Nome Residents Continue Wait For Quintillion High-Speed Internet
Residents of Nome continue to wait to access high-speed internet through Quintillion’s fiber-optic cable, though a handful of business customers are now connecting to it.
GCI Awards College Scholarships to Western Alaska Students
Eight students from eight communities in Western Alaska will receive $2,000 scholarships to cover college books and tuition.
Wildfire Season Has Begun in Alaska; Some of 85 Active Blazes Cause Smoke to Drift Toward Nome
Beth Ipsen with the Alaska Fire Service says “cluster fires” near Buckland and Kotzebue may bring smoky skies to Nome.
Red Dog Mine Money Distributed to Improvement Fund; NAB Community Projects Being Determined
A group of representatives from each of the 11 borough communities met this week in Kotzebue to define criteria for the projects. “It can’t be directed toward one entity or one person. It has to be something that’s sustainable and is shared with all the community,” according to Hiram Walker, the capital projects manager for the Village Improvement Fund. Teck Resources will contribute $8 million to the VIF this year.
Bill Schildbach Will Be Next NPS Superintendent
Bill Schildbach was the unanimous pick of the NPS Board to be the next superintendent. His first day on the job will be July 1st.
U.S. Military Brings Free ‘Arctic Care’ to Northwest Arctic Communities
In “Operation Arctic Care,” around 100 U.S. and Canadian armed forces reservists deploy to 12 Northwest Arctic communities to provide free health care services.
Northwest Arctic Ice Road Will Not Open This Year
Sea ice has been too thin this year to make it safe to construct the ice road, which normally runs from Kotzebue to Noorvik and Kiana.
Nicolas Petit Claims Decisive Win in 2018 Kobuk 440
There was still pale orange light in the western sky as the French-born Girdwood musher rode into Kotzebue at 12:08 Sunday morning. He had seven energetic dogs in harness.
Nic Petit First to Ambler
The sun was just creeping over Bornite Mountain when Nicolas Petit rode into Ambler in first position. It’s the third checkpoint in the Kobuk 440 and where mushers tend to take longer rests.
16 Teams Depart Kobuk 440 Start in Kotzebue
Sixteen dog teams took off from Kotzebue this afternoon at the start of the 2018 Kobuk 440. Leading the pack across the sea ice was this year’s Iditarod Rookie of the Year, Jessie Holmes. Absent was Kotzebue musher Katherine Keith, although some of her kennel’s dogs will be on the trail.