Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Summary

Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Podcast: Alaska News Nightly – Alaska Public Media
Air Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Casey Grove
Summary By: Alaska Public Media Team

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Episode Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly covers critical issues and stories affecting communities across Alaska. Topics include Congressional action to avert a federal shutdown and proposed reforms to immigration enforcement, a legislative ethics investigation involving Representative Sarah Vance, rising landslide risk due to climate change, rural food access innovations, an update on a high-profile animal cruelty case, municipal pay debates, and practical advice for novice cross-country skiers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Federal Government Funding & Immigration Enforcement (00:25–04:00)

• Senate Funding Agreement:
  • The U.S. Senate averted a shutdown after debate over harsh immigration enforcement tactics.
  • Senate Democrats pushed for reforms like de-escalation training and warrants for home entry; a temporary funding agreement was reached.
• Alaska Senators’ Responses:
  • Sen. Lisa Murkowski: Supports reforms, notably de-escalation and ending "roving patrols."
  • Sen. Dan Sullivan: Endorses body cameras and training but is noncommittal on stopping roving patrols.
• Notable Quote:
  • Sarah Vance: “We don’t just wander the street hoping that you can find somebody that you think perhaps looks suspicious and you, you, you grab and you ask questions later. That is not, that is not what we do in this country.” (02:14)

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2. Ethics Investigation into Rep. Sarah Vance (04:00–05:40)

• Overview:
  • Rep. Sarah Vance is under investigation for allegedly using state resources to pressure the Homer News to revise a story about slain activist Charlie Kirk.
  • She used state letterhead on correspondence posted to her official Facebook page.
  • Ethics committee is probing potential violation of laws against partisan use of state resources.
• Vance's Position:
  • Denies wrongdoing, claiming actions fell within legislative duties.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Sarah Vance: “Using the ethics committee against me for something that they disagreed with. It’s well within their purview to disagree with me.” (05:22)
  • Avery Elfeldt: “However, I do not feel that I moved in an unethical manner, but was simply representing my constituents.” (05:30)

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3. Rise in Landslides Linked to Climate Change (06:10–10:26)

• Research Findings:
  • New studies show a significant rise in destructive, often deadly, landslides in Southeast Alaska since the 1980s—tied to heavier precipitation events and atmospheric rivers as the region warms.
  • 281 reported destructive landslides since 1883, with a sharp increase in recent decades.
• Local Impact and Response:
  • Southeast Alaska communities now gear up for “landslide season” each year.
  • Tribes and municipalities are mapping hazards, updating infrastructure, and creating early warning systems, but face resistance over property values.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Quinn Abudera (Shawn Seat Tribal Corporation): “The writing is on the mountain.” (08:23)
  • Luca Silva (Sitka Sound Science Center): “No one wants to lose their neighbor or their home or their friends or loved ones in a landslide, and we have steps that we can take to make that less of a possibility.” (09:30)
  • Sarah Vance: “We know what we know about how our landscape is going to change even further and how our landslides are going to be more and more impactful and frequent. What are we going to do about that?” (10:17)

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4. Kinross Fort Knox Mine Fire (11:20–12:53)

• Event Recap:
  • A fire damaged a major conveyor belt at the Fort Knox gold mine; no injuries but temporary operational halt.
  • The federal Mine and Safety and Health Administration is investigating.
  • Minimal impact on production.

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5. Animal Cruelty Case in Haines (12:53–14:46)

• Case Details:
  • Steve Krushel, owner of the Krushl Films Wildlife Center, faces felony and misdemeanor charges for inadequate animal care.
  • Krushel now resides in Russia, stalling trial proceedings.
  • The court granted his motion to represent himself.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Steve Krushel: “I know enough about this case, right and wrong and the protocols to do this on my own. My life is on the line here. My family, everything. I know what I’m doing. I wish to proceed representing myself.” (14:08)
  • Judge Amy Mead: “[If] you were to enter into an agreement that included a felony conviction, you would need to be here in person because that involves fingerprinting.” (13:49)

