Capital City Fire/Rescue completes last season’s ice break rescue training at the float pond near Juneau International Airport. (photo courtesy of Capital City Fire/Rescue)

On thin ice: Fire department responds to season’s first rescue at Mendenhall Lake

This week’s single digit temperatures have prompted dangerous ice ventures.

Downtown Juneau experiences its first significant city-level snow fall of the season as pictured on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Sub-zero temperatures to follow record snowfall in Juneau

The National Weather Service warns of dangerous wind chills as low as -15 degrees early this week.

Brenda Schwartz-Yeager gestures to her artwork on display at Annie Kaill’s Gallery Gifts and Framing during the 2025 Gallery Walk on Friday, Dec. 5. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Alaska artist splashes nautical charts with sea life

Gallery Walk draws crowds to downtown studios and shops.

Holiday lights decorate the Governor’s House on Dec. 4, 2019 before the Governor’s Open House on Dec. 10. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Cookies, cider and a 12-foot spruce: Governor’s Holiday Open House returns

The century-old tradition continues Tuesday.

A truck rumbles down a road at the Greens Creek mine. The mining industry offers some of Juneau’s highest paying jobs, according to Juneau Economic Development’s 2025 Economic Indicator’s Report. (Hecla Greens Creek Mine photo)

Juneau’s economic picture: Strong industries, shrinking population

JEDC’s 2025 Economic Indicators Report is out.

Map showing approximate location of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Courtesy/Earthquakes Canada)

7.0-magnitude earthquake hits Yukon/Alaska border

Earthquake occurred about 55 miles from Yakutat

  • 5 days ago
Gustavus author Kim Heacox talked about the role of storytelling in communicating climate change to a group of about 100 people at <strong>Ḵ</strong>unéix<strong>̱</strong> Hídi Northern Light United Church on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Author calls for climate storytelling in Juneau talk

Kim Heacox reflects on what we’ve long known and how we speak of it.

A commercial bowpicker is seen headed out of the Cordova harbor for a salmon fishing opener in June 2024 (Photo by Corinne Smith)

Planned fiber-optic cable will add backup for Alaska’s phone and high-speed internet network

The project is expected to bring more reliable connection to some isolated coastal communities.

  • 6 days ago
The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Senate Republicans confirm Rauscher, Tilton and open two vacancies in state House

The Alaska Republican Party is moving quickly after Republicans in the Alaska Senate confirmed Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s picks for two Continue reading...

  • 1 week ago
Downtown Skagway, with snow dusting its streets, is seen in this undated photo. (Photo by C. Anderson/National Park Service)

Skagway’s lone paramedic is suing the city, alleging retaliation by fire department officials

This article was reported and published in collaboration between the Chilkat Valley News and the Alaska Beacon. Skagway’s former paramedic Continue reading...

  • 1 week ago
A page of the Juneau Empire from a Nov. 27, 1915 edition. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Nov. 29

Capital city coverage from a century ago.

News
Capital City Fire/Rescue completes last season’s ice break rescue training at the float pond near Juneau International Airport. (photo courtesy of Capital City Fire/Rescue)

On thin ice: Fire department responds to season’s first rescue at Mendenhall Lake

This week’s single digit temperatures have prompted dangerous ice ventures.

 

Brenda Schwartz-Yeager gestures to her artwork on display at Annie Kaill’s Gallery Gifts and Framing during the 2025 Gallery Walk on Friday, Dec. 5. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Alaska artist splashes nautical charts with sea life

Gallery Walk draws crowds to downtown studios and shops.

 

More News 
Neighbors
A totem pole, one of 13 on downtown’s Totem Pole Trail in Juneau, Alaska, Nov. 27, 2024. (Christopher S. Miller/The New York Times)

Weekly guide: Community calendar for Dec. 8-12

Visit Juneau Arts and Humanities Council for more details on this week’s happenings.

