Alex McCarthy

Mayo Schmidt, President and CEO of Hydro One Limited, center, gives an overview of the Ontario-based electric utility as Scott Morris, Avista Chairman, President and CEO, left, and Dennis Vermillion, Senior Vice President of Avista Corp. and President of Avista Utilities, listen during a public meeting with leadership from Hydro One, Avista and AEL&P at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Hydro One, Avista travel to Juneau to try to ease concern about future of AEL&P

On Thursday, members of the public and the city’s government had their chance to ask questions directly to representatives involved in the sale of Juneau’s… Continue reading

Mayo Schmidt, President and CEO of Hydro One Limited, center, gives an overview of the Ontario-based electric utility as Scott Morris, Avista Chairman, President and CEO, left, and Dennis Vermillion, Senior Vice President of Avista Corp. and President of Avista Utilities, listen during a public meeting with leadership from Hydro One, Avista and AEL&P at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Samantha Adams, owner and operator of TLC Child Care, plays patient and allows children to put adhesive bandages on her on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Adams says she is closing her daycare center because of added state regulations. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Two child care centers in Juneau are closing, worsening provider shortage

Finding early childhood care is challenging in Juneau, and it’s about to get tougher. TLC Child Care and Juneau Christian Center Daycare are closing their… Continue reading

Samantha Adams, owner and operator of TLC Child Care, plays patient and allows children to put adhesive bandages on her on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Adams says she is closing her daycare center because of added state regulations. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
A small fire began in the basement of a home on Ross Way on Wednesday night. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

Nobody injured in house fire downtown

A little before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Kalean Rielly smelled smoke as she was alone at her mother’s house on Ross Way. Rielly, 30, went down… Continue reading

A small fire began in the basement of a home on Ross Way on Wednesday night. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
123rf.com Stock Photo

Juneau man arrested as fugitive from justice

A Juneau man was arrested Sunday as a fugitive from justice after escaping custody in Washington state, according to an Alaska State Troopers dispatch. Alaska… Continue reading

123rf.com Stock Photo
Downtown Juneau in the summer. (Angelo Saggiomo | Juneau Empire File)

City looking for designs of downtown banners

The city is looking to update the banners that hang from downtown light poles, and is looking to the public for proposals. The current banners… Continue reading

Downtown Juneau in the summer. (Angelo Saggiomo | Juneau Empire File)
Sherry Patterson, president of the Black Awareness Association, gives the keynote address to Juneau residents during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 2018 Community Celebration sponsored by the Black Awareness Association at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

MLK Day event reminds attendees of the importance of taking action

Sherry Patterson began her keynote address with a simple message. Patterson, the president of Juneau’s Black Awareness Association, stood at the microphone in front of… Continue reading

Sherry Patterson, president of the Black Awareness Association, gives the keynote address to Juneau residents during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 2018 Community Celebration sponsored by the Black Awareness Association at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau International Airport firefighters and personnel lift a private aircraft that had landing gear failure while landing at the airport on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Landing gear malfunction forces plane to land on belly

A pilot was forced to land his Cessna 210 airplane without landing gear Sunday at Juneau International Airport after a malfunction prevented the gear from… Continue reading

Juneau International Airport firefighters and personnel lift a private aircraft that had landing gear failure while landing at the airport on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Natalie Turner, Assistant Director of the Child and Family Research Unit at Washington State University, spends two days a month teaching students and teachers at Glacier Valley Elementary School about “flipping their lids” and avoiding emotional trauma. Turner was photographed on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Program increases awareness of effects of childhood trauma

As Natalie Turner walked into a fourth-grade classroom at Glacier Valley Elementary on Friday, the fingers started wiggling. The fourth-graders greeted her silently, holding up… Continue reading

Natalie Turner, Assistant Director of the Child and Family Research Unit at Washington State University, spends two days a month teaching students and teachers at Glacier Valley Elementary School about “flipping their lids” and avoiding emotional trauma. Turner was photographed on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
123rf.com Stock Photo

Man indicted for stabbing earlier this month

After an alleged stabbing Jan. 4, a Juneau man was indicted this week on one count of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault.… Continue reading

123rf.com Stock Photo
Dr. Mark Miller, superintendent for the Juneau School District, gives an overview of the district’s budget at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. Appearing with Miller are Brian Holst, school board president, left, Ted Wilson, Director of Teaching and Learning, center, and Bridget Weiss, Director of Student Services, right. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

As budgets tighten, community partnerships key in arts education

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday, Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller was frank about the school district’s current budget situation. Statewide… Continue reading

Dr. Mark Miller, superintendent for the Juneau School District, gives an overview of the district’s budget at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. Appearing with Miller are Brian Holst, school board president, left, Ted Wilson, Director of Teaching and Learning, center, and Bridget Weiss, Director of Student Services, right. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Assembly member and City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee Chair Jesse Kiehl poses a question Wednesday about the possibility of the city getting involved in the process of Hydro One purchasing Alaska Energy Light & Power. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

