Rhonda McBride

Bella kept a low profile until after her husband’s death, partly to protect his legacy. But the two had a shared love for the land and taking care of it.

We wish it weren't so, but more things matter to our son than school. His friends. His music. His dreams of playing in a rock band. Although we talk with him a lot about how his education affects his whole life, we wonder if our words ever hit the target.

Anne Kilkenny is a symbol of our times, of how journalists no longer hold all the information tools. Maybe that was part of the appeal to Alaska Press Club board members who wanted to recognize her with a special award.

My defining moment came last summer while on a boat trip down the Koyukuk. One of my fellow travelers, who is an Alaska Native, asked me if I had ever cut fish. And I said, "No. When I lived in Bethel, people always shared their fish with me..." She laughed and said, "Imagine that. A rural adviser who doesn't know how to subsist."