Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, February 26, 2026

Summary

Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, February 26, 2026

Host: Casey Grove, Alaska Public Media
Air Date: February 27, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode provides a comprehensive look at some of the most significant current affairs in Alaska, including crucial fisheries regulations, local economic impacts of recent Supreme Court decisions on tariffs, nascent state-level consideration of psychedelic therapy, deep winter weather in Fairbanks, public sector negotiations, and environmental concerns in Skagway. The reporting is in-depth and features insightful interviews with community leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, and policymakers across Alaska.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Board of Fisheries Approves Area M Salmon Fishing Reductions

[01:13 – 03:56]

• The Alaska Board of Fisheries enacted strict new limits on salmon fishing in the South Alaska Peninsula (“Area M”) to help struggling Yukon and Kuskokwim river salmon populations.
  • Key change: Reduction of ~136 hours for drift fleet and 94 hours for seine fleet during the lucrative June fishing period, a cut of about one-third.
  • The decision addresses concerns from Western Alaskan Native communities whose food security and culture depend on salmon returns.
• Stakeholder Reactions:
  • Brian Ridley (Tanana Chiefs Conference Chair): Stressed the importance of strong conservation measures and shifting responsibility toward the commercial sector.
    • Quote: "We expect you to take strong action. I think how we do that is by having those shutdown periods during the peak of the run." [02:16]
  • Kylie Thompson (Area M Seiners Association President): Warned the changes will devastate local fisheries, likening the new opportunity to "about eight or nine days to fish in the month of June." [02:37]

2. State Explores Psychedelic Therapy Legislation

[03:56 – 05:30]

• A state task force released non-binding recommendations for regulating psychedelic therapy in anticipation of possible federal approval.
  • Focus: Accessibility, safe and culturally competent care, and the need for specialized therapist training.
• Jenny Armstrong (Task Force Member & Former Rep.):
  • Emphasized proactive planning.
    • Quote: "The whole point ... was to bring up these types of questions so we're not scratching our head when this becomes medicalized ... but we're actually being proactive about how we are approaching this." [03:56]
  • Noted the particular promise for Alaskans given high rates of PTSD, substance use, and other mental illnesses.
    • Quote: "There are so many folks who through these trials went from being suicidal and having treatment resistant depression, unable to work, unable to function, to being in remission within months." [05:10]
  • All providers would need new, specific training to offer these therapies. [04:34]

3. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling: Relief but Lingering Uncertainty for Alaska Businesses

[05:30 – 09:35]

• The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs of April 2025, which had impacted nearly all imports.
  • Business Owners' Reactions:
    • Liz Eldridge (The Spice and Tea Exchange):
      • Felt relief but sees little hope for meaningful refunds due to the scale and complexity of possible claims.
    • Avery Elfelt (Ermine Skate):
      • Not optimistic about seeing refunds; tariffs forced a 15% price hike for customers.
      • Quote: "Is Erman Skate, a little tiny Nordic skate making company in Alaska, going to be first in line to receive refunds on their unconstitutional tariff charges?" [07:21]
    • Eric Parsons (Revelate Designs):
      • Tariffs cost ~$35,000 in a year; substantial impact and "an assault on small business and innovation." [08:52]
      • Uncertainty persists as the administration considers new tariffs.
        • Quote: "Maybe we'll get refunds, but the president still wants to use tariffs as a controlling way for his foreign policy. ... There's still going to be chaos and unpredictability." [09:19-09:26]

4. Tragic Search in Sand Point After Canoeing Accident

[10:39 – 12:01]

• Incident: A Sand Point high schooler, Kaipo Kamanunga, went missing after a canoe capsized at Red Cove Lake. Search efforts are now in "recovery" mode.
  • Community and family mobilized volunteer search teams.
  • As of the episode date, over $60,000 had been raised for the family through GoFundMe.

5. Juneau Police Union Contract Approved; Bargaining Impasses Remain

[12:01 – 14:00]

• New three-year contract features 3–5% annual raises, retention bonuses, and improved health insurance. Juneteenth is now an official city holiday for police staff.
• Ongoing negotiation stalemates exist with the firefighters’ and teachers' unions.