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6. Fairbanks Mayor Pay Raise Debate (14:51–17:35)

• Proposal & Outcome:
  • Proposal to boost mayoral salary from $88,000 to $136,000 was quickly voted down.
  • Debate centered on whether pay inhibits candidacies and the nature of public service.
  • Council also considered raising their own stipends; an amended increase is up for future vote.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Crystal Tidwell (Councilmember): “I feel like the mayor’s salary is behind what it should be. … I just feel like people’s time should be compensated.” (15:53–16:04)
  • Jerry Kleworth (Councilmember): “It is an elected position. It pays this much. Would you like to run?” (16:34)

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7. Improving Fresh Food Access in Rural Alaska (17:35–21:49)

• AC’s New Pilot Program:
  • Alaska Commercial Company (AC) is flying fresh produce to Nome, Dillingham, and King Salmon aiming for next-day delivery.
  • Cuts spoilage and waste, makes fresh foods more available.
  • Challenges include weather-related delays, but the program is already making a positive difference.
• Community Feedback:
  • Rural residents report dramatic improvements in quality and availability.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Ashley Davis (Dillingham shopper): “We almost never have [green peppers], and there’s lots of peppers in stock and vegetables, which is great especially at the start of a year when people are trying to eat healthy, it’s really nice to have the option of picking up stuff here fresh.” (19:46)
  • Lisa Anderson (King Salmon): “When I go to Anchorage … I’d always walk through the produce store just in awe so … and that’s what it looks like when you go down and see them now here. It has just been phenomenal.” (20:17)
  • Kyle Hill (AC President): “We are so focused on fresh, healthy, nutritious food because for a very long time it’s been hard to get that in rural Alaska that we're [going to] make this work.” (21:39)

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8. Cross-Country Skiing Tips for Beginners (22:07–26:33)

• Beginner’s Guide:
  • Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall shares practical advice for first-timers:
    1. Get the right, comfortable gear (classic skis with “fish scales” recommended).
    2. Start on flat trails; avoid challenging hills at first.
    3. Find supportive friends or join a beginner class.
    4. Accept that falling is normal—both novices and pros do it.
    5. Celebrate progress with a post-ski treat.
• Memorable Moments:
  • Kikkan Randall: “Getting fitted for the right stuff will make those first experiences a little bit better.” (23:46)
  • Stephanie McFadden (new skier): “Having people there that were my trusted people already made it easy for me. … We were with people that we knew, loved and would like whatever for us, you know, carry us on their back if they had to.” (24:57)
  • Randall (on life’s metaphor): “We all have times where we’re cruising along the flats and life is just pretty easy. We all encounter uphills where things are really challenging, and it’s tempting to want to back down and quit. But if we keep going step by step, we reach the top of the hill, we have an amazing view, and then we enjoy the exhilaration on the other side.” (25:46–26:00)

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Notable Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:14 | Sarah Vance | “We don’t just wander the street hoping that you can find somebody...ask questions later.” | | 08:23 | Quinn Abudera | “The writing is on the mountain.” | | 09:30 | Luca Silva | “No one wants to lose their neighbor or their home or their friends or loved ones...” | | 10:17 | Sarah Vance | “We know what we know about how our landscape is going to change...” | | 14:08 | Steve Krushel | “My life is on the line here. My family, everything. ... I wish to proceed representing myself.” | | 19:46 | Ashley Davis | “We almost never have them, and there’s lots of peppers in stock and vegetables...” | | 20:17 | Lisa Anderson | “...and that’s what it looks like when you go down and see them. Now here it has just been phenomenal.” | | 25:46 | Kikkan Randall | “To me, [skiing] is like the perfect metaphor in life…” |

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Additional Information & Timestamps

• Federal government shutdown and immigration reforms: (00:25–04:00)
• Representative Vance ethics investigation: (04:00–05:40)
• Landslides and climate change science: (06:10–10:26)
• Fort Knox mine fire: (11:20–12:53)
• Animal cruelty case (Haines): (12:53–14:46)
• Fairbanks mayoral and council pay debates: (14:51–17:35)
• AC’s fresh produce in rural Alaska: (17:35–21:49)
• Cross-country skiing beginner tips: (22:07–26:33)

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This engaging episode illustrates the diversity, resilience, and challenges of life in Alaska, spotlighting both local governance and pressing statewide issues from federal policy debates to fresh produce supply chains and the changing environment.

