Hometown, Alaska - Alaska Public Media
190 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsHometown, Alaska features conversations with leaders and decision-makers in local and statewide government, social service agencies, educational institutions, and cultural groups across Anchorage and Alaska. Hosted by Kathleen McCoy, E.J. David, and Justin Williams.
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Episodes
Meet Americorps in Alaska
August 15, 2019 20:40Back in 1965, President John Kennedy launched a domestic public service equivalent of the Peace Corps, called VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). In 1993, President Bill Clinton created Americorps as an initiative within the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). In 1994, VISTA was rolled into Americorps along with a National Civilian Community […]
What you need to know about this pest
August 06, 2019 21:00How to identify a spruce bark beetle-infested tree. Can you use it as firewood? How do you keep spruce in your own yard healthy? How serious is the outbreak in Southcentral? Thanks for listening!
Anchorage prepares for budget cut impacts
August 01, 2019 18:27On Wednesday, July 24, the mayor of Anchorage declared a short-term civil emergency in anticipation of the impacts from dramatic budget cuts to agencies that shelter the city’s homeless and move them into housing. Two days later, the Anchorage Assembly voted to extend the civil emergency through August 6, and to provide $400,000 to help […]
Anchorage’s ever-evolving farmers markets
July 27, 2019 01:30I remember my first lovely visit to a farmers’ market this year, back on June 22. I’d heard about a new one, Jewel Lake Farmers Market, serving southwest Anchorage at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church off Jewel Lake Road. What I found whet my appetite. I spent the rest of the day cruising the South […]
Justice Alaska: A conversation with former Chief Justice Walter ‘Bud’ Carpeneti
July 18, 2019 18:05Alaska’s current budgetary conflict on how to pay for government services touches many aspects of life in Alaska, including the judicial system. In this edition of Justice Alaska on Hometown Alaska, we sit down with former Chief Justice ‘Bud’ Carpeneti for the opportunity to understand the budgetary points of conflict, including impacts on prosecution, public […]
House for Sale: Alaska real estate snapshot
July 11, 2019 21:22The “For Sale” signs are popping up on street corners everywhere. Summer is often a good time to sell a house, since the grass is green and the flowers are blooming. That’s good curb appeal. Yet news accounts of the home market suggest that the Nov. 30 earthquake has slowed sales. Buyers are wary of […]
Meet three Rasmuson Individual Artist Award recipients
July 03, 2019 18:59Just about a month ago, the Rasmuson Foundation named its 2019 individual artist award recipients, 36 in total. Even a one-hour show is NOT enough time to present them all. So we did what we had to: selected one artist from each category. Of course there was only one Distinguished Artist, Richard Nelson of Encounters […]
Speaking truth to power: How one community group gets things done
June 28, 2019 19:31Anchorage is gripped by several complex local issues — widespread evidence and impact of homelessness and persistent criminal activity. And like the nation, the state of Alaska seems politically polarized; here, it is over how to fund government services while supporting a permanent fund dividend payment to its residents. The problems are big and seem […]
How citizens can ride along with the APD
June 20, 2019 20:30This summer solstice evening, Senior Judge Elaine Andrews participated in a citizen’s ride along with the Anchorage Police Department, riding with Sgt. Jeremy Conkling. Conkling also currently serves as president of the Alaska Police Department Employees Association (APDEA), a bargaining unit that represents 500 employees at APD. Conkling’s APD career began in 2011 as a […]
Alaska, through the eyes of the Cole brothers
June 13, 2019 21:30Terrence and Dermot Cole are smart brothers who grew up with four other siblings on a small farm in eastern Pennsylvania. These two –twins actually — followed older brother, Pat, to Fairbanks in the 1970s. Terrence became a history professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks. Journalist Dermot has written for four decades, 21 years for […]
Unpacking Anchorage’s new Climate Action Plan
June 06, 2019 20:14Urban Alaskans may well celebrate snow that melts and disappears faster in spring. On the other hand, warmer summers are dramatically facilitating spruce bark beetle infestations in Southcentral. Fire and falling trees can result. Warmer winters may translate into fewer people freezing in winter sub-zero temperatures, but shoe grippers and spiked slip-ons have become more […]
Vote on People Mover route changes
May 29, 2019 01:00Until the end of this month, People Mover is inviting citizens to vote for bus route changes they most like. Voting is done via email. Voters get to select their top three proposals out of about 30. Winning proposals will be costed out in the fall, and depending on available funding, implemented over time. Don’t […]
How the Disability Law Center of Alaska serves
May 19, 2019 22:30This is an independent, nonprofit law firm providing legal advocacy for people with disabilities anywhere in Alaska. It serves as the congressionally mandated “protection and advocacy” agency in Alaska. Each state has one, based on a public outcry in the 1970s about abuse and neglect of individuals with disabilities in institutional care. The law firm […]
After the shaking stopped: New info from the Nov. 30 quake
May 03, 2019 21:37We are still living with the aftermath of last November’s major shaker. FEMA is still here helping homeowners and the school district. Eagle River students are still adjusting their lives to different schools and municipality voters passed a bond measure to help with school repairs. People are trying to get their lives back to normal. […]
Dr. Deena Bishop, ASD superintendent, takes your questions
April 26, 2019 16:53Anchorage School District Superintendent Dr. Deena Bishop joins us to take listener questions. She will share the district's strategies for coping with the current long list of challenges. She'll also speak to what it means to educate children for a world that is changing fast. And we'll learn a bit about what drives her to do this work. Thanks for listening!
