The Nome River and part of the Kougarok Road on the east side of Nome are seen in the fall of 2025. Land along the river acquired by The Conservation FUnd has now been transmitted to the Sitnasuak Native Corporation for preservation. (Photo by Seth Adams / provided by The Conservation Fund)
When the “three lucky Swedes” discovered gold at Anvil Creek in the Bering Strait region in September of 1898, they touched off a frenzy that transformed a once-peaceful corner of Alaska.
“Imagine a long stretch of sandy beach, piled high & in confusion with freight of all descriptions & tents men unloading barges & working for dear life all the time, then a main street with stores, saloons, dance halls & gambling dens, etc. on each side crowded with people & teams pushing, joshing & shoving, then you have a pretty good description of Nome,” one of those fortune-seekers, named Edwin, said in a June 11, 1900, letter sent to a sweetheart named Clara, as reproduced in the book “Nome Gold” by Kenneth Kutz.
More than a century later, a patchwork of lingering mining claims and private landholdings has been cleared away and land stretching 14 miles along the salmon-rich Nome River is now in the hands of a local Native corporation, which has pledged to protect it.
A deal transferred 1,700 acres along the river from The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit devoted to preserving habitat, to the Sitnasuak Native Corp., the Nome-based village Native corporation.
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The Conservation Fund had purchased private parcels along the river over time, and its transfer to Sitnasuak includes an agreement to preserve the land as a conservation easement, as arranged with the Interior Alaska Land Trust, another nonprofit organization that preserves lands.
For Sitnasuak, the land acquisition is an investment in the future, the corporation’s chief executive officer said.
“We are very proud to take ownership of this precious piece of land. Adding this area to our SNC Land assets ensures it will be protected in perpetuity for future generations of our Alaska Native People,” Charles Fagerstrom, Sitnasuak’s CEO, said in a statement released by The Conservation Fund. “Safeguarding these waters, land and its resources holds tremendous value to our community, Shareholders and Descendants whose ancestors have thrived in this region for thousands of years.”
Putting the land into the Native corporation’s portfolio addresses problems that persisted for decades. Subsistence food gatherers faced barriers when trying to travel to and along the river because they had to cross through parcels of private land, and mining activities had caused long-term habitat degradation for the river, which holds salmon, grayling and habitat for various wildlife species.
A community celebration of the transfer is planned for later in the summer, the corporation said.
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The Conservation Fund also characterized the transaction as a happy outcome.
“Sitnasuak and its shareholders are the best possible stewards of the river and surrounding lands. We are honored to partner with Sitnasuak and Interior Alaska Land Trust to preserve wild nature and access to subsistence resources,” said John Wros, Alaska state director at The Conservation Fund.
The Nome River project is among several that The Conservation Fund has completed throughout Alaska since the 1990s. Its projects have preserved over 400,000 acres of land and water. A recent project by the organization added 24 acres of privately held land known as Herring Pete’s Cove to Kachemak State Park.
The Nome River flows about 40 miles from the Kigluaik Mountains into Norton Sound. Its outflow into the sound is on the eastern edge of Nome.
The lower part of the river was most heavily mined in the years between 1900 and 1930, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Ditches dug to support mining operations are still visible, according to the department. The river’s habitat has healed over time, and it is now important to fish, birds and mammals, according to the department.
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Originally published by the Alaska Beacon, an independent, nonpartisan news organization that covers Alaska state government.
By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire ProtectiononPioneer Peak Hotshot Crew stages at Talkeetna Airport to shuttle via helicopter to Yenlo Fire (#166)
8:00 PM – The Yenlo Fire (#166) is now estimated at 10 acres. Structures in the area are not under immediate threat.
Smokejumpers, a retardant air tanker, and two single-engine scoopers are actively engaged in suppression efforts on the fire. The DFFP helicopter is currently shuttling the Pioneer Peak Hotshot Crew to the fire to support suppression operations on the ground.
6:30 PM – The Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP) received reports of a wildfire near Skwentna at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. A DFFP helicopter was dispatched to investigate and located an estimated 20-acre wildland fire (#166) approximately 14 miles north of Skwentna and 2 miles west of Mount Yenlo.
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The helicopter is currently conducting water bucket drops to slow fire growth. Additional resources have been ordered since there are structures in the area.
Updates will be provided as more details become available.
This map shows the location of the Yenlo Fire (#166). Click on the image to download the PDF file.
‹ Forecast Winds Could Bring Smoke From Kopshesut Fire Into Ambler as Weather Warms Up
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)
Tags: 2026 Alaska Fire Season, Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, DFFP Coastal Region, Skwentna, Yenlo Fire
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan acknowledges that sharing a name and party affiliation with the incumbent Republican gives him “an instant megaphone” in the crowded primary race. But Sullivan said his campaign isn’t a sham or something Democrats put him up to doing.