Transcript

[Casey Grove]

Support for Alaska Public Media On Demand comes from Siri, an Alaska Native corporation with operations and investments spanning five continents, 45 states and two US territories.

[Sarah Vance]

It's well within their purview to disagree with me.

[Avery Elfeldt]

However, I do not feel that I moved in an unethical manner.

[Theo Greenlee]

The State House's ethics committee launches an investigation into a Homer Republican from Alaska Public Media. This is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Thursday, January 29th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, new research says climate change is making destructive landslides more common in Southeast. And now we treat the rainy seasons as landslide season. Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly. I'm Theo Greenlee, a reporter with the Alaska desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media and kucb, where I work in Onalaska and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Haines and the Aleutians. It allows us to connect you with the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the morning News Alaska News Nightly or online at Alaska Public. The Alaska desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you. The U.S. senate seems to have avoided a federal shutdown over the harsh immigration enforcement tactics deployed in Minneapolis and other cities. Senate Democrats held up funding for a large swath of the federal government this week, insisting on reforming the way federal agencies pursue enforcement, which has brought the deaths of two American citizens. Today, Democrats reached an agreement with the White House and Republican leaders that will keep the government funded while they negotiate adding those reforms to the homeland Security bill. US Senator Lisa Murkowski says that's good news. She says many of the reforms Democrats want are reasonable, such as de escalation training for immigration enforcement and requiring warrants to enter homes. She also wants to end roving patrols.

[Sarah Vance]

We don't just wander the street hoping that you can find somebody that you think perhaps looks suspicious and you, you, you grab and you ask questions later. That is not, that is not what we do in this country.

[Theo Greenlee]

Senator Dan Sullivan says that he too, supports changes in enforcement operations. He mentioned body cameras and de escalation training, which are in the funding bill the House has already passed.

[Sarah Vance]

I think ICE needs to revise its tactics and techniques. You know, we don't want, you know.

[Theo Greenlee]

My view is any civilians having the tragic.

[Sarah Vance]

Deaths that we saw.

[Theo Greenlee]

Sullivan took a question about immigration enforcement during a press call on an unrelated subject. He did not say how he felt about ending roving patrols, but said he'd look at the proposal. The Senate is due to pass the funding bills tonight, the House would have to pass them, too. The current funding expires on Saturday, so a short lapse in funding is still. The state House's ethics committee has launched an investigation into whether Homer Republican Representative Sarah Vance illegally used state resources when she successfully pushed the local newspaper to remove and revise a story. Vance objected to a Homer News article that described slain activist Charlie Kirk's views as racist and controversial. She also raised concerns about the impact of what she called the newspaper's partisan spin on the paper's financial viability. She listed her objections in a letter on state letterhead that she posted to her official Facebook page. Homer News owner Carpenter Media then removed, revised and reposted the story without the reporter's byline. State law prohibits legislators from using public resources for non legislative or partisan political purposes. The ethics committee said it had received numerous complaints about Vance's conduct and that the allegations would, if true, violate state ethics laws. Vance is asking for the case to be dismissed. She says she doesn't think she violated state ethics laws.

[Avery Elfeldt]

I believe that I was acting within my legislative duties and there are other ethics committee advisory opinions that has discussed.

[Sarah Vance]

The issue of use of state letterhead.

[Matt]

And what is that scope.

