Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Summary

Alaska News Nightly: Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Podcast: Alaska Public Media
Host: Casey Grove
Date: January 1, 2026

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Episode Overview

This year-end episode of Alaska News Nightly covers notable events shaping Alaska in 2025, from voter initiatives and legal battles to record weather, environmental crises, and stories of resilience across the state. Host Casey Grove and a team of reporters present statewide news, including updates on a voting rights initiative, a high-profile excessive force lawsuit, Juneau’s snow emergency, federal research funding concerns, and dramatic Western Arctic caribou declines. The show also looks back at the year’s most impactful stories—political controversies, natural disasters, legislative showdowns, and unique local triumphs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ballot Initiative: Tightening Citizenship Voting Requirements

• [00:15–03:15]
• A group, Alaskans for Citizen Voting, is gathering signatures for a 2026 ballot initiative to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote in state and local elections.
• Background:
  • Federal law already bars non-U.S. citizens from voting in federal elections. State and local rules vary. Alaska law currently says a voter “may” be a U.S. citizen, which initiative proponents argue leaves ambiguity.
• Key Voices:
  • Mike Chenault (Initiative Sponsor):

    "In other states, there's a pathway for non citizens to be able to vote. And when you come into the United States, we feel that people should follow the laws." ([01:22])

  • He cites a recent incident involving non-citizen Samoan residents in Whittier charged with voter misconduct to illustrate the need for clarity.
  • Elections Official: Alaska already requires citizenship affirmation upon registration; federal law bars documentation requirements.
• The group needs 34,000 signatures by the next legislative session and expects to easily meet the target, citing strong support.

2. Excessive Force Lawsuit: State Legal Dispute

• [04:33–09:33]
• Plaintiff: Philip Robel alleges Alaska law enforcement used excessive SWAT-style force during a mental health crisis call in October 2023, leaving him seriously injured. Despite settling a lawsuit for $500,000, a dispute arose about the settlement's scope.
• Legal Twist:
  • State seeks to reclaim the settlement, alleging “fraudulent misrepresentation.” The conflict centers on whether the settlement resolved claims against just the Department of Public Safety or also individual officers.
• Key Quotes:
  • Jeff Barber (Robel’s attorney):

    "To accuse...us together of doing something that...qualifies for some...really extraordinary way of going back and unwinding the judgment is just appalling to me." ([07:04])

  • "They act like they can run roughshod over, you know, like in this case, Mr. Robel...procedurally, and you know it is right." ([08:19])

• A federal judge allowed Robel’s federal case against individual officers to continue; state proceedings resume in February.

3. Juneau Avalanche Risk Amid Record Snowfall

• [09:43–12:31]
• December 2025 nearly becomes Juneau’s snowiest month on record, leading officials to warn of heightened avalanche risk and possible evacuations for downtown residents.
• Experts Urge Preparedness:
  • Residents should have "go bags" ready as avalanche conditions can change rapidly.
  • Avalanche forecaster Patrick Dreier cites snowpack instability from cold snaps followed by heavy snow.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Ryan O’Shaughnessy (Emergency Programs Manager):

    "Folks need to be prepared to leave their homes at a moment's notice." ([10:55])

4. Federal Funding Cuts Threaten Arctic Research

• [12:31–13:24]
• At a major science conference, Alaska scientists voiced alarm at federal budget cuts undermining climate observation, seismic monitoring, and Arctic safety.
• Key Voice:
  • Larry Heintzman (UAF Arctic Professor):

    "We are going through [a] pretty traumatic time right now, and this work is not just important to us, but it's important to society in general." ([12:31])
    "Our society, our culture, our nation needs to stop the bleeding and we need to save what remains and we need to rebuild what we've already lost." ([13:15])

• Scientists urge Americans to recognize the critical value of polar research.

5. Western Arctic Caribou Herd Crisis

• [14:05–15:57]
• The iconic herd has dropped from nearly 500,000 two decades ago to about 120,000—now approaching a “point of no return.”
• The Working Group overseeing the herd calls a "code red," recommending annual harvest reductions, especially of breeding-age females.
• Local Perspective:
  • Hunter Charlie Lean:

    "We can drive this population to zero with just the lack of attention. It's very, very critical right now because the numbers are so low." ([14:27]) "We know this is unpopular....What I'm trying to do is get support for the idea that we're all stewards of this population." ([15:39], [15:46])

• Regulatory changes may not arrive until 2027, prompting fears it could be too late to save the herd.

6. Other Notable News Highlights

• Fairbanks’ New Year’s Eve Fireworks Postponed due to forecasted temperatures near -50°F; only the second postponement in 36 years. ([16:17])

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Year in Review: Major Alaska Stories of 2025

[17:30–25:42]
Reported by Wesley Early & team

A. Political & Social Upheaval

• Denali Name Controversy ([17:30–18:39]):
  • President Trump attempts to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley, sparking outrage.
  • Rep. Maxine Diebert:

    "It's a cornerstone of Alaska's history, a tribute to our diverse culture and a testament to the people who have cherished this land for millennia." ([17:53])

• President Trump-Putin Anchorage Summit ([18:50–19:58]):
  • Meeting aimed at Ukraine ceasefire ends without breakthrough, prompting protests.
  • Joe Bennett (protester):

    "There needs to be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine present." ([19:54])

B. Environmental Extremes & Community Resilience

• Mount Spur Eruption Watch: Widespread anxiety as volcano shows signs of imminent eruption; residents prepare for the worst, then sigh with relief. ([18:04–18:50])
• Typhoon Ha Long Strikes Western Alaska ([20:26–21:19]):
  • Hurricane-force winds and flooding devastate villages, displacing hundreds.
  • Ryan Davis (Quigilingoc):

    "Yeah, the flood lifted us up and I didn't think it was going to happen. And I'm like, I yelled at my kids to get up and group up here on the stairs just in case we tip over." ([20:43])

  • Anchorage’s Yupik Language Immersion program helps young evacuees feel at home:

    "Seeing other kids that are also Yup' Ik or Native, and then hearing them be taught in Yuktun, I think eases them even just a tiny bit." ([21:19])

  • Benjamin Cooktoun (Kipnuk):

    "We're going to stay here all winter. Well, I'm not going to leave Kipnock. These boys ain't going to leave Kipnock so we can survive. We got hope." ([21:50])

C. Tragedy: Bering Air Crash

• Bering Air Flight Crash ([22:02–22:31]):
  • Fatal accident kills 10; communities across the region mourn.
  • Tony Hagen (Unalakleet):

    "It doesn't only affect one community. I mean, we feel the pain region wide." ([22:25])

D. Legislative Battles: Education Funding

• School Funding Showdown ([22:31–23:12]):
  • After prolonged debate and a governor's veto, the Alaska Legislature overrides to significantly increase per-student funding.
  • Sen. Kathy Giesel:

    "I think people had the humility to listen to the public who have been crying for additional education funding now for several years." ([23:04])

E. Uplifting and Unique Alaska Moments

• Beating the Heat in Unusual Ways:
  • Fairbanks’ first-ever heat advisory sends residents to the Ice Museum for relief.
  • Dakota Brickley (Ice Museum):

    "I recommended they would need a jacket. And they said, no, we actually want it to be cold. We're like roasting outside." ([23:34])

• Glacial Retreat:
  • First time Mendenhall Glacier receded from its lake.
  • Jason Amundsen (Glaciologist):

    "That was the first time I had really thought, oh, it doesn't look like it's touching the lake anymore." ([23:52])

• St. Paul Island Softball Game:
  • Commemorates WWII forced relocations; community chooses to remember with positivity.
  • Chloe Bordakovsky Price:

    "My mentors have recommended that now in time that we get to choose our memories....I think our community is choosing happy ones moving forward." ([24:20])

• Record Breakers:
  • Marie Pearl Zellmer Robinson:

    Official Guinness World Record for largest female mouth gape (7.28 cm).
    "Having a record for something is like making a fact for the whole world to learn from....I wonder if I can do that." ([24:49])

  • Jesse Holmes:

    Wins first Iditarod dog sled race.
    "I should never feel a down moment in my life. If I died tomorrow, I'd just die the happiest man." ([25:10])

  • Chunk Bear #32:

    Crowned Fat Bear Week champion.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Mike Chenault on voting initiative:

  "In other states, there's a pathway for non citizens to be able to vote. And when you come into the United States, we feel that people should follow the laws." ([01:22])

• Jeff Barber on state's legal tactics:

  "To accuse...us together of doing something that...qualifies for some...really extraordinary way of going back and unwinding the judgment is just appalling to me." ([07:04])

• Ryan O’Shaughnessy on Juneau snow:

  "Folks need to be prepared to leave their homes at a moment's notice." ([10:55])