6. Skagway’s Legacy Mining Contamination and Future Ore Shipments

[14:00 – 18:10]

• Long-standing pollution from ore transshipment remains a concern as Selkirk Copper proposes to resume shipping from the Minto mine via Skagway.
  • Deb Potter (Vice Mayor): Described residents' belated awareness of legacy heavy metal contamination.
  • Orion Hanson (Mayor):
    • Pushed for carefully managed, safer future operations, while recognizing the economic benefits.
    • Infrastructure upgrades and environmental safeguards are central to the discussions.
      • Quote: "There's certainly been a lot of legacy and residual contamination ... We have to be very, very pragmatic and cautious going forward." [15:40]
  • Debate continues between advocates for traditional conveyor systems and those calling for sealed containerization to prevent further pollution.
    • Andrew Cromada (Former Mayor): Asserts containerization is essential due to past contamination and leftover liabilities. [18:03]

7. Military Training Exercise "Arctic Edge 20" in Alaska and Greenland

[18:27 – 19:23]

• Large-scale military exercises involving NORAD and U.S. Northern Command commenced, affecting Fairbanks, Anchorage, Kodiak, Kotzebue, and Greenland.

8. Anchorage’s Expanded "Healthy Spaces" Cleanup Teams

[19:23 – 20:56]

• City doubling Parks & Recreation cleanup staff via a new surcharge, allowing year-round operations and targeted litter and illegal camping cleanups.
  • In 2025, crews removed over 2.4 million pounds of trash—"the equivalent weight of 30 humpback whales." [19:48]
  • Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and Parks Director Shanna Gamble detail the approach and public reporting mechanisms (muni.org).

9. Fairbanks Endures Coldest, Snowiest Winter in 50+ Years

[20:56 – 26:16]

• Brian Brettschneider (NWS Climate Researcher): Featured in Ask A Climatologist.
  • Key Points:
    • December–February: coldest period in over 50 years in Fairbanks ("the old timers ... talk about what it used to be like. Well, that's what this winter is." [21:41])
    • 22+ days at -40°F (headed for a 50-year record).
    • Second snowiest February ever, with a season total of nearly 90 inches—well above average.
      • Quote: "This is really noteworthy for how many of the really deep cold days there’s been compared to the last half century." [22:22]
  • No broad statewide trend in heavy snowfall; most of the rest of interior Alaska saw less snow, but the winter overall is among the coldest in decades.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On salmon conservation:
  • Brian Ridley: "I think how we do that is by having those shutdown periods during the peak of the run." [02:16]
• On devastated fishing communities:
  • Area M Seiners Association: "Basically we were given a rope to hang ourselves." [02:37]
• On psychedelic therapy:
  • Jenny Armstrong: "Just being a doctor doesn't make you qualify to facilitate this type of care." [04:34]
  • "Imagine how that can change how your neighbors and your friends and your family and your community can thrive." [05:10]
• On tariffs and small business:
  • Eric Parsons: "It feels like an assault on small business and innovation." [08:52]
  • "There's still going to be chaos and unpredictability." [09:26]
• On legacy mining pollution:
  • Mayor Orion Hanson: "We have to be very, very pragmatic and cautious going forward that we're doing this in a safe way." [15:40]
• On Fairbanks weather:
  • Brian Brettschneider: "There's just no other way to describe it as anything other than a really cold winter for ... the interior." [21:41]
  • "This is really an outlier ... So there's not really a trend that people should be kind of reading into this." [24:34]

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Timestamps for Significant Segments

• Fisheries Board & Salmon Restrictions: [01:13–03:56]
• Psychedelic Therapy Recommendations: [03:56–05:30]
• Alaska Businesses React to Tariff Ruling: [05:30–09:35]
• Sand Point Canoe Tragedy: [10:39–12:01]
• Juneau Police Union Agreement: [12:01–14:00]
• Skagway Ore Shipping & Pollution Debate: [14:00–18:10]
• Arctic Edge 20 Military Exercise: [18:27–19:23]
• Anchorage Cleanup Team Expansion: [19:23–20:56]
• Fairbanks Winter Weather Analysis: [20:56–26:16]

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Additional Notes

• The episode balances rural and urban issues, featuring stories from economic, environmental, and social justice perspectives.
• The tone is factual, occasionally reflective, and deeply community-focused.

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For more coverage and to listen to specific stories, visit alaskapublic.org.