[Theo Greenlee]

In a 1984 opinion, the ethics committee said it was not a violation of ethics laws to use official letterhead to endorse a candidate for office. However, lawmakers have significantly tightened state ethics laws since then. In 1998, the legislature explicitly prohibited the use of state resources for partisan political purposes. Ethics committee investigations are typically confidential, but Vance waived that protection, she says. That was the interest of transparency.

[Matt]

I consider this a form of lawfare.

[Sarah Vance]

Using the ethics committee against me for something that they disagreed with. It's well within their purview to disagree with me.

[Avery Elfeldt]

However, I do not feel that I moved in an unethical manner, but was.

[Sarah Vance]

Simply representing my constituents.

[Theo Greenlee]

The committee is asking Vance to provide copies of her communications with Carpenter Media and an explanation of the legislative purpose of the letter. The committee is also asking why it was posted to her official account on official letterhead, how the letter was drafted and what funds were used to draft and distribute it. Scientists have confirmed that destructive landslides are happening more frequently across Alaska, especially in Southeast, using news articles dating back more than a century. As KTO's Alex Solomon reports, it's because climate change is making atmospheric rivers more extreme.

[Alex Solomon]

Aaron Jacobs is a hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Juneau. He and his colleagues set out to answer a major question prompted by at least a dozen fatalities in Southeast over the last decade.

[Sarah Vance]

I get this question a lot from people out and about and just even emergency managers. Are we seeing more landslides across southeast.

[Alex Solomon]

Alaska, specifically deadly and destructive ones? A couple of years ago, scientists weren't sure. Now, Jacobs says the answer is yes. According to the study published in the journal Landslides in November, News outlets reported 281 destructive landslides between 1883 and 2025 in Alaska. And they found the number of reported landslides started to increase in the 1980s and has skyrocketed in recent decades.

[Sarah Vance]

A big thing that stuck out was the precipitation driven or triggering events that were increasing within this last couple last 20 years.

[Alex Solomon]

Four fatal landslides hit southeast in recent Sitka in 2015, Haines in 2020, Wrangell in 2023 and Ketchikan in 2024. And they were all triggered by heavy rain or rapid snowmelt. In the paper, the scientists drew a connection between rising temperatures and an increase in precipitation across Alaska over the past half century.

[Sarah Vance]

It's all connected.

[Alex Solomon]

It's climate change. As the globe heats up, more intense atmospheric rivers are slamming southeast because warmer air can hold more moisture, these downpours can cause steep slopes to crumble and and there's another thing that increases landslide risk. When storms dump rain on top of snow, that melts it down into the soil and rapidly saturates slopes. A just published study found that this phenomenon triggered the large 2023 Wrangell landslide. Both atmospheric rivers and rain on snow events are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. How people use the land also plays a role in where landslides occur and how they affect people. On Prince of Wales island, scientists have mapped nearly 800 landslides. The island is crisscrossed by hundreds of miles of logging roads.

[Sarah Vance]

The writing is on the mountain.

[Alex Solomon]

That's Quinn Abudera, the natural resources manager for Shawn Seat, the tribal corporation in Craig. He says he's noticed that landslides are more prevalent in logged patches and where roads cut across steep slopes. When he was growing up in Port St Nicholas Bay, he says landslides weren't as frequent and more snow fell in the winter. In recent years it mostly rains and.

[Theo Greenlee]

Now we treat the rainy seasons as landslide season, he says.

[Alex Solomon]

Sean Seat is piecing together a road and culvert inventory to identify problematic areas during a deluge. He says culverts meant to funnel water under roads can clog or just aren't big enough to handle the runoff. That causes water pressure to build up in the hillside and can lead to.

[Theo Greenlee]

Landslides and we're looking to replace those.

[Sarah Vance]

With actual bridge works instead of culverts.

[Alex Solomon]

At the Sitka Sound Science Center, Luca Silva is working on other measures to reduce risk. He manages the Kothay Geohazards project, which works with Southeast communities to address gaps in landslide science and public safety.

[Casey Grove]

Because no one wants to lose their.