Is Alaska ready for its next health emergency?
April 01, 2019 22:31Rebroadcast: First of two parts on emergency preparedness. This week, how is the state of Alaska prepared? Next week: How should you, private citizen, prepare? Thanks for listening!
Justice Alaska: Older Alaskans and their issues in court
March 20, 2019 21:00What are some of the most important legal issues facing older Alaskans? Thanks for listening!
Resilience: What does it take?
March 07, 2019 21:32Resilience is the ability to bounce back from a tough blow. Today, we hear three Alaska stories of resilience. Thanks for listening!
Hey hikers, bikers, skiers: Here’s something you need to know
February 28, 2019 10:00What you don't know about animal trapping in Alaska could hurt you or your pet. Thanks for listening!
How to access free legal services
February 21, 2019 21:20Alaska attorneys provide a variety of free legal services for the Anchorage community. One program, free legal clinics around Alaska planned annually on Martin Luther King Day, has continued for a decade and assisted more than three and a half thousand Alaskans. Partners in this effort include the Alaska Court System and Alaska Legal Services Corporation, a private nonprofit law firm established in Alaska in 1967. Thanks for listening! The post How to access free legal services appeared fi...
Weighing in on a year of Anchorage public transit changes
February 14, 2019 23:35In October 2017, the Municipality's transit department made big change in local transit. Now they have a report card on how it went during the first year. They want to hear from you. Join this conversation about the future of public transit in Anchorage. Thanks for listening! The post Weighing in on a year of Anchorage public transit changes appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Why February 19, a ‘Day of Remembrance,’ matters to so many
February 07, 2019 20:32An event on February 19, 1942 changed the course of many lives; the U.S. struggled from a devastating attack by Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Just two months later, the U.S. President authorized the military to relocate those of Japanese ancestry away from the West Coast. Hundreds of Aleuts were also moved. Thanks for listening! The post Why February 19, a ‘Day of Remembrance,’ matters to so many appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Adding Anchorage housing: where, when and how?
February 01, 2019 17:56Anchorage has a shortage of all kinds of housing. Planners and residents grapple with strategies to encourage housing, including zoning changes and property tax incentives for builders creating homes downtown. Catch up on all the proposals. Thanks for listening! The post Adding Anchorage housing: where, when and how? appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Anchorage Opera tells an American story that also played out in Alaska
January 24, 2019 22:25Anchorage Opera's next offering, "An American Dream," goes a long way toward explaining how opera tells relevant stories in modern times. Thanks for listening! The post Anchorage Opera tells an American story that also played out in Alaska appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Journalists: In the heat of the battle
January 17, 2019 19:35Most people are aware that the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of the press. Less well known are the rules journalists use to govern their work. Today, two local newsroom leaders talk about them. Thanks for listening! The post Journalists: In the heat of the battle appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Alaska Innocence Project: Lessons Learned from the ‘Fairbanks Four’
January 10, 2019 03:04Lessons learned from the 'Fairbanks Four' wrongful conviction for the murder of an Alaska teen in 1997. The role the Alaska Innocence Project played in their release. Thanks for listening! The post Alaska Innocence Project: Lessons Learned from the ‘Fairbanks Four’ appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
We be jammin’: Anchorage Folk Fest turns 30 this year
January 03, 2019 02:00Every January for three decades, the Anchorage Folk Festival has warmed up winter with strummin' fingers and tappin' feet. What's on the agenda this year, and more on the history and stories behind the music festival. Thanks for listening! The post We be jammin’: Anchorage Folk Fest turns 30 this year appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
The Alaska Constitution 101: What you need to know
December 12, 2018 00:15Alaska's Constitution played a role in our Nov. 6, 2018 election. Some candidates argued to install protection for the PFD by writing it into the constitution. And in another matter, voters chose not to retain one judge over reactions to the outcome of a court case. Today's show is a chance to better understand our state's constitution, and hear the thinking behind the convention delegates' decisions. Thanks for listening! The post The Alaska Constitution 101: What you need to know appeare...
