Alaska News Nightly: Thursday, May 7, 2026

Summary

Alaska News Nightly: May 7, 2026 – Summary

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Episode Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly delivers a comprehensive roundup of major state news as the Alaska Legislature nears session’s end. The main themes include the passage of the Senate’s proposed state budget, ongoing economic uncertainty, evolving school funding debates, community action around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP), responses to natural events like flooding, advancements for rural communities, and unique cultural happenings such as prom at Mount Edgecumbe High School. The episode blends legislative developments, public sentiment, and stories of resilience and collaboration across Alaska.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Alaska Senate Passes Conservative State Budget

[00:18–04:43]

• Budget Overview:
  The Senate approved a version of the state budget that is more conservative than the House’s proposal, especially regarding the management of oil revenue increases driven by the war in Iran.

  • The Senate’s budget leaves reserves untouched, unlike the House which proposed a $300 million draw from savings.
  • The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) is set at $1,000, with an added $150 energy payment, below the House’s $1,500 figure.

• Key Quotes:

  • “In short, Mr. President, we have a budget that accounts for wild swings in the price of oil, leaving money on the table to take care of supplementals next year.” – Senator Lyman Hoffman [01:21]
  • “Using the permanent fund is the worst revenue option out there for our state economically. A much better use of the permanent fund is getting the money out to the people, which is what the dividend does.” – Senator Rob Myers [02:28]
  • “I fully support a full pfd. If we could actually pay a full pfd. Our job is to balance a budget. That's our number one job.” – Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk [02:57]

• Difference with House Budget:
  Senate’s version is more cautious, avoids depleting reserves, and provides less supplemental education funding and a smaller dividend.

• Outcome:
  Large dividend amendment by Sen. Myers voted down 17–3, revealing bipartisan concern over fiscal sustainability.

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2. Economic Confidence at Near-Historic Low

[04:03–04:43]

• Economist Ivan Moore:
  Shares findings from the Alaska Confidence Index, showing public sentiment on the economy is worse than during the pandemic. High oil prices are not relieving pessimism due to persistent inflation and cost-of-living issues.

• Notable Quote:

  • “We're at a lower point than we were at any point during the COVID years ... which is extraordinary really when you think about it.” – Ivan Moore [04:03]
  • “People are feeling the bite of unresolved cost of living issues and the price of gas, obviously right now with the war in Iran and the lingering effect of post Covid inflation.” – Ivan Moore [04:25]

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3. School Funding Reform Bill Advances

[05:25–08:02]

• House Bill 261:
  Aims to stabilize district budgets by letting schools use previous or multi-year average enrollment, rather than projections.

• Debate Highlights:

  • Rep. Jeremy Bynum supported automatic three-year averaging for predictability.
    • “In years that they have lower counts they're getting more money and in years they have higher counts they might be getting just a little bit less.” – Rep. Jeremy Bynum [06:21]
  • Rep. Elise Galvin argued this could underfund districts legally required to provide costly intensive services:
    • “We have legal responsibilities that absolutely cannot be underfunded when it comes to our intensive needs students.” – Rep. Elise Galvin [06:46]

• Outcome:
  Amendment for three-year averaging narrowly fails (6–5). Bill, with an expected added cost of $113 million, moves forward with further modeling promised.

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4. Crime & Flooding Updates

[08:35–10:44]

• Juneau Assaults:
  JPD arrested 24-year-old C.T. Mawa for multiple assault and burglary charges after weekend incidents in Mendenhall Valley. Investigation ongoing.

• Interior Flooding:
  Healy and Anderson communities face significant water damage during spring breakup. Meteorologist Jason Laney advises vigilance and community reporting.

  • “Extensive amount of water damage. It's still being looked into now that the water has receded, but our suspicions are that that's going to be a major cleanup.” – Jason Laney [09:53]
  • “If you see something happening in your community, reporting that information up is great because what we learn from a community upstream will benefit communities downstream greatly.” – Jason Laney [10:27]

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5. MMIP Awareness Marches Highlight Community Advocacy

[11:06–15:02]

• Bethel’s Action:
  Dozens march to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people, highlighting the need for broader awareness and justice. Community solidarity is palpable and deeply personal.