[Sarah Vance]

Neighbor or their home or their friends or loved ones in a landslide, and we have steps that we can take to make that less of a possibility.

[Alex Solomon]

The center developed an early warning system for Sitka that Silva says other communities are using as a model. Many communities are working on or already have landslide hazard maps, but some municipalities have struggled to take action. After residents in Juneau pushed back against updated landslide hazard maps, the Juneau assembly declined to adopt them and rolled back development restrictions in landslide paths. Nearly identical stories played out in Sitka and Hanes. That's because homeowners don't want to see their property values tank and insurance premiums rise. Silva urges people to keep the bigger picture in sight.

[Sarah Vance]

We know what we know about how our landscape is going to change even further and how our landslides are going to be more and more impactful and frequent. What are we going to do about that? And what are we going to do.

[Alex Solomon]

To make people safer In Juneau, I'm Alex Solomon.

[Theo Greenlee]

Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, Anchorage's cross country skiing community has tips for first timers.

[Matt]

If we keep going step by step.

[Ava White]

We reach the top of the hill.

[Sarah Vance]

We have an amazing view, and then we enjoy the exhilaration on the other side.

[Theo Greenlee]

That's ahead. Stay with us.

[Avery Elfeldt]

Hi, I'm Avery Elfeldt, a reporter with the Alaska Desk. That's a joint reporting effort from Alaska Public Media, khns, where I work in Haines, and other public radio stations in Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Aleutians. It allows us to connect you with the issues happening in communities all across the state. You can hear our stories during the morning news on Alaska News Nightly or [e-mail] the Alaska Desk is only possible with the support of grants and listeners like you. Thank you.

[Theo Greenlee]

A federal inspector is investigating a fire that heavily damaged a large conveyor belt at Kinross, Alaska's Fort Knox mine north of Fairbanks Tuesday morning. No injuries were reported, but the fire appears to have burned up the conveyor belt. It's one of several at the mine that transports rock to a crusher in the mill where gold ore is refined. Kinross, Alaska, said in a news release that the fire was quickly identified and the site's fire suppression systems extinguished it, according to the release. Fort Knox emergency response crews are monitoring the area. Kinross spokesperson Meadow Rydell said the company also notified the Federal Mine and Safety and Health Administration, or msha. She said the company halted operations at the mill for a few hours Tuesday morning and that the temporary shutdown caused very minimal impact to gold production at the mill. Riedel declined an interview while the investigation is underway, but she confirmed the authenticity of video posted to Facebook that shows flames covering the entire length of the conveyor belt. An MSHA official with the agency's office in Anchorage said an inspector was on site and that a preliminary report should be available in about two weeks. The state of Alaska's case against a Hanes man charged with animal cruelty is stuck in a holding pattern seven months after officials first removed dozens of animals from his wildlife facility. Avery Elfelt with the Alaska Desk reports.

[Avery Elfeldt]

In September, the Office of Special Prosecutions filed three felony and two misdemeanor charges against Chilkat Valley resident Steve Krushel, the longtime owner of the Krushl Films Wildlife Center. After a year's long back and forth over conditions at the center, the office alleged that Krushel had failed to provide adequate care for his animals, in some cases causing prolonged pain, suffering and death. The state issued a warrant for Krushel's arrest in late December. But there's a catch.

[Sarah Vance]

I'm not going anywhere now for a year.

[Avery Elfeldt]

That's Krushl. He says he's been living in Russia since last summer, around the time when the state began seizing his animals. And during a recent phone interview, Krushl said he's working to become a Russian citizen. He's attended some hearings in recent months, but that's all happened virtually now. His case is largely at a standstill. During a hearing last week, Juneau Superior Court Judge Amy Mead said there would be no trial while Krushel remains abroad.

[Sarah Vance]

Obviously, I would not hold a trial. If you were to enter into an agreement that included a felony conviction, you would need to be here in person because that involves fingerprinting.

[Avery Elfeldt]

Krushl said he understood. At the same hearing, he took issue with his public defender and asked to be allowed to represent himself.