Transcript

[Ava White]

The PFD application is open. Just a small amount of your PFD will help share local news and stories about Alaskans with Alaskans across this great state. When you choose Alaska Public Media through Pick Click Give,

[Casey Grove]

We expect you to take strong action. I think how we do that is by having those shutdown periods during the peak of the run. The Board of Fisheries approves restrictions to allow more salmon to reach the Yukon and Kuskokwin rivers. From Alaska Public Media, this is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Thursday, February 26th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, Alaska businesses express relief at the Supreme Court tariff ruling, but they don't expect refunds.

[Eric Parsons]

Is Irman Skate, a little tiny Nordic skate making company in Alaska, going to be first in line to receive refunds on their unconstitutional tariff charges?

[Ava White]

The PFD application is open. Just a small amount of your PFD will help share local news and stories about Alaskans with Alaskans across this great state. When you choose Alaska Public Media through

[Casey Grove]

Pick Click Give the Alaska Board of Fisheries wrapped up its week long meeting in Anchorage Wednesday when it approved new limits for the South Alaska Peninsula salmon fishery. It's part of a broader effort to reduce the interception of chum salmon bound for the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers where salmon returns have reached crisis lows. The region is part of Area M, a commercial fishing district that runs along the Alaska Peninsula and into the Eastern Aleutians. The board's action reduces fishing opportunities in Area M by about a third, cutting 136 hours for the drift fleet and 94 hours for the seine fleet during the most important fishing times for the commercial sector. The Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of dozens of native tribes in western and interior Alaska, called the decision a major step for Yukon river communities. The nonprofit has advocated for stricter regulations in Area M for years. Chief Chair Brian Ridley asked the board on Tuesday to shift more conservation responsibility onto the commercial sector. We expect you to take strong action.

[Brian Ridley]

I think how we do that is by having those shutdown periods during the peak of the run.

[Casey Grove]

But Area M fishermen say they're already stretched thin. Area M Seiners Association President Kylie Thompson said in an interview that the new measures would effectively wipe out the entire June fishery, which is when the fleet earns the majority of its income.

[Brian Ridley]

So now what we're left with is we get about eight or nine days to fish in the month of June. Basically we were given a rope to hang ourselves.

[Casey Grove]

With communities like Sand Point and King Cove whose entire economies revolve around commercial fishing have been hit hard by low prices, poor harvests and market turmoil in recent years. King Cove lost its only seafood processing plant three years ago and continues to struggle economically. The Area M Seiners association has warned that tighter restrictions would hurt their sector, which they say is already fighting for survival. The Board of fisheries voted 4 to 3 in favor of the new restrictions, which go into effect this summer. A state task force released recommendations this month for making psychedelic therapy available if treatments are approved at the federal level. The state legislature established the task force in 2024 to examine the therapies, which hold a lot of promise but are still considered experimental. Jenny Armstrong is a former state representative who was on the task force. She says the group tackled questions like how to make therapy accessible and how to offer safe and culturally competent care.

[Jenny Armstrong]

And the whole point of the task force was to bring up these types of questions so we're not scratching our head when this becomes medicalized and scrambling and being reactive, but we're actually being proactive about how we are approaching this.

[Casey Grove]

The task force did not take a stance on whether psychedelic therapies are good or bad, but recommends Alaska incorporate them as they are legalized nationally. None of the recommendations are binding, but Armstrong says they're meant to guide legislators on the types of laws the state would need to offer access. Armstrong says the task force recommends incorporating a training program for therapists and healthcare providers who want to guide therapy.

[Jenny Armstrong]

Everyone needs to go through this type of training because just being a doctor doesn't make you qualify to facilitate this type of care.

[Casey Grove]

And she says the aim is to make training accessible so a diversity of people can become certified. She says that would ensure people getting treated are a good fit with the person who guides them. Armstrong says Alaskans could benefit a lot from psychedelic therapies if they're legalized. That's because the state has such high rates of post traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders and other mental illnesses. Psychedelic therapies are being studied to treat those disorders, and Armstrong says some of the research is promising.

[Jenny Armstrong]

There are so many folks who through these trials went from being suicidal and having treatment resistant depression, unable to work, unable to function to being in remission within months. Imagine how that can change how your neighbors and your friends and your family and your community can thrive.

[Casey Grove]

She urges anyone with strong feelings about the topic to reach out to their legislators to share their thoughts well. The Supreme Court ruled last week that President Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly every country last April. Alaska Public Media's Ava White spoke with a trio of local entrepreneurs at the time who said the uncertainty they were facing was as damaging as the tariffs themselves. She revisited the three after the ruling and while the business owners say it's a relief, they aren't celebrating yet, the

[Ava White]

Supreme Court ruling came as a surprise to Liz Eldridge, owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange.