  • “There's no excuse for so many indigenous people to go missing for so many years, you know, year after year. So it's a little thing, but, you know, I'm here to show my support.” – Paul Roll [12:28]
  • “I worry about them all the time. And I think there's not enough justice done for the ones that got lost.” – Buck Bukowski [12:45]

• Advocates Stress Community & Visibility:

  • “Part of our traditional values is to be there for people regardless of who they are, if we know them or not.” – Olenka Peterson [13:43]
  • “We need to bring more awareness to our missing and murdered sisters.” – Austin Fitka [14:32]
  • “It makes the community feel a lot closer, like we're unified behind this movement.” – Austin Fitka [14:40]

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6. Infrastructure: Teller Gets First Village-Wide Running Water

[15:10–16:26]

• Teller Water Project:
  The Indian Health Service allocates $65 million to bring running water and sewer to Teller—for the first time. Homes will transition from hauling water and using “honey buckets” to modern plumbing, part of the One Health model focusing on disease prevention.
  • “You can’t just diagnose and treat diseases. ... We want to get ahead of that and be on the prevention side. And that’s where sanitation facilities construction comes in.” – Chris Furman [16:11]

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7. Anchorage Passes Ordinance Fining Wildlife Feeding

[17:06–19:59]

• Public Safety Response:
  New fines target individuals feeding wildlife, prompted by incidents with eagles targeting pets and broader risks with moose and bears. Enforcement relies on community reporting.

  • “I actually witnessed someone feeding the eagles, and in that moment, I counted over 55 Eagles and Ravens here trying to feed.” – Brad Muir [17:40]
  • “Moose get extremely aggressive when they've been fed by humans ... that next person that doesn't have a handout, that moose gets very aggressive with them and can stomp them.” – Corey Stantorf [18:22]

• Fines:
  $100–$500 for negligent feeding, $250–$500 for intentional feeding. No penalty for normal bird feeders unless left out during bear season.

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8. Mount Edgecumbe High School Prom & the "Glam Fairies"

[20:16–25:19]

• Unique School Tradition:
  Alaska Airlines volunteers, “Glam Fairies,” fly to Sitka to help students prep for prom—providing hair, makeup, attire, and moral support, especially meaningful for boarding students away from home.

• Memorable Moments & Quotes:

  • “I wanted shimmer and I wanted glitter, and that's exactly what they gave me.” – Alonza Topcock [22:09]
  • “You can show them, like, inspo pics and they'll do their best to recreate it.” – Alonza Topcock [22:25]
  • “It's very meaningful that they took their time to do this.” – Alonza Topcock [23:01]
  • “Getting ready and putting on a dress. It's like it feels like a birthday party, but like it's not your birthday.” – Angelina John [23:52]
  • Boys also participate, expressing excitement—and nerves—as they prepare for the big night, with volunteer support.

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Memorable Quotes and Moments

• Budget Pragmatism:
  "Our job is to balance a budget. That's our number one job." – Mike Cronk [02:57]
• Economic Reality:
  "We are lower than any point during the COVID years ... which is extraordinary." – Ivan Moore [04:03]
• Community Mourning & Support:
  "I worry about them all the time. And I think there's not enough justice done for the ones that got lost." – Buck Bukowski [12:45]
• Student Joy:
  "It's like it feels like a birthday party, but like it's not your birthday." – Angelina John [23:52]

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Senate Budget Debate: [00:18–04:43]
• Economic Confidence: [04:03–04:43]
• Education Funding Bill: [05:25–08:02]
• Crime & Flooding: [08:35–10:44]
• MMIP Awareness Marches: [11:06–15:02]
• Teller Water Project: [15:10–16:26]
• Anchorage Wildlife Ordinance: [17:06–19:59]
• Mount Edgecumbe Prom: [20:16–25:19]

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Final Thoughts

This episode captures state budget tension, economic unease, and legislative adaptation while centering community activism and rural progress. The blend of policy, public sentiment, and culture provides a dynamic and heartfelt narrative of Alaska’s ongoing story.

Transcript

[Alaska Pipeline Service Co. Representative]

Support for Alaska Public Media on demand comes from Alaska Pipeline Service Co. Marking nearly 50 years of commitment to operating the Trans Alaska Pipeline system. [e-mail].

[Senator Lyman Hoffman]

In short, Mr. President, we have a budget that accounts for wild swings in the price of oil.