[Sarah Vance]

I know enough about this case, right and wrong and the protocols to do this on my own. My life is on the line here. My family, everything. I know what I'm doing. I wish to proceed representing myself.

[Avery Elfeldt]

Mead, the judge, walked Krushl through the potential risks and warned him that most people who defend themselves are not successful.

[Sarah Vance]

Understanding what a lawyer can do and the risk in trying to represent yourself. Are you still wanting to move forward with representation of yourself? Yes, your honor.

[Avery Elfeldt]

Meade ultimately granted the request. Reporting In Skagway, I'm Avery Elphelt.

[Theo Greenlee]

The Fairbanks City Council failed an ordinance Monday that would have given the mayor a roughly 55% pay raise. As KUAC's Patrick Gilchrist reports, the measure got voted down earlier than most.

[Casey Grove]

Councilmember Crystal Tidwell proposed increasing the annual pay for the mayor of the City of Fairbanks from about $88,000 to to $136,000 effective early next year. That would have brought the salary roughly in line with some of the lower paid city department heads and slightly above the Fairbanks Northstar Borough mayor's salary. The measure made its first appearance at a regular City Council meeting on Monday. The ordinance was on the consent agenda, putting it on the typical track of advancing to a public hearing and vote at the council's next regular meeting. But Council member Jerry Kleworth pulled it from the consent agenda. That allowed the council to debate the pay raise and take a vote on whether the ordinance would move forward to that final step. Tidwell said she expects the city mayor to work 40 hours a week or more and that the current pay could inhibit people from running.

[Avery Elfeldt]

I feel like the mayor's salary is behind what it should be. I think that this is a conversation.

[Sarah Vance]

That we would that we should have.

[Avery Elfeldt]

If there's a different amount that we want to talk about, I feel open to that too. I just feel like people's time should be compensated.

[Casey Grove]

Kleworth, a former city mayor himself, said he doesn't think the current pay discourages people from seeking office. Kleworth also said the mayor isn't an employee of the city and that as an elected official, the approach to compensation is different.

[Sarah Vance]

I know people want to equate them.

[Theo Greenlee]

With department heads or what other people make.

[Sarah Vance]

I do not do that.

[Theo Greenlee]

It is an elected position. It pays this much. Would you like to run?

[Casey Grove]

Council member Valerie Therian offered an amendment to lower the proposed salary from $136,000 to about $113,000. That amendment failed in a split vote. Normally, the city mayor breaks ties, but Mayor Mindy o' Neill couldn't vote due to a conflict of interest. After the failed amendment, the council then voted down the original ordinance, with Tidwell the sponsor among those voting no. But she said she wants to revive the idea in the future and hopes the council can work together to come up with something more palatable. In a separate move, Kleaworth pulled another measure from the consent agenda that proposed doubling the monthly $500 stipend paid to council members. The council amended that ordinance to cut the pay boost by half and then approved sending the amended measure onto a public hearing and vote at their Feb. 9 meeting in Fairbanks. I'm Patrick Gilchrist.

[Theo Greenlee]

Finding quality fruits and vegetables in Alaska can be a challenge, especially during the winter, and that's particularly true in rural parts of the state. But for the last few months, Alaska Commercial company or ac, has been working to change that by flying goods to three western Alaska communities. As Alaska Public Media's Ava White reports, the company thinks it's a win win.

[Ava White]

It used to take about a week. Kyle Hill, president of ac, says the goal is to dramatically reduce that time.

[Sarah Vance]

It's getting produce as quickly as possible, as fresh as possible, to regions outside of Anchorage, ideally next day, from Seattle to the AC store.

[Ava White]

The retail chain operates nearly 40 stores in rural Alaska. The company launched the new program in October, and it's being tested at AC stores in Nome, Dillingham and King Salmon. The company declined to give specific figures on how much the program costs, but Hill says it largely pencils out. He says flying up fruits and veggies is much more expensive than barging them, but fresher produce means more sales and a lot less waste.

