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The Eagle/Raven Dance Group completes their grand entrance among delegates Wednesday morning at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall to mark the beginning of the 88th annual tribal assembly of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The theme of three-day assembly, held in person for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is “Sovereignty: In Land We Trust.” (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Tribal Assembly celebrates achievements and faces hard truths

Growth of Tlingit Haida’s community programs and political influence highlighted on first day

The Eagle/Raven Dance Group completes their grand entrance among delegates Wednesday morning at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall to mark the beginning of the 88th annual tribal assembly of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The theme of three-day assembly, held in person for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is “Sovereignty: In Land We Trust.” (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s representing attorney Philip Baker-Shenk gives a speech Wednesday during the first day of Tlingit and Haida’s 88th annual Tribal Assembly. Baker-Shenk addressed the state of Alaska’s recent lawsuit against the federal government’s approval of the first parcel of land owned by the tribe. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Fear not, drop your lawsuit’: Tribal Assembly keynote speaker talks resiliency of Tlingit and Haida, addresses state’s land trust lawsuit

Assembly keynote speaker talks resiliency of Tlingit Haida, addresses state’s land trust lawsuit

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s representing attorney Philip Baker-Shenk gives a speech Wednesday during the first day of Tlingit and Haida’s 88th annual Tribal Assembly. Baker-Shenk addressed the state of Alaska’s recent lawsuit against the federal government’s approval of the first parcel of land owned by the tribe. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The badge for the Kenai Police Department

Police seek information on woman found dead in Kenai

The woman was found Friday near Haller Street and the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai

The badge for the Kenai Police Department
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire From left to right, Minta Schwartz, Matthew Quinto, Kyle Khaayák’w Worl, Ezra Elisoff, Leif Richards, Jordan Bennett, Lyric Ashenfelter, Sonny Mazon and Nathan Blake stand alongside City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Monday night after being honored for their representation of Juneau for Team Alaska at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games.

Assembly honors Juneau Arctic Winter Games athletes

The athlete’s traveled to Alberta, Canada in February to represent Juneau on Team Alaska.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire From left to right, Minta Schwartz, Matthew Quinto, Kyle Khaayák’w Worl, Ezra Elisoff, Leif Richards, Jordan Bennett, Lyric Ashenfelter, Sonny Mazon and Nathan Blake stand alongside City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Monday night after being honored for their representation of Juneau for Team Alaska at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games.
JDHS sophomore Milina Mazon (11) keeps the ball from TMHS freshman Ariana Gonzales (40) during the two schools second match up of the season on Tuesday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS girls soccer wins second match up against TMHS

Crimson Bears sit at 4-0 for conference record.

JDHS sophomore Milina Mazon (11) keeps the ball from TMHS freshman Ariana Gonzales (40) during the two schools second match up of the season on Tuesday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Southeast Alaska’s Chilkat River is seen on May, 30, 2013. The Chilkat and its main tributary, the Klehini River, are listed among the nation’s most at-risk rivers because of the planned Palmer Project copper and zinc mine being developed upstream from the village of Klukwan. (U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center)

Looming mine development puts Southeast’s Chilkat-Klehini system on list of endangered rivers

A pair of connected Southeast Alaska waterways are on the 2023 list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers issued by a national environmental organization. The Chilkat… Continue reading

Southeast Alaska’s Chilkat River is seen on May, 30, 2013. The Chilkat and its main tributary, the Klehini River, are listed among the nation’s most at-risk rivers because of the planned Palmer Project copper and zinc mine being developed upstream from the village of Klukwan. (U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center)
Alan Cleveland shares his experiences as a Juneau taxi driver to a packed house at Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church as part of Mudrooms final showcase of the season on Tuesday night. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Mudrooms wraps up another successful season

Application period now open for nonprofit beneficiaries.

Alan Cleveland shares his experiences as a Juneau taxi driver to a packed house at Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church as part of Mudrooms final showcase of the season on Tuesday night. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy shakes the hands of state legislators as he prepares to deliver the 2023 State of the State address to the Alaska Legislature on Jan. 23, 2023, in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Dunleavy weighs a statewide sales tax amid broader push for fiscal plan

Governor meets with House and Senate members, declines to publicly reveal specifics of proposal

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy shakes the hands of state legislators as he prepares to deliver the 2023 State of the State address to the Alaska Legislature on Jan. 23, 2023, in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly at its Monday night meeting. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City OKs $2.3M in additional ‘out-of-cap’ funding to school district

The funds will pay for deficits accrued during 2021-2023.

Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly at its Monday night meeting. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire A simple spreadsheet showing major items being debated in this year’s state budget features user-adjustable options to see what options exist for a balanced spending plan.

