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Karen Brewer-Tarver, a partner with the Juneau-based accounting firm Elgee Rehfeld, presents results from a third-party audit of the Juneau School District for past fiscal year to the Juneau Board of Education’s Finance Committee on Thursday night. (Screenshot from Juneau School District livestream)

Positive ending: School district emerges from fiscal crisis with first audit without a deficit in years

Report finds lingering problems with “internal controls,” recommends more staff and refining procedures.

Karen Brewer-Tarver, a partner with the Juneau-based accounting firm Elgee Rehfeld, presents results from a third-party audit of the Juneau School District for past fiscal year to the Juneau Board of Education’s Finance Committee on Thursday night. (Screenshot from Juneau School District livestream)
Dan Allard (left) and Philip Martinez (center) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listen to John Bohan, an engineer with the City and Borough of Juneau, as the three men provide information about flood barriers to Juneau Assembly members during a meeting Monday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Experts address flood barrier concerns of Assembly, will meet with residents next week

Advice for homeowners seeking to protect themselves to be offered by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Dan Allard (left) and Philip Martinez (center) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listen to John Bohan, an engineer with the City and Borough of Juneau, as the three men provide information about flood barriers to Juneau Assembly members during a meeting Monday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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William Todd Hunt guides the Taku Winds ensemble through a rehearsal of music by Indigenous composers on Tuesday evening at Thunder Mountain Middle School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
William Todd Hunt guides the Taku Winds ensemble through a rehearsal of music by Indigenous composers on Tuesday evening at Thunder Mountain Middle School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Þorsteinn Þorsteinsson looks at a moulin on the Sólheimajökull glacier on Oct. 20. A moulin, or glacier mill, is a crevasse through which water enters a glacier from the surface. (Jasz Garrett / For the Juneau Empire)

Breaching a gap of 3,296 miles: Iceland’s experience with jökulhlaups

Glacial outburst floods a threat there for more than 1,100 years — what can Juneau learn from them?

Þorsteinn Þorsteinsson looks at a moulin on the Sólheimajökull glacier on Oct. 20. A moulin, or glacier mill, is a crevasse through which water enters a glacier from the surface. (Jasz Garrett / For the Juneau Empire)
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, speaks to members of the Senate majority caucus’ leadership group on Friday, April 12, 2024. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Education, energy and elections among priorities of Alaska Senate’s post-election agenda

Senate’s previous bipartisan majority will continue, albeit a bit smaller, after election.

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, speaks to members of the Senate majority caucus’ leadership group on Friday, April 12, 2024. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
A statue of William Henry Seward stands outside the Dimond Courthouse in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau man gets 18-year prison sentence for sexual abuse of a minor

Craig Foster, 63, pleaded guilty to charge involving girl between 9 and 11 years old.

A statue of William Henry Seward stands outside the Dimond Courthouse in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
West Juneau homes on Douglas Island late Thursday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

What will Trump as president again and a more liberal Alaska Legislature mean for Juneau?

Election appears to shake up federal and state governments in different ways, leaving lots of unknowns.

West Juneau homes on Douglas Island late Thursday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Parker Boman and sophomore Kennedy Miller swim the 100 breaststroke final at the Region V Championships last weekend in the Petersburg Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears about to plunge into state swim championships

Girls look to defend team title behind top qualifying times, boys look to earn top-five team placing.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Parker Boman and sophomore Kennedy Miller swim the 100 breaststroke final at the Region V Championships last weekend in the Petersburg Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 48, the carbon credits bill, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in the Alaska House. At background is Department of Resources Commissioner John Boyle and staff supporting the bill. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska House control flips from predominantly Republican coalition to mostly Democratic coalition

Preliminary election results show the new House majority will have at least 22 members.

Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 48, the carbon credits bill, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in the Alaska House. At background is Department of Resources Commissioner John Boyle and staff supporting the bill. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 4, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 4, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the final notice of decision for expanding the mine announced Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The expansion will extend the life of the mine up to 18 years. (U.S. Forest Service)

Extending Greens Creek Mine production for 12 to 18 years gets final OK from Forest Service

Agency says there will also be more habitat protection measures and mine waste disposal capacity.

A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the final notice of decision for expanding the mine announced Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The expansion will extend the life of the mine up to 18 years. (U.S. Forest Service)
Aurelie Alexander photographs a helicopter hoisting cellular equipment onto the roof of the Marine View building at midday Wednesday. As a resident of the apartment/office building, she and others were notified to leave the building during the helicopter operation. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

Hovering around downtown for better phone service

New AT&T equipment installed atop Marine View Building joins other telecom upgrades downtown.

Aurelie Alexander photographs a helicopter hoisting cellular equipment onto the roof of the Marine View building at midday Wednesday. As a resident of the apartment/office building, she and others were notified to leave the building during the helicopter operation. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
The Columbia is scheduled to replace the Kennicott on the mainline ferry route between Southeast Alaska and Bellingham, Washington, starting in mid-December. (Alaska Marine Highway System photo)

Proposed summer ferry schedule for 2025 remains much the same, with Columbia replacing Kennicott

Public comments being accepted until Nov. 12, with virtual meetings scheduled that day.

The Columbia is scheduled to replace the Kennicott on the mainline ferry route between Southeast Alaska and Bellingham, Washington, starting in mid-December. (Alaska Marine Highway System photo)
A sperm whale is seen in an undated photo published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (NOAA photo)

Southeast Alaska fisher could get six months in prison after attempting to kill sperm whale

Federal prosecutors are recommending that an Alaska fisher serve six months in prison, pay a $25,000 fine and be banned from commercial fishing for a… Continue reading

A sperm whale is seen in an undated photo published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (NOAA photo)
Voters at Anchorage City Hall wait in line to cast their ballots on Nov. 4, 2024, the day before Election Day. City Hall, in downtown Anchorage, was one of the designated early voting sites in the state’s largest city. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

No leaders change as 1,500 more ballots are added to Alaska’s election count

Almost 46,000 votes cast before Election Day remain uncounted, according to absentee and early vote figures.

Voters at Anchorage City Hall wait in line to cast their ballots on Nov. 4, 2024, the day before Election Day. City Hall, in downtown Anchorage, was one of the designated early voting sites in the state’s largest city. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A weather-beaten Kamala Harris campaign sign is seen on the railing along a downtown street on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

How Juneau voted: Support for Trump varies between 55% near airport to 15.7% in downtown precinct

Voters in two local districts favor keeping ranked choice voting, while statewide residents evenly split.

A weather-beaten Kamala Harris campaign sign is seen on the railing along a downtown street on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Election summary: Trump wins, GOP takes over U.S. Senate, Alaska may get new governor

Begich and repeal of ranked choice voting narrowly lead; GOP may lose control of state House.

The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Republican U.S. House candidate Nick Begich and his supporters wave campaign signs at the corner of the Seward Highway and Northern Lights Boulevard on Nov. 4, 2024, the day before Election Day. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Begich leads in early results, but Alaska’s U.S. House race won’t be immediately decided

About 255,000 ballots counted as of 3 a.m. Wednesday, Peltola trails by 4.4% with many rural votes uncounted.

Republican U.S. House candidate Nick Begich and his supporters wave campaign signs at the corner of the Seward Highway and Northern Lights Boulevard on Nov. 4, 2024, the day before Election Day. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaskans approve all judges on judicial ballot, according to preliminary results

Alaska voters are on course to retain all 19 judges on this year’s election ballots, including Anchorage Superior Court Adolf Zeman, who had been targeted… Continue reading

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Republicans lose two seats in state House, increasing odds of leadership switch

Rural Alaska precincts had reported few results by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)