Alaska Dispatch's Best of the Week: Nov. 10-16

November 16, 2012

Where best to dance during Alaska's long winter nights? Some like it cold, chasing aurora borealis out into Bush, others like it hot at a burlesque review in Anchorage.

This week, Alaska Dispatch took a peak into the cold cabin communes of chilly Fairbanks, where thousands live in 40-below temperatures without electricity, running water or a care in the world. We drove a hundred miles in pursuit of the perfect timelapse northern lights video.

We rocked out with Anchorage's thriving indie music scene and encouraged community debate over property taxes and public policy for Alaska's diverse gay and lesbian population. There's much more -- take a look here, first, then share a story with a friend down the street or down south!

1 Cabin living off the grid in frigid Alaska a labor of love
Fairbanks, Alaska is the epicenter of an unusual cultural phenomenon: Dry-cabin living, a.k.a, living without running water.
2 Where to watch aurora borealis in Alaska (+VIDEO)
The northern lights are winter's prize for many Alaskans, a consolation for enduring 16 hours of darkness a day or more in the deep of winter.
3 Yup'ik Alaskans on trial for violating salmon fishing restrictions claim religious rite
Muslims celebrate Ramadan; Christians celebrate the birth of Christ; Yup'iks fish for the wild king salmon central to their cultural identity and way of life, says a civil rights attorney for 11 men charged with violating Kuskokwim River closures in midst of a Chinook crash.
4 500-year-old remains of 3 males unearthed in remote Alaska
The rare discovery of very old human remains in the bone-devouring, acidic soil of Interior Alaska became even more unique with the revelation that the bodies could be more than 500 years old.
5 Should Alaska gay couples qualify for same property tax exemption as straights?
The Alaska Supreme Court ponders whether or not its discriminatory to offer married couples a property tax exemption that domiciled same-sex partners cannot receive.
6 Unusual gathering of polar bears spotted on Baffin Bay iceberg
Adaptation or opportunism? Polar bears this summer were spotted lounging on a massive iceberg in Canada's Baffin Bay when normally they'd be ashore. Could the floating platforms offer new sanctuary in an era of global warming?
7 Dazzled by Alaska, veteran returns to manage Lake Hood seaplane base
Boston-native Tim Coons met Alaska on Elmendorf Air Force Base. Now retired and with a new mission running Alaska's largest seaplane base, the veteran's back.
8 Photos: Pulse Dance Co. goes to the circus
Pulse goes to the circus, a fundraiser disguised as a burlesque show, was a sold-out success this past weekend at Chilkoot Charlie's in Anchorage. Catch the modern dance group next at Alaska Pacific University's Grant Hall in January.
9 Alaska ski resorts counting down to season openers (+PHOTOS)
Restless and homebound, Alaskans are excited that ski resorts are opening across the state, thanks to cold weather and snowfall.
10 Alaska fish fight over community development riches turns nasty
Western Alaska villages organized under CDQs are vying for a bigger share of the lucrative fisheries off their shores, with the largest entity saying it's not getting enough.
11 Anchorage gets glass recycling, again
Starting later this month, Anchorage's eco-conscious residents will have the chance to recycle glass again, thanks to an expanded service for the city.
12 Indie music scene has plenty of talent, but can success be Alaska-grown too?
With paths to musical success multiplying in this hyperconnected era, how far can the Internet take Alaska indie musicians over geographic obstacles on the way to making it big?