News

No harmful algal blooms detected yet, but researchers stay vigilant

By Megan Gannon Around this time last year, a colorless but toxic bloom of harmful algae was detected in the Bering Sea, prompting warnings about consuming some marine resources. This summer, no...

NEW— Satellite dishes are set up on a connex near the powerplant to help Nome as it currently experiences slow internet speeds.

Nome works through a month of internet disruption

Since the June 11 failure of the Quintillion fiberoptic cable, Nome’s residents, businesses and government have been trying to find solutions to retain some sort of internet connectivity to keep...

DISCOVERY TOURS — Robin Johnson and Diana Adams help cruise ship passengers navigate Nome.

Nome’s cruise season kicks off with arrival of MS Roald Amundsen

On Tuesday, Nome saw its first cruise ship visit of the year. Hurtigruten Expeditions’ MS Roald Amundsen docked in port for a changeover day for two groups of luxury cruise ship passengers—one group...

Graphite One man camp near Imuruk Basin.

Department of Defense awards Graphite One $37.5 million

Graphite One is getting a big injection of taxpayer dollars to support its mine development. The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Monday that it will award Graphite One $37.5 million to help...

VISIT— Senator Lisa Murkowski, second from left, checks out a core sample at the Graphite One exploratory drill site, on Saturday, July 8.

Sen. Murkowski visits Pilgrim Hot Springs, Graphite One site

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski toured Graphite One’s exploratory drill site in the Kigluaik Mountains during a short visit to the region on Saturday. Murkowski has voiced support for the company, which is...

ESEARCH— A research consortium spanning five universities is conducting field work in Nome to study community impacts from cruise ship tourism, infrastructure, shipping and climate change. Pictured are researchers Julio Postigo (Indiana University), Laura Landrum, Robert Orttung (George Washington University), Ridwan Akogun (University of Alaska Anchorage) and (seated) Jim Powell (University of Alaska Southeast).

Port expansion promises tourism increase. How can Nome prepare?

The expansion of the Port of Nome has left many residents with questions about how the region will change. The impending development project also offers an attractive case study for researchers who...

Council accepts grant for 3D-print housing project

The Nome Common Council passed a resolution to accept a $600,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of building a 3D printed house. The City has partnered...

INDEPENDENCE DAY IN NOME— Evelyn Omiak and her eight-year-old granddaughter Frances Haag dressed up in red, white and blue for Nome’s Fourth of July celebrations on Front Street.

Sun shines down on Nome’s Independence Day celebrations

Although the weather forecast called for rain, the sun shoved the clouds aside and smiled on the Fourth of July celebrations in Nome, celebrating the 247th birthday of America. The day started bright...

Rick Thoman stands before the giant BIMA dredge on the icy Bering Sea in the spring of 1989. The bucket-line dredge was used to mine seafloor gold deposits until 1990 when engineers would routinely consult with Thoman, a NWS weather observer at the time, about the region's climate and weather activity.

The Arctic Climatologist Calling Attention to a Looming Data Crisis

FAIRBANKS – At the end of 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration produced its latest assessment of Arctic weather patterns, revealing the region’s most urgent climate threat –...

State, federal officials try to dispel confusion surrounding Merbok aid, help with appeals

Representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS) gathered on Friday at the Mini Convention Center to...