Alaska News Nightly – Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Host: Casey Grove | Alaska Public Media

Main Theme

This episode delivers a comprehensive roundup of statewide news, focusing on critical stories impacting Alaskans—from the surging need for food aid amid economic and policy changes, to updates on the massive Alaska gas line workforce planning, rising infant mortality rates, adaptations in the fishing industry, youth vaping challenges, and creative approaches to wintertime fun. The episode balances hard-hitting topics with features on community resilience and ingenuity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Surging Food Insecurity and Community Response

Timestamps: 00:19 – 07:45

• The Food Bank of Alaska reports exceptional demand heading into the holiday season, driven by inflation, disaster response, and changes in federal food support programs.
  • “Coming out of the pandemic, you know, we saw a lot of inflation and so just the rising costs really drove additional people to food pantries just to help make ends meet.” – Kara Durr, CEO, Food Bank of Alaska (05:06)
• Thanksgiving Blessing distributed full turkey dinners to thousands across Anchorage and the Mat-Su—lines were out the door.
• Loss and delay of SNAP benefits led to a 15% increase in people seeking help; some food pantries saw 65% month-to-month increases.
• Federal cuts and future threats to SNAP raise anxieties about ongoing hunger.
  • “Anytime the program is cut, even by a small amount or there are delays, we see it firsthand at our food pantries, more people coming looking for those resources there.” – Kara Durr (06:05)
• Despite federal support dropping, community food drives surged, leading to a “good problem” of running out of collection barrels.
  • “We actually ran out of our food drive barrels because so many people were doing food drives, which is a good problem to have.” – Kara Durr (06:47)

Memorable:

• “To walk into [the store] and buy this dinner, it probably cost you 300 bucks...I don't have 300 bucks.” – Thanksgiving recipient (07:21)

2. Alaska Gas Line Project: Workforce & Feasibility

Timestamps: 07:45 – 11:08

• The Alaska LNG project may require 7,000 workers for peak construction of its 800-mile pipeline.
  • “It's divided into four different construction spreads...that's how we can move...on a simultaneous basis to expedite the schedule.” – Rex Cannon, President, Eight Star Alaska LLC (08:53)
• Planning is ongoing, with major demand for engineers, pipefitters/welders, ironworkers, electricians, and logistics workers.
• State workforce leaders are excited about opportunities, but skeptical about filling all positions given Alaska’s shrinking labor pool.
  • “There’s a lot of shortfalls we already have in workforce in Alaska. That's been a big challenge.” – Patrick Rose, State Workforce Board Member (10:19)
• Glenfarn Group to decide on project go/no-go by January 1; recent strategic alliance with Baker Hughes announced.

3. Infant Mortality Rate Rise

Timestamps: 11:20 – 12:40

• Alaska’s post-neonatal infant mortality rates have increased significantly since 2017, now exceeding the US average.
  • Over 500 infant deaths in the past decade, mostly sudden and unexplained.
• State health experts advise, “Sleep the baby alone, on their back, in a crib with a firm mattress. No stuffed animals or fluffy comforters.” – Jennifer Heller, Nurse and Family Health Consultant (12:23)

4. Fairbanks Air Quality: Lifting of Federal Funding Freeze

Timestamps: 12:40 – 14:10

• Federal authorities have lifted a ‘conformity freeze’ penalizing Fairbanks for air quality issues—unfreezing ~$150 million in transportation projects.
  • “Effectively, those projects got paused and now with this being lifted, we can resume work on those to get them back on track to construction in the coming years.” – Jackson Fox, Fairbanks Surface Transportation Executive Director (13:59)
• First likely project: $30M Steese Highway reconstruction.

5. Crisis Averted for Bristol Bay Red King Crab

Timestamps: 14:10 – 17:06

• Boiler breakdown at the only North Region processing plant nearly left 135,000 pounds of king crab to spoil.
• City of Unalaska intervened, processing the catch and sending $95K in taxes back to original recipient, St. Paul.
  • “We needed to get some agreement in place within like 12 hours. So we had two or three meetings in those short periods of time.” – Mayor Vince Tuticoff Sr., Unalaska (15:46)
• Ongoing collaboration needed as plant closures persist.

6. Nome’s Youth Vaping Issue

Timestamps: 17:06 – 19:49

• Vaping among students, especially with marijuana-based cartridges, is a challenging and persistent problem.
  • “It really rose kind of during COVID and it still is a continuing issue. We really try to balance education with punitive measures.” – Jamie Burgess, Nome Schools Superintendent (17:25)
• Proposals for bans (including blocking online sales) have been considered but face skepticism about effectiveness.
  • “They get it from their friends or...they steal it from their parents or their brother or sister.” – Tracy Gregg, Nome Regional Hospital (18:43)
• Early prevention and education highlighted as most promising; some students placed in youth vaping education programs.
• Limited data, but local perception suggests rates remain high.

7. Indoor Winter Fun: Creativity, Connection, and Coping

Timestamps: 19:49 – 25:03

• Feature from the Alaska Survival Kit series on making winter social life enjoyable.
• Host Hannah Flor explores themes and tips for intentional, quirky gatherings:
  1. Super-niche, silly parties: e.g., Pride & Prejudice and Potatoes Potluck.
     • “If I can just get a bunch of my friends to come over and participate in this really silly specific party...I find a lot of joy and value in that.” – Megan Pacer, party host (20:55)
     • “Like, the silliness is the point.” – Hannah Flor (21:15)
  2. Add fun to chores: Turn group exercise, mending, food prep, or even errands into social events.
     • “If you just exercise with your neighbors, it's so great because you're accountable to people.” – Tara Lloyd, neighbor (22:21)
  3. Introduce competition: Friendly rivalry brings energy to gatherings, even if the prize is just bragging rights.
     • “I made an ube cake...there's supposedly an award for best dessert tonight, so wish me luck.” – Zakiya McCummings, participant (23:41)
• Main message: intentional, even absurd, creativity helps Alaskans beat winter isolation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I tell people your vape is not your grandma's cigarette is all I can say.” – Jamie Burgess on modern youth vaping (17:51)
• “There's a lot of shortfalls we already have in workforce in Alaska. That's been a big challenge.” – Patrick Rose on Alaska’s labor force (10:19)
• “We actually ran out of our food drive barrels because so many people were doing food drives, which is a good problem to have.” – Kara Durr (06:47)
• “If you just exercise with your neighbors, it's so great because you're accountable to people.” – Tara Lloyd (22:21)
• “Like the silliness is the point.” – Hannah Flor (21:15)

Section Timestamps

• Food Insecurity & Food Bank: 00:19 – 07:45
• Alaska Gas Line Project: 07:45 – 11:08
• Infant Mortality Rates: 11:20 – 12:40
• Fairbanks Air Quality Freeze Lifted: 12:40 – 14:10
• Bristol Bay Red King Crab Solution: 14:10 – 17:06
• Youth Vaping in Nome: 17:06 – 19:49
• Winter Fun & Alaska Survival Kit: 19:49 – 25:03

Tone & Takeaways

The episode moves briskly from sober statewide challenges—hunger, health, industry instability—to stories of adaptability and humor, capturing both the resilience and inventive spirit that define Alaskan communities.

For more stories and the Alaska Survival Kit series, visit alaskapublic.org.