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Alaska National Guardsmen assigned to Joint Task Force – Bethel clear storm debris in Newtok, Alaska, as part of Operation Merbok Response, Sept. 22, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O’Neal)

Alaska nonprofit law firm to receive $4.7 million to assist disaster recovery

Funding will serve residents in Alaska and other Western states

Alaska National Guardsmen assigned to Joint Task Force – Bethel clear storm debris in Newtok, Alaska, as part of Operation Merbok Response, Sept. 22, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O’Neal)
Steve Sanders and Estrella Acosta examine their catch aboard the Marilyn at the Auke Nu Cove station as Alysha Reeves, the events dock chair, awaits. Acosta, 11, turned in 11 scholarship fish and entered a 10.1-pound salmon on Friday evening, the first day of the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Salmon Derby feels the weather, but keeps on fishing

77th annual charitable competition nets more fish than last year

Steve Sanders and Estrella Acosta examine their catch aboard the Marilyn at the Auke Nu Cove station as Alysha Reeves, the events dock chair, awaits. Acosta, 11, turned in 11 scholarship fish and entered a 10.1-pound salmon on Friday evening, the first day of the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Senior captains Edgar Vera and Etta Eller lead the Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School cross-country team in a warmup jog during a rainy day practice near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center on Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

JDHS runners return to Juneau’s roads and trails with big ambitions

Cross-country coaches and captains share early season goals ahead of joint race with TMHS.

Senior captains Edgar Vera and Etta Eller lead the Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School cross-country team in a warmup jog during a rainy day practice near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center on Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Debris from a home that partially fell into the Mendenhall River sits on the riverbank on Sunday, Aug. 6. Dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed by the flooding, which Gov. Mike Dunleavy has declared a state disaster as he seeks federal-level assistance. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Governor requests FEMA assessment of Suicide Basin flood damage

Action marks another step toward seeking federal disaster assistance.

Debris from a home that partially fell into the Mendenhall River sits on the riverbank on Sunday, Aug. 6. Dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed by the flooding, which Gov. Mike Dunleavy has declared a state disaster as he seeks federal-level assistance. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Robin Welling, a Juneau resident, sprints to the finish line to win the Nifty Fifty 50K race Saturday afternoon with a time of four hours, 56 minutes and 55 seconds.

Runners dominate slippery trails for annual Nifty Fifty races amid rain storm

The 50K, 25K and 10K races were a success despite weather, race director says.

Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Robin Welling, a Juneau resident, sprints to the finish line to win the Nifty Fifty 50K race Saturday afternoon with a time of four hours, 56 minutes and 55 seconds.
Students enter a bus stopped on Douglas Highway Tuesday morning for the first day of the 2023-2024 school year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

New school year starts for students in Juneau

District welcomes a new superintendent, principals and early release policy for elementary students.

Students enter a bus stopped on Douglas Highway Tuesday morning for the first day of the 2023-2024 school year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney looks through paperwork Monday in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Trump, 18 allies indicted in Georgia over 2020 election meddling, the 4th criminal case against him

ATLANTA — Donald Trump and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia on Monday, accused of scheming to illegally overturn his 2020 election loss in the… Continue reading

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney looks through paperwork Monday in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, speaks on an amendment to the state budget on April 3, 2023, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska legislators would vote on conflicts of interest under proposal

Freshman Caucus supports change, but a key House chair says the current system works

Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, speaks on an amendment to the state budget on April 3, 2023, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Hundreds of people participate in a spaghetti dinner and dessert auction Saturday night at Thunder Mountain High School to raise funds for residents affected by record flooding of the Mendenhall River earlier this month. More than $20,000 was raised during the event. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Feeding a need for people forced out of homes by flood

More than $20K raised at spaghetti dinner and dessert auction at TMHS

Hundreds of people participate in a spaghetti dinner and dessert auction Saturday night at Thunder Mountain High School to raise funds for residents affected by record flooding of the Mendenhall River earlier this month. More than $20,000 was raised during the event. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Allison Lihou, John Diamond and Brian Thomason (aboard boat) turn in five salmon, including four scholarship fish, to dock volunteers Jason Bailey (orange jacket) and Bobby Dilg at the Douglas Harbor station during the 77th annual Golden North Salmon Derby on Sunday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Updates from the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby

24.4-pound king is top catch at 6 p.m. Sunday deadline, more than 3 pounds heavier than runner-up.

