KOTZ - Kotzebue

For one Iñupiaq woman, hearing the words doctor next to her name was emotional: Her response to passing her dissertation defense went viral this month after hundreds of thousands of people watched her reaction.

As the only team to complete the original upper Kobuk loop trail through the storm, 38-year-old Ryan Redington took home the $16,000 first prize.

While Browning was first back in Kotzebue, a race champion has yet to be named: Race officials still must adjust teams’ times to account for different distances traveled during the weekend’s harrowing storm.

Many teams were pinned down by the weather for hours, unable to find each other and unsure if they were on the trail at all. 

Braving heavy winds and below-zero temperatures, a dozen mushers embarked across the sea ice for their chance at claiming victory in this year’s Kobuk 440 Sled Dog Race.

Prosecuting crimes in Western Alaska can be tough, with just a few lawyers assigned to thousands of cases annually.

Eighth grader Fannie Williams played all of both regional tournament games for Kiana’s boys high school team.

The Native Village of Kaktovik is speaking out against the Biden administration, claiming their tribe wasn’t consulted about an agreement President Biden made with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding protections of the porcupine caribou herd in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The state emergency management department says the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative is working with regional entities on clearing frozen well transmission lines as well as restoring power to parts of the community.

While many residents said they have a secondary heat source at home, four families stayed overnight at the local school. Selawik officials have ordered a temporary water supply from Kotzebue.