Alaska town's new Inupiat name challenged in court

ANCHORAGE – On paper, the new Inupiat Eskimo name of the nation’s northernmost town is now official. But not so fast. The reality is not so simple.

The town was known as Barrow until Thursday, when the new name, Utqiagvik (oot-GHAR’-vik), became effective, less than two months after the town approved the change at the polls, by a margin of a mere six votes.

But the name is being challenged. A local Alaska Native corporation filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday that claims city officials rushed the process with insufficient outreach to the public. Plaintiffs also maintain the new name isn’t even the...