When Chevak joined the Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) in 2004, the program was in its infancy. Chevak, and a handful of other communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region, recognized the advantages of working together to manage, operate and maintain their water and sewer systems. For Chevak, the partnership with ARUC has resulted in nearly 50 percent reductions in water and sewer costs for residents, a robust reserve account and a more efficient and self-sustaining system. Each ARUC community operates their ...

Snow isn’t as soft as it looks – and Alaska health professionals say no matter how much we enjoy the outdoors; kids especially need to protect their brains. Is your family hitting the slopes, a sledding hill, pond or snowmachine trails this winter? Alaska health professionals have one heartfelt request for you: Remember your helmet, and your kids’ helmets, too. Too many Alaskans will hit their heads while playing outdoors this winter, including children and teenagers. Most of the time, ...

With cold weather encouraging people to stay inside near a warm fire, now is a good time to think about how the proper maintenance of our woodstoves can protect our safety and health, as well as the longevity of the stove. It’s important to keep tabs on what you are burning and how it burns. For instance, a black, soot-filled window on your woodstove can be an indication that maintenance is needed, or burning practices need to be changed. A ...

During the COVID-19 quarantine, people are spending even more time in their homes than usual. Make sure your home stays healthy as well! The most important tips to stay healthy from COVID-19 and other illnesses are to practice routine hand-washing and household cleaning. It is also important to keep the air inside your home healthy while using cleaning products, especially for those with respiratory conditions that affect lungs or breathing such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many cleaning ...