Clarise Larson

A plane flies in front of a downtown Juneau neighborhood in early May. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly approved $2 million in funding during the Monday night Assembly meeting toward four affordable housing projects. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Assembly approves $2M in funding for four affordable housing projects

Four applicants awarded funding set to be dispersed around February, according to city officials.

A plane flies in front of a downtown Juneau neighborhood in early May. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly approved $2 million in funding during the Monday night Assembly meeting toward four affordable housing projects. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire, file 
Capital Transit is suspending Route 5 University Connector and Route 6 Riverside/Airport Connector starting Monday, Dec. 12 and will be suspended until further notice.

Two Capital Transit routes suspended amid driver shortage

Routes 5 and 6 will be discontinued until further notice starting Monday

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire, file 
Capital Transit is suspending Route 5 University Connector and Route 6 Riverside/Airport Connector starting Monday, Dec. 12 and will be suspended until further notice.
Cyclists pedal away from University of Alaska Southeast Sunday during Ironman Alaska 2022, the first --- and for now---last Ironman to be held in the state. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Ironman Alaska canceled

Popular endurance race scratched for ‘23 and ‘24, citing “economic pressure.”

Cyclists pedal away from University of Alaska Southeast Sunday during Ironman Alaska 2022, the first --- and for now---last Ironman to be held in the state. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Rain drizzles on a sign Wednesday morning at a trailhead leading into the Montana Creek Wetlands area. A public meeting was held Wednesday evening presenting a revised Montana Creek draft master plan. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Residents get a new view of the Montana Creek draft master plan

It proposes projects like new public use cabins, trails and maintenance.

Rain drizzles on a sign Wednesday morning at a trailhead leading into the Montana Creek Wetlands area. A public meeting was held Wednesday evening presenting a revised Montana Creek draft master plan. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt and Mayor Beth Weldon smile for a photo at the Alaska Municipal League luncheon Thursday afternoon. Watt was named AML’s municipal official of the year at the event. (Courtesy / CBJ)
City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt and Mayor Beth Weldon smile for a photo at the Alaska Municipal League luncheon Thursday afternoon. Watt was named AML’s municipal official of the year at the event. (Courtesy / CBJ)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Teachers and school board members talk during the Juneau Board of Education and Juneau Education Association’s annual meet and greet in mid November. JEA contract negotiation team declared impasse last Friday and are in the process of filing for federal mediation.

Juneau teachers union declares impasse amid drawn-out negotiations

Still, the teachers union and district express optimism about working toward agreement.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Teachers and school board members talk during the Juneau Board of Education and Juneau Education Association’s annual meet and greet in mid November. JEA contract negotiation team declared impasse last Friday and are in the process of filing for federal mediation.
A “sold” sign hangs outside the property that formerly housed Walmart Thursday after it was announced it has been purchased by U-Haul. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

U-Haul purchases former Walmart building

Storage containers, trucks, trailers, boxes, bike racks and more to be available at site

A “sold” sign hangs outside the property that formerly housed Walmart Thursday after it was announced it has been purchased by U-Haul. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Police vehicles block Egan Drive going outbound toward the Valley area after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Police vehicles block Egan Drive going toward the Mendenhall Valley after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Police vehicles block Egan Drive going outbound toward the Valley area after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Police vehicles block Egan Drive going toward the Mendenhall Valley after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This photo shows downtown Juneau in late October. Between July and September of this year, the City and Borough of Juneau collected more than $20.2 million in sales tax revenue — equalling $2.3 million more than originally expected. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This photo shows downtown Juneau in late October. Between July and September of this year, the City and Borough of Juneau collected more than $20.2 million in sales tax revenue — equalling $2.3 million more than originally expected. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Rain drops in a puddle of water on Wednesday afternoon in the Valley area. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau breaks rainfall record

It’s the most rain seen in Juneau since recording began 86 years ago

Rain drops in a puddle of water on Wednesday afternoon in the Valley area. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Animal Rescue’s in-house Veterinarian, Dr. Tracy Ward, performs the first public spaying procedure at JAR since 2014 on a female cat named Monte. In mid-November JAR reopened its doors to the public for its spay and neuter services. (Courtesy Photo / Samantha Blankenship)

Dogged efforts underway at local shelter

Spay and neuter services, food collection and more.

