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Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at Juneau's Gallery Walk 2022 on Friday, Dec. 2. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

‘It’s just a good time and a special thing’: Grins and the Grinch greet Gallery Walk

Dozens of business joined in for the holiday themed event

Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at Juneau's Gallery Walk 2022 on Friday, Dec. 2. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
An array of stickers awaits voters on Election Day 2022. With votes tallied and certified, the Empire reviewed how Juneau and nearby communities voted precinct by precinct. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

With the ballots counted, here’s how our districts voted

A post-certification precinct-by-precinct breakdown of statewide race results.

An array of stickers awaits voters on Election Day 2022. With votes tallied and certified, the Empire reviewed how Juneau and nearby communities voted precinct by precinct. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire People walk the docks as the sun sets in downtown Juneau on Monday night. The City and Borough of Juneau recently signed a memorandum of agreement with member companies of Cruise Lines International Association to come to an agreement on a number of tourism management issue in Juneau.

City accepting proposals for marine passenger fee projects

Residents and local business have until Jan. 2 to submit ideas to the city.

Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire People walk the docks as the sun sets in downtown Juneau on Monday night. The City and Borough of Juneau recently signed a memorandum of agreement with member companies of Cruise Lines International Association to come to an agreement on a number of tourism management issue in Juneau.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire At Wednesday evening’s special Assembly meeting, the Assembly appropriated nearly $4 million toward funding a 5.5% wage increase for all CBJ employees along with a 5% increase to the employer health contribution. According to City Manager Rorie Watt, it doesn’t necessarily fix a nearly two decade-long issue of employee retention concerns for the city.

City funds wage increase amid worker shortage

City Manager says raise doesn’t fix nearly two decade-long issue of employee retainment

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire At Wednesday evening’s special Assembly meeting, the Assembly appropriated nearly $4 million toward funding a 5.5% wage increase for all CBJ employees along with a 5% increase to the employer health contribution. According to City Manager Rorie Watt, it doesn’t necessarily fix a nearly two decade-long issue of employee retention concerns for the city.
A chart shows non-genital syphilis cases in Alaska have risen about 1,340% between 2017 and 2021, reflecting an enormous increase in cases nationwide. But Alaska is among the states with the highest rates of increase, with the third-highest rates of syphilis and chlamydia in 2020, the most recent year state-by-state comparisons are available. (Alaska Department of Health)

Syphilis cases still skyrocketing statewide

1,340% increase between 2017 and 2021 largely due to state’s relative youth and health care access

A chart shows non-genital syphilis cases in Alaska have risen about 1,340% between 2017 and 2021, reflecting an enormous increase in cases nationwide. But Alaska is among the states with the highest rates of increase, with the third-highest rates of syphilis and chlamydia in 2020, the most recent year state-by-state comparisons are available. (Alaska Department of Health)
Molly Yazwinski holds a 3,000-year-old moose skull with antlers still attached, found in a river on Alaska’s North Slope. Her aunt, Pam Groves, steadies an inflatable canoe. (Courtesy Photo /Dan Mann) 2. A 14,000-year-old fragment of a moose antler, top left, rests on a sand bar of a northern river next to the bones of ice-age horses, caribou and muskoxen, as well as the horns of a steppe bison. Photo by Pam Groves. 3. Moose such as this one, photographed this year near Whitehorse in the Yukon, may have been present in Alaska as long as people have. Photo by Ned Rozell.

Alaska Science Forum: Ancient moose antlers hint of early arrival

When a great deal of Earth’s water was locked up within mountains of ice, our ancestors scampered across a dry corridor from what is today… Continue reading

Molly Yazwinski holds a 3,000-year-old moose skull with antlers still attached, found in a river on Alaska’s North Slope. Her aunt, Pam Groves, steadies an inflatable canoe. (Courtesy Photo /Dan Mann) 2. A 14,000-year-old fragment of a moose antler, top left, rests on a sand bar of a northern river next to the bones of ice-age horses, caribou and muskoxen, as well as the horns of a steppe bison. Photo by Pam Groves. 3. Moose such as this one, photographed this year near Whitehorse in the Yukon, may have been present in Alaska as long as people have. Photo by Ned Rozell.
Police vehicles converge near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as Brotherhood Bridge Trail on Sept. 21, 2022, the day police say Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was killed. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

Suspect in killing of Faith Rogers indicted on additional charges

This follows an first-degree murder charge late last week.

Police vehicles converge near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as Brotherhood Bridge Trail on Sept. 21, 2022, the day police say Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was killed. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Juneau state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, left, gives a legislative proclamation to former longtime Juneau Assembly member Loren Jones, following Kiehl’s speech at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon Thursday at the Juneau Moose Family Center.

Cloudy economy, but sunnier political outlook lie ahead for lawmakers, Kiehl says

Juneau’s state senator tells Chamber of Commerce bipartisan majority a key to meaningful action

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Juneau state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, left, gives a legislative proclamation to former longtime Juneau Assembly member Loren Jones, following Kiehl’s speech at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon Thursday at the Juneau Moose Family Center.
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Maddie Kombrink poses in the lobby of Coppa Cafe where she is now the new owner after working as an employee on and off for the last five years.

Former employee now calling the shots for popular cafe

New ownership takes over at Coppa.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Maddie Kombrink poses in the lobby of Coppa Cafe where she is now the new owner after working as an employee on and off for the last five years.
FILE - Freight train cars sit in a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Sept. 14, 2022, in Atlanta. The Biden administration is saying the U.S. economy would face a severe economic shock if senators don't pass legislation this week to avert a rail worker strike. The administration is delivering that message personally to Democratic senators in a closed-door session Thursday, Dec. 1. (AP Photo / Danny Karnik)

Congress votes to avert rail strike amid dire warnings

President vows to quickly sign the bill.

