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Metlakatla’s Willie Hayward floats through Klukwan defenders Dave Buss (22), Erik McCormick (6) and Andrew Friske (12) during Masters Bracket action Monday at the 76th Annual Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Monday madness at Gold Medal

Late night track meet, early morning celebration, mid-day shootout.

Metlakatla’s Willie Hayward floats through Klukwan defenders Dave Buss (22), Erik McCormick (6) and Andrew Friske (12) during Masters Bracket action Monday at the 76th Annual Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament in Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Rescue officials are warning that the ice on Mendenhall Lake is unsafe after two people fell through near the face of the Mendenhall Glacier on Monday. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)

Two people fall through ice at Mendenhall Lake, prompting late-season warning from CCFR

Two people fell through the ice on Mendenhall Lake near the face of the glacier on Monday afternoon, but managed to escape without life-threatening harm,… Continue reading

Rescue officials are warning that the ice on Mendenhall Lake is unsafe after two people fell through near the face of the Mendenhall Glacier on Monday. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)
Pouring gold at Kinross’ Fort Knox mine in Alaska’s Interior. (Kinross photo)

Record gold prices could mean a banner year for Alaska mines

“Anyone with an operating gold mine is in a happy spot right now,” said one mining executive.

Pouring gold at Kinross’ Fort Knox mine in Alaska’s Interior. (Kinross photo)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé dance team performs a portion of their Region V tournament routine during halftime of the East Anchorage/Ketchikan state championship game Saturday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

JDHS dance team brings magic to state tournament

Crimson Bears return to state venue for first time in 18 years

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé dance team performs a portion of their Region V tournament routine during halftime of the East Anchorage/Ketchikan state championship game Saturday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Andy Romanoff, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Alaska Heat Smart, speaks at an empty-chair town hall held for U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Juneau shows up for democracy at empty-chair town hall

Constituents across Alaska feel unheard by congressional delegation, take the lead in community outreach.

Andy Romanoff, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Alaska Heat Smart, speaks at an empty-chair town hall held for U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Ketchikan senior Jonathan Scoblic shoots under pressure from East Anchorage senior Muhammed Sabally (23) during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Ketchikan gives East Anchorage a run for 4A title

Kings fly close to sun, fall to defending state champ Thunderbirds.

Ketchikan senior Jonathan Scoblic shoots under pressure from East Anchorage senior Muhammed Sabally (23) during the Kings’ 43-25 loss to the Thunderbirds on Saturday in the 4A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Sitka junior Trey Johnson scores past Nome sophomore Stanley Booth during the Wolves’ 62-43 loss to the Nanooks on Saturday in the 3A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sitka falls to Nome in 3A state championship

Wolves lead Nanooks in third quarter, but lose 62-43.

Sitka junior Trey Johnson scores past Nome sophomore Stanley Booth during the Wolves’ 62-43 loss to the Nanooks on Saturday in the 3A championship game of the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Mt. Edgecumbe’s Richard Didrickson Jr. (21) shoots from past the arc over Barrow’s Ethan Goodwin (2) during the Braves’ 81-73 win over the Whalers in the 3A boys 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Braves win shootout over Whalers for third place

Mt. Edgecumbe earns 81-73 win over Barrow at state tournament.

Mt. Edgecumbe’s Richard Didrickson Jr. (21) shoots from past the arc over Barrow’s Ethan Goodwin (2) during the Braves’ 81-73 win over the Whalers in the 3A boys 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS junior Gwen Nizich hits a shot past the arc over Mountain City Christian Academy’s Jasmine Schaeffer (23) during the Crimson Bears’ 57-37 loss to the Lions in the 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

JDHS girls fall to Mountain City to finish state play

Crimson Bears place fifth in 57-37 loss to Lions on Saturday

JDHS junior Gwen Nizich hits a shot past the arc over Mountain City Christian Academy’s Jasmine Schaeffer (23) during the Crimson Bears’ 57-37 loss to the Lions in the 3rd/5th-place game Saturday at 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Basketball State Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
An aerial view of part of Southeast Alaska’s Kensington gold mine. (Photo by James Brooks)

Months after fish died near Kensington mine, regulators and mine owner still don’t know what killed them

“Sometimes you’re just never going to have data that says, ‘Yes, that’s what it was,’” says state regulator.

