Good morning, Anchorage.

Marine biologists warned boaters to reduce speed on Alaska waters as a juvenile bowhead whale was spotted near Valdez well beyond its usual range — experts say that more whales in busy shipping lanes could lead to vessel collisions and call for faster conservation measures.

A magnitude 8.7 earthquake near Russia struck Tuesday at 3:25 p.m. and led to tsunami warnings for parts of western Alaska including Shemya, Adak and Saint Paul — officials reported potential wave arrivals at 4:46 p.m. in Shemya, 5:46 p.m. in Adak and 7:06 p.m. in Saint Paul.

The advisory also extended to coastal regions of Kodiak, the Kenai Peninsula, upper Cook Inlet and even Hawaii.

US Geological Survey ecologist Amanda Demopoulos led a team of 23 researchers who explored deep Aleutian waters after leaving Dutch Harbor on June 15 and discovered large, healthy coral and sponge populations that support many marine species.

They completed 11 dives using the submersible Alvin and gathered high-resolution acoustic maps to help improve tsunami risk models—offering key information on the region’s deep-sea health.

At Tuesday’s Anchorage Assembly meeting, two contracts totaling more than 18 million dollars were awarded for homeless shelters in Anchorage.

One contract to MASH Property Management LLC will operate a new shelter at 1911 East 5th Avenue while another moves operations of an existing cold weather shelter to Henning Inc. — a change that will initially provide 100 beds from a prior capacity of about 200 — as the city adjusts its services.

Anchorage resident Paola Guzman was arrested by ICE in mid-July while working as a housecleaner & is held in Tacoma pending a bond hearing on Aug.

4, with advocates saying her case fits a growing trend of undocumented worker detentions.

A recent audit found that Alaska did not put in place key changes required by the 2018 foster care law, with most caseworkers still handling more than 13 cases despite extra funding and new positions.

Experts said the state must improve training and hiring standards to better serve children in foster care — officials have disputed the report by citing ongoing workforce challenges.

Colton Paul, 18, of Kipnuk competed for Mt. Edgecumbe at the 2025 World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks and broke his own world record in the scissor broad jump with a mark of 39 feet, 4.5 inches—he also won four other events.

The Cook Inlet Elite 64 girls soccer team made history by becoming the first Alaska team to reach the U16 semifinals at the U.S. Youth Soccer national tournament in Orlando.

Candlelight Concert: Rings and Dragons

6:30-7:30 p.m. — 49th State Brewing — Ticketed event — Experience a magical live music performance under candlelight at an iconic Anchorage venue.

Hawthorne Heights Live Concert

6:30-8 p.m. — SteamDot Williwaw — Tickets available — Experience the emotional sounds of Hawthorne Heights as they celebrate their latest album ‘The Rain Just Follows Me’.

Uniform Residential Appraisal Report Course

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. — Alaska Aviation Museum — $200.00 ($175 for AI members) — Delve into the new URAR training while enjoying a unique setting at the largest seaplane base in the world.

Battle of the Bands: Bike Week

5-11 p.m. — House of Harley-Davidson — Free entry — Experience local talent battling it out on stage during Anchorage's favorite bike week celebration.

Race Judicata 5K Fun-Run

10 AM – 2 PM — Westchester Lagoon Nature Trail — $35 entry — Support the Anchorage Youth Court while enjoying a community-themed run/walk.

ASA Alaska Chapter Annual Workshop and Meeting 2025

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — USGS Alaska Science Center — $400 — Explore spatial linear modeling concepts in environmental data analysis at this informative two-day workshop.

Power of Hope Cancer Support Group

Noon to 1 p.m. — Anchorage Native Primary Care Center — Free entry — A supportive learning circle for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers to discover educational resources and management strategies.

Meet the 4-H Horses

11 a.m. — France Equestrian Center — FREE — Experience a daily rendezvous with 4-H horses and learn more about their care and training.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise Concert

11 AM – 8 PM — Alaska State Fair — Ticket prices vary — Experience a genre-defying performance by Rainbow Kitten Surprise at the Alaskan Fair.

"Weird Al" Yankovic Concert

2-3:30 p.m. — Alaska State Fair — Ticket prices vary — Experience the legendary multimedia comedy rock show featuring classic parodies and fan favorites.