Alaska News Nightly – Monday, March 31, 2025

Alaska Public Media
Host: Wesley Early
Air Date: April 1, 2025

Main Theme

This episode delivers comprehensive statewide news focusing on legislative and regulatory changes affecting foster care and rural voting, urgent conservation measures for Chinook salmon, housing issues in Juneau, and a heartfelt profile of Sitka’s retiring, famously generous veterinarian. The coverage highlights the ongoing tension between local needs and broader policies, especially how Alaskans—whether children in care, rural voters, fishers, renters, or pet owners—navigate systems often shaped far from their realities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New Legislation to Limit Foster Youth Stays in Psychiatric Facilities

• [00:19-06:27]
  • The Alaska House passed a bill to require a court hearing within 7 days (down from 30) for foster youth admitted to psychiatric facilities.
    • Prompted by stories like Tali Stone, admitted at age 9 for behavioral issues and spending a cumulative four months at North Star, often without clear need.
    • Emphasis on urgency and due process to prevent unnecessary, lengthy institutionalizations.
    • Lack of foster placements leads to overuse of psychiatric facilities.
    • The Department of Justice previously reprimanded Alaska for this issue; modest improvements noted.
    • Bill would include stakeholders (birth parents, tribes, health providers, foster families, OCS, lawyers) in hearings.
    • Fiscal as well as humanitarian impetus: inpatient care reportedly costs over $1,000/night per child.
  • Memorable Quotes:
    • “The absolute human rights violation of having your freedoms completely taken away and no one coming to help you.” – Rep. Andrew Gray [04:27]
    • “We are wasting tons of money on keeping a child in the most expensive possible placement.” – Rep. Andrew Gray [04:27]
    • “You're just a kid, you're just dealing with stuff that's natural. ... I'm not a bad person, I'm loved.” – Tali Stone, reflecting on her experience [05:37]

2. Concerns Over Executive Order Reshaping Federal Elections

• [06:27-11:51]
  • President Trump’s new order mandates absentee/mail ballots arrive by Election Day, and proof of citizenship (passport/state ID) to register for federal elections.
    • Could especially disenfranchise rural, predominantly Alaska Native communities:
      • Ballot transit times exceed new federal window; storms/service issues frequently delay mail.
      • Many rely on tribal IDs due to limited access to state ID/passport facilities.
    • Declining rural voter turnout cited as an ongoing concern; community leaders warn of further drops.
    • Alaska officials are reviewing legal impacts; uncertainty about pending changes.
  • Memorable Quotes:
    • “It will definitely disenfranchise smaller rural communities.” – Denise Lisik, Dillingham poll worker [08:40]
    • “It's just not fair ... to exclude an entire population because of where they live.” – Roya Glowing, First Alaskans Institute [10:19]
    • “Any number of voters that you miss in a community makes a big difference.” – Roya Glowing [11:08]

3. Unprecedented Chinook Conservation Measures

• [12:05-13:59]
  • The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game introduces region-linked management restrictions for Gulf of Alaska chinook salmon—first action connecting fisheries via genetic data.
    • Restrictions affect Western Alaska fisheries, notably Kodiak, Chignik, Sandpoint.
    • Conservation burdens will be distributed more evenly; purse seine closures in July planned.
    • Genetic data shows many Chinook caught locally come from distant runs (e.g., Pacific Northwest).
  • Memorable Quotes:
    • “That is unprecedented, from managing a fishery based on fish that are not found locally.” – Matt Keyes, biologist [12:42]
    • “Everyone that's catching fish is going to bear a little bit of that burden.” – Matt Keyes [13:54]

4. Debate Over Juneau’s Short-Term Rental Task Force

• [13:59-17:32]
  • Juneau mayor appoints 11-member task force (10 homeowners, 1 renter) to examine short-term rentals (STR) like Airbnbs/VRBOs.
    • Group aims to weigh STR impact on housing shortages and propose possible regulation.
    • Critics, including sole renter member Alicia Hugh Scandes, argue renters’ voices are underrepresented, risking guidance that may not reflect a third of Juneau's population.
    • Task force recruiting public feedback, stressing importance of renter participation at upcoming meetings.
    • Other Alaskan towns have imposed STR regulations; Juneau may follow.
  • Memorable Quotes:
    • “We need to have people affected by the industry, and that would be renters.” – Assemblymember Alicia Hugh Scandes [15:26]
    • “That is a real opportunity to be heard and we would love to hear your thoughts on what you think we should do.” – Alicia Hugh Scandes [17:19]

5. Sitka’s Beloved Free Veterinarian Retires

• [19:31-25:40]
  • Dr. Burgess Bouder, 80, retires after 51 years. Known for free services, community devotion, and dramatic rescues (e.g., brown bear encounter, diving mishap).
    • Early family poverty and inability to afford veterinary care shaped his philosophy: “When I'm a vet, I'm gonna make it so people can afford it.” [20:24]
    • Reflects on surgeries, emotional tolls, and moments of joy.
    • Classic Story: Christmas Eve, late-night call—a dog in labor. Burgess performs a record C-section, delivers 13 puppies, family attempts payment: “It’s Christmas Eve. It's yours. Take good care of them.” [23:31–24:40]
    • Impact: Set tone for service and accessibility in rural Alaska communities.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “Anesthesia is months of boredom interspersed with moments of stark terror.” – Burgess Bouder [22:22]
    • “The sound of angels singing ... I delivered 13 C section puppies, the biggest C section I've ever done in my life. Every one lived.” – Burgess Bouder [23:31]
    • "When I'm a vet, I'm gonna make it so people can afford it." – Burgess Bouder [20:24]

Additional Briefs

• U.S. Senate Resolution: Senators Murkowski and Sullivan co-sponsor resolution to keep USPS independent, emphasizing bypass mail’s importance for rural Alaska. [06:27–08:07]
• PFD Deadline: Reminders for residents to apply by midnight for the 2025 Permanent Fund Dividend. [18:04-19:31]
• Short-term rental policies elsewhere: Brief references to STR solutions in Sitka and Wasilla, and comparison to Colorado. [17:32–18:04]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Foster Youth Hospital Bill: 00:19–06:27
• Federal Election Law Impact: 06:27–11:51
• Salmon Conservation Action: 12:05–13:59
• Juneau STR Task Force: 13:59–17:32
• Sitka Vet Retirement Profile: 19:31–25:40

Memorable Moments

• Emotional testimony from former foster youth Tali Stone on the effects of unnecessary psychiatric hospitalization [05:37]
• Rural voting barriers and the threat of disenfranchisement under new federal mandates [08:07–11:14]
• Dr. Bouder’s Christmas Eve tale—free veterinary care at its most dramatic and generous [23:31–24:40]

Tone

Warm, earnest, occasionally humorous, but grounded in advocacy for vulnerable populations and rural communities—entry points for larger policy challenges that shape life across Alaska’s vast and diverse regions.