Northwest Arctic

Nome grand jury indicts Savoonga man on eight counts of sexual abuse of a minor

A Nome grand jury indicted a Savoonga man, 31, on eight counts of sexual abuse of a minor involving three juveniles. He was on probation for a prior sexual abuse conviction at the time.

by Walter AlaskaNews5h ago1 min read

Nome power bills face a bigger fuel surcharge as utility board presses for overdue audits

Nome's power bill fuel surcharge is likely to roughly double after the utility's biggest fuel bond yet. Its board, meanwhile, still wants a budget and audits.

by Walter AlaskaNews21h ago3 min read

Cape Blossom Road near Kotzebue is closed while crews install a temporary bridge

Cape Blossom Road near Kotzebue is closed while Brice Construction installs a temporary bridge, with no reopening date given.

by Alaska News22h ago2 min read

Northwest Arctic schools finish $1 million ahead as auditors flag bookkeeping

The Northwest Arctic school district planned to dip into savings last year and instead added $1 million, a draft audit says. Its bookkeeping got flagged.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

Two Alaska Native students who died at Carlisle Indian School are brought home

Tummassak of Shishmaref and Edward Angalook of Unalakleet, who died at Pennsylvania's Carlisle Indian School over a century ago, were brought home in October.

by Walter AlaskaNews18h ago2 min read

Graphite One pays a federal lab to see if its Nome-area mine could also yield rare earths

Graphite One is paying a federal lab to see if its rock near Nome also holds rare earth elements. The mine itself is still years and a federal review away.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Judicial conduct commission to announce discipline recommendation for former Nome judge Nov. 17

Alaska's judicial conduct commission will say Nov. 17 what discipline it recommends for ex-Nome Judge Romano DiBenedetto in a Facebook and phone case.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Nome staff recommend denying Bonanza Fuel rezone and King Island tribal home variances

Nome planners recommend saying no to a fuel company's shop in a residential area and to fixes for a tribal home whose stairs crossed a lot line.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Northwest Arctic Borough seeks designs for heated public safety storage in five villages

The Northwest Arctic Borough wants designs for heated buildings to keep fire, search and rescue and VPSO gear out of the cold in five villages.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readFrom Nov 6

Nome school board named Alaska's outstanding school board for 2026

Nome's school board was named Alaska's 2026 Outstanding School Board, with the state association pointing to reading gains among its youngest students.

by Maggie AlaskaNews4d ago2 min read

Four in 10 Nome Elementary students are chronically absent so far this year

Nome Elementary counted 114 of its 281 students as chronically absent this year, including half of first graders, and is reaching out to affected families.

by Maggie AlaskaNews5d ago2 min read

NANA company in line for $2.3 million grant to design hydro for three villages

NANA's public benefit company is in line for $2.3 million in federal money to design a hydro project and power line for Ambler, Shungnak and Kobuk.

by Maggie AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read

AIDEA lets its director sign binding Ambler Road deals and move an estimated $86 million

AIDEA's board told its director to sign binding Ambler Road agreements and move an estimated $86 million more toward the road, weeks before Dunleavy leaves.

by Melinda Communities.News5d ago3 min readFrom Nov 4

Plaintiffs ask a judge to toss Bering Air's claims against four people in Flight 445 suits

Bering Air wants four people added to Flight 445 death suits. Two plaintiffs, whose lawyers call them federal employees, want them out. A judge will decide.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

State energy board votes on nearly $5 million solar loan for Red Dog Mine

The state energy board votes Thursday on a nearly $5 million loan for solar at Red Dog Mine, sized to stay just under the line where the Legislature gets a say.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Nome utility board lacks quorum at City Hall, reschedules for Friday

Nome's utility board met at City Hall instead of the power plant Tuesday but didn't have enough members to do business. It'll try again Friday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Judge to hear a motion Thursday in Nome gold miners' beach access suit against Sitnasuak

Two Nome gold miners say Sitnasuak and two troopers used trespass notices and arrest threats to keep them off the beach. A hearing is set for Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago4 min readFrom Jul 23

Brice seeks Corps permit for an 8-acre gravel pit along the Inmachuk River near Deering

A Fairbanks company wants to dig a gravel pit along the Inmachuk River for Deering's airport work and other projects. The Army Corps is taking comment.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Graphite One pushes Graphite Creek mine near Nome to 2030, a year later than planned

Graphite One pushed its Graphite Creek mine near Nome to 2030 and its Ohio battery plant to late 2028, about a year later on both, without saying why.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Minor geomagnetic storm could bring northern lights to Fairbanks and Nome Saturday night

