Home

Scuba Sue, a brown bear at Anan Wildlife Observatory, is one of the nine bears that are set to receive an award during Tongass National Forest’s first-ever Anan Bear Awards. (Courtesy / Tongass National Forest)

Octo-bear festivities: Tongass National Forest hosts its first-ever Anan Bear Awards

Southeast Alaska gets its own Fat Bear Week-esque event.

Scuba Sue, a brown bear at Anan Wildlife Observatory, is one of the nine bears that are set to receive an award during Tongass National Forest’s first-ever Anan Bear Awards. (Courtesy / Tongass National Forest)
The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard makes rescue in poor visibility

Man and woman safe after boat grounds near Juneau

The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
Juneau's high school football team finished the regular season 8-0 (7-0 in conference) after hanging on to win a 19-14 nail-biter against Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Huskies finish regular season undefeated

Huskies hang on — but not without last-minute drama.

Juneau's high school football team finished the regular season 8-0 (7-0 in conference) after hanging on to win a 19-14 nail-biter against Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘This is a healing time’: New totem pole honors survivors of gender-based violence

“It provides an opportunity for healing on multiple levels”

Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

It’s almost municipal Election Day. Are you ready?

Here’s what you need to know.

A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Screenshot / Alaska Public Media’s YouTube channel Bob Bird, left, chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party, and former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman make the case in favor of a state constitutional convention during a debate in Anchorage broadcast Thursday by Alaska Public Media.

Constitutional convention debate gets heated

Abortion, PFD factor into forum.

Screenshot / Alaska Public Media’s YouTube channel Bob Bird, left, chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party, and former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman make the case in favor of a state constitutional convention during a debate in Anchorage broadcast Thursday by Alaska Public Media.
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.

Troubled bridges over Juneau waters

September saw record rainfall, damaged structures.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.
Rep. Mary Peltola, an Alaska Democrat, delivers a speech on the U.S. House floor before Thursday’s vote approving her first bill, establishing an Office of Food Security in the Department of Veterans Affairs. It passed the House by a 376-49 vote, although its fate in the Senate is undetermined. (Screenshot from official U.S. House video)

Poll: Peltola’s a popular pol

Food for vets bill passes House, pollster says she is “the most popular figure in Alaska right now.”

Rep. Mary Peltola, an Alaska Democrat, delivers a speech on the U.S. House floor before Thursday’s vote approving her first bill, establishing an Office of Food Security in the Department of Veterans Affairs. It passed the House by a 376-49 vote, although its fate in the Senate is undetermined. (Screenshot from official U.S. House video)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.

CBJ Election Day is almost here

Deadline to cast municipal ballots is 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.
Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Sorensen soars again: School board member talks reelection goals

The sky’s the limit for the district

Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Return of the Mackey: The school board member talks future of Juneau’s district

Mackey is back-y

Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
“Hurricane Hal” Needham smiles on a benign day on a Galveston, Texas, beach. The extreme weather and disaster scientist for CNC Catastrophe & National Claims recently drove to a parking garage in southwest Florida to document Hurricane Ian. (Courtesy Photo / Hal Needham)

Alaska Science Forum: Alaska megastorms vs. East Coast hurricanes

Unlike the giant storm that hit Alaska in mid-September, hurricanes and typhoons both have eyes.

“Hurricane Hal” Needham smiles on a benign day on a Galveston, Texas, beach. The extreme weather and disaster scientist for CNC Catastrophe & National Claims recently drove to a parking garage in southwest Florida to document Hurricane Ian. (Courtesy Photo / Hal Needham)
Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Undoing erasure: Orange Shirt Day brings attention to boarding school history

Too vibrant, too active, too many to go unseen.

Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

‘It’s shocking’: Family hopes for answers after suspicious death of loved one

“She wanted to make things beautiful, to help make people beautiful…”

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.
Wendy Vuille poses with skater Brendyn Hatfield at the Arizona Adult Skating Camp. (Courtesy Photo / Wendy Vuille)

Better skate than never: Over a decade of hard work nets Juneau woman rare honor

Over a decade of hard work nets Juneau woman rare honor

Wendy Vuille poses with skater Brendyn Hatfield at the Arizona Adult Skating Camp. (Courtesy Photo / Wendy Vuille)
A parking sign awaits the new executive director of the Alaska Permanent Fund at its Juneau headquarters, Three finalists will be interviewed for the job during a public meeting Monday by the fund’s board of trustees, who are expected to deliberate and announce the new director immediately afterward. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Interviews, selection of new Permanent Fund CEO set for Monday

Three finalists seeking to manage $73.7B fund to appear before trustees at public meeting in Juneau

A parking sign awaits the new executive director of the Alaska Permanent Fund at its Juneau headquarters, Three finalists will be interviewed for the job during a public meeting Monday by the fund’s board of trustees, who are expected to deliberate and announce the new director immediately afterward. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Healing from the past: Local organizations bring awareness to boarding school history

Orange Shirt Day is this Friday.

Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Longer season, hours OK’d for warming shelter

Extended operations for church’s second year as host seeks less frigid winter for homeless, neighbors

Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. building in Juneau is scheduled to be the site where the board of trustees will select a new executive director on Monday, following the investigation into the firing of former CEO Angela Rodell last December being presented to state lawmakers on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Investigators: Permanent Fund CEO’s firing legal but departed from policy

Trustees acted legally, despite not following official policy, and governor didn’t influence decision

The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. building in Juneau is scheduled to be the site where the board of trustees will select a new executive director on Monday, following the investigation into the firing of former CEO Angela Rodell last December being presented to state lawmakers on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Assembly member Greg Smith smiles for a photo outside of the Juneau Empire office. Smith is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election along with four other candidates in the running for assembly and school board positions, which all remain uncontested. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Smithing a better future: Assembly member talks continuing the city’s momentum for next term

He’s got a whole Smith-list of goals

Assembly member Greg Smith smiles for a photo outside of the Juneau Empire office. Smith is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election along with four other candidates in the running for assembly and school board positions, which all remain uncontested. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)