[Casey Grove]

The Alaska Senate passes its version of the state budget as the legislature nears the end of its regular session. From Alaska Public Media, this is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Thursday, May 7th. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, advocates in Bethel demand action on the MMIP crisis as part of a day of awareness across the state and the country.

[Austin Fitka]

It makes the community feel a lot closer, like we're unified behind this movement.

[Casey Grove]

Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly. The Alaska Senate passed its take on the state budget today, setting the stage for final negotiations as the legislature approaches the deadline to end its regular session. It's a more conservative proposal than what passed the House last month, despite a jump in oil revenue due to the war in Iran. Senate Finance Committee co chair Senator Lyman Hoffman says the Senate is not going on a spending spree.

[Senator Lyman Hoffman]

In short, Mr. President, we have a budget that accounts for wild swings in the price of oil, leaving money on the table to take care of supplementals next year. The other body's budget requires a draw of the constitutional budget reserve account of over $300 million. This budget does not.

[Casey Grove]

That conservative approach led senators to set the permanent fund dividend at $1,000, plus a $150 additional payment intended to compensate Alaskans for high energy costs. The Senate's total payout is $350, less than the $1,500 PFD approved by the House. But the House's budget also had a deficit of more than $300 million. The final figure will likely be negotiated by a conference committee set up to find a compromise. Lawmakers decisively rejected an effort by Fairbanks Republican Senator Rob Myers to provide a roughly $3,800 dividend in line with a statute lawmakers have not followed in a decade. Myers says using the permanent fund to pay for government means lawmakers aren't incentivized to drive economic growth.

[Senator Rob Myers]

Using the permanent fund is the worst revenue option out there for our state economically. A much better use of the permanent fund is getting the money out to the people, which is what the dividend does.

[Casey Grove]

Senators voted down the proposal 17 to 3. Opponents included three fellow members of the Senate's all Republican minority. Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk of Tok said he had to be honest with his constituents that it just wasn't realistic.

[Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk]

I fully support a full pfd. If we could actually pay a full pfd. Our job is to balance a budget. That's our number one job.

[Casey Grove]

The large PFD would cost $2.5 billion, with most of that coming from the state's $3 billion savings account. The budget senators passed includes $111 million in supplemental funding for public schools dependent on oil prices, again, far less than what passed the House. The budget also includes specific funding to help blunt the impacts of high energy prices on schools and local governments. New survey results show Alaskans confidence in the economy is at nearly the lowest point since the survey began 16 years ago. Pollster Ivan Moore of Alaska Survey Research has been asking Alaskans four times a year how they would rate the economy of their community and the state as a whole. Moore says Alaskans are decidedly pessimistic about their economic conditions.

[Ivan Moore]

We're at a lower point than we were at any point during the COVID years 2020, 2021, 2022. We are lower than that, which is extraordinary really when you think about it.

[Casey Grove]

Typically, Moore says Alaskans feel better about the economy when oil prices are high and they're high now. So, Moore says, it doesn't seem to be boosting morale.

[Ivan Moore]

Obviously, people are feeling the bite of unresolved cost of living issues and the price of gas, obviously right now with the war in Iran and the lingering effect of post Covid inflation, Moore launched

[Casey Grove]

the Alaska confidence index in 2010 with an economic consulting firm as a sponsor. He's kept it going as part of an online survey of seven hundred and fifty Alaskans that he conducts quarterly. Nationally, consumer confidence is also relatively low, at roughly the same levels recorded during the COVID pandemic. Economists watch confidence indexes as an indicator of future spending trends and economic growth. Well, a bill that aims to bring stability to the school budgeting process made its way out of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday. The bill is essentially the same as when the committee first considered it last month, but that could still change in the final weeks of the legislative session. KTO's Jamie Deep reports.

[Jamie Deep]

Calculating school funding is complicated. It's currently based on enrollment projections, which can create uncertainty in a school district's budgeting process. House Bill 261 would allow districts to use known numbers instead of projections to build budgets. In the bill, districts could use enrollment numbers from the previous year or or a three year average of prior years. But if the district's count in the current year is at least 5% greater than the other options that can be used instead. On top of that, districts could have options for how to count students who receive intensive services, such as students who need multiple services to help with communication and motor skills. The bill would ensure all students are accounted for when determining funding. Ketchikan Republican Representative Jeremy Bynum attempted to simplify the options by only requiring a three year average be used across the board. He says taking an average gives districts predictability while placing the responsibility on them to plan for changing enrollments.

