News

CELEBRATING— Mackenzie Cabrera waves to familiar faces from a Fourth of July parade float with her daughter, Bianca Raleigh Cabrera, during Nome’s Independence Day celebration on Friday, July 4, 2025.

Nome celebrates Fourth of July

By Sarah Manriquez With blue skies overhead and balmy temperatures of 77°F on the thermometer, Nome residents lined Front Street on Friday to celebrate the Fourth of July with an all-day celebration...

FACING REPRIMAND— Superior Court Judge Romano DiBenedetto in two incidences violated the canons and the Alaska Court System’s policy and procedures for a healthy work place, the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct found.

Panel recommends public reprimand for Nome judge

By Diana Haecker Nome’s Superior Court Judge Romano DiBenedetto is facing a public reprimand after the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct found probable cause that his conduct violated canons...

The bear was shot in town at the corner of Spokane and West King Place on July 8.

Bear wandering through town killed by authorities

A young brown bear that wandered into town was shot Tuesday morning at the intersection of Spokane and West King Place. The Nome Police Department received calls about the bear roaming the streets of...

SOAK TIME— Many people enjoyed the hot spring pool last weekend during the Pilgrim Hot Springs Mini Festival, held June 29.

Soaking in the summertime at Pilgrim Hot Springs

By Anna Lionas It was a busy day on the Kougarok Road last Saturday, as caravans of vehicles were visible for miles by the dust plumes they left in their wake. They were headed for Pilgrim Hot...

Bypass mail rate to increase soon

By Anna Lionas In less than two weeks the price for the Alaska Bypass Mail Service will increase by 9.4 percent, with grocery bills expected to increase because of it. This price change is...

Norton Sound Health Corporation interns (from left) Cash Arrington, Kaitlyn Johnson, Dorothy Callahan, Guadalupe Callahan and Aries Bioff hold their favorite bird cutouts inside the NSHC Operations Building on Thursday, June 26, 2025, after four hours of priming work.

Birds on Parade set to replace Nome’s painted sled dog art

By Sarah Manriquez The sled dogs are coming down, and birds are about to take their place. Norton Sound Health Corporation is launching its 2025 community art contest, Birds on Parade, inviting...

Nome celebrates summer solstice

By Sarah Manriquez From costumed heists to icy plunges and paddle-powered raft races, Nome celebrated the summer solstice in style during the annual Midnight Sun Festival, held over the weekend. The...

The cruise ship Westerdam was the first cruise ship to arrive in Nome for the season.

Westerdam visits Nome

By Laura Robertson Last Thursday, the cruise ship Westerdam returned to Nome after having visited the Gold Rush town last year for the first time. The eleven-deck ship seemed to dwarf town as it lay...

Nome School District asks for more money from city

By Anna Lionas Nome Public Schools is facing a deficit of over $1 million for the next school year, following funding reductions at both the local and state level. Now, they’re asking the City of...

ESPECT THE BEAR— Properly skinning and processing a harvested polar bear is an intergenerational act of respect, tradition and shared responsibility. June 23 was day three of fleshing the hide for Kaitlyn Painter, Charles Kokuluk, Frances Muktoyuk, Caroline Brown, Gabrielle Brown, Yvonne Muktoyuk, Jared Wiggins and Jessica Russell.

Hunter harvests summer polar bear at Woolley Lagoon

By Sarah Manriquez When Jared Wiggins saw a polar bear walking toward him near his camp by Woolley Lagoon last week, he knew what was at stake. “It was either him or me,” Wiggins said. “And it wasn’t...