Alaska News Nightly – December 24, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Alaska News Nightly presents a panoramic look across Alaska's communities, with stories that range from a unique joint deer hunt bringing together Safari Club International members and Kipnuk subsistence hunters, to diverse holiday traditions statewide. The program also covers urgent news—including fires, a public health update on mpox, stories of cultural preservation, and a glimpse into the arts through a local writer’s award. The tone throughout is one of resilience, community, and the preservation of tradition, often underscored by moving personal testimonies.

Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. Mat-Su House Seats Filled by Gubernatorial Appointment

• Timestamps: 00:47–02:34
• Details:
  • Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed Steve St. Clair (Wasilla) and Garrett Nelson (Sutton) to fill two vacant state House seats after predecessors moved to the Senate.
  • Both need approval from House Republicans, with the legislative session set to begin on Jan 26, 2026.

2. Unusual Unity: Kipnuk Subsistence Hunters & Safari Club’s Deer Hunt

• Timestamps: 02:34–08:32

The Event

• Longtime adversaries in game management debates, the Alaska Safari Club and Kipnuk Native hunters united for a deer hunt after a typhoon displaced the hunters from their homes.

Memorable Quotes:

• “I’m not even sure it’s a hunting thing. It’s just a human thing. We’re hunters. They’re hunters.” — John Sturgeon, Safari Club (02:58).
• “When I was gutting deer, I knew my family was gonna eat something.” — Daryl John, Kipnuk hunter (03:55).
• “Made me feel like I was providing for my family again.” — Lacey John, Kipnuk participant (04:01).
• “We’re neighbors helping neighbors.” — Kyle Tyler, Alaska Safari Club President (06:45).

Highlights

• Safari Club provided clothing, gear, and licenses; funded a charter to Montague Island where nine Sitka blacktail deer were harvested.
• The catch led to a large feast for over 200 evacuees, featuring game and traditional foods (including seal).
• The overwhelming sense of healing and reconnection, especially for displaced families, was palpable as they cooked and shared meals together.

Political Tensions Acknowledged

• Concerns from the Alaska Federation of Natives about the Safari Club’s policy initiatives were mentioned, highlighting ongoing complexities outside the feast’s unity.

3. Fire Emergencies in Anchorage and Kotzebue

• Timestamps: 08:46–11:08

Anchorage

• Fatal mobile home fire at Diamond Estates; victim unidentified, cause under investigation.

Kotzebue

• Home lost to fire suspected to start from a malfunctioning Toyo stove. Resident and his dogs escaped; no injuries, but house and possessions destroyed.
• Fire fought under subzero, icy conditions and at risk of spreading to nearby fuel tanks.

Quotes:

• “If the wind would have shifted, we would add a whole lot harder fire to extinguish.” — Kotzebue Fire Chief Joshua Funk (10:31).

4. Public Health: First Mpox (Monkeypox) Case in Over a Year

• Timestamps: 11:08–12:45

• State health officials confirmed one case of mpox, attributed to out-of-state contact.

• Call to remain vigilant and consider vaccination for those at higher risk.

• Quote: “Mpox is circulating in the United States… and it’s just a plane ride away from Alaska.” — Dr. Joe McLaughlin, State Epidemiologist (11:50).

5. Rasmussen Award Winner Caroline Vanhemert: Hope through Nature Writing

• Timestamps: 12:45–16:52

Profile

• Caroline Vanhemert, a writer, biologist, and part-time Haines resident, discusses her upcoming memoir Upwelling.
• The book seeks to find hope in nature amid climate and environmental challenges.

Quotes:

• “Trying to draw on examples from the natural world of existing creativity and solutions.” — Caroline Vanhemert (15:12).
• “There isn’t really a running from those experiences so much as trying to figure out how do you grapple with them… gather the joy and the wonder that ultimately motivates all of us.” (16:29)

6. Holiday Traditions Across Alaska

• Timestamps: 16:52–20:32

Petersburg (Yulebucking/Julebucking)

• Families prepare traditional treats (like ceviche) as local businesses open doors, rooted in Norwegian customs.
• Quote: “It really fills the cup… makes you feel home and a sense of community, and I love giving back.” — Bennett McGrath (17:59).

Utkiagvik (Blue Christmas)

• Event focused on supporting those grieving during holidays, organized by the Arctic Adventist Church.
• Finished with a snow sculpture representing community support for youth.

Kodiak (Harbor Lights Festival)

• Boats decorated, parading with lights—a send-off before fishing crews head to sea.
• Quote: “For us this is kind of a send off. You know, it’s good to—everybody gets to go for a boat ride.” — James Stevens, commercial fisherman (20:04).

7. Preserving Yupik Drumming & Dancing in Gamble

• Timestamps: 20:32–25:20

Student Reporting

• Josie Ungut and Janessa Nunguk (high school students) investigate the past and present of Siberian Yupik music and dance on St. Lawrence Island.

Key Insights

• Traditions were once strict; only certain family members could dance, and mistakes met with thrown shoes.
• Missionaries historically suppressed dance/drumming, labeling it “evil”; subsequent apology led to revitalization.
• Modern efforts focus on inclusion and learning.
• Quotes:
  • “Only dancers to a song was…If it’s that composer’s daughter or wife, those were the only ones that danced.” — Chris Pitu, dance teacher (21:51).
  • “Language, I would say of the culture language and how to get the foods and how to prepare them… Not just as hunters but how to pick greens and store and get them ready.” — Chris Pitu (24:40).

Memorable Moments & Reflections

• Emotional healing through food and cultural practices for storm evacuees; the deer hunt turned into a communal reaffirmation of identity and togetherness.
• The creative ingenuity and adaptability in preserving traditions—whether through adapted drumming materials or new interpretations of dance rules.
• Intergenerational transmission: The podcast shines in the segments where elders, parents, and youth collaborate to keep ancestral knowledge alive.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “We’re neighbors helping neighbors.” — Kyle Tyler, Alaska Safari Club President (06:45)
• “The seal that was baking, it smelled like home.” — Lacey John (04:49)
• “I know it’s going to be a very healing experience.” — Lacey John (06:31)
• “Language…I would say of the culture, language and how to get the foods and how to prepare them…” — Chris Pitu (24:40)
• “There isn’t really a running from those experiences so much as…gather the joy and the wonder…” — Caroline Vanhemert (16:29)

Important Segments at a Glance

• 00:47 – Mat-Su House appointments
• 02:34 – Unifying deer hunt & aftermath
• 08:46 – Anchorage & Kotzebue fire reports
• 11:08 – Mpox case and health update
• 12:45 – Interview with writer Caroline Vanhemert
• 16:52 – Holiday traditions: Petersburg, Utkiagvik, Kodiak
• 20:32 – Drumming and dancing in Gamble: generational perspectives

Summary

This episode expertly ties together breaking news and thoughtful community features, painting an intimate and broad-strokes picture of Alaskan life in winter: marked by hardship, resilience, enduring culture, and a powerful sense of shared humanity. From legislative changes to kitchen gatherings and cultural revival, listeners come away with a sense not just of what’s happening in Alaska, but how Alaskans support and celebrate one another—sometimes against all odds.