Clarise Larson

In this newscast: The loss of five lives aboard the Wind Walker earlier this month was the latest in a string of tragedies that has shaken the Sitka community this year. In a two-hour vigil at the University of Alaska Southeast boat ramp on Saturday, more than 80 Sitkans and visitors gathered to share stories of loss, sing hymns, and toss flowers into the channel; Election officials finished recounting the results of Ballot Measure 2 yesterday, and the outcome remains unchanged; Dak júus Rob Yates teaches the language of the Haida people, X̱aad Kíl. According to the most recent statewide report, there is only one person alive who has spoken X̱aad Kíl since birth. There are two other highly proficient speakers. Yates says he isn’t one of them yet, but he’s still working to breathe life into the language; The Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska – one of the world’s largest producers of lead and zinc- is set to run out of ore in just eight years. But Teck, the Canadian company that operates the mine, wants to explore nearby deposits that could extend the mine’s life for decades.

In this newscast: The way tourism companies in Juneau can take advantage of city-owned trails and parks is getting an update.A new city analysis recommends changes that, if approved, would allow companies to operate on some popular trails they haven’t been able to before — while others would stay off limits; As Kenai Peninsula school board members mull the best way to restrict student cellphone use, three schools offered reflections on the policies they’ve already implemented; Republicans in the Alaska House have formed a 19-member minority caucus, and elected Anchorage Representative-elect Mia Costello as their leader. The outgoing House speaker, Wasilla Republican Cathy Tilton, will serve as minority whip.

In this newscast: U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski occupies a rare place among her 99 colleagues. She doesn’t necessarily stick to what party leaders would want her to do and her propensity to cross the aisle could stand between Trump and his agenda. Alaska Public Media Washington Correspondent Liz Ruskin reports on Murkowski’s spot in the dynamics of the Senate as it switches to Republican control; Just in the last five years the State of Alaska has declared nearly three dozen weather or climate related disasters-  nearly double the five years before. As Alaskans grapple with a rapidly changing climate, what changes can we expect to the environment? As KNOM’s Ben Townsend shares, a new report attempts to answer that question; Tribal members from the Wrangell Cooperative Association were introduced on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building this week for the Christmas Tree lighting. They blessed the tree and the people at the ceremony with traditional songs.