[Casey Grove]

I was pleasantly shocked.

[Ava White]

Her store in South Anchorage sells teas, sugars and spices that are imported from dozens of countries. When Trump's so called Liberation Day tariffs were announced last spring, Aldridge was suddenly faced with paying tariffs on almost everything she sells in her store. She was forced to stock up on items and change vendors. It was a complicated and expensive process that local business owners say took a huge toll on now that the Supreme Court ruled those tariffs are illegal, they are expressing some relief but skeptical they'll ever see a refund for the tens of thousands of dollars they've paid for tariffs. Eldridge says she's not counting on one, and she's not planning to pursue litigation either.

[Avery Elfelt]

We'd be like an ant on an anthill, like there's millions of us and we'd just be lost in the shuffle. I feel like I would be wasting my time for money I probably wouldn't get back.

[Ava White]

Paxton Wolber feels similarly. He owns Ermine Skate, an Anchorage company that makes the only Nordic Skate manufactured in the United States. Ermen partners with manufacturers in South Central for the skate ceramic coating and sharpening. But the company also imports safety gear from Scandinavian countries, which Wilbur says has been the biggest tariff impact for his business.

[Eric Parsons]

I have no reason to actually think that I'm going to get it back right now or on what timeline? I mean, is Erman Skate, a little tiny Nordic skate making company in Alaska, going to be first in line to receive refunds on their unconstitutional tariff charges?

[Ava White]

There's not a clear path to obtaining tariff refunds, according to the US Chamber of Commerce, even for large companies. Wolbert declined to say how much the company has spent on tariffs in the last year, but says it's, quote, a significant five figure number that forced the company to raise prices by about 15%. If the company gets a refund, Wilbur says he would reinvest the money into his business by stocking up on products and upgrading machinery. He has wondered if getting getting that money back would allow him to refund customers or lower prices, but he says he can't even think that far ahead.

[Eric Parsons]

The amount of uncertainty in the system and the fact that I just have no idea if I'm even going to ever see a refund Makes it really, really difficult to even think about doing that kind of thing.

[Ava White]

Uncertainty is a feeling Eric Parsons has gotten used to over the last year. Parsons owns Revelate Designs, an Alaska based bikepacking gear company. The company moved its manufacturing out of China last spring because of trade conditions. The company, Parsons says, has paid about $35,000 in reciprocal tariffs since they were implemented about a year ago. He says the turmoil has put the company in a conservative spending mindset and has taken an extreme psychological toll.

[Casey Grove]

I think above all, it feels like an assault on small business and innovation.

[Ava White]

He signed a letter in support of issuing businesses refunds. But Parsons says Reveille isn't in the financial position to hire an attorney to stand up to the federal government and other small businesses are in the same boat. Even if Parsons were to get his tens of thousands of dollars spent on tariffs back, he says that doesn't put an end to the uncertainty.

[Casey Grove]

Maybe we'll get refunds, but the president

[Eric Parsons]

still wants to use tariffs as a

[Casey Grove]

controlling way for his foreign policy. So he's going to do that one way or the other. And so there's still going to be chaos and unpredictability.

[Ava White]

Now Trump implemented a new 10% global tariff and the administration is trying to push it to 15%. Businesses say that just keeps them guessing and makes it harder to plan for the future. In Anchorage, I'm Ava White.

[Casey Grove]

Still to come at Alaska News Nightly, already known for cold, Fairbanks shivers through its chilliest winter in more than a half century.

[Brian Brettschneider]

You know, so it's the old timers, you know, talk about what it, what it used to be like. Well, that's what this winter is.

[Casey Grove]

And that is ahead. Stay with us.

[Avery Elfelt]

I'm Shelby Herbert, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska

[Jenny Armstrong]

Public Media and kuac, where I work

[Avery Elfelt]

in Fairbanks, and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Haines and the illusions. It allows us to connect to the

[Jenny Armstrong]

issues happening in community communities all across the state.

[Avery Elfelt]

You can hear our stories during the

[Jenny Armstrong]

morning News Alaska News Nightly or [e-mail]

[Avery Elfelt]

the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.

[Casey Grove]

Authorities in Sand Point now believe a high school student who went missing after a canoe ride is dead. Kaipo Kumanunga has been missing since Monday night.

[Brian Ridley]

And it's a recovery at this point.