The homestead life in poems, lived just 6 miles from downtown Anchorage
December 05, 2018 23:00Linda Schandelmeier and her two siblings grew up on an Anchorage homestead. She reads poems from a new book, "Coming out of Nowhere," and tells stories about a place that morphed in a generation. Thanks for listening! The post The homestead life in poems, lived just 6 miles from downtown Anchorage appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Jews in Alaska: Saving the stories
November 28, 2018 23:00What is Jewish history in Alaska? And what is contemporary Jewish life in Alaska? Find out when Alaska Jewish Museum founders and a curator join us. Thanks for listening! The post Jews in Alaska: Saving the stories appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Reflections on giving and volunteering in the community
November 23, 2018 21:10Volunteering and giving are two sides of community engagement. On today's show, we invite local community groups and nonprofits to thank their volunteers, and we discuss the power of giving to support community ambitions. Thanks for listening! The post Reflections on giving and volunteering in the community appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
UAA Justice Center works for data-driven public policy on sexual assault investigations
November 14, 2018 22:30Alaska, and the entire nation, is coming to grips with rape kits used in sexual assault investigations that were never submitted. The reasons why vary. Now, new public policy is in the works. Today's show features guests from UAA Justice Center. Thanks for listening! The post UAA Justice Center works for data-driven public policy on sexual assault investigations appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Meet more next-gen business builders
November 08, 2018 04:28Alaska is constantly moving toward it's non-oil based future. Entrepreneurs are a big part of that picture. Today, we talk with a handful of women entrepreneurs and their ideas for building a successful business in Alaska. Thanks for listening! The post Meet more next-gen business builders appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Older Alaskans: Still working after all these years
October 31, 2018 09:17Are you an older Alaskan who is still working? You're part of a trend. Tell us your story, and learn more why this is happening in Alaska and across the United States. Thanks for listening! The post Older Alaskans: Still working after all these years appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Weighing Ballot Measure One
October 24, 2018 21:00Voters decide the fate or Ballot Measure One, the Salmon Initiative, on November 6. Hear both sides before you cast your vote. Thanks for listening! The post Weighing Ballot Measure One appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Eyes Closed: When you are 10, and you have dreams
October 17, 2018 21:00Can you remember being 10 years old, and having a dream? Join us on Hometown Alaska to hear the dreams of three participants in 'Eyes Closed,' a community celebration highlighting the stories and dreams of 19 very diverse youngsters in Anchorage. Join us! Thanks for listening! The post Eyes Closed: When you are 10, and you have dreams appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
How Alaska chooses its judges; how voters weigh in
October 10, 2018 21:00Before Alaska's statewide election on Nov. 6, where 15 judges appear on the ballot, learn how Alaska selects judges through an independent citizens' commission, and how voters have a say in retaining those judges at election time. Thanks for listening! The post How Alaska chooses its judges; how voters weigh in appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Loving and learning from jazz
October 03, 2018 21:00What can you learn from jazz? Find out from these Alaska students, including high school, college and an adult learner, along with their teacher, John Damberg. They'll play a few tunes, too. Thanks for listening! The post Loving and learning from jazz appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Are YOU ready for the next emergency disaster? Here’s how to be.
September 26, 2018 21:15Our previous show explained how Alaska prepares for natural and man-made disasters. Today's show shifts to our responsibility to be prepared ourselves. Learn how. Thanks for listening! The post Are YOU ready for the next emergency disaster? Here’s how to be. appeared first on Alaska Public Media.
Is Alaska ready for its next health emergency?
September 19, 2018 21:00First of two parts on emergency preparedness. This week, how is the state of Alaska prepared? Next week: How should you, private citizen, prepare? Thanks for listening! The post Is Alaska ready for its next health emergency? appeared first on Alaska Public Media.