Juneau Animal Rescue’s in-house Veterinarian, Dr. Tracy Ward, performs the first public spaying procedure at JAR since 2014 on a female cat named Monte. In mid-November JAR reopened its doors to the public for its spay and neuter services. (Courtesy Photo / Samantha Blankenship)
People and dogs traverse the frozen surface Mendenhall Lake on Monday afternoon. Officials said going on to any part of Mendenhall Lake can open up serious risks for falling into the freezing waters. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Officials warn residents about the dangers of thin ice on Mendenhall Lake

Experts outline what to do in the situation that someone falls through ice

People and dogs traverse the frozen surface Mendenhall Lake on Monday afternoon. Officials said going on to any part of Mendenhall Lake can open up serious risks for falling into the freezing waters. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Senior assistant captain Anna Dale attempts to stuff the net during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears topple Kardinals on home ice

The team won with a score of 4-2

Senior assistant captain Anna Dale attempts to stuff the net during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Eric Schmalz gives a lecture at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building Thursday afternoon. The lecture examined Alaska newspaper coverage of the American response to Nazism, racism, xenophobia and antisemitism during the 1930s and 1940s.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Eric Schmalz gives a lecture at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building Thursday afternoon. The lecture examined Alaska newspaper coverage of the American response to Nazism, racism, xenophobia and antisemitism during the 1930s and 1940s.
Multidisciplinary artist Mary McEwen talks about her experience learning to weave during her Artist Talk Saturday morning about her exhibition, “Hit & Miss: Adventures in Textile Reuse,” at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Weaving a new narrative out of repurposed goods

Local artist shares her journey of learning to weave and the importance of reusing

Multidisciplinary artist Mary McEwen talks about her experience learning to weave during her Artist Talk Saturday morning about her exhibition, “Hit & Miss: Adventures in Textile Reuse,” at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at Juneau's Gallery Walk 2022 on Friday, Dec. 2. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at Juneau's Gallery Walk 2022 on Friday, Dec. 2. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire 
People walk the docks as the sun sets in downtown Juneau on Monday night. The City and Borough of Juneau recently signed a memorandum of agreement with member companies of Cruise Lines International Association to come to an agreement on a number of tourism management issue in Juneau.

City accepting proposals for marine passenger fee projects

Residents and local business have until Jan. 2 to submit ideas to the city.

Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire 
People walk the docks as the sun sets in downtown Juneau on Monday night. The City and Borough of Juneau recently signed a memorandum of agreement with member companies of Cruise Lines International Association to come to an agreement on a number of tourism management issue in Juneau.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
At Wednesday evening’s special Assembly meeting, the Assembly appropriated nearly $4 million toward funding a 5.5% wage increase for all CBJ employees along with a 5% increase to the employer health contribution. According to City Manager Rorie Watt, it doesn’t necessarily fix a nearly two decade-long issue of employee retention concerns for the city.

City funds wage increase amid worker shortage

City Manager says raise doesn’t fix nearly two decade-long issue of employee retainment

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
At Wednesday evening’s special Assembly meeting, the Assembly appropriated nearly $4 million toward funding a 5.5% wage increase for all CBJ employees along with a 5% increase to the employer health contribution. According to City Manager Rorie Watt, it doesn’t necessarily fix a nearly two decade-long issue of employee retention concerns for the city.
Police vehicles converge near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as Brotherhood Bridge Trail on Sept. 21, 2022, the day police say Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was killed. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

Suspect in killing of Faith Rogers indicted on additional charges

This follows an first-degree murder charge late last week.

Police vehicles converge near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as Brotherhood Bridge Trail on Sept. 21, 2022, the day police say Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was killed. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000 and will need to figure out a way to replenish the fund deficit and balance its budget before the next budgeting cycle starting June 30, 2023. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

‘There’s no easy way out of this’: City discusses school district’s overall $3.2M deficit

The district will need to replenish its $620,000 operating fund deficit before next budgeting cycle

An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000 and will need to figure out a way to replenish the fund deficit and balance its budget before the next budgeting cycle starting June 30, 2023. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)