[Casey Grove]

That's Sandpoint Chief of Police Benjamin Allen. He says a dive team from Anchorage was expected to arrive at the island community this morning. Until the dive team arrives. Alan says he and local volunteers have been the only ones searching. Sandpoint is a small community of about 800 people that sits on the northwest side of Popoff island near the western end of the Alaska Peninsula. Allen says Kamanonga and three other boys headed out to make s' mores and ride four wheelers Monday afternoon at Red Cove Lake, which sits southwest of town. He says three of the boys hopped in a canoe they found by the lake.

[Brian Ridley]

While out, the canoe capsized. The fourth boy, who didn't go on the canoe, jumped on his four wheeler, rode as fast as he could to get as close to him as he could. He stripped his clothes off and jumped in after him. He was able to get two of the boys to shore. The last time he saw Kipo, he was face down in the water, and by the time he got the second boy back to shore, Kaipo was gone.

[Casey Grove]

Kaminunga's disappearance has been hard on the small community, but Alan says he's been impressed with volunteers helping with the search, especially Kaminanga's own family. Locals have also organized a GoFundMe campaign for the boy's family. As of today, they've raised over $60,000. The city and borough of Juneau has reached a collective bargaining agreement with the union that represents Juneau police eight months after the last contract expired and a year after negotiations began. The Public Safety Employees association and the city reached a tentative agreement earlier this month, and last night the assembly passed a resolution to ratify it. The new agreement includes a 3 to 5% annual wage increase for the next three years of the contract, as well as lump sum payments of between $2,000 and $2,750 for the next two years. In addition, the employer contribution for health insurance will see increases. Juneau police employees will also now get a day off for the Juneteenth holiday. The city made June 19 a holiday, a city holiday last year. The city and the police union had been at an impasse since August. The agreement and pay increase come after the city released results from a survey that asked Juneau residents about budget priorities. Public safety, police, firefighting and EMS and schools were both in the top three priorities respondents chose. The city remains at an impasse with the union that represents the majority of Juneau firefighters. And the Juneau School District is also at an impasse with the teachers union. An arbitration hearing is scheduled for April. Skagway for decades has contended with contamination left behind by mining companies that exported ore from its port. The last mine to move Ore through Skagway shut down in 2023, but a newly formed company is courting the town in hopes of doing so again. As Avery Elfelt reports for the Alaska Desk, the development is raising questions about how to protect the local environment this time.

[Avery Elfelt]

Skagway resident and Vice mayor Deb Potter wasn't always aware that the townsport was contaminated.

[Brian Ridley]

I knew people who would go and catch shrimp right outside there, and if the shrimp here is really good. So people are dropping me off shrimp at the barn and trading them shrimp for drinks.

[Avery Elfelt]

But she says that changed when someone

[Brian Ridley]

else is like, hey, you might not want to eat that.

[Avery Elfelt]

The contamination dates back to the late 1960s, when the Faro mine in Canada's Yukon Territory started shipping mineral concentrate to Skagway by rail and then later by truck. Once in town, the material would be loaded onto ships docked at Skagway's ore terminal. For a number of years, that happened on an open air conveyor belt. It all resulted in elevated levels of lead, zinc, and other pollutants on land and in the water, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Here's Potter again.

[Brian Ridley]

So you basically just have lead, zinc

[Jenny Armstrong]

product going everywhere, and then that just

[Brian Ridley]

went on for years and years, if not decades.

[Avery Elfelt]

A handful of mines and companies have owned, used and operated the terminal over the years. The most recent user was Mintomine, which closed in 2023 when its owners abruptly ceased operations or hasn't been exported from Skagway since then. But that could soon change. A company known as Selkirk Copper is exploring restarting operations at Minto and routing the ore more than 200 miles south to Skagway. That's reignited discussions over the legacy contamination and how to ensure it doesn't get worse, says Skagway Mayor Orion Hanson.

[Brian Ridley]

There's certainly been a lot of legacy and residual contamination and, you know, unsurprising. You know, I think we have to be very, very pragmatic and cautious going forward that we're. We're doing this in a safe way.

[Avery Elfelt]

Earlier this month, Selkirk formally kickstarted that process in a draft letter of intent that's still being reviewed and negotiated with city officials. Here's Selkirk CEO Colin Jodhry during a recent Ports and Harbors Advisory Board meeting.