• Larry Heintzman on research cuts:

  "Our society, our culture, our nation needs to stop the bleeding and we need to save what remains and we need to rebuild what we've already lost." ([13:15])

• Charlie Lean on caribou crisis:

  "We can drive this population to zero with just the lack of attention. It's very, very critical right now because the numbers are so low." ([14:27])

• Tony Hagen on crash losses:

  "It doesn't only affect one community. I mean, we feel the pain region wide." ([22:25])

• Sen. Kathy Giesel on education funding:

  "I think people had the humility to listen to the public who have been crying for additional education funding now for several years." ([23:04])

• Marie Pearl Zellmer Robinson on her record:

  "Having a record for something is like making a fact for the whole world to learn from." ([24:49])

• Jesse Holmes on Iditarod win:

  "If I died tomorrow, I'd just die the happiest man." ([25:10])

---

Conclusion

This year-end episode of Alaska News Nightly captures a whirlwind of issues—legal, political, environmental, and cultural—facing Alaska at a pivotal time. From sobering challenges like climate change and animal population declines to moments of endurance, innovation, and celebration, the show highlights the resilience and diversity of Alaskans in the face of adversity and change.

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For more, visit alaskapublic.org or listen to the episode for the full stories and voices from every corner of Alaska.

Transcript

[Casey Grove]

There's a pathway for non citizens to be able to vote. And when you come into the United States, we feel that people should follow the laws.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A group aiming to tighten citizenship requirements for elections wants to put the question to voters next year. From Alaska Public Media. This is statewide news on Alaska News nightly for Wednesday, December 31st. Good evening. I'm Casey Grove. Also tonight, Juneau's record breaking December snowfall prompts avalanche warnings. Folks need to be prepared to leave their homes at a moment's notice. Those stories and more tonight on Alaska News Nightly. Alaska voters could consider a ballot proposition next year aimed at tightening the state's citizenship voting requirements if an initiative currently circulating gets enough signatures. Last month, the state's lieutenant governor approved a petition application from Alaskans for Citizen Voting. If voters approve the initiative, state law would allow only US Citizens to vote in state and local elections. Former Republican state Representative Mike Chenault of Nikiskee is one of the initiative's three sponsors. Chenault says he wants to affirm Alaska's current practice amid looser citizenship voting laws.

[Casey Grove]

In other states, there's a pathway for non citizens to be able to vote. And when you come into the United States, we feel that people should follow the laws.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Federal law bars non US Citizens from voting in federal elections, but rules across the country vary for state and local elections. Last year, eight states amended their constitutions to say that only citizens may vote. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a Alaska law says someone may vote in a state election if, among other things, they're a U.S. citizen. Chenault and other petition proponents say the word may in that part of the statute leaves too much ambiguity.

[Casey Grove]

You never know what the courts are going to rule at any point in time on any issue. And if we have the ability to cut off that point in time where judge someplace in Alaska has the ability to say whether we change our statutes or we change our voting laws, then that you should take the initiative and go forward with it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In a written opinion, Alaska's attorney general said the proposal would not change existing voting requirements. But Chenal pointed to an instance earlier this year where that clarity would have helped. In April, the state charged 10American Samoans living in Whittier with voter misconduct after they voted in city or school board elections. Although American Samoa is a U.S. territory, most of its residents don't have U.S. citizenship. And here's Chenault again.

[Casey Grove]

We're not trying to keep immigrants or any, any other group of folks out of the election process, but we do have a process to become an American citizen and you go through that process and after you're an American citizen, you gain the right to vote in American elections. We believe that's the direction that the state should go.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Stephen Kirch, public relations manager for the Alaska Division of Elections, says Alaska already requires people to affirm that they are a US Citizen when registering to vote, and federal law precludes states from requiring citizenship documentation as a condition of voter registration. To get their proposal on next year's ballot, Alaskans for Citizen Voting needs 34,000 signatures by the time the Alaska Legislature convenes next month. An initiative spokesperson was unable to provide the number of signatures collected so far, but said they've received a lot of support and expect to cross that threshold well in advance of the deadline. State polling data also indicates support. A federal judge ruled this month that a Fairbanks man's civil rights lawsuit against nine state law enforcement officers can continue uninterrupted. That's after the judge denied a motion from the Alaska Department of Law, which sought to stay proceedings in the excessive force case. The state's failed motion cited a lawsuit in state court involving the same plaintiff in that case. The law department is currently seeking to claw back $500,000 in settlement money it paid to Philip Robel over the summer. KUAC's Patrick Gilchrist reports the civil complaints.

