Forum@360

University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen shares some of the system’s new initiatives and goals. Hosted by KTOO’s Adelyn Baxter.

What does it take to stay out of prison? For individuals who have been incarcerated, getting back on their feet and navigating the challenges of reentering society can be a challenge. A panel discussion about reentry with representatives from the Department of Corrections, the reentry and recovery community, and people with firsthand experience navigating the…

KTOO reporters share and discuss recent stories examining poverty and opportunity in Alaska. They pursued stories on the role of Alaska Native corporations in their shareholders’ lives, the challenges of limited childcare in the Capital City, and the impacts new biomass boilers and greenhouses in a rural community. Featuring Julia Caulfied, David Purdy and Jacob…

Alaska regularly ranks at or near the top in health care costs. Leading experts from state government, the hospital and nursing home industry, and the insurance industry discuss why. They’ll also talk about how they’re trying to push these costs down. The panelists include Alaska Division of Insurance Director Lori Wing-Heier, Alaska State Hospital and…

Would a single payer health care system be good for Alaska? Dr. Carol Paris, president of Physicians for a National Health Program, advocates for a single payer health care system. Policy expert Sandra Heffern with the AK Health Reform coalition and Juneau general surgeon Dr. David Miller will discuss the concept, and why it might…

A group of artists from across the country are touring Ketchikan, Juneau, Gustavus and Sitka by ferry. Artists Nina Elder, Billy Joe Miller, Wendy Given and Jimmy Riordan are exploring the theme of signal to noise in our understanding of place, nature and community. The artists’ Tidelines Journey is sponsored by The Island Institute based…

Alaska is still facing a yawning, multi-billion dollar gap between what it spends what it raises in revenue, despite billions in budget cuts and two years of policymakers debating how to keep the state solvent. Professor Emeritus Gunnar Knapp of the Institute of Social and Economic Research,  Caroline Schultz of Alaska Department of Labor &…

What is the future of renewable energy in Southeast Alaska? Three community stakeholders will discuss advances in technology and the challenges of powering the region’s most remote locations. We will look at models across the globe to see what’s working and how it could be adapted here.

There are over 150 canneries and fish processors that have operated in Alaska, but only two canneries are currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Very little is known about most of the other facilities that were the principle economic drivers for the pre-oil, pre-statehood Alaska. Historians Anjuli Grantham, Bob King, and Katie…

As the 150th anniversary of the Alaska territory’s purchase from Russia approaches and the capital city prepares for a new statue commemorates the deal’s chief U.S. negotiator, historians reflect on William Henry Seward’s impact on Alaska and its indigenous people. For some, he’s a symbol of American imperialism and colonialism.