[Brian Ridley]

Our intention was exactly as been stated here. It was to start a discussion. It was not to get to an end game, neither quickly or without discourse.

[Avery Elfelt]

The letter of intent outlines Selkirk's interest in working with Skagway to design and develop facilities that could be used to store handle and ship ore. There's currently an old ore shed that needs to be cleaned and renovated or potentially rebuilt. Selkirk's letter indicates the company would invest $300,000 toward that effort, plus up to $15 million for the broader facility. Here's Hansen again.

[Brian Ridley]

There is currently, you know, no conveyor or no way of loading a ship. You actually don't have a dock to do it from either. The wooden dock that's out there is not strong enough to do it, and it's really at the end of its lifespan.

[Avery Elfelt]

Top of mind for everyone is how to ensure new operations don't fuel more contamination. In 2023, the Skagway assembly passed an ordinance that says all ore that moves through the port must be in sealed containers to limit contamination. That's opposed to other systems like conveyor belts that transfer loose material directly onto ships. During the February meeting, Chaudhry of Selkirk said both approaches have pros and cons.

[Brian Ridley]

The whole intent of this discussion is to advance an analysis of that in a, in a hopefully timely fashion, but we're not making that decision right now. We're advocating that that dialogue happen.

[Avery Elfelt]

Hansen the mayor says restoring ore exports in Skagway would help diversify the tourism dependent economy. He also thinks container may not be the best path forward and that there are environmental safeguards available today that weren't before. Others disagree. Andrew Cromada was mayor when the related ordinance passed. He thinks containerization is crucial. In the past, he says, a bunch of entities, including the mines and terminal operators, it's made a bunch of money

[Brian Ridley]

and they left all of this derelict infrastructure and contamination for taxpayers to pay for, and that's why it just sits there.

[Avery Elfelt]

In a separate letter to local officials, Selkirk said it hopes to enter into an agreement with Skagway by the end of March. The ultimate goal, the letter says, would be to restart operations at Minto by mid-2028. Reporting in Hanes, I'm Avery Elphelt.

[Casey Grove]

U.S. military personnel launched a major field training exercise this week that'll take place in training areas around Alaska and in Greenland. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. northern Command are conducting the joint exercise called Arctic Edge 20. It runs through March 13, according to a news release. Arctic Edge will generate increased military activity and noise around Fairbanks, Anchorage, Kodiak and Kotzebue, the news release said. Training also will be conducted in Greenland. That's despite recent statements by President Trump about his desire to acquire the Arctic island, according to the news release. All training activities in Greenland will be Conducted in full coordination with Denmark, Anchorage leaders are doubling the city's capacity to clean up public parks, trails and other spaces. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance announced at a press conference today that the city is adding a second 10 person crew to the Parks and Recreation Department's Healthy Spaces team. She calls the work essential.

[Jenny Armstrong]

They pick up everyday litter accumulated in our parks and along trails, they help restore green spaces where illegal camping has occurred, and they can remove heavy, illegally dumped items like appliances and mattresses that clutter our green belts.

[Casey Grove]

LaFrance says the Healthy Spaces team removed over 2.4 million pounds of trash from public areas last year, roughly double the previous year's amount.

[Jenny Armstrong]

To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent weight of 30 humpback whales.

[Casey Grove]

The expansion of the Healthy Spaces team is funded through a new $4 surcharge at the city's solid waste services facilities. Parks and Rec director Shanna Gamble says the additional staff will allow the team to work year round instead of seasonally and focus on areas beyond parks and trails.

[Jenny Armstrong]

Teams will be dispatched to multiple areas across the municipality in response to public reports, internally identified areas, camp cleanups and coordination with ABD on areas of concern.

[Casey Grove]

The expansion of Anchorage's park's cleanup capacity comes after it criminalized most homeless camping in the city. Now that the city offers year round shelter options, LaFrance says they haven't had to abate any large scale camps this year.

[Jenny Armstrong]

We haven't needed to as folks have camped in areas. We have done outreach and you know, have new codes too that we can enforce and by and large folks comply and move on.

[Casey Grove]

LaFrance says her administration doesn't anticipate a large influx of homeless camping in public spaces. When the weather warms up in the spring, Anchorage residents can go to the city's website muni.org for a web portal to report illegal dumping or trash accumulation. The love of winter in Alaska's golden heart city of Fairbanks is likely waning for many residents. In a place known for cold, it's been downright frigid this winter. And on top of that, literally an eye popping amount of snow has fallen in Fairbanks. National Weather Service climate researcher Brian Brettschneider back for another Ask A climatologist segment, says even the hardiest of Fairbanks sourdoughs are struggling to remember a winter as cold and snowy.

[Brian Brettschneider]

This December through February period is going to be their coldest in over 50 years. Wow, you know, so the old timers, you know, talk about what it, what it used to be like. Well that's what this Winter is well below normal temperatures. The number of negative 40 days, consecutive day streaks, you know, this and that. There's just no other way to describe it as anything other than a really cold winter for particularly the interior.

[Casey Grove]

And you said for the winter we're expecting it to be the coldest in 50 years. But what have they already seen? I mean, remind me, because there have been some superlatives already this winter for Fairbanks. Right.

[Brian Brettschneider]

Well, really the most noteworthy thing is the number of minus 40 degree days. Right. And so today as we're recording this, it's the 22nd day of the winter that they've hit minus 40. And it's very likely to have two more such days. And that's the most of any winter in the previous 53 years. So again, we're going to be up to about 24. And no other winter in that period has had as many as 20. It's not a record all time record, which would be quite a number of more days, you know, back in the 1920s and 30s. But this is really noteworthy for how many of the really deep cold days there's been compared to the last half century.

[Casey Grove]

I feel like it can't go unsaid. That along with the cold, that's been a pretty snowy winter in Fairbanks. And just recently here too, they've had even more snow. And I had seen some graphics about it was the most in this particular time period. Maybe you can fill me in on that.

[Brian Brettschneider]

Yeah. A lot of times we think about the really cold winters as maybe not having a lot of snow just because you have either high pressure or a northerly flow where there's not much moisture. But not only has it been so cold, as you noted this month, the month we're currently in, February is the second snowiest February on record. 38.7 inches. And it's in the top 10 for snowiest any month. Usually the snowiest months tend to be earlier in the winter and less so toward the spring where it's traditionally the drier season. So really, really a remarkable amount of snow. And that brings the season total now up to almost 90 inches. You know, a normal season has about 65. So already about 25 inches above normal. If it doesn't snow again the rest of the winter, and it probably will once you get another 6 inches. It'll be the snowy season in over 30 years for this century.

[Casey Grove]

Now, humans are always trying to search for some greater meaning in these things, including in Fairbanks. And I wonder, is it snowier in Fairbanks, climatologically speaking? This winter and past winters. And why is that?

[Brian Brettschneider]

So this is, this is really an outlier. So for Fairbanks, as far as the snow goes this winter there, there's been a couple of snowy winters in the last decade, 15 years, but there's also been some winters that didn't have a lot. So there's not really a trend that people should be kind of reading into this. It's worth also noting that up until the last week or so, much of the interior, particularly western Alaska, has been almost in a snow drought. There's been much less snow than normal in most of the western half of the mainland. Now, they're, they're, they're getting caught up as best they can in the last week or 10 days with a couple of storms. But prior to that, many people in the state were talking about how little snow there had been this winter.

[Casey Grove]

Interesting. Now, I guess, you know, turning away from Fairbanks, how have things shaped up across the state this winter?

[Brian Brettschneider]

In much of the mainland, it's been for snow. It's been a low snow winter compared to recent winters statewide. So, you know, if you look at the map of who's above and who's below normal, there's, there's a lot of places that are below normal, and the previous few winters had a lot of places that were above normal. Now, statewide, as far as the temperatures go, this has certainly been a cold winter. We're kind of on par with maybe slightly warmer than the winter of 20, 19, 20. But that winter aside, this will be the coldest winter in about 25 years. So, you know, this century. So it's again another winter where it's looking like, you know, something that was common pre, say, 1975, this, this would be a middle of the pack winter. But for, you know, for the last five decades, this is a, an unusually cold winter.

[Casey Grove]

That was National Weather Service climate researcher Brian Brettschneider, the climatologist in our Ask a Climatologist segments. And that is all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. If you missed any of tonight's stories, we're [e-mail] and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Theo Greenlee in Portland, Rachel Cassandra, Ava White and Wesley early in Anchorage. Maggie Nelson in Unalaska, Yvonne Crumry and Juno Avery Elfelt and Haines. Tim Ellis in Delta Junction. Our audio engineer tonight is Dave Waldron. Kirsten Dobroth is our producer. And I'm Casey Grove. Good night.

[Eric Parsons]

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