Talk of Alaska Alaska Public Media

Alaskans like to pack in as much fun as possible during our gloriously long summer days and extended bouts of backyard, beach, boat and campsite time is made all the better when you have a great book to relax with. Readers know how books create magical doorways into other worlds and other worldviews that enhance your imagination in ways that scrolling online will never match. If you want to stick to home grown books, Alaska has many great authors and a wide range of selections from thrillers to romance to science. On this Talk of Alaska, we revisit our 2023 conversation with Alaskan authors and librarians to discuss book recommendations for Summer reading.

Summer is here in Alaska. The days are longer, the snow is melting and the weather is at least a little warmer. That means Alaskans are spending a lot of time outside, hiking, biking, boating and hunting, just to name a few activities. Whatever your Summer adventure is, there’s always the chance that something can go wrong. So what can you do to keep yourself safe? We gathered your best advice and talked with outdoor safety experts to hear their tips on this Talk of Alaska.

The Alaska Court System is honoring 25 years of therapeutic courts in the state this month. These alternative paths to justice and rehabilitation bring together a broad partnership of law enforcement, corrections and health professionals to work on a plan of treatment rather than incarceration for Alaskans who struggle with mental health challenges, past trauma or addictions. The idea is to prevent recidivism, reduce crime and promote public safety. How well have the courts performed in the last 25 years and what will the next 25 look like? We discuss therapeutic courts on this Talk of Alaska.

In shops across Alaska, sales of cannabis flower and extracted products have been legal for nearly a decade. How are growers and retailers faring in a heavily-taxed and competitive industry? A bill advocates hoped would lower tax rates didn’t pass the legislature, so what does that mean for the industry? And what does a federal change to reclassify marijuana mean for the future of full legalization? We discuss legal cannabis sales and the outlook for the future on this Talk of Alaska.

Environmental legislation that was passed in the 1970s has aimed to protect air, water, soil and animals. One of the largest laws, the Endangered Species Act, is 50 years old, and through the decades the Act has helped numerous species recover and thrive. How has a rapidly changing climate affected listing petitions and the way plans are developed for recovery? What are the effects on the economy when species are listed? What success stories does the Act have in protecting Alaskan animals? We discuss the legacy of the Endangered Species Act on this Talk of Alaska

Wildfire is inevitable, but weather conditions and human behavior have a lot to do with how big a fire season will be and how much acreage is burned. What is the outlook for this year’s fire season in Alaska, and what are the best ways to protect your property and community from fire? Are state and federal managers preparing for an average or big year for firefighting? We discuss the 2024 wildfire seasonal outlook on this Talk of Alaska.