Samantha Watson
News ReporterSamantha (she/her) is a news reporter at KYUK. Originally from Massachusetts, she attended the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Maine where she figured out that if she could be a reporter, she could make a career out of having interesting conversations. She is a Report for America corps member. When away from her microphone, Samantha can be found writing, hiking, and playing the guitar.
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This summer, Patrick Andrew’s family returned to the coastal village of Kipnuk while he and his wife worked as part of the community’s rebuild in the wake of ex-typhoon Halong. -
Over the past year, Kipnuk residents and contractors have been working to repair the storm-battered village. Crews on the ground say it’s a physical — and emotional — investment, even as the long-term future of the community remains in question. -
Across the U.S, communities held events for “9-2-5 Day” on Sept. 25, celebrating the legacy of country singer Dolly Parton who passed away last month. The Kuskokwim Consortium Library hosted a celebration to raise money to continue Parton’s literary legacy. -
First responders said that a snowcat machine was found ablaze on the evening of Sept. 28, and that the flames did not spread and no injuries were reported. -
Smith stepped in as interim president and CEO of the corporation in April, when Dan Winkelman stepped down from his role after 12 years. Now she has been formally appointed to the role. -
In 2025, a federal court judge required the proposed Donlin Gold mine project to reexamine some of its possible environmental impacts. This week, a draft of that supplemental report was released for public comment. -
Some mail services to the community are paused, and mail is being distributed from a temporary space in the village. -
Jonathan Lomack was last seen leaving Bethel by boat at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The 59-year-old was headed upriver to his home community of Akiachak. -
The plane appears to have crashed in a wooded area near the village under unknown circumstances, according to online federal aviation records. -
Close to a year after ex-Typhoon Halong, hundreds of Kipnuk residents remain scattered across the state. But this past summer, some families returned to the village to visit their home and practice subsistence.