He said friends for years have jokingly referred to him as senator and asked if he has ever thought about running. He said he’s been considering it for more than a decade.
“This is my choice,” Sullivan, who lives in the small fishing community of Petersburg, said in a telephone interview Monday.
Last week, Sen. Dan Sullivan accused the challenger Sullivan of “trying to trick” voters to help his main rival in the race, Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The senator suggested the other Sullivan’s entrance in the August primary was part of a coordinated effort by Democrats and Peltola’s campaign to confuse voters, an accusation they deny. He threatened litigation to get to the bottom of it.
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Late Monday, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican who oversees elections in the state, announced she was opening an investigation into the candidacy of the challenger Sullivan.
‘I have every right to run’
The issue is of national concern to Republicans because they are seeking to hold onto their majority in the U.S. Senate in what is expected to be a difficult midterm election year for the party in power. Sullivan, the challenger, dismissed claims that his candidacy is a merely a ruse to undermine the senator’s reelection chances.
He said he has had no contact with Peltola’s campaign — “zero, none, zilch” — and said “no” when asked if anyone from the state Democratic Party or any national Democratic operatives had contacted him to run.
A Peltola spokesperson, Harry Child, has said the campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” The executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, Jenny-Marie Stryker, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.” A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson, Monica Robinson, replied “no” when asked if the group had been involved in urging the challenger Sullivan to run.
READ MORE: Democrat Mary Peltola, barrier-breaking ex-Alaska congresswoman, is challenging Republican Dan Sullivan in Senate race
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Sullivan called sharing a name with the Alaska’s incumbent U.S. senator “a matter of fate” and said he had done nothing wrong.
“I have every right to run for whatever office I’m qualified for, and I’m qualified for this office,” the challenger said, adding: “I think I’m doing what most Americans would think would be a patriotic thing to do when you’re unsatisfied with the status quo. You stand up and say, I’m going to fight for things I believe that are going to make my community better.”
Like Murkowski, but with ‘touches of a Rand Paul Republican’
Ballots in prior years in Alaska have not identified the incumbent, but the Alaska Division of Elections’ current candidate list online does. It also distinguishes the candidates using a middle initial — Dan S. Sullivan for the senator and Dan J. Sullivan for the challenger.
Alaska has open primaries in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the ranked choice general election in November. Sen. Sullivan’s campaign worries having two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters.
Sen. Sullivan’s campaign, in a statement Monday, said, “Alaskans deserve a fair and honest election — not political games meant to manipulate the ballot and benefit Democrats.”
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The challenger said he was registered with the limited government-leaning Alaskan Independence Party for decades, until the party’s dissolution late last year. Election officials had said voters registered with the party could change their affiliation but if they did not, they’d be shown as “undeclared.” Sullivan said he then was listed as undeclared until filing to run for office, when he registered as Republican.
He said he was motivated in part by his late father, whom he described as a “true, compassionate, conservative Republican.” He said if he had to label himself, it would be “a pragmatic Republican centrist” — similar to Alaska’s senior U.S. senator, Lisa Murkowski, but “with touches of a Rand Paul Republican in there.”
He said he grew up in the Chicago area but was drawn to Alaska and put down roots nearly 50 years ago in Petersburg. The fishing community of about 3,400 in southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is known as “Little Norway” for its many residents with Scandinavian roots. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service before changing careers and becoming a teacher. He has since retired.
Candidate ponders how to run a campaign
Like most communities in Alaska, Petersburg isn’t connected to the state’s main road system and is accessible only by air or water. Juneau, the nearest city, is about 45 minutes away by plane.
Petersburg sits on Mitkof Island, which is distinguished by mountains, thick stands of forest and boggy areas called muskeg. Sea lions hauled up on buoys and humpback whales and orcas are common sights off its shores.
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Sullivan, who will turn 69 this weekend, passed on an interview request last Friday, he said, because the king salmon were running and he wanted to fish.
As far as his run for office, the challenger said he plans to do some fundraising and hopes to campaign in the state’s larger cities, including Anchorage and Juneau, but he so far has no firm plans to do so and is working on the details.
He finds the current dustup over his Senate run — and the incumbent’s reaction — a bit surprising.
“I guess my thought would be, ‘Dude, why don’t you just run your campaign?’ If you’ve got a strong record, run on your record. People will love you for it and you’ll be swept back into office,” he said Monday. “Why would he be concerned that a guy out of Petersburg is this huge threat?”
