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Members of the Thunder Mountain High School culinary arts team prepare their three-course meal during the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore on April 26-28. (Photo by Rebecca Giedosh-Ruge)
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TMHS culinary arts team serves a meal of kings at national competition

Five students who won state competition bring Alaskan crab and salmon to “Top Chef”-style event.

Members of the Thunder Mountain High School culinary arts team prepare their three-course meal during the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore on April 26-28. (Photo by Rebecca Giedosh-Ruge)
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The front page of the Juneau Empire on May 17, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending May 18

Three decades of capital city coverage.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on May 17, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, listens to discussion on the Senate floor on Wednesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

A look at some of the bills that failed to pass the Alaska Legislature this year

Parts of a long-term plan to bring state revenue and expenses into line again failed to advance.

Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, listens to discussion on the Senate floor on Wednesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, stares at a pile stack of budget amendments on Tuesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska lawmakers expand food stamp program with goal of preventing hunger, application backlogs

More Alaskans will be able to access food stamps following lawmakers’ vote to expand eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday night. The… Continue reading

Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, stares at a pile stack of budget amendments on Tuesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Nathan Jackson (left) and John Hagen accept awards at the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska President’s Awards banquet. (Courtesy photo)
Capital City Weekly

Haines artists get belated recognition for iconic Tlingit and Haida logo

Nathan Jackson and John Hagen created the design that has been on tribal materials since the ‘70s.

Nathan Jackson (left) and John Hagen accept awards at the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska President’s Awards banquet. (Courtesy photo)
Dori Thompson pours hooligan into a heating tank on May 2. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News)
Capital City Weekly

Hooligan oil cooked at culture camp ‘it’s pure magic’

Two-day process of extracting oil from fish remains the same as thousands of years ago.

Dori Thompson pours hooligan into a heating tank on May 2. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News)
Shorebirds forage on July 17, 2019, along the edge of Cook Inlet by the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage. The Alaska Legislature has passed a bill that will enable carbon storage in reservoirs deep below Cook Inlet. The carbon-storage bill include numerous other provisions aimed at improving energy supplies and deliverability in Cook Inlet and elsewhere. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Legislature passes carbon-storage bill with additional energy provisions

The Alaska Legislature has passed a bill that combines carbon storage, new regulation of natural gas storage, state financing for new Cook Inlet natural gas… Continue reading

Shorebirds forage on July 17, 2019, along the edge of Cook Inlet by the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage. The Alaska Legislature has passed a bill that will enable carbon storage in reservoirs deep below Cook Inlet. The carbon-storage bill include numerous other provisions aimed at improving energy supplies and deliverability in Cook Inlet and elsewhere. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks Wednesday on the floor of the Alaska House. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska lawmakers unite to stabilize homeschool program in wake of court ruling

Families who use Alaska’s homeschool program will soon have clarity on how they may spend their allotments of state education money. Lawmakers directed Alaska’s Board… Continue reading

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks Wednesday on the floor of the Alaska House. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage (center), an Anchorage independent, talks with Reps. CJ McCormick, a Bethel Democrat, Neal Foster, a Nome Democrat, and Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, as a clock shows the midnight Thursday deadline for the 33rd Alaska Legislature to adjourn passed more than an hour earlier. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

33rd Alaska Legislature adjourns well past deadline, due to last-minute rush and disputes by House

Bills on correspondence schools, energy, crime pass on final day; election, other bills cause holdup

House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage (center), an Anchorage independent, talks with Reps. CJ McCormick, a Bethel Democrat, Neal Foster, a Nome Democrat, and Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, as a clock shows the midnight Thursday deadline for the 33rd Alaska Legislature to adjourn passed more than an hour earlier. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An Anchorage store selling a variety of tobacco and electronic cigarette products is seen on April 14, 2023. Cigarette smoking has decreased over the past decades in Alaska, but youth use of electronic vaping products has increased, according to an annual report from the state’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

A quarter of Alaska adults use tobacco products, and vaping is common among youth, report says

Alaska adults’ tobacco use has been unchanged at 25% since 2014, even though they are smoking far fewer cigarettes than they used to, and youth… Continue reading

An Anchorage store selling a variety of tobacco and electronic cigarette products is seen on April 14, 2023. Cigarette smoking has decreased over the past decades in Alaska, but youth use of electronic vaping products has increased, according to an annual report from the state’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, speaks on a pension amendment Tuesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Last ditch attempt to return Alaska teacher, public employee pensions fails on Senate floor

Proposal would have piggybacked on a bill that aims to remedy the state’s teacher staffing crisis.

