Michael S. Lockett

Ketchikan residents turn out to show support to the LGBTQ community after a florist refused service to a gay couple on June 5, 2020. (Courtesy photo | Tommy Varela)

Ketchikan man says 2 grooms were a deal breaker for local florist

More than 100 people showed up to show their support.

Ketchikan residents turn out to show support to the LGBTQ community after a florist refused service to a gay couple on June 5, 2020. (Courtesy photo | Tommy Varela)
Morgan Fawcett of Woosh.ji.een of Juneau dances in the Grand Entrance for Celebration 2018 along Willoughby Avenue on Wednesday, June 6, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Sealaska’s Celebration is virtually ready to begin

Celebration is scheduled to resume in-person next year.

Morgan Fawcett of Woosh.ji.een of Juneau dances in the Grand Entrance for Celebration 2018 along Willoughby Avenue on Wednesday, June 6, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Sherry Patterson, president of the Black Awareness Association, Juneau, speaks during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community celebration held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Jan. 20, 2020. Patterson is one of many who raised their voice following the death of George Floyd in police custody. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Sherry Patterson, president of the Black Awareness Association, Juneau, speaks during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community celebration held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Jan. 20, 2020. Patterson is one of many who raised their voice following the death of George Floyd in police custody. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Micah Grigg, a Thunder Mountain High School graduate, will be swimming for Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina in the fall, signing with the school’s team this spring. (Courtesy photo | Micah Grigg)

Two members of Juneau’s swim club are college-bound

North Carolina and Fairbanks are a little further than a 1650-yard race away.

Micah Grigg, a Thunder Mountain High School graduate, will be swimming for Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina in the fall, signing with the school’s team this spring. (Courtesy photo | Micah Grigg)
Members of Top Hat Cannabis pose with members of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank as they make a $10,000 donation to the food bank on Friday, May 29, 2020. (Courtesy photo | John Nemeth)

Local cannabis company donates $10,000 to food bank

Cannabis industry donations are usually clandestine, but not this one.

Members of Top Hat Cannabis pose with members of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank as they make a $10,000 donation to the food bank on Friday, May 29, 2020. (Courtesy photo | John Nemeth)
City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will decide Wednesday evening whether to extend a mandate that requires out-of-state visitors, such as the ones that come in through Juneau International Airport, to self-quarantine for two weeks. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

City says new visitor regulations are difficult to apply

Assembly also considering a local extension of state’s quarantine mandate

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will decide Wednesday evening whether to extend a mandate that requires out-of-state visitors, such as the ones that come in through Juneau International Airport, to self-quarantine for two weeks. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
Dzantiki Heeni Middle School principal Molly Yerkes was named Region 5 Principal of the Year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals for 2020. (Courtesy photo | Molly Yerkes)

Look who was named region’s principal of the year

She’s been at the middle school for 16 years now.

Dzantiki Heeni Middle School principal Molly Yerkes was named Region 5 Principal of the Year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals for 2020. (Courtesy photo | Molly Yerkes)
Gabe Donohoe, lead sewer, works on creating face shields for people with hearing loss. Rapid Response PPE, founded at the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, is creating specialized PPE, allowing people with hearing loss or dead people to easily see the speaker’s face, May 29, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Local mask-making company continues to grow

In two weeks, they’ve produced and shipped more than 6,000 of the specialized face masks.

Gabe Donohoe, lead sewer, works on creating face shields for people with hearing loss. Rapid Response PPE, founded at the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, is creating specialized PPE, allowing people with hearing loss or dead people to easily see the speaker’s face, May 29, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

Finance committee votes to hold line on property tax

“Projects will still go on. Services will still go on.”

Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
Marie Claire Harris and Roman walk down the newly repaved Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) on, May 27, 2020. The trail has been moved, repaved, and reopened after riverbank erosion threatened the original trail. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge) project starts off big summer for Juneau trails

Treadwell Ditch Trail is one among many trails recieving some TLC.

Marie Claire Harris and Roman walk down the newly repaved Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) on, May 27, 2020. The trail has been moved, repaved, and reopened after riverbank erosion threatened the original trail. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau, Alaska, June 26, 2018. (Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard)

Good Samaritans, Coast Guard rescue capsized boaters

Good Samaritans and good life jacket use likely saved their lives.

A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau, Alaska, June 26, 2018. (Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard)
A bald eagle perches on top of the whale statue at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on May 26, 2020. The pump rooms for the whale have been repaired after being damaged by flooding last October, but theywill remain turned off for now to save costs and discourage gatherings. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Thar she doesn’t blow: Whale statue all fixed up, but will remain off for now

Cost-saving and crowd-prevention will keep the statue quiet for now.

A bald eagle perches on top of the whale statue at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on May 26, 2020. The pump rooms for the whale have been repaired after being damaged by flooding last October, but theywill remain turned off for now to save costs and discourage gatherings. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
JPD: Man subdued after trying to grab officer’s sidearm during arrest

JPD: Man subdued after trying to grab officer’s sidearm during arrest

The suspect was charged with 17 separate offenses, including drug and firearm charges.

JPD: Man subdued after trying to grab officer’s sidearm during arrest
Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire                                 Henry Williams runs from Douglas to the Mendenhall Valley on Memorial Day to honor dead service members, including his relative, Air Force Tech Sgt. Leslie Dominic Williams, who died in Afghanistan in 2011.

Memorial Day passes quietly amid coronavirus concerns, damp weather

People found their own ways to honor the hallowed dead.

Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire                                 Henry Williams runs from Douglas to the Mendenhall Valley on Memorial Day to honor dead service members, including his relative, Air Force Tech Sgt. Leslie Dominic Williams, who died in Afghanistan in 2011.
Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire                                 The senior class of 2020 graduates with much less pomp and circumstance as the coronavirus keeps gatherings truncated and social interaction at arms length, May 22, 2020.
Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire                                 The senior class of 2020 graduates with much less pomp and circumstance as the coronavirus keeps gatherings truncated and social interaction at arms length, May 22, 2020.
A black bear feeds on dandelions near Peterson Creek in this August 2018 photo. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Be mindful of inquisitive ursine neighbors as weather warms

Bears are trash scavengers, particularly in lean years

A black bear feeds on dandelions near Peterson Creek in this August 2018 photo. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Person taken to hospital after paraglider stranded on Mount Roberts

Person taken to hospital after paraglider stranded on Mount Roberts

The glider will remain visible on the side of the mountain for a few days.

Person taken to hospital after paraglider stranded on Mount Roberts
People get drinks and sun at the Flight Deck, Thursday, May 21. Restaurants are among the businesses able to open to 100% capacity as of Friday although many business owners and managers said they intend to proceed slowly. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Juneau businesses leerily eye new phase of reopening

Some are opening the throttle, but many are holding at Phase 2 levels.

People get drinks and sun at the Flight Deck, Thursday, May 21. Restaurants are among the businesses able to open to 100% capacity as of Friday although many business owners and managers said they intend to proceed slowly. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Lemon Creek Correctional Center had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus on April 10, 2020. There are now 11 staff members and 5 of their family members with confirmed cases. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Union president voices correctional officers’ concerns amid rising cumulative case count

Testing procedures, flow of information and testing, and lack of hazard pay are all worries.

Lemon Creek Correctional Center had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus on April 10, 2020. There are now 11 staff members and 5 of their family members with confirmed cases. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
2 taken to hospital after motorcycle-car collision

2 taken to hospital after motorcycle-car collision

The collision occured near the Mendenhall Glacier.

2 taken to hospital after motorcycle-car collision