Ava White

2 weeks ago | alaskapublic.org | Ava White

Two Anchorage teens are trying to encourage more young people to get involved with philanthropy– giving their time and money to benefit society as a whole. Youth Philanthropists Alaska, or YPA, aims to teach kids aged 12-17 the power of investing in local charities. The group plans to meet twice a year. Each kid who attends will donate $10, creating a prize pool of at least $1,000. Three charities give presentations about why their charity is deserving.

2 weeks ago | alaskapublic.org | Ava White

Alaskans used to pay the highest rent in the nation, but new state data show that cost has stabilized. Rent was about 50% higher than the national average in 1980 in Alaska and average household income in the state was also the nation’s highest, according to a report in Alaska Economic Trends magazine. But since then, Alaska’s median monthly rent cost hasn’t grown as fast as other states.

3 weeks ago | alaskapublic.org | Ava White

Alaska Farm Supply is a go-to spot for farmers in the Matanuska Susitna Borough. At the shop yard in Wasilla, bags of animal feed tower like mini skyscrapers. “Each pallet is one ton,” said owner Todd Bagetis while pointing to the top of a tower of animal feed. The closest active volcano to Anchorage, Mount Spurr, could erupt within weeks or months, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

3 weeks ago | ktoo.org | Ava White

Star, an iconic reindeer who lived in downtown Anchorage, died Tuesday – weeks after he was possibly poisoned. Star was the seventh reindeer to live at the corner of 10th Avenue and I Street. Star was euthanized Tuesday according to his owner Albert Whitehead. “His health was so bad that he was not doing very well,” Whitehead said. “He was suffering.”Star was a male reindeer who would’ve been eight next month, Whitehead said. On average, reindeer live around 15 years.

4 weeks ago | alaskapublic.org | Ava White

The Anchorage Assembly rejected a sales tax proposal March 18 after months of deliberation. If approved by voters, the measure would have instituted a 3% tax on most goods, with two-thirds of the revenue going to property tax relief, and the other third supporting capital projects in the city. The measure was sparked by Project Anchorage, an initiative to revitalize the city led by the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation.