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OPINION: A year of covering rural Alaska offers extraordinary education

September 14th 9:36 pm | Carey Restino Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

A year ago, I was sitting at a keyboard not unlike this one trying to jam out the first edition of the Arctic Sounder under Jason and Kiana and Alaska Media, Inc. It was a pretty tough slog, but exhilarating. I had lived in Alaska for half my life but had to consult a map on my wall every 10 minutes to get my bearings as I learned about dozens of new communities.

The education certainly didn't stop there. Almost immediately, it was election season, and I was learning a great deal about the politics of the region, which have deep roots and even deeper connections. I had a list of names taped to the wall over my desk in an effort not to mess up their complicated-to-my-brain spellings. I learned about the various regions and their overlaps and separations.

Then began the education into some of the huge issues facing the region right now - from offshore drilling and the expansion of the Arctic to the massive changes to the environment. I learned about the contrasts of wealth and poverty, about the suicide epidemic and education challenges. I learned about the struggle between those who wanted dry towns and those who disagreed. It was like I was being transported to a whole other continent, one where all my training as a journalist and experience as an Alaskan meant little. I had so much to learn.

A year later, I feel pretty much the same way. I know a few more names, understand a bit about politics in the area, and no longer have to look at the map more than once a day. But there is so much more that I don't know. Last winter, we added the huge Southwest Alaska region, and with it, another massive chunk of area to learn about. The issues there are numerous, too. Bristol Bay's watershed alone, and the controversy surrounding its development, is enough to keep a reporter staring at the screen pretty much all day.

But the biggest barrier between these papers and their relevance in you isn't our knowledge about these big issues like mining and oil and politics. It's the fact that we are not there, in the street with you, seeing the day-to-day happenings, taking pictures of what is going on, the minutia of life in Point Hope, in Adak, in Kotzebue. Because while the big stories are important - and the big issues shouldn't be overlooked, it's really the response from the communities we serve - the people living right there, that matters. And that's hard to get from afar.

But I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of photos and submissions the Alaska Media papers have gotten this year, and that has really been what has bridged the gap for us. I love getting the faces of new babies in the paper, or doing a story about a couple who has been married for 50 years, or a student who has enjoyed success. That's what makes a paper interesting to read, I think. It should be sort of like standing in line at the post office - you should see a lot of familiar faces, hear an interesting story or two, and trade a few smiles. It should help you stay connected with one-and-other.

Milestones are important to acknowledge, I think. The New Year, birthdays, anniversaries — they should all get the appropriate nod. It's a chance to spend some time reflecting on what we have accomplished, and what we could do better. I'm immensely proud of the dedication with which the staff of these papers apply themselves each week in an effort to serve their readers. I'm also aware that we could do more by visiting the many communities we serve more often and meeting with people who live there, hearing their stories. And I encourage you, the readers, to keep sending us your ideas and impressions, photos and stories, and tagging us on Facebook and sending in pictures of babies and graduates and new grandmas. Together, we will build an even better community across the many thousands of miles.

Carey Restino can be reached at crestino@reportalaska.com.

 


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