Kids, parents, grandparents and U.S. Forest Service staff perform a vigorous reenactment of the life of a snowflake during a Mendenhall Minis event at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Saturday, Feb. 22. 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Glacier visitor center plans “half time” operations during tourism season due to mass firings

CBJ tourism manager proposes spending $200K in passenger fees to help organizations with staff at glacier.

NOAA Fisheries Alaska region, hit hard by staffing losses, helps oversee the harvests off Alaska, which produce about half the fish caught in U.S. waters. Here, a trawl net full of pollock — the largest volume fishery off Alaska — comes aboard the Northern Hawk during the summer 2023 harvest. (Photo by Hal Bernton)

Internal memo outlines stark impacts of federal downsizing on Alaska regional fishery agency

Understaffed federal offices supporting fishing regulators cut even further, as NOAA Fisheries works ‘to keep the lights on’

  • 3 hours ago
The 2024-25 Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team pose for a photo. They begin play next weekend at the Sitka Varsity Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS softball)

JDHS softball returns to the circle, baseball to the mound

Crimson Bears girls in new conference, boys on new field.

Heidi Drygas, executive director of the Alaska State Employees Association, leads a cheer on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

State employee salary study misses another deadline, prompting House resolution demanding to see data

Critics say Dunleavy administration is withholding results showing state pay is uncompetitive.

A school bus drives in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Senate committee advances school funding bill with $1,000 per student formula boost

Senate Education Committee amended House Bill 69 with policy changes, including capping class sizes.

  • 14 hours ago
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Murkowski votes to oppose Canada tariffs, Sullivan votes in support

Vote largely symbolic since resolution lacks support in the Republican-controlled U.S. House.

  • 14 hours ago
Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 15 on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in the Alaska House of Representatives. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Legislature approves bill allowing teenage alcohol servers at restaurants, breweries

The Alaska Legislature has voted to allow teenagers as young as 18 to serve alcohol in the state. On Wednesday,… Continue reading

  • 14 hours ago
Basketball official Fred Angerman Jr speaks in a Region V Tournament pregame captains meeting in 2008. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: Fast Freddy

There are two sounds I can never seem to forget. One is the winter snow shovel scraping along the concrete Continue reading...

Elon Musk boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on Friday, March 21, 2025. Musk was traveling with President Donald Trump to Bedminster, N.J. The world’s richest man made inaccurate claims about entitlement fraud, how a government payment system works and government survey costs. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)

My Turn: Is it time to impeach Elon Musk?

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, Continue reading...

  • 9 hours ago
Sabrina Donnellan and her family attend a community luncheon for federal employees at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Living and Growing: Choose empathy during these difficult times

“It is your concern when your neighbor’s wall is on fire.” — Horace Recently, too many of our neighbors have Continue reading...

  • 12 hours ago
(Juneau Empire File)

Community calendar of upcoming events

This is a calendar updated daily of upcoming local events during the coming days provided by the Juneau Arts and Continue reading...

  • 10 hours ago
Video
The student band performs at Thunder Mountain High School. (Screenshot from student film “Digging a Hole in the School Budget”)

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.

 

Photography
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...

  • 3 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...

  • 1 year 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...

  • 1 year ago

 

A tiny tree bears a great weight along the Montana Creek Trail on Jan. 21. (Photo by Deana Barajas)

Wild Shots

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

  • 1 year ago

 

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