[Representative Jeremy Bynum]

So in years that they have lower counts they're getting more money and in years they have higher counts they might be getting just a little bit less, but ultimately they still have fund balance that they're able to absorb those.

[Jamie Deep]

Representative Elise Galvin, an Anchorage independent, opposed the amendment. She said school districts are legally required to provide intensive services for students who need them and taking an average won't work for them. Those students get 13 times the funding of other students in the state's funding formula.

[Representative Elise Galvin]

So if we're smoothing out and in some years we have over and some a little under, I guess that's where I do draw the line because we have legal responsibilities that absolutely cannot be underfunded when it comes to our intensive needs students.

[Jamie Deep]

Representative Andy Story, a Geno Democrat and the bill's sponsor, says districts with growing enrollments should be able to have the opportunity to receive the funding to serve incoming students.

[Representative Andy Story]

Their district was showing an upturn. They didn't want to have to wait to have that accounted. They wanted to be able to make sure that our formula adjusted for what they saw as a bright spot and wanted to make those students and families have those resources.

[Jamie Deep]

Lawmakers narrowly rejected the amendment in a 6 to 5 vote. According to the most recent fiscal notes, the bill is expected to cost more than $113 million. Most districts are estimated to receive more funding. Bynum says he wants to see more specific modeling on how the school districts will be affected.

[Representative Jeremy Bynum]

I don't believe that we've done the necessary work that we need to do for this complex bill, but I will be I won't be getting in the way for us to continue moving the ball forward on it.

[Jamie Deep]

After the committee meeting, Story, the bill's sponsor, said she's working to get more specific data and that it will be presented as the bill moves through the legislative process. The bill was referred to the House Rules Committee on Wednesday. The committee has not met yet this year. The regular session is scheduled to end on May 20th in Juneau. I'm Jamie Deep.

[Casey Grove]

Still to Come on. Alaska News Nightly, a team of glam fairies help Mount Edgecombe High students get ready for prom.

[Alonza Topcock]

I wanted shimmer and I wanted glitter, and that's exactly what they gave me, that shimmer.

[Casey Grove]

Coming up. Stay with us. The Juneau Police Department has arrested a man suspected of assaulting three people over the weekend in the Mendenhall Valley. Police took custody of 24 year old Juneau resident C. T Mawa today. He was arrested on three counts of fourth degree assault, two counts of first degree burglary and one count of second degree sexual assault. The charges stem from two separate incidents that took place early Saturday morning when a man allegedly assaulted three people inside two different homes in the Mendenhall Valley. Juneau police first notified the public of the crimes yesterday, saying they believed the same man was responsible. Mawa was taken to Lemon Creek Correctional Center. The department says an investigation into the assaults is still ongoing and additional charges might be filed. Flood watches are in effect for several riverside communities in the interior. With spring breakup underway, the communities of Healy and Anderson have seen some of the worst impacts so far. According to the National Weather Service, waters rose earlier in the week and threatened several homes, damaging a couple. Here's National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Laney.

[Jason Laney]

Extensive amount of water damage. It's still being looked into now that the water has receded, but our suspicions are that that's going to be a major cleanup.

[Casey Grove]

Further upstream, a few cabins in Chattanooka were also damaged. And near the Canadian border, the small communities of Eagle Circle and Chowkitsik saw minor flood impacts over the last few days. The interior experienced record cold temperatures this winter. Laney says that likely thickened the river ice, which could cause more severe ice jams. But he says the window of danger should pass in about two weeks. Until then, Laney encourages people to remain

[Jason Laney]

vigilant, keep an eye to the waters, watch the advisories, and most importantly, if you see something happening in your community, reporting that information up is great because what we learn from a community upstream will benefit communities downstream greatly.

[Casey Grove]

Signs of flooding can be submitted online at fresh eyes on ice.org across the country this week, communities gathered in honor of missing and murdered indigenous people. Kyuk's Samantha Watson reports that on the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta, where several such cases remain unsolved, dozens took to the street to march in support.

[Samantha Watson]

Off of Bethel's main highway, a crowd of marchers form a red cluster. They're in ruby T shirts and hold red painted posters. Some wear crimson roses in their hair or fastened to the shoulder of their jackets, each bright piece. This is a symbol of the MMIP movement. Karaok talks to the crowd.