[Patrick Gilchrist]

In both federal and state court are tied to the same incident. Robel, the plaintiff, says that in October 2023, law enforcement used unnecessary SWAT style T when transporting him for an evaluation while he was in the middle of a mental health crisis. An Alaska State Troopers dispatch issued after that incident says the Special Emergency Reaction Team responded because of prior statements made by the individual. The dispatch also describes the special team as successfully taking him into custody and transporting him to the hospital. According to the lawsuits, the group of officers recklessly escalated force when they tased, beat, pepper sprayed and shot less lethal rounds at Robel, seriously injuring him and causing damage to his home. Photos of Roebl, who was not charged with a crime, show him with bloodied eyes and bruising from head to chest following the incident. Heidi Roble, Philip Wrobel's wife, said in an interview earlier this year that her husband suffered a fractured eye socket and and fractured jaw. Roble first sued unidentified troopers as well as the Alaska Department of public safety in 2024 in Fairbanks Superior Court. In addition to excessive force claims, the plaintiff also argued the public safety department inadequately trained officers and had outdated procedures that discriminate against people with mental illnesses. Nine officers were later named in an amended complaint to, but never officially made party to that case, and it concluded this July after a $500,000 settlement agreement. But the parties were at odds about exactly which claims that agreement resolved. And now the Superior Court case is reopened and the settlement in question. The State Law Department filed a motion for relief from judgment last month, trying to get the money back from the Robles and accusing the plaintiff of, quote, fraudulent misrepresentation when accepting the settlement offer. Heidi Robel declined to comment for this story, requesting that questions about some of the developments in the case be directed to attorneys. Jeff Barber, one of the attorneys representing Robl, says he hasn't experienced a dispute of this nature in his more than two decades practicing law. He says in his opinion the state's attempt to undo the agreement is outrageous.

[Casey Grove]

I'm working on behalf of Mr. Robel, and to accuse, you know, us together of doing something that, you know, qualifies for some, you know, really extraordinary way of going back and unwinding the judgment is just appalling to me.

[Patrick Gilchrist]

Assistant Attorney General Tyler Broeker filed the motion for relief from judgment. It says the state's $500,000 settlement offer allowed judgment to be entered against the Department of Public Safety and and for all claims that arise from this case. The plaintiff's signed acceptance of the offer did not include the phrase about settling all claims arising from the case. Both versions were filed with the Superior Court, and the version the state judge signed off on didn't include the all claims phrase, according to Broeker's motion, because final judgment did not reflect the terms of the state's offer. Final judgment was unfairly obtained, end quote. Barber, Roble's attorney, says his position remains that proceedings were fair and that the settlement offer only resolved claims against the Public Safety Department and not the individual officers. He says the Department of Law is using heavy handed tactics rather than engaging in negotiations.

[Casey Grove]

They act like they can run roughshod over, you know, like in this case, Mr. Roblay, you know, procedurally, and you know it is right.

[Patrick Gilchrist]

In August, robel filed the second lawsuit, which is now in U.S. district Court for the District of Alaska, and it only names the individual officers as defendants. After a failed attempt to dismiss the federal suit, Broeker, the state attorney, filed motions trying to stay proceedings in the case pending resolution of the settlement dispute in state court. In an order earlier this month, the federal judge, H. Russell Holland, also denied those attempts. The judge's order says the state may or may not have a basis for attacking the state court judgment, but it says the substantive disagreement which the parties have been unable to resolve is not an impediment to this case moving forward. Oral argument in the state court case is currently scheduled for February 25th. An Alaska Department of Law spokesperson did not provide answers to emailed questions in time for this story. In Fairbanks, I'm Patrick Gilchrist.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Still to come on Alaska News Nightly, we take a look back at our top stories of 2025.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah, the flood lifted us up and I didn't think it was going to happen.

