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Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Plows work to clear Mendenhall Valley streets on Wednesday.

Blizzard prompts closures, elevates avalanche risk in Juneau

Officials say as the snow continues to fall, the avalanche risk rises

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Plows work to clear Mendenhall Valley streets on Wednesday.
FILE - Jeff King takes his sled dog team through a snowstorm in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, March 4, 2022, during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Only 33 mushers will participate in the ceremonial start of the Iditarod on Saturady, March 4, the smallest field ever. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

‘A little scary’: Iditarod begins with smallest field ever

Only 33 mushers will participate in the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

  • Mar 1, 2023
  • By Mark Thiessen Associated Press
  • Iditarod
FILE - Jeff King takes his sled dog team through a snowstorm in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, March 4, 2022, during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Only 33 mushers will participate in the ceremonial start of the Iditarod on Saturady, March 4, the smallest field ever. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
Andrew Brownell, an internationally acclaimed pianist who has performed worldwide the past two decades, is scheduled to play the first in a trio of concerts featuring the final piano sonatas of Franz Schubert. Brownell’s concert is scheduled at 7 p.m. March 10 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. (Publicity photo by Nathan Russell)
Capital City Weekly

Springing forward with a famous farewell

Trio of piano concerts at JACC highlight Schubert’s last sonatas

Andrew Brownell, an internationally acclaimed pianist who has performed worldwide the past two decades, is scheduled to play the first in a trio of concerts featuring the final piano sonatas of Franz Schubert. Brownell’s concert is scheduled at 7 p.m. March 10 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. (Publicity photo by Nathan Russell)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire TMHS junior Thomas Baxter (30) watches as his game-winning shot makes its way past the arms of JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) and JDHS senior Kai Hargrave (24) who contested the shot closely.

Thunder Mountain strikes twice in senior night games

Boys and girls win in cross-town contests against JDHS.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire TMHS junior Thomas Baxter (30) watches as his game-winning shot makes its way past the arms of JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) and JDHS senior Kai Hargrave (24) who contested the shot closely.
The sun shines over the Montana Creek area Saturday afternoon. Earlier this week, the City and Borough of Juneau released the final draft of the Montana Creek Draft master plan, which is now open for public comment until March. 29. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

City releases final draft of Montana Creek master plan

Residents have until the end of March to submit comments

The sun shines over the Montana Creek area Saturday afternoon. Earlier this week, the City and Borough of Juneau released the final draft of the Montana Creek Draft master plan, which is now open for public comment until March. 29. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Fresh snow covers West Douglas Pioneer Road Saturday afternoon. Monday evening the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly discussed whether to move forward with a local company which seeks to gain access to provide electric-assisted bicycle tours on the city-owned gravel road.

Longer road ahead for proposed e-bike tours on Pioneer Road

A company seeks to provide tours three times per day, six days a week

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Fresh snow covers West Douglas Pioneer Road Saturday afternoon. Monday evening the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly discussed whether to move forward with a local company which seeks to gain access to provide electric-assisted bicycle tours on the city-owned gravel road.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities drops explosives via helicopter to trigger controlled avalanches above Thane Road Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Explosives used to reduce avalanche risk

Mission comes ahead of expected heavy snowfall.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities drops explosives via helicopter to trigger controlled avalanches above Thane Road Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Tamara Kruse and Frank Rue, volunteers with Moms Demand Action, discuss their meetings about proposed gun safety legislation with state lawmakers at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday.

Guns a low-caliber issue at Capitol this session

Few bills from majority and scant interest from minority as safety advocates visit legislators

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Tamara Kruse and Frank Rue, volunteers with Moms Demand Action, discuss their meetings about proposed gun safety legislation with state lawmakers at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Coast Guard Cutter Munro docks in Juneau for a scheduled port visit Monday. The port visit marks Munro’s final stop before returning to its homeport in Alameda, California after 11,500 miles and 105 days away from homeport.

Coast Guard Cutter Munro makes stop in Juneau

Munro partnered with NOAA to enforce sustainable fishing.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Coast Guard Cutter Munro docks in Juneau for a scheduled port visit Monday. The port visit marks Munro’s final stop before returning to its homeport in Alameda, California after 11,500 miles and 105 days away from homeport.
This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. The Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to Biden’s climate goals. A decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, could come by early March 2023. (ConocoPhillips)

Biden faces dilemma in fight over Willow project

A decision could come by early March.