[Karaok]

What do you want to say to the people out there for our people in this community, the ones that are lost, that have no answer to what happened to them?

[Samantha Watson]

Each year, May 5 marks a day of awareness for the MMIP Movement and Remembrance for those lost. It aims to bring awareness to the high rates of violence against indigenous people and for the historical lack of data and investigation of victims. Atchek says, enough is enough.

[Senator Rob Myers]

Die.

[Karaok]

That's what we're gonna say. Die, die.

[Jason Laney]

Die.

[Casey Grove]

Die.

[Senator Rob Myers]

Die.

[Samantha Watson]

Ach asks for everyone to walk closely together to show their unity. Following the drumbeat, the wave of red moves together along Bethel's main road. Marcher Paul Roll says he's here to show support for a worthwhile cause.

[Paul Roll]

There's no excuse for so many indigenous people to go missing for so many years, you know, year after year. So it's a little thing, but, you know, I'm here to show my support.

[Samantha Watson]

He's shown up annually to these marches and so has Bethel resident Buck Bukowski.

[Buck Bukowski]

March every year for it. I got relatives in all the villages and 50 grandkids. I worry about them all the time. And I think there's not enough justice done for the ones that got lost.

[Samantha Watson]

Many people hold signs that read, our lives matter. We are never alone and no more stolen brothers and sisters. Some of those signs have pictures, faces of people, of relatives. Olenka Peterson holds up a poster with one girl's face on it.

[Olenka Peterson]

This is Elfride Gregory. She went missing in Anchorage. We're holding it up for it. Aggie Gregory.

[Samantha Watson]

She nods towards some marchers in front of her. She says, here, when devastation happens, everybody is there for everybody. It's handled as a community like the one she's walking as part of today.

[Olenka Peterson]

Part of our traditional values is to be there for people regardless of who they are, if we know them or not.

[Samantha Watson]

Austin Fitka carries a similar sign.

[Austin Fitka]

I wanted to bring awareness to Kelly Hunt and her case because there's just so much behind it that more people need to be aware of. And this is, you know, for today, I feel that this is the best way to do it.

[Samantha Watson]

Kelly hunt was a 19 year old girl originally from the village of Shaktulik near Nome. Last month, her body was found in Anchorage after she'd been missing for four months. Advocates say during her disappearance, not enough was being done to investigate or keep her story in the public eye.

[Austin Fitka]

We need to bring more awareness to our missing and murdered sisters In Bethel,

[Samantha Watson]

Fitka says coming together shows a strength.

[Austin Fitka]

Seeing this many people walk with us, it makes me feel. It makes the community feel a lot closer, like we're unified behind this movement. And it's like the lady that started the march today. It needs to stop. DOI

[Samantha Watson]

In Bethel, I'm Samantha Watson.

[Casey Grove]

The Bering Strait village of Teller has entered the queue to get a new water and sewer system. That's after the Indian health service awarded $65 million toward the project in late April. It could take up to a decade to complete, but it would be the village's first time having community wide running water. Currently, residents haul water from a central ouachetiria. Chris Furman is a director of sanitation facilities construction at IHS. He says the 250 person village of Teller earned a high priority score based on the project's health impacts, existing need and cost per home.

[Chris Furman]

In the case for Teller, it received extra points for being an unserved community.

[Casey Grove]

Furman says a financial contribution from the region's tribal hospital, Norton Sound Health Corporation, boosted Teller's score. With running water at every home, residents will be able to replace honey buckets with flushing toilets. Water will flow from faucets to help clean dishes and wash hands. Fuhrman says these aren't just improvements to quality of life. It's part of a model IHS calls One Health.

[Chris Furman]

You can't just diagnose and treat diseases. Oftentimes you'll hear people talk about that as like, you know, sick care, right? We want to get ahead of that and be on the prevention side. And that's where sanitation facilities construction comes in.

[Casey Grove]

The Teller project joins four other ongoing water and sewer projects in the Bering Strait region. As much as anywhere in Alaska, Anchorage is an interface between wild animals and humans, some of whom intentionally or unintentionally feed the wildlife that also call the city home. There have been concerns for decades around residents allowing local bears to get into trash cans or bird feeders. But as Alaska Public Media's Wesley early reports, it was a series of eagle encounters that led Anchorage officials to recently add fines for those who feed wildlife in the city.