[Narrator/Reporter]

That's ahead. Stay with us. Officials in Juneau are warning downtown residents that avalanche conditions are elevated in the areas above Behrens Avenue Thain Road. The alert is not an evacuation order, but the city advises residents in the affected areas to prepare for an evacuation if conditions continue to worsen. The Alaska Department of Transportation closed Thain Road on Tuesday evening and observed several small avalanches in that area overnight. It plans to fly helicopters over parts of the area to trigger avalanches using explosives or a blast device called a daisy bell Tomorrow starting at 11am Weather officials say more than 80 inches of snow has fallen at Juneau International Airport this December, making this the city's second snowiest month ever recorded with hours left to go. The all time record was set in February of 1965 at 86.3 inches. Juneau averages around 88 inches of snow all winter. Ryan O', Shaughnessy, the emergency programs manager for the city and borough of Juneau, says now is the time for residents within avalanche zones to pack a go bag and and make plans to stay with family or friends in case evacuation is necessary. Folks need to be prepared to leave.

[Casey Grove]

Their homes at a moment's notice. You know, I think one of the.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Key things with avalanche, avalanche hazards specifically, is that things can change very rapidly and very quickly and folks need to be prepared. O' Shaughnessy says it's too dangerous to artificially trigger avalanches above the Barrens neighborhood, so leaving is the best strategy. Patrick Dreier is an avalanche forecaster at the Alaska Department of Transportation, and he said Tuesday night that the department was closing Thain Road in case there's a large avalanche. Dreier dug a snow pit to evaluate the avalanche risk on Gastineau Ridge on Monday. He said Juneau's extended cold dry snap earlier this month created weak layers in the snowpack. Then this warmer winter storm piled on heavy snow. The National Weather Service's winter storm warning ended today at noon, and snowfall is expected to taper off Thursday, but the avalanche danger remains. Alaska scientists shared concerns about federal funding cuts hurting Arctic research at a major conference in New Orleans this month. The American Geophysical Union conference brought together Earth and space scientists from more than 100 countries, including researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Larry Heintzman is a University of Alaska President's Arctic professor who formerly served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He spoke at one of the conference panels about a paper he published this month that looks at the effects of terminated federal observational programs.

[Casey Grove]

We are going through pretty traumatic time right now, and this work is not just important to us, but it's important to society in general. The environmental observations affect every part of life that we're in food storage of sustainable resources.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Federal science agencies like the National Weather Service were an early target of the Trump administration's so called Department of Government Efficiency. The administration has also called for deeper budget cuts to other agencies that perform climate research. Heensmann also pointed to funding cuts for the seismic network that is important for understanding earthquakes and tsunamis. And he says programs that have been terminated or are proposed to be cut are crucial for safety in the coastal Arctic communities and in light of climate change.

[Casey Grove]

Our society, our culture, our nation needs to stop the bleeding and we need to save what remains and we need to rebuild what we've already lost.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Heensman says that despite the recent challenges, he believes polar research will get stronger again. But he told conference attendees that it's important to help Americans realize the importance of that work. Other discussions during the panel touched on how the current geopolitical landscape is putting a strain on scientific collaborations with Russia and Canada, and speakers highlighted how scientists and Alaska native tribes have been cooperating more in recent years. Well, the Western Arctic caribou herd has fallen to historic lows, raising fears that the population could soon cross a point of no return. As KOM's Ben Townsend reports, the group that oversees the herd is now calling the situation a code red.

[Ben Townsend]

In 2003, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game counted nearly half a million caribou roaming western Alaska's expansive tundra, and nearly every census since then has shown steep declines. Today, the Western Arctic herd is estimated at just 120,000 caribou. Nome based hunter Charlie Lean says bold action is needed to prevent irreversible damage.

[Casey Grove]

We can drive this population to zero with just the lack of attention. It's very, very critical right now because the numbers are so low.

[Ben Townsend]

Lean met with regional representatives and government officials at a meeting of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group in early December. After three days of collaboration and debate, the group drafted a series of recommendations for state and federal regulators. Bottom line? The group says annual harvest levels must be lowered, especially of breeding age females. Lean says he pushed the group to decide on a population count that would trigger a full stop to caribou hunting.

[Casey Grove]

We didn't have a drop dead number and I thought that would be something we needed to put in place. In most management regimes there is a point of no return. It seems like we had to make that point somewhere.

[Ben Townsend]

Lean recommended 75,000 Caribou account not seen in half a century. Lean acknowledges that reduced harvests means real hardship for families who rely on caribou for food.

[Casey Grove]

We know this is unpopular.

[Wesley Early]

Everybody wants more caribou. I'm not trying to tell people they.

[Casey Grove]

Should smile when they're in pain. What I'm trying to do is get support for the idea that we're all stewards of this population.

