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Residents wear matching shirts in advocacy for the proposed off-road vehicle riding park at 35 Mile, which was up for permit consideration and later approved at a January evening Planning Commission meeting. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Construction of new off-road vehicle riding park to begin later this summer

Officials hope to see the first mile loop of the park complete within the year.

Residents wear matching shirts in advocacy for the proposed off-road vehicle riding park at 35 Mile, which was up for permit consideration and later approved at a January evening Planning Commission meeting. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
People walk past City Hall downtown on Monday evening. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to allow the city to advocate for a new City Hall ahead of the upcoming municipal election. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City funds $50K advocacy initiative for new City Hall

Residents in opposition argue the “project should stand on its own merits.”

People walk past City Hall downtown on Monday evening. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to allow the city to advocate for a new City Hall ahead of the upcoming municipal election. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A lifeboat on the deck of the Columbia ferry in May. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Marine Highway System)

Columbia ferry set to resume service Wednesday

Week of canceled sailings for repairs means longer vehicle wait lists, officials say.

A lifeboat on the deck of the Columbia ferry in May. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Marine Highway System)
Members of the Juneau Soccer Club’s 2013 Boys team, wearing white and red jerseys, compete in the Starfire Spring Classic soccer tournament in Seattle earlier this month. Five teams with the local club took part in the three-day competition from June 16-18. (Photo courtesy of Juneau Soccer Club)

Juneau Soccer Club takes a title at Seattle tournament

Five local youth teams compete for local club that has grown rapidly the past three years.

  • Jun 26, 2023
  • By Therese Pokorney
  • Soccer
Members of the Juneau Soccer Club’s 2013 Boys team, wearing white and red jerseys, compete in the Starfire Spring Classic soccer tournament in Seattle earlier this month. Five teams with the local club took part in the three-day competition from June 16-18. (Photo courtesy of Juneau Soccer Club)
First Lady Rose Dunleavy (left) breaks a bottle across the bow of the Hubbard ferry during a christening ceremony Monday at the Alaska Marine Highway System terminal in Juneau, as vessel relief captain Ethan Waldvogel watches. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Hubbard christened as Alaska’s newest ferry

After years of delays, vessel now making day trips to Juneau, Haines and Skagway

First Lady Rose Dunleavy (left) breaks a bottle across the bow of the Hubbard ferry during a christening ceremony Monday at the Alaska Marine Highway System terminal in Juneau, as vessel relief captain Ethan Waldvogel watches. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Dan Rondeau, 69, descends a trail during the Juneau Ridge Race on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A peak experience for over the hill runners

Ski poles, toboggans and space blankets just par for the course at annual Juneau Ridge Race.

Dan Rondeau, 69, descends a trail during the Juneau Ridge Race on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
State Rep. Andi Story, a Juneau Democrat, talks to residents during a legislative town hall Thursday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Local legislators discuss this year’s achievements, next year’s goals at town hall

Residents raise questions about education funding veto, health and rehabilitation programs.

State Rep. Andi Story, a Juneau Democrat, talks to residents during a legislative town hall Thursday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Mayor Beth Weldon flips through an Assembly meeting agenda to give a glimpse at the workload potential candidates for the upcoming election can expect if elected into local office. Weldon was joined by Kristin Bartlett, chief of staff for the Juneau School District (left), Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorenson (middle right) and Mila Cosgrove, former deputy city manager (right), at the City and Borough of Juneau’s annual “How To Run For Local Office” workshop Saturday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City holds workshop to help residents learn the ropes of running for local office

Assembly and school board members offer advice as filing period for local races nears.

Mayor Beth Weldon flips through an Assembly meeting agenda to give a glimpse at the workload potential candidates for the upcoming election can expect if elected into local office. Weldon was joined by Kristin Bartlett, chief of staff for the Juneau School District (left), Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorenson (middle right) and Mila Cosgrove, former deputy city manager (right), at the City and Borough of Juneau’s annual “How To Run For Local Office” workshop Saturday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Emergency lights flash on top of a police car. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Man arrested after firing flare gun at police during foot chase downtown

JPD gets numerous calls after pursuit near Franklin Dock on Friday night

Emergency lights flash on top of a police car. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Angoon students paddle their dugout, war-style canoe into Chatham Strait from Front Street on June 19. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Angoon students name, launch first dugout canoe since 1882 Bombardment

Residents celebrate enduring culture after the village was devastated by the U.S. Navy shelling.

Angoon students paddle their dugout, war-style canoe into Chatham Strait from Front Street on June 19. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. headquarters in Juneau is where most of the estimated 70 employees manage the state’s primary savings account. The corporation’s board of trustees has directed staff to evaluate options for moving some operations to Anchorage. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Permanent Fund Corp. considers moving some operations to Anchorage

Opposition to latest “capital creep” voiced by Juneau lawmaker, who says no funds exists for the move.

