In Alaska whaling village, a longtime captain lands his first bowhead

Plus: Alaska seeks taxes from Turo car sharing platform in long-running dispute ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Northrim Bank]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Monday, June 5. In today's newsletter: - After years of work, a 63-year-old whaling captain [landed his first bowhead whale]( this spring, setting off a chain reaction of activity as the community of Point Hope gathered to prepare and share the harvest. - The Anchorage Assembly is holding [a special meeting today]( to consider a request from Mayor Dave Bronson to settle a lawsuit from a contractor over unapproved construction work for close to $2.5 million. - The state wants to [collect taxes from an online platform]( where people can advertise and rent their cars after legislative efforts and a trip to the courts failed to resolve a long-running dispute. With sea ice continuing to melt, just how grim is the situation for the polar bears that depend on ice floating on northern oceans? A while ago, an analysis of an ancient jawbone led scientists to believe that polar bears survived a period that was warmer than today, [says science writer Ned Rozell]( — a time when the planet was warm enough that hippos lived where London is now. Anchorage weather It's mostly sunny today with a high near 66 degrees. Skies will become partly cloudy overnight before a slight chance of rain arrives on Tuesday. Cloudy and rainy conditions will hang around for the rest of the week, with daytime temperatures in the low to mid-60s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [‘You can never give up’: A longtime Point Hope whaling captain lands his first bowhead →]( The first of two parts: In Point Hope, or Tikigaq in Iñupiaq, life has revolved around bowhead whales for thousands of years. The animal provided residents with food, oil for fuel and bones for house frames, tools, grave markers and boats. ADVERTISEMENT [Mayor asks Anchorage Assembly to settle lawsuit over unapproved construction work for $2.5 million →]( Roger Hickel Contracting is suing the municipality over work done on the stalled East Anchorage homeless shelter last year that the Bronson administration green-lit without following protocol. [Missing Anchorage hiker found dead after days of search efforts →]( A volunteer searcher on Friday night found the body of 28-year-old Juan Toscano, who went missing while hiking out of the Basher Drive trailhead in Anchorage last week. Police said his death did not appear to be criminal in nature. [Alaska seeks taxes from Turo car sharing platform in long-running dispute →]( The dispute raises questions about how e-commerce is regulated in Alaska — and the state’s power to enforce its laws. [Passengers and crew evacuated from small cruise ship in Alaska’s Glacier Bay after fire breaks out →]( Nearly 70 people were evacuated from a small cruise ship in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park after a fire Monday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said. There were no reports of injuries. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Juneau police find 3 bodies on vessel anchored offshore over course of 3 days →]( [Chugiak softball snaps 20-year state title drought by beating rival South when it counted the most →]( [Salary ranges have widened for high-paying jobs as wage transparency spreads →]( [South rallies to top Service for 3rd straight Alaska high school baseball title →]( [Travel: A visit to Dutch Harbor, built for fishing, is an opportunity to soak up its distinct history →]( [Conservatives seek control over public universities with dozens of state bills →]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States