• Activities & Collaboration:

  • Intensive work on new choreography and original songs in Unangam Tunuu.
  • “It’s a really ambitious lineup and it’s been intense...we’ve got 1, 2, 3 and working on a fourth song.” — Josephine Schengen, co-coordinator, [24:02]
  • Language translations were a collaborative, intergenerational effort.

• Broader Significance:

  • Ongoing partnership since 2019, with reciprocal knowledge-sharing on food, crafts, regalia, and traditional arts.
    • “In atka, we do our language and dance throughout the year. It’s not just during the summer or just during culture camp.” — Krystal Dushkin, coordinator from Atka, [25:22]
  • The new works were showcased locally and at the first-ever Ngnunangan Festival in Unalaska.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Foster Care:

  • “How else can you know whether a child is safe when you put a child in a foster home?” — Marsha Lowry, [02:39]
  • “In some states, it is a lawsuit or the beginnings of a lawsuit that prompts a state to say we need to look at this differently.” — Alicia Grow, [05:53]

• On Ketchikan’s Tragedy:

  • “It was literally that young man alone that saved that woman. The driver's life. He's a hero. He was a hero today.” — Bob Cooley, [10:57]

• On Housing in Sitka:

  • “If Sitka were the community in southeast Alaska where young families could buy a home, we would be flooded with them. It's not about jobs, it's about housing.” — Randy Huey, [22:09]

• On Youth Culture Camp:

  • “When you're using your summer to wake up at 9am to show up to dance, it's impressive and I'm really proud of all the kids.” — Josephine Schengen, [24:41]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:14] – Foster Care Lawsuit in Alaska
• [06:47] – Ketchikan Fatal Car Crash & Heroic Rescue
• [13:13] – Election Irregularities (brief), followed by "Big Beautiful Bill" Impacts
• [18:56] – Sitka Affordable Housing Groundbreaking
• [23:22] – Atka & Akutan Unangax̂ Culture Camp

Tone & Style Note

Reporters focus on clarity, empathy, and directness, with segments switching seamlessly between investigative, human-interest, and analytical tones. Community voices are foregrounded, and there is an emphasis on both the personal and social impact of statewide issues.

This episode provides thorough coverage of Alaska’s current events—ranging from system-wide foster care challenges to economic policy analysis, from community tragedies and heroism to grassroots culture and housing solutions.