Allison Lihou, John Diamond and Brian Thomason (aboard boat) turn in five salmon, including four scholarship fish, to dock volunteers Jason Bailey (orange jacket) and Bobby Dilg at the Douglas Harbor station during the 77th annual Golden North Salmon Derby on Sunday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Amos Andreassen, 6, hands a piece of debris to his grandmother, Peggy Tutu, on a beach in North Douglas during a community cleanup Sunday following last weekend’s record flooding of the Mendenhall River. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Cleaning up the flood’s remaining bits and big pieces

Participants in community cleanup walk the shores where items washed up a week after the disaster

Amos Andreassen, 6, hands a piece of debris to his grandmother, Peggy Tutu, on a beach in North Douglas during a community cleanup Sunday following last weekend’s record flooding of the Mendenhall River. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Players collide during the second quarter of the Juneau Huskies’ season opener against East Anchorage Saturday afternoon at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Huskies return with fresh faces, defeated in the season opener

Head coach optimistic for the season despite major turnover.

Players collide during the second quarter of the Juneau Huskies’ season opener against East Anchorage Saturday afternoon at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
An American Red Cross worker (in orange) advises people evacuating belongings from a house on Nelson Street following a small landslide Saturday evening. City officials ordered the evacuation of homes near the slide, and issued a notice asking people to stay away from the landslide area and for people in high-slope areas to be aware of landslide risks due to heavy rain. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

‘Small’ landslide occurs downtown; one home impacted, no injuries reported

Officials evacuate nearby homes, caution residents in high-slope areas.

An American Red Cross worker (in orange) advises people evacuating belongings from a house on Nelson Street following a small landslide Saturday evening. City officials ordered the evacuation of homes near the slide, and issued a notice asking people to stay away from the landslide area and for people in high-slope areas to be aware of landslide risks due to heavy rain. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Three Alaska Marine Highway System ferries are docked at its headquarters in Ketchikan as the Columbia arrives on July 16. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Fixing the ferry’s future: Alaska Marine Highway steers fleet toward three replacements

Part two of a two-part series about the tricky navigation facing the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Three Alaska Marine Highway System ferries are docked at its headquarters in Ketchikan as the Columbia arrives on July 16. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Workers load cars aboard the Columbia ferry during a stop in mid-July. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Fixing the ferry’s future: The cost of maintaining an aging fleet

Master plan seeks to replace existing ships that are inefficient and expensive to operate

Workers load cars aboard the Columbia ferry during a stop in mid-July. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire Members of the deck department of the Columbia state ferry get ready to dock the vessel in Petersburg on July 17. A change in the accounting department is expected to lessen the number of payroll complaints among Alaska Marine Highway System employees.

A fix is in for ferry payroll issues

The change addresses longstanding issues with AMHS employees getting paid late or the wrong amounts.

Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire Members of the deck department of the Columbia state ferry get ready to dock the vessel in Petersburg on July 17. A change in the accounting department is expected to lessen the number of payroll complaints among Alaska Marine Highway System employees.
Alaska Marine Highway System vessels in dock at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal. (Alaska Marine Highway System)

Fixing the ferry’s future: Meet the nine ships in the Alaska Marine Highway fleet

Three are currently out of service due to repairs and crew shortages

Alaska Marine Highway System vessels in dock at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal. (Alaska Marine Highway System)
The Odess Theater is seen on May 22, 2019, on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, which operates the former home of Sheldon Jackson College. (Photo by Flickr user Jasperdo/Creative Commons)

Sitka Fine Arts Camp withdraws immigration lawsuit after feds reconsider issue

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The Odess Theater is seen on May 22, 2019, on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, which operates the former home of Sheldon Jackson College. (Photo by Flickr user Jasperdo/Creative Commons)
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.

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)
A team photo of the 2023 Juneau Huskies, who kick off their season with a home game against East Anchorage at 3 p.m. Saturday. (Courtesy of Juneau Huskies Football)

Juneau Huskies start another title prowl

After losing state title game last year, there’s only one way to go up as season starts Saturday

A team photo of the 2023 Juneau Huskies, who kick off their season with a home game against East Anchorage at 3 p.m. Saturday. (Courtesy of Juneau Huskies Football)