[Sarah Vance]

The offsetting factor there is we're not making more money on this, but we're not losing money on it. But if we're saving similar dollars on what we call shrink, which is a product that either spoils or doesn't sell and you need to dispose of it, then the program works.

[Ava White]

The company partners with Northern Air Cargo for the deliveries they are supposed to arrive in the communities the next day, a few times a week. But winter freight logistics in Alaska are challenging, and Hill says that during the program's first few months, that target has been met about 65% of the time.

[Sarah Vance]

We've had, in some cases, two, three.

[Casey Grove]

Four day delays, but it's still faster.

[Sarah Vance]

Than it would have been if we.

[Casey Grove]

Would have put the berries or the.

[Sarah Vance]

Bananas or the bagged salads on a container ship from Seattle to Anchorage.

[Ava White]

Hill says produce is as fresh as what consumers can buy in Anchorage. Shipments include everything from bananas and berries to zucchini and packaged salad. And rural residents are noticing an improvement in produce quality. We caught Ashley Davis at the AC in Dillingham on a recent Friday when she was shopping for green peppers.

[Theo Greenlee]

We almost never have them, and there's.

[Sarah Vance]

Lots of peppers in stock and and vegetables, which is great especially at the start of a year when people are.

[Alex Solomon]

Trying to eat healthy, it's really nice.

[Sarah Vance]

To have the option of picking up.

[Ava White]

Stuff here fresh Davis says having access to fresh foods is something she was worried about when she moved to the Bristol Bay town from Atlanta three years ago. About 70 miles away in King Salmon, Lisa Anderson says fresh vegetables and fruits used to be few and far between. Now it's the opposite.

[Sarah Vance]

When I go to Anchorage to see anybody, I'd always walk through the produce store just in aw so and that's what it looks like when you go down and see them. Now here it has just been phenomenal.

[Ava White]

The majority of food Alaskans eat is imported, and access to fresh, affordable food is a struggle across the state. Last year, Mike Jones, an economist with the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research, looked at how transportation issues impact food quality and availability in rural Alaska. He found that spoilage rates are generally higher across the board in winter compared to summer, and the main culprits are time and temperature.

[Sarah Vance]

For things like salad, vegetables, we're seeing.

[Theo Greenlee]

Up to 30% spoil in transit. What really surprised me is you see about 1 in 7 potatoes even get thrown away in the winter when they get to a certain level.

[Ava White]

Village grocery store Jones says he's excited to see how the new AC program plays out. For it to be successful, he says, it's crucial that these items get moved off the tarmac quickly because freezing can be extremely damaging to fruits and veggies. The program is complex and involves lots of moving parts, but Hill, the president of Alaska Commercial Co, says the company is committed.

[Sarah Vance]

We are so focused on fresh, healthy, nutritious food because for a very long time it's been hard to get that in rural Alaska that we're make this work. One way or another, the company hopes.

[Ava White]

To make the program permanent and expand it to more communities across the state. With help from Margaret Sutherland in Dillingham. I'm Ava White in Anchorage.

[Theo Greenlee]

Cross country skiing is a popular way to stay active and spend time outdoors in Alaska during the winter, but it can be an intimidating sport for beginners. For our series Alaska Survival Kit, Alyona Nydin with the Alaska Desk set out to find a few tips for getting started.

[Matt]

Skiing is one of my favorite ways to stay active and happy during long and dark winters, but my partner, Matt, does not share this passion.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah, it doesn't feel good at all.

[Sarah Vance]

I am so uncomfortable.

[Matt]

On a recent Sunday, though, I I convinced him to give the sport another chance. We drive to Kincaid park and click into impossibly skinny skis for some laps around the stadium. Matt is tall and doesn't like failing.

[Sarah Vance]

Sometimes you go out and it just feels God awful. Like I know I'm a baby giraffe.

[Theo Greenlee]

Whatever, but it feels way worse than.

