ANCHORAGE — An Alaska volcano eruption is prompting regional airlines to cancel flights to nearby communities, including a town that reported traces of fallen ash.

Pavlof Volcano released ash plumes as high as 22,000 feet over the weekend, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Clouds obscured the volcano Monday, but U.S. Geological Survey scientists said seismic instruments at the volcano show continuing tremors.

“Seismically, it’s been pretty steady over the last 12 hours,” geologist Chris Waythomas said late Monday morning.

NOME — A former champion has grabbed the lead back in the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in a furiously contested match between seasoned veterans.

Sled positioning trackers show 2004 Iditarod winner Mitch Seavey 6 miles ahead of four-time champion Jeff King late Monday afternoon as they headed to the checkpoint at Elim, 123 miles from the finish line in Nome.

Trackers show King at zero mph — indicating his team is resting — while Seavey is moving at almost 6 mph.

ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Democratic Party slammed state Rep. Lindsey Holmes for switching her party affiliation to Republican.

“Rep. Holmes has deceived the voters of her district,” Democratic Party chair-elect Mike Wenstrup said in a statement issued after Holmes announced that she changed her party registration. “She should have been honest about her intentions. If she intended to serve as a Republican, she should have run as a Republican.”

Holmes, who represents west Anchorage, was re-elected as a Democrat in November.

ANCHORAGE — Experts testifying before a new Alaska task force on sex trafficking said Monday the teenage victims often are too afraid and embarrassed, and sometimes too addicted to drugs, to come forward.

The comments were made at a hearing to address sex trafficking, which authorities say is notoriously underreported. Among the most vulnerable are chronic runaways whose own parents have quit looking for them, said Detective Sgt. Kathy Lacey, who heads the Anchorage Police Department’s vice unit.

“Those kids are falling through the cracks,” she told the panel.