[Ben Townsend]

Without emergency action, the earliest regulatory changes wouldn't take effect until mid-2027, a timeline lean fears may be too late. He estimates the herd could lose another 20% by then, underscoring that conservation is no longer optional. It's imperative. In Nome, I'm Ben Townsend.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Organizers have postponed Fairbanks annual New Year's Eve sparktacular fireworks show because of extreme cold. The National Weather Service says temperatures could plunge to nearly 50 below zero tonight in the Fairbanks area. Forecasters are urging residents to use extreme caution if they plan to be outside for any New Year's celebrations. It's only the second time in the fireworks show's 36 year history that the event has been postponed. A news release from the University of Alaska Fairbanks says both times were due to weather. Organizers have not yet announced a new date for the show. The Fairbanks area remains under a cold weather advisory until early Monday. The National Weather Service says temperatures are expected to stay between 40 and 50 below through the weekend. Forecasters warn that frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to the temperatures. Across Alaska, 2025 brought stories that captured national attention, tested communities and highlighted the resilience of the people who call this state home. Alaska Public Media's Wesley early looks back at the moments that shaped the year.

[Wesley Early]

The year began with one of the earliest national stories, the name of the country's tallest peak. On the first day of President Donald Trump's second term in office, he announced that he would change the name of denali back to Mount McKinley. The move immediately sparked backlash from many Alaskans, including legislators like Maxine Diebert, a Coyukon Athabaskan, state representative from Fairbanks Denali.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Is more than a mountain.

[Casey Grove]

It's a cornerstone of Alaska's history, a tribute to our diverse culture and a testament to the people who have cherished this land for millennia.

[Wesley Early]

U.S. senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan introduced legislation to restore the name to Denali, but so far the president has not been persuaded. Still, for many Alaskans, the mountain will always be Denali. And believe it or not, another Alaska peak also caught the attention of the nation this year. Volcano researchers announced in March that Mount Spur, just 80 miles west of Anchorage, would likely explode. Matt Haney with the Alaska Volcano Observatory said it was showing many signs of unrest, increased gas em, more earthquakes nearby and the inflation of the volcano's surface.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's almost like we have a checklist of the usual signs that volcanoes give us before they progress to an eruption, and now we're seeing all four of those.

[Wesley Early]

South central Alaskans started preparing. A local pet store even reported a huge surge in demand for dog goggles. But as the weeks went on, to residents relief, the volcano calmed down and did not explode. Our third story is not about a mountain, but rather a momentous meeting. President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage in August with the goal of enacting a ceasefire in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Alaska Public Media's Liz Ruskin and I spent hours on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, among hundreds of national and international press as the two world leaders met in private. When they finally addressed the media, they didn't really deliver on the ceasefire the US President promised. Liz summarized Trump's remarks on Alaska News Nightly.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He said it was an extremely productive.

[Casey Grove]

Meeting, but there was no deal and.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It was kind of a shock that.

[Casey Grove]

The two leaders didn't take a single.

[Wesley Early]

Question outside of the military gates. Thousands of Alaskans protested the summit, many expressing support for the Ukrainian people. Joe Bennett was among hundreds who protested in midtown Anchorage.

[Casey Grove]

There needs to be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine present.

[Wesley Early]

President Trump's cuts to the federal workforce also faced criticism in Alaska, where the federal government is, as one economist put, the number one industry. But it wasn't just employees who were concerned. Cuts to a number of federal agencies in the state, including the National Weather Service, could have rippling effects, said Adam White with the Alaska Airmen's Association.

[Casey Grove]

Not get too dramatic, but it literally is a life safety issue for us to have accurate current weather information and weather data.

[Wesley Early]

The importance of weather forecasting in Alaska was front and center in October when the remnants of Typhoon Ha Long hit Western Alaska unleashing hurricane force winds and flooding that devastated several villages. Ryan Davis of Quigilingoc described his home floating down a creek.

[Casey Grove]

Yeah, the flood lifted us up and I didn't think it was going to happen. And I'm like, I yelled at my kids to get up and group up here on the stairs just in case we tip over.

[Wesley Early]

One person died in the storm and two remain missing. Hundreds of people, primarily of Yupik descent, were evacuated from western Alaska. Many ended up in Anchorage, where city and state officials worked to provide shelter, assistance and donations. One Anchorage program, the Yupik Language Immersion Program at College Gate Elementary School, helped provide dozens of students with something else, a sense of normalcy.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Seeing other kids that are also Yup' Ik or Native, and then hearing them be taught in Yuktun, I think eases them even just a tiny bit.