[Sarah Vance]

What it normally is. I know when I feel like I'm falling more than normal.

[Matt]

So I meet with Kik and Randall to find ways to make cross country skiing more approachable. Yes, she is a gold medal winning Olympian who has to pause frequently for fan photos.

[Sarah Vance]

1, 2, 3 snow.

[Matt]

But she is also executive director of the Nordic Skiing association of Anchorage. Part of her job is introducing new skiers to the sport. Randall gets that cross country skiing can be tricky to learn, and she has a few tips. Takeaway 1 Don't sabotage yourself with the wrong gear. Cross country skis come in almost as many varieties as ice cream flavors at Wild Scoops. It can be confusing even for seasoned skiers, but most beginners should start with classic skis with fish scales and make sure your boots are comfortable.

[Sarah Vance]

Getting fitted for the right stuff will make those first experiences a little bit better.

[Matt]

If you're just learning, renting gear is a good way to start. Takeaway 2 Flat is your friend the Anchorage trail system offers world class cross country skiing, and with that comes some thrilling downhills. But Randall says beginners should stick to.

[Sarah Vance]

Just nice mellow places.

[Matt]

Some good options are the football field behind Service High School or the stadium at Kincaid park where I ski with Matt. When I gently ask him if he's willing to venture beyond the flats, he sets me straight.

[Sarah Vance]

Please don't let me do that right now. I can barely go flat.

[Matt]

It feels like my third takeaway for learning to ski. Find the right crew. The city of Anchorage, the Nordic Skiing association and the Bureau of Land Management all offer cross country ski classes for beginners. But if classes aren't your style, grab some friends for moral support. That's what Stephanie McFadden did in 2019. Her friend invited her for her first ever ski. She loved it and started bringing other friends and acquaintances several times a week. They all met to ski and laugh and talk together.

[Sarah Vance]

Having people there that were my trusted people already made it easy for me. We were with people that we knew, loved and would like whatever for us, you know, carry us on their back if they had to.

[Matt]

So McFarlane's group is still going strong today. And besides skiing, they chat online, see each other at potlucks and events, and even travel out of state together.

[Sarah Vance]

I mean, we're like family.

[Matt]

The fourth Takeaway is you're going to fall, and that's okay. Take skinny skis, wobbly boots, and fast, slippery snow, and staying upright can be a real challenge. Coaches say all beginners fall at first. And let's be clear, experts fall, too. It's just a part of the sport. But if you have a little bit of patience, you'll get more comfortable on your skis. Randall looks at it philosophically.

[Sarah Vance]

To me, is like the perfect metaphor in life, because we all have times where we're cruising along the flats and life is just pretty easy. We all encounter uphills where things are really challenging, and it's tempting to want to back down and quit.

[Matt]

But if we keep going step by.

[Ava White]

Step, we reach the top of the.

[Sarah Vance]

Hill, we have an amazing view, and then we enjoy the exhilaration on the other side.

[Matt]

And the good thing about skiing, you can prepare for the hard part, like learning how to slow down on the flats before you attempt a hill. Matt models it perfectly.

[Theo Greenlee]

Like that.

[Matt]

Yeah.

[Theo Greenlee]

Good day. Got a little better.

[Matt]

And here's a bonus. Do something nice after you ski. This can be anything from enjoying a mimosa at the Kincaid Chalet or.

[Theo Greenlee]

Getting.

[Matt]

A coffee and a cookie. Matt says it's a good motivation booster before the next ski. In Anchorage, I am Alena Knighton.

[Theo Greenlee]

And that's all for this edition of alaska news nightly. We had reports tonight from liz ruskin in washington, d.c. eric stone and alex solomon in juneau, desiree hagan and kyle kotzebue, tim ellis in delta junction, avery elphelt in skagway, patrick gilchrist in fairbanks, and ava white and ilona nydin in anchorage. Our audio engineer is crystal hyde. Kirsten dobroth is our producer. And I'm casey grove. Good night. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.