The Nome Nugget 61826 Alaska's Oldest Newspaper

MALE NORTHERN HARRIER – A male harrier is carrying a redpoll it captured north of Salmon Lake. Males and females are colored and marked differently, and males are smaller. Males are slate gray with a white breast, prominent black wingtips and black bands on the tail. They are sometimes referred to as “the gray ghost.” All harriers have an eye-catching white rump patch. This harrier caught a redpoll, but voles are their main food.

Northern Harrier––An owl-like hawk with a breathtaking courtship display

The Nome Common Council reduced the contribution to Nome Public Schools from $3.4 million to $2.7 million.

Council sets mill rate at 11.5, reduces contribution to Nome schools

By Diana Haecker

SENIOR VP– Mike Schaffner, Senior Vice President of Operations at Graphite One, presents at the community meeting held at Old St. Joe’s Hall.

Graphite One listens to concerns at meeting in Nome

By Diana Haecker

Nome-Beltz students perform ‘I Hate Shakespeare!’

Story and photos by Anna Lionas

AT WORK— William “Lee” Smith III is Nome’s new city manager.

New city manager tackles budget

By Diana Haecker

Nomeites demand justice for missing and murdered relatives

Council sets mill rate at 11.5, reduces contribution to Nome schools e3zd

By Diana Haecker In work session after work session, the Nome Common Council is fine combing the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget, trying to balance the budget while keeping services to citizens intact and not laying off any employees. On Tuesday...

Graphite One listens to concerns at meeting in Nome 3q5s41

By Diana Haecker In a series of meetings in Teller, Brevig Mission and Nome last week, Graphite One Alaska updated the public on their plans to develop a graphite mine on the northern slopes of the Kigluaik Mountains and to hear people’s concerns...

SENATOR–Senator Donny Olson in his office in Juneau on April 23.

Sen. Olson explains key moves in the legislative session 64131v

By Anna Lionas State Sen. Donny Olson (D-Golovin) is still recovering from a health issue earlier this year that took him out of the legislative session for six weeks. Olson returned to the state Capitol to represent Senate District T on March 11....

CITY LAWYER— Charles Cacciola, a lawyer representing the City of Nome, listens to Common Council questions during the May 15 Norton Sound Health Corporation property tax appeal hearing.

Board of Equalization considers NSHC property tax appeals 2c1m2a

By Anna Lionas Sitting as the Board of Equalization, Nome Common Council sat down for a hearing last week between Norton Sound Health Corporation lawyers and an attorney for the City to review NSHC’s appeal of the city’s denial of property...

Nome-Beltz students perform ‘I Hate Shakespeare!’ 6j134

Story and photos by Anna Lionas To laugh or not to laugh –- if that was the question, then the answer was a no brainer for audience attending the Nome-Beltz student production of I Hate Shakespeare! which ran May 14-16. The elementary school...

Proposed mine is in the wrong zone 103s29

By Anna Lionas Local gold miner Shawn Pomerenke has an application out for a permit to mine for gold at a long-standing claim within city limits. Last week it was discovered some of the land he proposes to mine is not zoned for resource...

ACCOMPLISHED— The Northwest Campus UAF graduating Class of 2025 move their tassels, during the 49th Commencement Ceremony held at Old St. Joe’s on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Northwest Campus celebrates Class of 2025 6n96a

By Laura Robertson Faculty, dignitaries and families ed the Class of 2025 at Old St. Joe’s on Thursday, May 8, as 41 students — not all present — graduated from University of Alaska Fairbank’s Northwest Campus with master’s, bachelor’s and...

Alaska Senate votes on state budget, with $1,000 PFD c54o

By Anna Lionas The Alaska Legislature is working to finalize a tight state operating budget for 2026 with just over a week to go until the regular session is scheduled to end on May 21. The latest version proposes a $1,000 Permanent Fund Dividend...

New city manager tackles budget 1g6m1b

By Diana Haecker After eight months of temporary city managers at the helm of city hall, the City of Nome hired last month William “Lee” Smith III, 61, on a five-year contract to head the city’s istration. Now, don’t call him William. That...

STRONG— Wyatt Ahmasuk outpulls his opponent in the Stick Pull, during the NYO competition in Anchorage that started on April 24 and lasted for three days.

Two Nome teams compete at NYO 6ub2z

By Laura Robertson This year, two Nome teams competed at the Native Youth Olympic Games in Anchorage during the state event held last weekend in April. As usual, Nome-Beltz sent a team to compete, but this year, for the first time, Nome also sent...

Nomeites demand justice for missing and murdered relatives 4a6j3j

Community took to the streets during the May 5 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Day march from City Hall to the Rec Center in Nome. Photo by Anna Lionas By Laura Robertson On Monday afternoon, Bering Street was filled with red...

Potential increase in state funding provides hope to districts c176i

IN COMMITTEE–The Senate Finance Committee during their April 23 meeting where they introduced a new version of House Bill 57, which proposes an increase in funding to school districts. Photo by Anna Lionas By Anna Lionas It’s coming down to...