  • Mar 22, 2025
  • By Max Graham, Northern Journal, Alaska Beacon
  • mining
An aerial view of part of Southeast Alaska’s Kensington gold mine. (Photo by James Brooks)
Ketchikan senior Gage Massin (5) hits the game winner in the Kings’ 46-43 semifinal overtime win against the Grizzlies on Friday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Ketchikan boys top Grace to earn championship game

Ketchikan senior Gage Massin hit a fade-away shot in the key with 1.5 seconds remaining to give the Kings a semifinal overtime win against the… Continue reading

Ketchikan senior Gage Massin (5) hits the game winner in the Kings’ 46-43 semifinal overtime win against the Grizzlies on Friday at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Layla Tokuoka (14) gets a shot off over Colony senior Hallie Clark (22) as JDHS juniors Cambry Lockhart (3) and Gwen Nizich (11) move down court in the Crimson Bears’ 56-34 loss to the Knights in a Friday 4A girls semifinal at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

JDHS girls fall to Colony 56-34 in state semifinal game

Crimson Bears will play for third, Knights advance to title contest.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Layla Tokuoka (14) gets a shot off over Colony senior Hallie Clark (22) as JDHS juniors Cambry Lockhart (3) and Gwen Nizich (11) move down court in the Crimson Bears’ 56-34 loss to the Knights in a Friday 4A girls semifinal at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Zosha Krupa in action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Southeast referee Zosha Krupa picks stripes over clipboards

Former star player giving back to community through officiating gets lead duties at state tournament.

Zosha Krupa in action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) walks through a hallway of protesters with his wife, Julie Fate Sullivan, before his annual address to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Sullivan generates warmth and heat with energy filled speech to Alaska Legislature

Senator takes barrage of friendly and confrontational questions from lawmakers about Trump’s agenda.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) walks through a hallway of protesters with his wife, Julie Fate Sullivan, before his annual address to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on March 16, 1995. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending March 22

Three decades of capital city coverage.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on March 16, 1995. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears cheer team celebrate after being announced as the Division I 2025 ASAA Cheer State champions Tuesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.

JDHS cheer team wins state championship

Crimson Bears spirit finger dynasty snatches fifth title in a row.

Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears cheer team celebrate after being announced as the Division I 2025 ASAA Cheer State champions Tuesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
Sitka junior Trey Johnson (24) challenges a shot by Mt. Edgecumbe senior Richard Didrickson Jr (21) during the Wolves’ 64-62 semifinal win over the Braves on Thursday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Wolves tip Braves in epic state semifinal hoops battle

Number two Sitka, number three Mt. Edgecumbe go down to the buzzer

Sitka junior Trey Johnson (24) challenges a shot by Mt. Edgecumbe senior Richard Didrickson Jr (21) during the Wolves’ 64-62 semifinal win over the Braves on Thursday in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 3A/4A Basketball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Research biologists pause among the wetlands of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, with the Brooks Range in the background. The Trump administration is taking steps to offer the entire coastal plain for oil and gas leasing, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday. (Lisa Hupp/USFWS)

Interior secretary announces plans to advance new Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil leasing

Follow-ups to Trump executive orders will mean leasing across ANWR, wider NPR development.

Research biologists pause among the wetlands of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, with the Brooks Range in the background. The Trump administration is taking steps to offer the entire coastal plain for oil and gas leasing, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday. (Lisa Hupp/USFWS)
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Storis near Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 10, 2024. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Storis icebreaker expected to make ceremonial visit to Juneau this summer, officials say

Coast Guard icebreaker set to be homeported locally will still need further upgrades for deployment.

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Storis near Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 10, 2024. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
Hoonah’s Melissa Fisher and Taryn White (24) challenge a shot by Angoon’s Tasha McCoy during their elimination game in the 2015 Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Gold Medal returns with hearty schedules

New division is expected to draw some new fans

Hoonah’s Melissa Fisher and Taryn White (24) challenge a shot by Angoon’s Tasha McCoy during their elimination game in the 2015 Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)