[Brad Muir]

There's a part of chance New Muldoon park in east Anchorage that locals can let their dogs roam off leash and even a separate park just for smaller dogs. But in February, Brad Muir was hearing reports about other animals making appearances a

handful of incidences where the eagles had swooped down into the small dog park side, kind of swooping in after people's pets in the dog park.

Mir is the natural resources manager for Anchorage's Parks and Recreation Department. He also heard reports of birds fighting with each other over meat that had been left out.

So I came out here, discovered many, many, many, many eagles and birds of prey here. I actually witnessed someone feeding the eagles, and I in that moment, I counted over 55 Eagles and Ravens here trying to feed.

Muir says he hasn't heard any reports of eagles at the park since March. But the safety risk posed by people feeding Anchorage's wildlife led the assembly to pass an ordinance in April prohibiting it, adding new finds for those who do. While the eagle encounters are what led to the ordinance and the new finds, the risk of feeding wildlife extends to other animals like moose, says Corey Stantorf. He's the Anchorage area biologist for the state department officials.

[Corey Stantorf]

Moose get extremely aggressive when they've been fed by humans and handouts, and they start associating humans with handouts. And that next person that doesn't have a handout, that moose gets very aggressive with them and can stomp them and. And pretty severely injure them.

[Brad Muir]

Even if you don't mean to feed an animal, leaving food out or unattended or not securing trash cans can invite bears, which Stanthorp says are even more food motivated.

[Corey Stantorf]

That keeps them coming back into neighborhoods and not off into the woods feeding on natural forage because there's plenty of natural forage for bears, moose, lynx, wolverine. Here in Anchorage, we just need to help them stay on that and keep them out of neighborhoods.

[Brad Muir]

The fines start at $100 and go as high as $500 if you negligently feed a wild animal. If you intentionally feed a wild animal, the fines start at 250 and still cap at 500. The ordinance is in compliance with a state ban on feeding wildlife, and other communities like Valdez, Ketchikan, Homer and Adak have similar policies. Mir says there isn't going to be a patrol out surveying the streets of Anchorage waiting to catch people feeding wildlife. Instead, the department plans to rely on reports from the community.

It's not about the fines, it's about the actions. We just want the feeding of the eagles and creating dangerous situations for our users and for the eagles to stop.

And if you're someone who keeps a bird feeder up, the ordinance won't penalize you. But Stanorf says you should still take them down in the spring.

[Corey Stantorf]

The department recommends come April 1st, all those bird feeders, all the birds need be cleaned up and brought back in because during the summer months, a bird feeder is a bear feeder.

[Brad Muir]

As for trash cans and the bears who love to get into them. You shouldn't be fined if a bear gets into your trash can, so long as you're storing the trash securely inside the can. The new finds went into effect April 28 when the Anchorage assembly passed the ordinance. Reporting in Anchorage Hi, I'm Wesley Early.

[Casey Grove]

Like many high schools around the country, Mount Edgecumbe High School in Sitka throws a prom for its students shortly before graduation. But the state run boarding school has a unique program to help out its many students from villages across Alaska. It's called the Prom Prince and Princess program. Alaska Airlines employees, known as Glam Ferries in this instance, fly to town to help the teens get ready for their big night. KCAW's Hope McKinney reports.

[Angelina John]

Like, this part will be darker and

[Alonza Topcock]

then it'll go okay. I thought you were making a brown. I'm like, oh my gosh.

[Hope McKinney]

It's about five hours before prom starts and I walk into a cloud of hairspray as the sounds of girls chatting, hair dryers buzzing and music playing fill the common room of the girls dorm. For the past 14 or so years, volunteers with the Prom Prince and Princess program have helped Mount Edgecumbe students get glammed up for prom. They do hair, nails and makeup, provide jewelry, shoes, corsages and boutonnieres, and even do alterations on the many donated suits and dresses.

[Lisa Lynch]

So I'm really happy to be here because I love doing hair and makeup and for the listeners. I have a full face of makeup and a tiara on even though I'm not going to prom. I thought it'd be fun and I'm curling hair right now. I was doing some makeup and I was also playing music. So very important job.