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. The Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to Biden’s climate goals. A decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, could come by early March 2023. (ConocoPhillips)
A map shows the salary for Alaska’s governor of $145,000 a year is midrange compared to other states. A proposal rejected by the state Senate that would raise the governor’s salary to about $176,000, which would rank 10th among states rather than the current ranking of 28th. (Sources: Book of the States, Ballotpedia)

Pay hikes for governor, other executive branch leaders, nixed by Senate

Increase would make Dunleavy 10th highest paid in U.S. instead of 28th; House rejection also likely

A map shows the salary for Alaska’s governor of $145,000 a year is midrange compared to other states. A proposal rejected by the state Senate that would raise the governor’s salary to about $176,000, which would rank 10th among states rather than the current ranking of 28th. (Sources: Book of the States, Ballotpedia)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Southeast Alaska Food Bank director Chris Schapp separates cans of salmon on Monday donated by SeaShare based out of Washington state. Thanks to a recent announcement from the Alaska State Department of Health, Schapp’s food bank will be one of four food banks to receive much needed financial assistance.

State announces raft of actions to address food stamp backlog

Funds for local food banks, automatic renewals are among the measures.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Southeast Alaska Food Bank director Chris Schapp separates cans of salmon on Monday donated by SeaShare based out of Washington state. Thanks to a recent announcement from the Alaska State Department of Health, Schapp’s food bank will be one of four food banks to receive much needed financial assistance.
Juneau's Orion Dybdahl (20) forces a jump ball with Kayhi's Jared Rhoads (15) during Juneau's 71-52 loss to Kayhi on Friday at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

JDHS boys secure first seed after win in Ketchikan

Crimson Bears boys record at 15-8.

Juneau's Orion Dybdahl (20) forces a jump ball with Kayhi's Jared Rhoads (15) during Juneau's 71-52 loss to Kayhi on Friday at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
JDHS junior Mila Hargrave drives to the basket against Ketchikan on Saturday to help secure the win for the Bears, 43-29. Hargrave would lead in scores on Saturday with a total of 13 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS girls go 1-1 at home against Ketchikan

Next up will be a pair of games against TMHS.

JDHS junior Mila Hargrave drives to the basket against Ketchikan on Saturday to help secure the win for the Bears, 43-29. Hargrave would lead in scores on Saturday with a total of 13 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
FILE - New graduates walk into the High Point Solutions Stadium before the start of the Rutgers University graduation ceremony in Piscataway Township, N.J., on May 13, 2018. The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan. It’s a plan that impacts millions of borrowers who could see their loans wiped away or reduced. (AP Photo / Seth Wenig)

Explaining the arguments in the Supreme Court student loan case

Where things stand ahead of the hearing as well as what to expect:

FILE - New graduates walk into the High Point Solutions Stadium before the start of the Rutgers University graduation ceremony in Piscataway Township, N.J., on May 13, 2018. The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan. It’s a plan that impacts millions of borrowers who could see their loans wiped away or reduced. (AP Photo / Seth Wenig)
Black Awareness Association president Sherry Patterson and her son and evening’s emcee Michael Patterson address a full crowd after leading a prayer at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Saturday during Rise, a Black History Month celebration. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Rise shines in return after 5-year break

Black Awareness Association event and fundraiser held again.

Black Awareness Association president Sherry Patterson and her son and evening’s emcee Michael Patterson address a full crowd after leading a prayer at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Saturday during Rise, a Black History Month celebration. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
State Sen. Scott Kawasaki, in a hallway in the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 16 holds up the strip showing he has tested negative for COVID-19. Kawasaki said he opted to take a test that day. (Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)

COVID-19 creeps back into Alaska’s Capitol

Voluntary testing, other precautionary measures enacted due to multitude of cases

State Sen. Scott Kawasaki, in a hallway in the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 16 holds up the strip showing he has tested negative for COVID-19. Kawasaki said he opted to take a test that day. (Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)
Snow blankets the landscape along the Montana Creek Trail Saturday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

14.3 inches of snow in Juneau sets new record

Total recorded over 24 hours at airport, breaks 1967 mark of 9 inches for Feb. 24.

Snow blankets the landscape along the Montana Creek Trail Saturday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Six Ukrainians who are living in Juneau get a round of applause from state Senators and guests during a floor session Friday, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, introduced the families and read a collective statement from the families thanking locals who have helped resettlement efforts and asking for continuing support of their homeland. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Ukrainians get Capitol welcome on war anniversary

Six of the people living in Juneau after fleeing war-torn homeland get standing ovation from Senate

Six Ukrainians who are living in Juneau get a round of applause from state Senators and guests during a floor session Friday, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, introduced the families and read a collective statement from the families thanking locals who have helped resettlement efforts and asking for continuing support of their homeland. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
City Finance Director Jeff Rogers speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce in 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

City finance director to leave post

Jeff Rogers said he expects to depart sometime this summer

City Finance Director Jeff Rogers speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce in 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)