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, speaks on a pension amendment Tuesday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Thunder Mountain High School senior pitcher Ashlyn Gates delivers a pitch during the Falcons 10-9 win over the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears on Tuesday at Dimond Park Fields. (Klas Stolpe, For the Juneau Empire)

Falcons earn wet 10-9 senior night softball win over Crimson Bears

Non-conference crosstown clash has no effect on standings

Thunder Mountain High School senior pitcher Ashlyn Gates delivers a pitch during the Falcons 10-9 win over the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears on Tuesday at Dimond Park Fields. (Klas Stolpe, For the Juneau Empire)
Four cruise ships dock in Juneau on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the departure of a fifth ship also in town during the day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Limit of 16,000 cruise passengers most days, 12,000 on Saturdays being discussed by industry and CBJ

Voluntary policy to “get the peak out of the week” targeted for 2026, city’s tourism director says

Four cruise ships dock in Juneau on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the departure of a fifth ship also in town during the day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
House and Senate members of a conference committee sign the compromise state budget bill for the next fiscal year after the final provisions were agreed upon Tuesday morning at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

House and Senate leaders agree on state budget with estimated $1,655 PFD as Wednesday’s adjournment deadline looms

Major legislation including correspondence schools, energy, elections and crime still pending.

House and Senate members of a conference committee sign the compromise state budget bill for the next fiscal year after the final provisions were agreed upon Tuesday morning at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A boat is fully engulfed by fire in Douglas Harbor on Monday evening, with the fire spreading to two other boats. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)

Fire consumes one boat, spreads to two others in Douglas Harbor

Unknown if people aboard at time fire started, cause under investigation, official says.

A boat is fully engulfed by fire in Douglas Harbor on Monday evening, with the fire spreading to two other boats. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)
Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, and Rep. Mike Prax, R-North Pole, discuss a proposed amendment to a bill sponsored by Allard restricting transgender students’ participation in school sports during a House floor session on Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

After accusations of ‘lying’ and ‘hate’ fly, House passes bill restricting transgender students in sports

Bill passes 22-18 after filibuster by minority, but declared dead in Senate as end of session nears.

Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, and Rep. Mike Prax, R-North Pole, discuss a proposed amendment to a bill sponsored by Allard restricting transgender students’ participation in school sports during a House floor session on Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Scattered debris remains on a tent platform at the former Mill Campground on March 28, where people experiencing homelessness stayed during recent summers. Officials decided not to open the campground there this summer due to a high amount of illegal activity last year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Lack of homeless campground means more people are on the streets, Assembly members told

Ordinance authorizing a campground approved Monday night, but where to put it remains elusive.

Scattered debris remains on a tent platform at the former Mill Campground on March 28, where people experiencing homelessness stayed during recent summers. Officials decided not to open the campground there this summer due to a high amount of illegal activity last year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Mila Hargrave, being hugged by the JDHS coaching staff, signed a national letter of intent on Monday at the George Houston Gymnasium to attend Pacific Lutheran University and play softball for the Lutes. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

JDHS softball star Mila Hargrave signs to the circle at Pacific Lutheran University

Multi-sport athlete will pitch for the Lutes.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Mila Hargrave, being hugged by the JDHS coaching staff, signed a national letter of intent on Monday at the George Houston Gymnasium to attend Pacific Lutheran University and play softball for the Lutes. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School’s Miley Andrews (16) clears a ball past JDHS Crimson Bears’ Parker Boman (8) during the Falcons final home game Monday at Falcons Field. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain High School girls battle for soccer seniors in final game

Falcons fall 5-0 on pitch, but spirits rise in emotional derby against Crimson Bears.

Thunder Mountain High School’s Miley Andrews (16) clears a ball past JDHS Crimson Bears’ Parker Boman (8) during the Falcons final home game Monday at Falcons Field. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks to House Clerk Krys Jones on Wednesday, May 8. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska’s education department does not track homeschool allotment spending, but may have to start

Lawmakers have two days left to stabilizing the state’s correspondence program after court ruling.

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks to House Clerk Krys Jones on Wednesday, May 8. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)