[Hope McKinney]

Lisa lynch is one of the many glam fairies helping in the crowded room. Her mom, also doing hair nearby, is an Alaska Airlines employee and she decided to tag along. She remembers her own prom, getting ready at home in Anchorage with her mom, cousins and friends nearby.

[Lisa Lynch]

And that was really important to me because I enjoy that part of hanging out with my friends the most is doing each other's hair and makeup. Of course, you know my mom helping and like making dinner and everything for us. So I'm happy to be able to do this for other kids whose families can't be here to help them like that.

[Alonza Topcock]

I wanted shimmer and I wanted glitter and that's exactly what they gave me.

[Hope McKinney]

Alonza Topcock just finished her turn in the makeup chair. She's a senior from Teller, Alaska. She says her prom look is inspired by the 2001 Mariah Carey cult classic Glitter.

[Alonza Topcock]

You can show them, like, inspo pics and they'll do their best to recreate it. And with my hair, they do a lot of styling and creating, which I love. And I'm planning on getting my hair curled and maybe a half up, half down. And then they're also going to help me with some body glitter.

[Hope McKinney]

Topcock is going to wear a beaded black and gold strapless gown with high heels speckled with metal and flowers.

[Interviewer]

Sounds like you're going all out for your senior year.

[Alonza Topcock]

Well, it's senior year. You kind of have to.

[Hope McKinney]

She says it means a lot that people volunteer their time and to donate clothes and makeup and jewelry when she and her friends don't have their family members nearby to help out.

[Alonza Topcock]

I would have had my mom do my hair like she's been for every other dance, and I know she would have loved to be here to do it. But these ladies are so amazing and they're taking so much time to try and help all of us and just. It's very meaningful that they took their time to do this.

[Hope McKinney]

The Mount Edgecumbe High School prom is open to all classes. Angelina John is a freshman from Kwiggingok. She says she's excited for her first prom before she heads home for the summer.

[Angelina John]

We call our hometown. Quig and I go there for summer for berry picking, fishing, prepare for the winter.

[Hope McKinney]

John is wearing her hair half up and half down with a natural makeup look. Her dark burgundy nails with flowers and wave designs are painted to match her floor length strapless purple gown.

[Angelina John]

Getting ready and putting on a dress. It's like it feels like a birthday party, but like it's not your birthday.

[Hope McKinney]

But John isn't the only one excited and maybe slightly nervous to get glammed up for prom.

[Interviewer]

Is it intimidating to walk into a room full of so many girls getting glammed up?

[Corey Stantorf]

Yeah, everyone's like, watching me, looking at me weirdly.

[Hope McKinney]

Freshman Andrew Adams from Mentasta Lake is hovering at the entrance to the common room with his friends Calvin and Kaysen. They're hoping to get their eyebrows trimmed and maybe some haircuts before they suit up for the dance. Adams went to a middle school prom a couple of years ago, but this is his first high school prom. He thinks it will be special because it's one last moment for everyone to be together before the seniors graduate on May 8th.

[Interviewer]

Are you all gonna go up and

[Hope McKinney]

ask some folks to dance?

[Buck Bukowski]

Maybe.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you guys done that before? Have you gone up and asked?

[Corey Stantorf]

Yeah, I have.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Corey Stantorf]

I asked two different girls my 8th grade year.

[Interviewer]

How did it go?

[Casey Grove]

It went well.

[Alonza Topcock]

Yeah.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So you're gonna continue on with that tradition?

[Jamie Deep]

Of course.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah.

[Hope McKinney]

Despite some nerves, Adams and his friends eventually ask one of the volunteers to help them get ready. Circling back around with them afterwards, refreshed and ready to head out, they seem like they're going to be just fine.

[Interviewer]

Are you feeling ready and handsome for tonight?

[Representative Elise Galvin]

Of course.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah.

[Senator Rob Myers]

Always, Always, always.

[Hope McKinney]

Reporting in sitka, I'm Hope McKenney.

[Casey Grove]

And that's 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 Eric Stone, Jamie Deep and Clarice Larson in Juneau, Liz Ruskin in Washington, D.C. shelby Herbert in Fairbanks, Samantha Watson in Bethel, Ben Townsend in Nomency, Wesley early in anchorage and Hope McKinney in Sitka. If you want to send us a news tip, question or comment, email [e-mail] 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.