The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. headquarters in Juneau is where most of the estimated 70 employees manage the state’s primary savings account. The corporation’s board of trustees has directed staff to evaluate options for moving some operations to Anchorage. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This March 10 photo shows drugs seized by police. A Juneau man was arrested Thursday on felony drug charges and police seized several types of drugs with a street value of $32,650, plus nearly $50,000 in cash. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Police: Juneau man arrested for distributing multiple types of drugs

Narcotics seized have an estimated value of more than $30,000.

This March 10 photo shows drugs seized by police. A Juneau man was arrested Thursday on felony drug charges and police seized several types of drugs with a street value of $32,650, plus nearly $50,000 in cash. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Mandy Cole, executive director of AWARE, speaks to the crowd at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon at the Moose Lodge alongside Amy Skilbred, executive director of the Juneau Community Foundation. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mandy Cole, executive director of AWARE, speaks to the crowd at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon at the Moose Lodge alongside Amy Skilbred, executive director of the Juneau Community Foundation. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Cans of smoked sockeye salmon line the shelves at the Alaska Seafood Company facility in Lemon Creek. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska recently purchased the company and will begin operations by beginning of July, the tribe’s president told the Empire. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Tlingit and Haida purchases Alaska Seafood Company

The tribe’s president said the acquisition supports mission of economic sovereignty.

Cans of smoked sockeye salmon line the shelves at the Alaska Seafood Company facility in Lemon Creek. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska recently purchased the company and will begin operations by beginning of July, the tribe’s president told the Empire. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Brendan West, 17, left, and Jack Adams, 15, guide one sailboat while Wesley Torgerson, 16, helps guide another to the dock during a Juneau Youth Sailing course this week. (Therese Pokorney / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Youth Sailing makes waves, inspires young mariners

Participants navigate the waters of growth, confidence and adventure on Gastineau Channel.

Brendan West, 17, left, and Jack Adams, 15, guide one sailboat while Wesley Torgerson, 16, helps guide another to the dock during a Juneau Youth Sailing course this week. (Therese Pokorney / Juneau Empire)
Longtime Juneau musician Rob Cohen performs at an outdoor cabaret show during the Alaska Theater Festival in 2022. This year’s festival will begin with a series of Neighborhood Cabaret shows at various locations throughout Juneau between June 28 and July 2. (Courtesy of Theater Alaska)

Neighborhood watch

Fourth annual Alaska Theater Festival to stage outdoor productions throughout Juneau this summer.

Longtime Juneau musician Rob Cohen performs at an outdoor cabaret show during the Alaska Theater Festival in 2022. This year’s festival will begin with a series of Neighborhood Cabaret shows at various locations throughout Juneau between June 28 and July 2. (Courtesy of Theater Alaska)
This is a picture of the Alaska Department of Health building in downtown Juneau on Thursday afternoon. A recently released bulletin shows a dramatic increase in the number of infants born with congenital syphilis in Alaska. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Alaska sees ‘dramatic’ rise in number of infants born with congenital syphilis

The bulletin identified 26 cases reported in Alaska between 2018 and 2022.

This is a picture of the Alaska Department of Health building in downtown Juneau on Thursday afternoon. A recently released bulletin shows a dramatic increase in the number of infants born with congenital syphilis in Alaska. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Emily Mesch, president of Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, smiles for a photo near the Mendenhall Glacier Thursday evening. SEAGLA is a Juneau-based nonprofit that works to “provide a supporting social network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in Southeast Alaska.” (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Faces of Pride: Emily Mesch

“There are people out there and we want to help support them.”

Emily Mesch, president of Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, smiles for a photo near the Mendenhall Glacier Thursday evening. SEAGLA is a Juneau-based nonprofit that works to “provide a supporting social network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in Southeast Alaska.” (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This undated image provided by OceanGate Expeditions in June 2021 shows the company’s Titan submersible. (OceanGate Expeditions via AP, File)

Pilot and four passengers of the Titan submersible are dead, U.S. Coast Guard says

Missing submersible imploded near the wreckage of the Titanic, killing all five people on board.

  • Jun 22, 2023
  • By Patrick Whittle and Holly Ramer Associated Press
This undated image provided by OceanGate Expeditions in June 2021 shows the company’s Titan submersible. (OceanGate Expeditions via AP, File)
Fireworks burst over Juneau on July 4, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Opinion: Juneau’s July 4 celebrates what is good about America

Growing up in Juneau, and later when raising our own children, our family attended countless Fourth of July parades, patriotic celebrations, and picnics. The holiday… Continue reading

Fireworks burst over Juneau on July 4, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)