Shaleece Haas » radio

Caring for Elders in Rural Alaska

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:03:45 +0000

Matthew Malcolm on the drive from Fairbanks to Eagle, Alaska.

For Native elders who grew up in rural Alaska, the desire to die at home runs deep.

But taking care of elders in rugged and isolated villages is a complicated task. And for many, aging in place is not an option.

Reporter Shaleece Haas traveled to Eagle on the Upper Yukon to find out what’s at stake for Native elders in need of long-term care.

This story was produced with support from the MetLife Foundation Journalism in Aging Fellowship, a program of New America Media and the Gerontological Society of America.

To hear the story as it aired on the Alaska Public Radio Network, click HERE.

Composer brings Tlingit music to Hollywood

admin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:41:34 +0000

Among the few home-grown elements in “The Proposal,” set in Sitka, AK, is a Tlingit wedding chant, composed by a local musician.

“The Proposal,” a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, is set in Sitka, but most of it was shot in Rockport, Massachusetts. Tlingit musician, Edward Littlefield, composed the wedding chant for Betty White’s character, Gamma.

The story aired on the Alaska Public Radio Network and on KCAW Raven Radio. You can hear it here.

Rapper merges Native culture, hip hop beats

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:15:45 +0000

Loren Sands, AKA Halfsmoked, is an unlikely rap artist. The young musician writes lyrics influenced by the people, places and cultures of Southeast Alaska.

The story aired on the Alaska Public Radio Network and on KCAW Raven Radio. To listen, click here.

Sitka celebrates sunny Fourth of July

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:07:35 +0000

Sitkans who came downtown to celebrate Independence Day were rewarded with glorious weather. But there were other things to love about the Fourth of July.

To watch the audio slideshow, click here.

SE Alaskans react to Palin resignation

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:03:19 +0000

In Southeast Alaska, residents and legislators were already celebrating the Fourth of July holiday when news broke about Governor Sarah Palin’s resignation.

This story aired on Alaska News Nightly on 7/3/09 and on KCAW Raven Radio on 7/6/09. Listen to the story here.

Senior services halt new applications

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:28:23 +0000

Elderly and disabled Alaskans seeking Medicaid coverage for home-based care are going to have to wait. And no one knows how long.

Last week, the federal agency that oversees Medicaid, told Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services that they must stop accepting new applications for personal care and home-based services. But what they haven’t clarified is what the department needs to do to get the program started again.

To listen to the story as it aired on KCAW Raven Radio, click here.

Native Alaskan artist shares craft and culture

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:25:02 +0000

Emily Johnston, a Cu’pik artist from Nunivak Island, Alaska, learned to weave grass baskets from her mother. Now she’s passing on the tradition. Johnston demonstrated her work this summer at the Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka, Alaska.

This 4-minute feature story was broadcast on KCAW Raven Radio in Sitka. Listen to the story here.

Sea bird refuge celebrates centennial

admin — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:25:31 +0000

To celebrate St. Lazaria Island’s centennial as a bird refuge, local agencies hosted the first public tour of the island, where 500,000 seabirds make their nests.

100 years ago, Teddy Roosevelt set aside St. Lazaria Island as a wildlife refuge. Today the island is the nesting site for more than half-a-million sea birds. To celebrate its centennial, local agencies teamed up to lead the first-ever public walking tour of the island. A small group of birdwatchers and nature buffs recently embarked on a rare adventure, one that may signal an opening of the island to public visitation.

This story aired on the Alaska Public Radio Network and KCAW Raven Radio. To listen, click here.

Mt. Edgecumbe as seen from St. Lazaria Island

St. Lazaria Island, home to half-a-million nesting sea birds.

Mentally ill seniors see gap in care

admin — Sat, 23 May 2009 21:31:39 +0000

Alaska has a robust senior care program, but one segment of the older population is having a difficult time finding the care they need: those with mental illness.

To listen to the story as it aired on Alaska News Nightly, click here.

Note: This story was awarded the 2009 Goldie Award for Best News Story, Student Division by the Alaska Broadcasters Association.