  • Dec 1, 2022
  • By Kevin Freking and Josh Funk Associated Press
  • Nation-World
FILE - Freight train cars sit in a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Sept. 14, 2022, in Atlanta. The Biden administration is saying the U.S. economy would face a severe economic shock if senators don't pass legislation this week to avert a rail worker strike. The administration is delivering that message personally to Democratic senators in a closed-door session Thursday, Dec. 1. (AP Photo / Danny Karnik)
AP Photo / Al Grillo In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma.

EPA proposes restrictions to block proposed Pebble Mine

The decision will now be forwarded to the EPA Office of Water.

AP Photo / Al Grillo In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma.
The snowy steps of the Alaska State Capitol are scheduled to see a Nativity scene during an hour-long gathering starting at 4 p.m. Friday which, in the words of a local organizer, is “for families to start their Gallery Walk in a prayerful manner.” But two Outside groups dedicated to placing Nativity scenes at as many state capitol buildings as possible are proclaiming it a victory against the so-called “war on Christmas.” The head of Alaska’s Legislative Affairs Agency, which has administrative oversight of the building, said the gathering is legal since a wide variety of events occur all the time, often with religious overtones, but the placement of a fixed or unattended display is illegal. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Scene and heard: Religious freedom groups say Nativity event makes statement

State officials say happening planned for Capitol relatively common and legal.

The snowy steps of the Alaska State Capitol are scheduled to see a Nativity scene during an hour-long gathering starting at 4 p.m. Friday which, in the words of a local organizer, is “for families to start their Gallery Walk in a prayerful manner.” But two Outside groups dedicated to placing Nativity scenes at as many state capitol buildings as possible are proclaiming it a victory against the so-called “war on Christmas.” The head of Alaska’s Legislative Affairs Agency, which has administrative oversight of the building, said the gathering is legal since a wide variety of events occur all the time, often with religious overtones, but the placement of a fixed or unattended display is illegal. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File) An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000 and will need to figure out a way to replenish the fund deficit and balance its budget before the next budgeting cycle starting June 30, 2023. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

‘There’s no easy way out of this’: City discusses school district’s overall $3.2M deficit

The district will need to replenish its $620,000 operating fund deficit before next budgeting cycle

An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File) An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000 and will need to figure out a way to replenish the fund deficit and balance its budget before the next budgeting cycle starting June 30, 2023. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau in Auke Bay is the preferred home port for a private icebreaker that may be purchased by the federal government to help patrol Alaska’s Arctic waters, according to U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan. Among the reasons Juneau is preferred over other state ports is the harbor is currently capable of accommodating the vessel and is adjacent to land where necessary supporting infrastructure could be built.

Juneau may be home to only Coast Guard icebreaker stationed in Alaska

Effort to buy private ship for Arctic use may bring 190 enlistees, Sen. Sullivan says.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau in Auke Bay is the preferred home port for a private icebreaker that may be purchased by the federal government to help patrol Alaska’s Arctic waters, according to U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan. Among the reasons Juneau is preferred over other state ports is the harbor is currently capable of accommodating the vessel and is adjacent to land where necessary supporting infrastructure could be built.
Steve Lewis, foreground, and Stephen Sorensen from the Alaska State Review Board scan ballots from precincts where they were hand counted at the Division of Elections office Nov. 15. Board officials spent the period between the Nov. 8 election and its certification Wednesday performing about 20 different to verify the results. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Election certified, but challenges pending

Outcome of at least two state House races unknown, which may determine chamber’s leadership

Steve Lewis, foreground, and Stephen Sorensen from the Alaska State Review Board scan ballots from precincts where they were hand counted at the Division of Elections office Nov. 15. Board officials spent the period between the Nov. 8 election and its certification Wednesday performing about 20 different to verify the results. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Aires Kelley, 1, holds a Pride flag Saturday during Drag Storytime at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library, one of many LGBTQ+ friendly events held in Alaska’s capital city. For the second year in a row, the City and Borough of Juneau received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Municipality Equality Index scorecard. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau receives perfect score for LGBTQ+ inclusivity

Meanwhile, state and federal protections are lacking, advocates say.

Aires Kelley, 1, holds a Pride flag Saturday during Drag Storytime at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library, one of many LGBTQ+ friendly events held in Alaska’s capital city. For the second year in a row, the City and Borough of Juneau received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Municipality Equality Index scorecard. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Performers from Juneau Drag put on a show on Front Street from last year’s Gallery Walk 2021. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau’s Gallery Walk returns to downtown

Over 40 events featured with live music and Holiday Trolley

Performers from Juneau Drag put on a show on Front Street from last year’s Gallery Walk 2021. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
This photo is a still image taken from the film “Finding She” by Lauren Tanel, which set to be one of the local films featured in the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society’s Winter Film Festival this weekend at the Gold TownTheater downtown. (Courtesy / Pat Race)
Capital City Weekly

Picture this: Local film festival set to celebrate 20th anniversary at upcoming weekend event

JUMP into the fun.

This photo is a still image taken from the film “Finding She” by Lauren Tanel, which set to be one of the local films featured in the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society’s Winter Film Festival this weekend at the Gold TownTheater downtown. (Courtesy / Pat Race)
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Maassen named new chief justice of Alaska Supreme Court

Longtime private attorney appointed to court in 2012 expects to continue predecessor’s approach.

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
This photo shows cabins for Eaglecrest Ski Area’s recently acquired gondola which overall shipping cost came in $262,000 over budget. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

Eaglecrest Gondola shipping cost comes in $262,000 over budget

City talks funding of gondola project and a possible new partnership

This photo shows cabins for Eaglecrest Ski Area’s recently acquired gondola which overall shipping cost came in $262,000 over budget. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)