KNOM-FM (Nome, AK)

Fourteen miles of land along the Nome River — one of western Alaska's key salmon and subsistence rivers — are now owned by Nome's local Native corporation for permanent conservation and stewardship. Sitnasuak Native Corp. now holds the title to about 1,700 acres, which used to be a patchwork of Gold Rush-era mining claims and private parcels.

For a few months each summer a 70-mile highway between Nome and the village of Teller opens. It’s a quiet drive – there’s more moose and muskox than cars. One thing you’re guaranteed to see out the window is the Kigluaik Mountains. The rocky, 40-mile wide mountain range is home to wildlife and is a hotspot for subsistence users. But buried within it is also graphite, a key ingredient for batteries. For over a decade, Graphite One has sought to open a mine here.

A bill affirming Alaska Native artists' right to sell art made of marine mammals is headed to the president’s desk. That’s after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Alaska’s Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition, or ARTIST Act, on Wednesday. The House vote was overwhelming and bipartisan, 404-14. The no votes were all Republicans. The bill would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a broad set of federal regulations first passed in 1972.

During summer migration, millions of birds travel from Russia and other parts of Asia across the Bering Strait to Alaska, sometimes bringing viruses, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, with them. Dr. Lisa Kercher, a virologist and influenza researcher from St. Jude Children’s Hospital, is on the ground in Nome this week collecting data and connecting with locals to gain a better understanding of the disease and its impacts to subsistence hunters.

Shaktoolik Subdistrict 5, Unalakleet Subdistrict 6 ​In the Shaktoolik and Unalakleet rivers, subdistricts 5 and 6, a restriction to subsistence fishing in all waters begins June 15. This is in line with the past several years of closures under the King Salmon Management Plan, aimed at reducing incidental king salmon harvest and boosting the stock.

Isabella said she was proud of what the team was able to accomplish this season. “They are all my best friends, that’s what makes us stronger. We love eating pickles and listening to music. Track and field is such a hard sport and requires that dedication so having your best friends with you makes it so much more enjoyable.

Norman Stenek of Shishmaref participates in the One-foot high kick during the Sr. NYO Games. Photo by Janice Homekingkeo/ KNOM Piper Lockwood of St. Michael competes in the toe kick event, earning second place in the competition. Photo by Janice Homekingkeo/ KNOM. The 56th annual Sr. Native Youth Olympics took place in Anchorage from April 16–18, 2026, bringing together 50 teams from across Alaska to compete in 11 traditional events rooted in subsistence skills.

KNOM received four Alaska Press Club awards for 2025, including two shared with partners across the state for coverage of ex-Typhoon Halong.

Jesus once said that we must work while it is day; when night comes, no one can work. This verse certainly rings true for Alaskans when summer rolls around. There is much work to do in preparation for the impending winter months: rivers run rich with salmon, game roams the tundra, and wild berries fill the hillsides. As the daylight surpasses twenty hours per day, Alaskans will be hard at work stockpiling food for their families.

Azrguq Klescewski and Brielle Olanna dance alongside friends and family at the Katiluta Cultural Festival. Quinn White/KNOM King Island Dancers on stage at Nome Elementary School during the 2026 Katiluta Cultural Festival. Quinn White/KNOM In May, families from across Western Alaska gathered for the Katiluta Cultural Festival. The three-day gathering hosted by local Alaska Native corporations and non-profits featured art workshops, fish cutting demonstrations, storytelling and more.