Halloween's geomagnetic storm came early. Fairbanks and Nome have the best shot at northern lights tonight, with the peak forecast from 10 pm to 1 am.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Bering Straits Native Corporation board appoints Shaktoolik teacher to vacant seat

The Bering Straits Native Corporation board appointed Shaktoolik teacher Silas Paniptchuk to a vacant seat. He will serve the remainder of the term through 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Bering Straits Native Corporation shareholders elect three directors, reelect two

Nome police send callers to a backup number for the second time in a week

Nome's 911 line and police phone had trouble early Thursday, the second time in a week police sent callers to a backup number. The lines are back up.

by Alaska News2w ago1 min read

Red Dog Mine is down to one pit, with zinc output expected to fall by nearly half

Red Dog Mine is down to one pit, and Teck expects its zinc output to fall by nearly half by 2028. Higher zinc prices lifted its profits this quarter.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

State energy board to vote on nearly $5 million loan for solar at Red Dog Mine

Red Dog Mine makes all its power from diesel and cuts power to parts of the mine in summer. A state board votes Nov. 5 on a nearly $5 million loan toward solar.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Forecasters expect up to a foot of snow near Red Dog Mine through Thursday afternoon

Winter storm warning near Red Dog Mine runs through 4 pm Thursday, with 6 to 12 inches expected and up to 18 inches in higher terrain.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Kivalina's power is mostly back as the school shelter count drops to three

Power is mostly back in Kivalina, and three people stayed at the school shelter Tuesday night, down from about 175. It stays open through the weekend.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Wind cuts power to much of Kivalina, and restoring it may take up to a week

Champi's remnants track south, but Hooper Bay could see water 2 to 4 feet above high tide

Typhoon Champi's leftovers are now forecast to pass well south, easing the West Coast's hit. Hooper Bay could still see water 2 to 4 feet above high tide.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Troopers arrest Deering man after reports he assaulted multiple people in the village

Nome troopers arrested a Deering man Tuesday after reports he assaulted multiple people and damaged property in the village. The school sheltered in place.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Northwest Arctic Borough seeks batteries for 3 villages, but award waits on DOE extension

The Northwest Arctic Borough wants bids on batteries for three Kobuk River villages. Two would arrive after the federal grant paying for them is set to end.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min readFrom Oct 22

Nome mayor calls Kawerak's seabed mining draft inflammatory; city staff will write another

Nome's mayor called Kawerak's seabed mining moratorium draft inflammatory. The council didn't vote on it, and city staff will write a narrower resolution.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Follows: Nome council votes Monday on asking Congress to restore harbor dredging money

Troopers arrest Shungnak man after shooting puts the village on lockdown

Troopers arrested a Shungnak man, 23, on assault and weapons charges after a Sunday shooting put the village on lockdown. The injuries weren't life-threatening.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Graphite One says it won a defense award to test Graphite Creek carbon in high heat

Graphite One says it won a Defense Logistics Agency award to test carbon from its Graphite Creek deposit for high-heat defense uses. It didn't give a value.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago1 min read

A new Deering school is estimated at $64 million, and the building isn't funded yet

Northwest Arctic's school district puts a new Deering school at $64 million, with $6 million to start. The building, utilities and teacher housing are unfunded.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min readFrom Sep 29

Arctic mine developer wraps summer drilling, says its focus is shifting toward building

Ambler Metals drilled 42 holes at the proposed Arctic copper mine and says its focus is shifting to preparing to build. It wants a federal decision in 2028.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 21

Nome council votes Monday on asking Congress to restore harbor dredging money

Nome wants Congress to find 2027 money for dredging its harbor channel. Kawerak, meanwhile, wants the council's support for a seabed mining moratorium.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Wind cuts power to much of Kivalina, and restoring it may take up to a week

High winds knocked out power to most of Kivalina Friday, and repairs may take up to a week. About 175 residents sheltered at the school overnight.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Northwest Arctic Borough energy plan finds fuel use down 2.1%, short of 10% goal

The Northwest Arctic cut imported fuel use 2.1% from 2008 to 2024, missing a 10% goal. Stove oil costs $27.60 a gallon in Ambler, the borough's plan says.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min readFrom Sep 14

Solomon tribe helps buy Nome's utility a bucket truck with federal grid money

The Village of Solomon put $125,000 toward a bucket truck for Nome's utility. It's the first tribe in its Bering Strait consortium to start spending its share.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Nome loses power citywide during storm after generator shuts down with second unit offline

Nome lost power citywide during Friday's storm when one generator shut itself down while another was offline for maintenance. State offices let workers go.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Cape Blossom Road closes for second stage of project to cut Kotzebue freight costs

The road south of Kotzebue toward Cape Blossom is closed for the second stage of construction on a project meant to cut freight costs for the region.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read