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Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Veto negates rejection of pay hikes for governor, legislators

Dunleavy clears way for 67% hike in legislative pay, 20% in his to take effect in coming months

Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are mulling several bills related to discussion of sex and gender in public schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Bills focused on sex and gender in education bring ‘the beginning of the culture wars’ to Alaska

Competing legislation brings national fracas to the Capitol.

This photo shows the Alaska State Capitol, where lawmakers are mulling several bills related to discussion of sex and gender in public schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, center, discusses details of the proposed state budget for next year as modified by the House Finance Committee she co-chairs with Reps. Neil Foster, D-Nome, left, and Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. Assisting Johnson is her chief of staff Remond Henderson. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

House budget’s biggest change is a smaller PFD

Large deficit in governor’s budget drives dividend lower, poor oil price forecast may mean other cuts

Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, center, discusses details of the proposed state budget for next year as modified by the House Finance Committee she co-chairs with Reps. Neil Foster, D-Nome, left, and Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. Assisting Johnson is her chief of staff Remond Henderson. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Chase Saviers goes in for a layup Monday afternoon in a B Bracket game against Metlakatla during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau lands 111 points in win over Metlakatla

The team won by exactly 40-points.

Juneau’s Chase Saviers goes in for a layup Monday afternoon in a B Bracket game against Metlakatla during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Ballard High School students work together to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, an event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Seattle. Educators around the country are pushing for greater digital media literacy education. (AP Photo / Manuel Valdes)

Digital literacy: Can the republic ‘survive an algorithm’?

Incorporating internet literacy can be a challenge, especially since misinformation is politicized.

  • Mar 20, 2023
  • By David Klepper and Manuel Valdes Associated Press
  • Nation-World
Ballard High School students work together to solve an exercise at MisinfoDay, an event hosted by the University of Washington to help high school students identify and avoid misinformation, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Seattle. Educators around the country are pushing for greater digital media literacy education. (AP Photo / Manuel Valdes)
Juneau’s Gold Medal Tournament Masters Bracket basketball team’s Will Whitehead secures a two-point shot early on in the first quarter of a game against Angoon Sunday afternoon a part 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau stays in control against Angoon for M Bracket win

Juneau kept a respectable-yet-close lead through the entire time.

Juneau’s Gold Medal Tournament Masters Bracket basketball team’s Will Whitehead secures a two-point shot early on in the first quarter of a game against Angoon Sunday afternoon a part 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson goes up for a shot Monday afternoon in a game against Kake during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. Yakutat prevailed against Kake 69-33. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Yakutat finishes with 36-point lead over Kake in W bracket

Kake women bested on second day of the tournament.

Yakutat’s Trinity Jackson goes up for a shot Monday afternoon in a game against Kake during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. Yakutat prevailed against Kake 69-33. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)

The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding

Southern resident killer whales haven’t regularly interbred with other populations in 30 generations.

  • Mar 20, 2023
  • By Gene Johnson Associated Press
This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire

PHOTOS: Gold Medal basketball is back

Photos from the first day of the 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Kent Larson takes a hookshot against Kake on Monday morning as part of the C Bracket in this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament. Larson finished the game with 13 points in the Klukwan win. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Klukwan defeats Kake in Monday C Bracket game

The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship,… Continue reading

Kent Larson takes a hookshot against Kake on Monday morning as part of the C Bracket in this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament. Larson finished the game with 13 points in the Klukwan win. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Hoona’s Travis Dybdahl shoots a layup against Angoon Sunday night during the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. Dybdahl led his team with 32 points (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Hoonah beats Angoon in fourth quarter steal on Sunday

The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship,… Continue reading

Hoona’s Travis Dybdahl shoots a layup against Angoon Sunday night during the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. Dybdahl led his team with 32 points (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Ed Mercer (7) puts up a shot against Sitka Monday morning during this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament at JDHS. Mercer finished the game with 6 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau notches another M Bracket W against Sitka

Juneau beats Sitka in M Bracket game

Juneau’s Ed Mercer (7) puts up a shot against Sitka Monday morning during this year’s Gold Medal basketball tournament at JDHS. Mercer finished the game with 6 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
K. Santo Franks of team Haines puts up a 2-point shot against Yakutat on Sunday night during this year’s Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. Franks led his team in points for a total of 14. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Haines hangs on for Sunday night win against Yakutat

The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Juneau Lions Club 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship,… Continue reading

K. Santo Franks of team Haines puts up a 2-point shot against Yakutat on Sunday night during this year’s Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. Franks led his team in points for a total of 14. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Angoon’s Duncan O’Brien shoots between Hydaburg’s George Peratrovich (1) and Darren Edenshaw during B Bracket action during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Hydaburg nips Angoon with a Gold Medal buzzer beater

Vinnie Edenshaw put his game-high 32nd point off the glass and through the net as the buzzer sounded

  • Mar 20, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe For the Juneau Empire
  • Basketball
Angoon’s Duncan O’Brien shoots between Hydaburg’s George Peratrovich (1) and Darren Edenshaw during B Bracket action during the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola put up the ceremonial jump ball for Kake's Rich Austin (15) and Hoonah's Albert Hinchman (22) during their Masters Bracket game in the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Hoonah ‘Masterful’ in opening Gold Medal win over Kake

Hoonah put two-time defending M Bracket champions Kake into an early deficit and never looked back

  • Mar 19, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe For the Juneau Empire
  • Basketball
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola put up the ceremonial jump ball for Kake's Rich Austin (15) and Hoonah's Albert Hinchman (22) during their Masters Bracket game in the Juneau Lions Club 74th Annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Sunday, March 19, at the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Klukwan's Brian Friske (32) coils up to take a shot at the hoop while defended by Yakutat's Dustin Endicott. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Klukwan bests Yakutat in 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament’s first game

Klukwan (Kluk)won the game.

Klukwan's Brian Friske (32) coils up to take a shot at the hoop while defended by Yakutat's Dustin Endicott. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Juneau's Mahina Toutaiolepo peers through the arms of Kake defenders during the second half of a Juneau win in the Juneau Lions Club's 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Big fourth quarter pushes Juneau past Kake

Game was tied at the end of the third.

Juneau's Mahina Toutaiolepo peers through the arms of Kake defenders during the second half of a Juneau win in the Juneau Lions Club's 74th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Spit flies as players from Metlakatla and Hoonah battle for the ball Sunday afternoon in the second B Bracket game of the 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Metlakatla ekes out a win against Hoonah

The game ended with a close 75-70 score.

Spit flies as players from Metlakatla and Hoonah battle for the ball Sunday afternoon in the second B Bracket game of the 74th Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Guy Archibald collects clam shell specimens on Admiralty Island. Archibald was the lead author of a recently released study that linked a dramatic increase of lead levels in Hawk Inlet’s marine ecosystem and land surrounding it on Admiralty Island to tailings released from the nearby Hecla Greens Creek Mine. (Courtesy Photo / John Neary)

New study links mine to elevated lead levels in Hawk Inlet

Hecla Greens Creek Mine official ardently refutes the report’s findings.

Guy Archibald collects clam shell specimens on Admiralty Island. Archibald was the lead author of a recently released study that linked a dramatic increase of lead levels in Hawk Inlet’s marine ecosystem and land surrounding it on Admiralty Island to tailings released from the nearby Hecla Greens Creek Mine. (Courtesy Photo / John Neary)
Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Top brass turns out for event at State Museum

Free performance puts a capt on a busy season.

Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)