  • 3 days ago

 

Peggy McKee Barnhill (Courtesy photo)

Gimme a smile: My roommate’s name is Siri

She hasn’t brought a lot of stuff into the house, and she takes up very little space.

  • 5 days ago

 

More Neighbors 
Alaska Outdoors
Jeff Lund photo The author heard what he thought was a squirrel. It was not a squirrel.

I Went into the Woods: A change of plans

It was only a 30-hour trip but it’s always better to bring more food than you count on eating.

  • 5 days ago

 

Ned Rozell/Submitted A map showing some of Alaska’s more unique place names.

Alaska Science Forum: What’s in an Alaska name?

I once asked a snowmachiner heading out on a trail from Nome… Continue reading

  • 2 weeks ago

 

More Outdoors 
Events
A totem pole, one of 13 on downtown’s Totem Pole Trail in Juneau, Alaska, Nov. 27, 2024. (Christopher S. Miller/The New York Times)

Weekly guide: Community calendar for Dec. 8-12

Visit Juneau Arts and Humanities Council for more details on this week’s happenings.

  • 3 days ago

 

Holiday lights decorate the Governor’s House on Dec. 4, 2019 before the Governor’s Open House on Dec. 10. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Cookies, cider and a 12-foot spruce: Governor’s Holiday Open House returns

The century-old tradition continues Tuesday.

 

More Events 
Video
The student band performs at Thunder Mountain High School. (Screenshot from student film “Digging a Hole in the School Budget”)
Capital City Weekly

Thunder Mountain High School graduates win film festival award

Documentary by Jade Hicks, Hayden Loggy-Smith portrays human impacts of school consolidation plan.

 

An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Photo by Sean Neilson, NOAA MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)

Juvenile whale caught in heavy fishing apparatus freed by team effort

Rescue follows the loss of a whale calf to a vessel strike in August

 

Juneau’s Anthony Garcia (22) carries the ball deep into West Anchorage High School territory to set up the Huskies’ first touchdown early in the third quarter during Saturday’s game in Anchorage. (Screenshot from Juneau Huskies football livestream video)

Depleted Huskies lose at West Anchorage 59-21

JV players make up one-third of Juneau’s squad during matchup against top team in conference.

 

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (left) views the Mendenhall River on Tuesday as Juneau Assembly member Wade Bryson explains changes that occurred to the riverbank due to record flooding from Suicide Basin last Saturday. Juneau state representatives Sara Hannan and Andi Story were among the other officials taking part in the trip. (Tom Mattice / City and Borough Of Juneau)

Flood cleanup, fundraising events planned this weekend

As state and federal officials consider large-scale actions, residents can offer immediate help.

 

More Video 
Photography
James Edens looks at 35mm film he had just developed. Photo by By Jonathon Dawe/ Wrangell Sentinel)

Father and son share love for old-school film photography

For photographers like James Edens, film photography never lost its allure

  • 4 months ago

 

In an undated image provided by Chris Miller, an image of the northern lights in Juneau shows what a camera with a longer exposure captures. As astrotourism booms, the northern lights get a boost from digital photography. (Chris Miller via The New York Times)

Is the aurora borealis really that mind-blowing? Or is it just your cellphone photos?

In August, over a calm Michigan lake, Karl Duesterhaus, 34, of Chicago, Continue reading...

  • 11 months ago

 

A harbor seal lazily floats in the calm cool downtown harbor waters on March 21. (Photo by Denise Carroll)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots Continue reading...

  • 2 years ago

 

Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake on Jan. 28. (Photo by Deana Barajas)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots Continue reading...

  • 2 years ago

 

More Photography 
Opinion
Web

Have something to say?

Here’s how to add your voice to the conversation.

  • 3 years ago

 

Telephone Hill as seen from above (Photo courtesy of City and Borough of Juneau)

Letter: For Telephone Hill, remember small is adaptable

Writer finds the finances don’t add up on planned development

  • 1 day ago

 

More Opinion 
Marketplace
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