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Elizabeth Djajalie, a Juneau resident attending Harvard University, explains the science of DNA metabarcoding, in a video at the Mendenhall Glacier for the Khan Academy Breakthrough Junior Challenge. (Screenshot from video by Elizabeth Djajalie)
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TMHS grad Elizabeth Djajalie among 30 global contenders in $400,000 Khan Academy Challenge

Award includes $250K scholarship to winner, $50K for a teacher and $100K for high school STEM lab.

Elizabeth Djajalie, a Juneau resident attending Harvard University, explains the science of DNA metabarcoding, in a video at the Mendenhall Glacier for the Khan Academy Breakthrough Junior Challenge. (Screenshot from video by Elizabeth Djajalie)
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The front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Rush-hour traffic heads toward downtown on Egan Drive on Friday morning. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

How Outer Drive became inner drive: The construction of Egan Drive

In 1970 there was no dispute about need for four-lane highway — conflict was about route across wetlands.

Rush-hour traffic heads toward downtown on Egan Drive on Friday morning. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
Uhtred Permanentfundsen, the “defender of the Permanent Fund,” occupies a shelf near the head of the table in the Senate Finance Committee room at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

This year’s Permanent Fund Dividend is $1,702, with first payouts scheduled Oct. 3

Amount includes $1,403.83 from Permanent Fund earnings and $298.17 “one-time energy relief payment.”

Uhtred Permanentfundsen, the “defender of the Permanent Fund,” occupies a shelf near the head of the table in the Senate Finance Committee room at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé freshman assistant coach and manager Jaasyah Crowley (72) directs varsity warmups before the Juneau Huskies’ game against West Anchorage High School last Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Jaasyah Crowley chasing gridiron dream as whistle-blowing manager for Juneau Huskies

JDHS freshman born with neurological disorder leads warmups for team as he works to get on the field.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé freshman assistant coach and manager Jaasyah Crowley (72) directs varsity warmups before the Juneau Huskies’ game against West Anchorage High School last Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Cruise ship tourists watch floatplanes taxi out in Gastineau Channel on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Cruise industry giving opponents of Ship-Free Saturday a dominant campaign cash advantage

Three cruise companies, Goldbelt give $275,000 of more than $300,000 raised; supporters raise $380.

Cruise ship tourists watch floatplanes taxi out in Gastineau Channel on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Candidates for the Juneau Board of Education gather at the KTOO studios on Wednesday night for a forum to discuss issues related to the Oct. 1 local election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Election 2024: Watch the Juneau Municipal Candidate Forum for Juneau School Board

Six candidates seeking three seats in Oct. 1 election participate in televised forum Wednesday.

Candidates for the Juneau Board of Education gather at the KTOO studios on Wednesday night for a forum to discuss issues related to the Oct. 1 local election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Juneau Huskies senior captains Hayden Aube (2), Sage Schultz (5), Caleb Ziegenfuss (16) and Jayden Johnson (4) approach the center of Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park for the coin toss of last weekend’s game against West Anchorage. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)

Huskies’ captains talk of facing Dimond pedigree

Juneau goes on the road to take on undefeated conference leader in Anchorage on Saturday.

Juneau Huskies senior captains Hayden Aube (2), Sage Schultz (5), Caleb Ziegenfuss (16) and Jayden Johnson (4) approach the center of Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park for the coin toss of last weekend’s game against West Anchorage. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior swim captains Matthew Godkin, Matthew Plang, Pacific Ricke and Nova Hines were chosen by teammates to lead the Crimson Bears in the pool this season. Godkin and Hines swam last year for the now defunct Thunder Mountain High School Falcons. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)

Swimmers find their lanes on combined JDHS team

Crimson Bears have 37 athletes who swim and 10 that dive, with 22 of them coming over from TMHS.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior swim captains Matthew Godkin, Matthew Plang, Pacific Ricke and Nova Hines were chosen by teammates to lead the Crimson Bears in the pool this season. Godkin and Hines swam last year for the now defunct Thunder Mountain High School Falcons. (Klas Stolpe/For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau Assembly and mayoral candidates discuss issues involving the community of Douglas during a forum Sept. 8 at the Douglas Public Library. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Local candidates agree on lots of big-picture issues, differ on details, at lots of forums

Housing, flooding, tourism among key issues so far; two more forums being broadcast this week.