[Wesley Early]

That was, you pick immersion teacher Lorena Warren. Back on the coast, some Alaskans decided to stay to rebuild their storm ravaged communities. In the village of Kipnuk, where State officials estimate 90% of structures were destroyed, Benjamin Cooktoun said he and a small crew were taking it one day at a time.

[Casey Grove]

We're going to stay here all winter. Well, I'm not going to leave Kipnock. These boys ain't going to leave Kipnock so we can survive. We got hope.

[Wesley Early]

Western Alaska faced another tragedy earlier in the year. Further north, a Bering Air flight from Unalakleet crashed on its way to Nome in February, killing all 10 people on board. The crash was one of Alaska's deadliest in recent history. Unalaklete resident Tony Hagen said the loss sent communities across the region into mourning.

[Patrick Gilchrist]

When the region has something that occurs.

[Casey Grove]

Like this here, it doesn't only affect one community. I mean, we feel the pain region wide.

[Wesley Early]

As communities grieved, major decisions were unfolding hundreds of miles away in Juneau. For years, the state had kept education funding relatively flat, with districts losing teachers and students as they struggled to keep up with schooling needs. Legislators debated school funding for months, eventually settling on a significant increase of $700 per stud. Governor Dunleavy then vetoed it, and in a rare step, the Legislature overrode the governor's veto. Here's Senate Majority leader Kathy Giesel, an Anchorage Republican.

[Casey Grove]

I think people had the humility to listen to the public who have been crying for additional education funding now for several years.

[Wesley Early]

But this year, Alaska wasn't only defined by political debate and tragedy. Our reporters brought stories from all corners of the state, celebrating the variety of ways People choose to make Alaska home in Fairbanks, Alaska's first ever heat advisory forced locals to get creative to stay cool. For some, that meant hanging out with Dakota Brickley at the Fairbanks Ice Museum.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And I recommended they would need a jacket. And they said, no, we actually want it to be cold. We're like roasting outside.

[Wesley Early]

The heat stretched to southeast Alaska, too, where for the first time, Mendenhall Glacier receded from Mendenhall Lake. It came as a surprise to University of Alaska Southeast glaciologist Jason Amundsen.

[Patrick Gilchrist]

That was the first time I had.

[Casey Grove]

Really thought, oh, it doesn't look like.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It'S touching the lake anymore. And then there were some photos I saw on Facebook that confirmed it.

[Wesley Early]

Meanwhile, in June, Alaskans from St. Paul island held a softball game to commemorate the moment during World War II when the army interrupted a baseball game to force locals to abandon the Bering Sea. Village residents were relocated to camps in southeast Alaska. Chloe Bordakovsky Price said the game allows community members to engage with their island's history and learn to live with it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

My mentors have recommended that now in time that we get to choose our memories. So either that be good or bad. And I think our community is choosing happy ones moving forward.

[Wesley Early]

And if you think you have a big mouth, a woman in Ketchikan might beg to differ. In April, Marie Pearl Zellmer Robinson became the official Guinness World Record holder for largest female mouth gape. Her mouth stretched to a jaw dropping 7.28 cm.

[Casey Grove]

Having a record for something is like.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Making a fact for the whole world to learn from. And people look at that and they think that's something that really exists. I wonder if I can do that.

[Wesley Early]

Robinson wasn't the only Alaska champion this year. Jesse Holmes was all smiles when he won his first ever Iditarod Trail sled dog race a month earlier.

[Casey Grove]

I should never feel a down moment in my life. If I died tomorrow, I'd just die the happiest man.

[Wesley Early]

And rounding out the winner's circle, the aptly named chunk bear number 32 claimed his first ever title as Fat Bear Week champion. Looking ahead to 2026 in Anchorage. I'm Wesley Ear.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And that's all for this edition of Alaska News Nightly. End this year. If you missed any of tonight's stories, we're [e-mail] and wherever you get your podcasts. We had reports tonight from Ashlyn o' Hara and Kenai, Patrick Gilchrist and Fairbanks, Alex Solomon in Juneau, Leona Nyden and Wesley early in Anchorage, Ben Townsend and Nome. And Tim Ellis in Delta Junction. Our audio engineer is Crystal Hyde. I'm Casey Grove. Happy New Year. This is statewide news on Alaska Public Media.