Do-it-yourself state budget balancing kit

These are the major pieces of the puzzle facing lawmakers; how would you make them fit?

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire A simple spreadsheet showing major items being debated in this year’s state budget features user-adjustable options to see what options exist for a balanced spending plan.
A gate blocks off the entrance to West Douglas’ Pioneer Road Saturday afternoon. Monday evening the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly voted to reject a proposal from a local company that sought to gain access to provide electric-assisted bicycle tours on the city-owned gravel road. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Assembly votes down proposed Pioneer Road e-bike tours

Assembly member calls for “rare” move to reconsider.

A gate blocks off the entrance to West Douglas’ Pioneer Road Saturday afternoon. Monday evening the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly voted to reject a proposal from a local company that sought to gain access to provide electric-assisted bicycle tours on the city-owned gravel road. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy Photo / Mel Cummins Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School seventh-grader Nixie Schooler poses for a photo after winning this year’s Adidas Nationals Freestyle Wrestling Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri on April 10.

Nixie Schooler schools competition at Adidas Nationals

“I felt happy and I couldn’t believe I did it.”

Courtesy Photo / Mel Cummins Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School seventh-grader Nixie Schooler poses for a photo after winning this year’s Adidas Nationals Freestyle Wrestling Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri on April 10.
Courtesy Photo / Dana Zigmund JDHS junior Xavier Melancon maneuvers past a Thunder Mountain High School player on the pitch at the Adair-Kennedy field Monday evening.

JDHS boys soccer beats TMHS in second match up

Crimson Bears play again on Thursday.

Courtesy Photo / Dana Zigmund JDHS junior Xavier Melancon maneuvers past a Thunder Mountain High School player on the pitch at the Adair-Kennedy field Monday evening.
The sun glistens off a totem pole by Tsimshian carver Gyibaawm Laxha David Robert Boxley after it was raised at Overstreet Park Sunday afternoon. The pole is one of the first 12 of 30 totem poles to be raised to create a Kootéeyaa Deiyí (totem pole trail) lining the waterfront in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Totem poles raised along waterfront ahead of trail dedication ceremony

The ceremony will be held late Saturday morning at Heritage Plaza.

The sun glistens off a totem pole by Tsimshian carver Gyibaawm Laxha David Robert Boxley after it was raised at Overstreet Park Sunday afternoon. The pole is one of the first 12 of 30 totem poles to be raised to create a Kootéeyaa Deiyí (totem pole trail) lining the waterfront in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, discusses what she considers inadequacies in state education funding during floor debate Monday about the House’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget approved by a 23-17 vote will next be considered by the Senate, with a compromise version likely drafted to resolve differences before the end of the session.

House finally passes budget as final month of session begins

Senate expected to take public testimony on its proposed spending plan later this week

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, discusses what she considers inadequacies in state education funding during floor debate Monday about the House’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget approved by a 23-17 vote will next be considered by the Senate, with a compromise version likely drafted to resolve differences before the end of the session.
Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press in Juneau Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Empire upgrading online coverage, changing print publication days

Emphasis on enhanced digital content; print production moving to Washington state

Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press in Juneau Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

From the editor and publisher

Ben Hohenstatt and David Rigas

  • Apr 17, 2023
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Eric Osuch tries to offer papers related to his arrest in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday morning to a reporter as Juneau Police Department officers escort him to a nearby patrol vehicle. Osuch, who was staging a solo protest about fisheries bycatch policies, was banned from the Capitol after causing a public disruption and was arrested a short time later for another alleged disturbance inside the State Office Building. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Fisheries activist arrested at Capitol

Juneau man staging solo protest disrupts committee hearing, gets in fight in State Office Building

Eric Osuch tries to offer papers related to his arrest in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday morning to a reporter as Juneau Police Department officers escort him to a nearby patrol vehicle. Osuch, who was staging a solo protest about fisheries bycatch policies, was banned from the Capitol after causing a public disruption and was arrested a short time later for another alleged disturbance inside the State Office Building. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau District School board and administrators listen to Jess Cobley, Juneau Education Association middle school representative at large, as she speaks about the contract negotiations during a December meeting at Thunder Mountain High School. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau School District, teachers union reach tentative contract agreement

Members are expected to vote on whether to ratify it in the coming weeks.

Juneau District School board and administrators listen to Jess Cobley, Juneau Education Association middle school representative at large, as she speaks about the contract negotiations during a December meeting at Thunder Mountain High School. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on April 17, 2023, the first cruise ship of the 2023 season. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

The first cruise ship of the season arrives in Juneau

The Norwegian Bliss marked the kickoff to the 2023 season

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on April 17, 2023, the first cruise ship of the 2023 season. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)