Juneau Assembly and mayoral candidates discuss issues involving the community of Douglas during a forum Sept. 8 at the Douglas Public Library. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Candidates for Juneau Assembly and mayor gather at the KTOO studios on Tuesday night for a forum to discuss issues related to the Oct. 1 local election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Election 2024: Watch the Juneau Municipal Candidate Forum for Mayor and Assembly

Eight candidates participate in one-hour forum Tuesday; school board candidate forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Candidates for Juneau Assembly and mayor gather at the KTOO studios on Tuesday night for a forum to discuss issues related to the Oct. 1 local election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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The Alaska Division of Election’s director’s office in Juneau on Nov. 22, 2022. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Elections office in Juneau among those in more than dozen states to be mailed suspicious packages

Package for Juneau intercepted before delivery, no hazardous materials reported in incidents.

The Alaska Division of Election’s director’s office in Juneau on Nov. 22, 2022. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, speaks at a news conference on March 15, 2024, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska pursues appeal of $17.5 million penalty over federal education funding equity dispute

Feds say Gov. Dunleavy veto, DEED inaction are to blame for the penalties.

Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, speaks at a news conference on March 15, 2024, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
Rainforest Recover Center, a high-intensity residential substance abuse treatment facility, is closing next Tuesday, according to an announcement by Bartlett Regional Hospital. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)

Rainforest Recovery Center closing next Tuesday, hospital announces, to surprise of local leaders

Assembly to reevaluate giving $500K to continue program; nonprofit says it will speed up takeover plans.

Rainforest Recover Center, a high-intensity residential substance abuse treatment facility, is closing next Tuesday, according to an announcement by Bartlett Regional Hospital. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)
Margaret Katzeek (right) offers public testimony about Suicide Basin flooding concerns while Renee Culp, who testified immediately before Katzeek, offers support during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

City leaders tell worried residents short- and long-term plans for Suicide Basin flooding are in progress

Basin now about half full, but should fill more slowly than earlier this year, city manager says.

Margaret Katzeek (right) offers public testimony about Suicide Basin flooding concerns while Renee Culp, who testified immediately before Katzeek, offers support during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Angoon students prepare to paddle the unity canoe they built with master carver Wayne Price on June 19, 2023. It is the first canoe of its kind since the U.S. Navy bombardment of Angoon in 1882 that destroyed all the village’s canoes. The Navy plans to issue apologies to Kake and Angoon residents in the fall of 2024. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

U.S. Navy plans apologies to Southeast Alaska villages for century-old attacks

Navy officials say apologies in Kake and Angoon are both “long overdue” and “the right thing to do.”

Angoon students prepare to paddle the unity canoe they built with master carver Wayne Price on June 19, 2023. It is the first canoe of its kind since the U.S. Navy bombardment of Angoon in 1882 that destroyed all the village’s canoes. The Navy plans to issue apologies to Kake and Angoon residents in the fall of 2024. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
Sonya Taton, center, listens to the verdict as she is found guilty on all five counts, including second-degree murder, during her trial in Superior Court in Juneau on Nov. 17, 2023. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire file photo)

Sonya Taton gets 50-year prison sentence for fatally stabbing one boyfriend and wounding another

Judge calls Taton “an enormously dangerous woman” after convictions for attacks in 2016 and 2019.

Sonya Taton, center, listens to the verdict as she is found guilty on all five counts, including second-degree murder, during her trial in Superior Court in Juneau on Nov. 17, 2023. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire file photo)
Students arrive at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Aug. 21. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Threat of school shooting posted widely, including in Juneau, does not appear credible, district says

Extra police at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Monday morning a precaution, according to notice.

Students arrive at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Aug. 21. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Boys start the 5K race at the State Preview 2024 meet at Bartlett High School in Anchorage on Saturday. (Photo by Kent Mearig)

JDHS varsity cross-country teams in top 4, Ida Meyer wins girls’ 5K at State Preview 2024 in Anchorage

Consolidated team splits up for three weekend events; next up is Capital City Invite this Saturday.

Boys start the 5K race at the State Preview 2024 meet at Bartlett High School in Anchorage on Saturday. (Photo by Kent Mearig)
West Anchorage High School’s Zephaniah Sailele (6) breaks through Juneau defenders during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Huskies come up short at home in 28-27 nailbiter against West Anchorage

Juneau jumps out to 19-0 lead on Eagles’ mistakes, but end up in battle until final few seconds

West Anchorage High School’s Zephaniah Sailele (6) breaks through Juneau defenders during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)