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan acknowledges that sharing a name and party affiliation with the incumbent Republican gives him “an instant megaphone” in the crowded primary race. But Sullivan said his campaign isn’t a sham or something Democrats put him up to doing.
He said friends for years have jokingly referred to him as senator and asked if he has ever thought about running. He said he’s been considering it for more than a decade.
“This is my choice,” Sullivan, who lives in the small fishing community of Petersburg, said in a telephone interview Monday.
Last week, Sen. Dan Sullivan accused the challenger Sullivan of “trying to trick” voters to help his main rival in the race, Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The senator suggested the other Sullivan’s entrance in the August primary was part of a coordinated effort by Democrats and Peltola’s campaign to confuse voters, an accusation they deny. He threatened litigation to get to the bottom of it.
Advertisement
Late Monday, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a Republican who oversees elections in the state, announced she was opening an investigation into the candidacy of the challenger Sullivan.
‘I have every right to run’
The issue is of national concern to Republicans because they are seeking to hold onto their majority in the U.S. Senate in what is expected to be a difficult midterm election year for the party in power. Sullivan, the challenger, dismissed claims that his candidacy is a merely a ruse to undermine the senator’s reelection chances.
He said he has had no contact with Peltola’s campaign — “zero, none, zilch” — and said “no” when asked if anyone from the state Democratic Party or any national Democratic operatives had contacted him to run.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, heads to a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Credit: AP/J. Scott Applewhite
A Peltola spokesperson, Harry Child, has said the campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” The executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, Jenny-Marie Stryker, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.” A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson, Monica Robinson, replied “no” when asked if the group had been involved in urging the challenger Sullivan to run.
Advertisement
Sullivan called sharing a name with the Alaska’s incumbent U.S. senator “a matter of fate” and said he had done nothing wrong.
“I have every right to run for whatever office I’m qualified for, and I’m qualified for this office,” the challenger said, adding: “I think I’m doing what most Americans would think would be a patriotic thing to do when you’re unsatisfied with the status quo. You stand up and say, I’m going to fight for things I believe that are going to make my community better.”
Like Murkowski, but with ‘touches of a Rand Paul Republican’
Ballots in prior years in Alaska have not identified the incumbent, but the Alaska Division of Elections’ current candidate list online does. It also distinguishes the candidates using a middle initial — Dan S. Sullivan for the senator and Dan J. Sullivan for the challenger.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, heads to a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Credit: AP/J. Scott Applewhite
Alaska has open primaries in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the ranked choice general election in November. Sen. Sullivan’s campaign worries having two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters.
Sen. Sullivan’s campaign, in a statement Monday, said, “Alaskans deserve a fair and honest election — not political games meant to manipulate the ballot and benefit Democrats.”
Advertisement
The challenger said he was registered with the limited government-leaning Alaskan Independence Party for decades, until the party’s dissolution late last year. Election officials had said voters registered with the party could change their affiliation but if they did not, they’d be shown as “undeclared.” Sullivan said he then was listed as undeclared until filing to run for office, when he registered as Republican.
He said he was motivated in part by his late father, whom he described as a “true, compassionate, conservative Republican.” He said if he had to label himself, it would be “a pragmatic Republican centrist” — similar to Alaska’s senior U.S. senator, Lisa Murkowski, but “with touches of a Rand Paul Republican in there.”
He said he grew up in the Chicago area but was drawn to Alaska and put down roots nearly 50 years ago in Petersburg. The fishing community of about 3,400 in southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is known as “Little Norway” for its many residents with Scandinavian roots. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service before changing careers and becoming a teacher. He has since retired.
Candidate ponders how to run a campaign
Like most communities in Alaska, Petersburg isn’t connected to the state’s main road system and is accessible only by air or water. Juneau, the nearest city, is about 45 minutes away by plane.
Petersburg sits on Mitkof Island, which is distinguished by mountains, thick stands of forest and boggy areas called muskeg. Sea lions hauled up on buoys and humpback whales and orcas are common sights off its shores.
Advertisement
Sullivan, who will turn 69 this weekend, passed on an interview request last Friday, he said, because the king salmon were running and he wanted to fish.
As far as his run for office, the challenger said he plans to do some fundraising and hopes to campaign in the state’s larger cities, including Anchorage and Juneau, but he so far has no firm plans to do so and is working on the details.
He finds the current dustup over his Senate run — and the incumbent’s reaction — a bit surprising.
“I guess my thought would be, ‘Dude, why don’t you just run your campaign?’ If you’ve got a strong record, run on your record. People will love you for it and you’ll be swept back into office,” he said Monday. “Why would he be concerned that a guy out of Petersburg is this huge threat?”