City looks at being ‘intervener’ in purchase of AEL&P

City officials are mulling getting further involved in the pending sale of Juneau’s electric utility. During a lengthy informational meeting Wednesday night, the City and… Continue reading

Assembly member and City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee Chair Jesse Kiehl poses a question Wednesday about the possibility of the city getting involved in the process of Hydro One purchasing Alaska Energy Light & Power. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Baton-wielding burglar headed to trial next month

Baton-wielding burglar headed to trial next month

A Juneau man who allegedly broke into a Mendenhall Valley home and beat a man with a metal baton will be heading to court in… Continue reading

Baton-wielding burglar headed to trial next month
Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller smiles at Student Representative Dessa Gerger, a junior at Juneau-Douglas High School, at an Aug. 8, 2017 Board of Education meeting. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

School Board lists requests, priorities ahead of legislative session

As this year’s legislative session quickly approaches, the Juneau Board of Education is making its priorities clear. In a meeting Tuesday night, the board’s members… Continue reading

Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller smiles at Student Representative Dessa Gerger, a junior at Juneau-Douglas High School, at an Aug. 8, 2017 Board of Education meeting. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
123rf.com Stock Photo

Experts to shed light on process of setting electric rates

For those curious about the Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s (RCA) process and role in the possible purchase of Juneau’s electric utility, City Hall is the… Continue reading

123rf.com Stock Photo
Rotary Club of Juneau members and winners of the club’s Vocational Service Awards pose for a picture at the Baranof Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. From left: Sally Smith, Rotary member, John Neary, Director of Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (public sector award), Jeff Grant and Carla White, of Western Auto Marine (private sector award), Brad Orr, U.S. Forest Service Juneau District Ranger (public sector award), Lillian Bannerman, TMHS Senior (youth award), Carmaleeda Estrada, of Sealaska Heritage Institute (non-profit sector award), Wayne Stevens, Rotary member, Saralyn Tabachnick, Executive Director of AWARE (individual award), Bridget Lujan, Rotary President, and Marinan Clough, Rotary member. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Rotary awards local individuals, organizations for community contributions

When Thunder Mountain High School senior Lillian Bannerman heard she had won an award for her volunteer efforts, she was a bit confused at first.… Continue reading

Rotary Club of Juneau members and winners of the club’s Vocational Service Awards pose for a picture at the Baranof Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. From left: Sally Smith, Rotary member, John Neary, Director of Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (public sector award), Jeff Grant and Carla White, of Western Auto Marine (private sector award), Brad Orr, U.S. Forest Service Juneau District Ranger (public sector award), Lillian Bannerman, TMHS Senior (youth award), Carmaleeda Estrada, of Sealaska Heritage Institute (non-profit sector award), Wayne Stevens, Rotary member, Saralyn Tabachnick, Executive Director of AWARE (individual award), Bridget Lujan, Rotary President, and Marinan Clough, Rotary member. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Mandy Cole, chairwoman of the Juneau Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, waits for homeless people at a new warming shelter in the old Public Safety Building on Whittier Street on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Warming center proving popular as temperatures drop

As temperatures dip below freezing in Juneau, the City and Borough of Juneau’s emergency warming shelter will serve an important purpose to those trying to… Continue reading

Mandy Cole, chairwoman of the Juneau Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, waits for homeless people at a new warming shelter in the old Public Safety Building on Whittier Street on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Passengers walk off Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam on Monday, May 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Assembly sets aside $250,000 more for cruise industry lawsuit

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members voted unanimously at a meeting Monday night to set aside $250,000 from the city’s sales tax revenue for… Continue reading

Passengers walk off Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam on Monday, May 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
123rf.com Stock Photo

Police ID body found near Douglas Bridge

At just before noon Monday, a caller reported to the Juneau Police Department that they had found a body on Douglas Island near the Douglas… Continue reading

123rf.com Stock Photo
123rf.com Stock Photo

Court of Appeals upholds 2015 ruling in Juneau assault

Despite a victim testifying that she had no memory of an assault, the Alaska Court of Appeals upheld a Juneau Superior Court’s 2015 decision to… Continue reading

123rf.com Stock Photo
Juneau woman Penny Cotten died in September, but her family is still working to get her remains back to Arkansas. (Courtesy photo | Kyra Matthews)

Family looks to bring mother, sister, ‘best friend’ home after death

More than three months after a Juneau woman’s death, her family is still working to bring her remains back to her original home in Arkansas.… Continue reading

Juneau woman Penny Cotten died in September, but her family is still working to get her remains back to Arkansas. (Courtesy photo | Kyra Matthews)