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Nikki King (16), a senior, attempts to block a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé during the team’s game against Mt. Edgecumbe High School on Thursday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS volleyball, missing two key players to illness, loses to Mt. Edgecumbe

“We have to start focusing on the small wins,” coach Jody Levernier says.

Nikki King (16), a senior, attempts to block a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé during the team’s game against Mt. Edgecumbe High School on Thursday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jayden Johnson (4), a junior for the Juneau Huskies, looks for room to run against Anchorage South during their game Sept. 30 at Adair-Kennedy Field. The Alaska Sports Report calls Johnson “most explosive player in the state” as the state playoffs begin Friday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Huskies begin playoffs Friday night; here’s how the eight teams stack up

#8 Juneau faces #1 West Anchorage, but “Jayden Johnson is the most explosive player in the state.”

Jayden Johnson (4), a junior for the Juneau Huskies, looks for room to run against Anchorage South during their game Sept. 30 at Adair-Kennedy Field. The Alaska Sports Report calls Johnson “most explosive player in the state” as the state playoffs begin Friday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Evan Wood (left), Yvette Fountain (middle) and Nasir Spears wait outside the Alaska Department of Revenue office in the State Office Building on Thursday morning to discuss issues related to their Permanent Fund dividends. A majority of state residents got $1,312 dividends electronically deposited Thursday — or a day or two earlier — a considerably lower dividend than the $3,284 payout last year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A majority of Alaskans are $1,312 richer as of Thursday — some wish it were more

This year’s PFD is much lower than last year’s — the price of a balanced state budget.

Evan Wood (left), Yvette Fountain (middle) and Nasir Spears wait outside the Alaska Department of Revenue office in the State Office Building on Thursday morning to discuss issues related to their Permanent Fund dividends. A majority of state residents got $1,312 dividends electronically deposited Thursday — or a day or two earlier — a considerably lower dividend than the $3,284 payout last year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the fluke of “Tango,” a humpback whale calf that was found dead on an island near Juneau in late August. (Courtesy / Bri Pettie)

Vessel strike cause of death of humpback whale calf in late August

“Deep and large” lacerations found on body, officials say.

This is a photo of the fluke of “Tango,” a humpback whale calf that was found dead on an island near Juneau in late August. (Courtesy / Bri Pettie)
Two queer space cadets cruising the galaxy crash land on a strange planet in the film “Anathema,” which is scheduled to be screened during the HUMP! Film Fest scheduled at the Gold Town Theater Oct. 21-22. (Photo courtesy of HUMP! Film Fest)
Two queer space cadets cruising the galaxy crash land on a strange planet in the film “Anathema,” which is scheduled to be screened during the HUMP! Film Fest scheduled at the Gold Town Theater Oct. 21-22. (Photo courtesy of HUMP! Film Fest)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Thursday, Sept. 28, 1995. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Thursday, Sept. 28, 1995. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Brick Engstrom (right) connects his harness to a rope on a crane-like device Thursday morning that allows him, co-worker Colton Baucom and two other people to rappel down the 11-story State Office Building as they clean it with pressure washers. The first such cleaning in at least a decade, which began a week ago, is expected to take about another month. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Rappelling the dirt and slime from the State Office Building

11-story bastion of bureaucracy getting first thorough exterior cleaning in at least a decade.

Brick Engstrom (right) connects his harness to a rope on a crane-like device Thursday morning that allows him, co-worker Colton Baucom and two other people to rappel down the 11-story State Office Building as they clean it with pressure washers. The first such cleaning in at least a decade, which began a week ago, is expected to take about another month. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Boats berth at Don D. Statter Harbor in February. On Wednesday evening the City and Borough of Juneau’s Docks and Harbors Board OK’d a 9% increase to all docks and harbors fees with one exception. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Docks and Harbors board OKs 9% increase for nearly all fees

Increase will go into effect in January if passed by the Assembly.

Boats berth at Don D. Statter Harbor in February. On Wednesday evening the City and Borough of Juneau’s Docks and Harbors Board OK’d a 9% increase to all docks and harbors fees with one exception. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Alaska salmon troller Bay of Pillars in Chatham Strait. (Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries)

Dispute about salmon and whales between Alaska and Washington again before federal regulators

NMFS seeks input for environmental impact statement in wake of court rulings.

Alaska salmon troller Bay of Pillars in Chatham Strait. (Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries)
An empty hallway at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska seeks to create statewide reading standards for Alaska Native languages

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is seeking a specialist in Alaska Native language education to create state standards for reading in Alaska… Continue reading

An empty hallway at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)
Campaign signs for Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly and Ella Adkison sit side-by-side in a yard on Douglas. Kelly and Adkison are the candidates currently leading in the 10-person field for two open Assembly Areawide seats, according to preliminary results released Wednesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Candidates react to unofficial local election results

City Hall bond faces narrow rejection, Assembly races with razor-thin margins.

Campaign signs for Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly and Ella Adkison sit side-by-side in a yard on Douglas. Kelly and Adkison are the candidates currently leading in the 10-person field for two open Assembly Areawide seats, according to preliminary results released Wednesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Safeway supermarket in Juneau, seen here Wednesday, is among those in Alaska that might be sold if its parent company, Albertsons Companies Inc., merges with Kroger Co., the parent company of Fred Meyer. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

24 of 60 Alaska state lawmakers sign letter opposing merger of Safeway, Fred Meyer parent companies

All three of Juneau’s Democratic legislators among those opposing merger.

The Safeway supermarket in Juneau, seen here Wednesday, is among those in Alaska that might be sold if its parent company, Albertsons Companies Inc., merges with Kroger Co., the parent company of Fred Meyer. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An emergency alert is displayed on a cellphone, Oct. 30, 2020, in Rio Rancho, N.M. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

Nationwide emergency alert test to hit cellphones and TVs starting at 10:20 a.m. Wednesday

People scheduled to get an alert during a 30-minute window.

  • Oct 4, 2023
  • By Rebecaa Santana Associated Press
An emergency alert is displayed on a cellphone, Oct. 30, 2020, in Rio Rancho, N.M. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)
Michael Beasley drops a ballot into a drop box at the City Hall Assembly Chambers on Election Day Tuesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Michael Beasley drops a ballot into a drop box at the City Hall Assembly Chambers on Election Day Tuesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Students in the Juneau School District fared better on standardized science tests during the past year than their peers statewide, but the local proficiency score of about 43% was nearly 6% lower than the local scores last year, according to results released last Friday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Statewide test scores show Alaska’s students still struggling

About 37% proficient in science statewide; Juneau at 43%, down from 48.6% a year ago.

Students in the Juneau School District fared better on standardized science tests during the past year than their peers statewide, but the local proficiency score of about 43% was nearly 6% lower than the local scores last year, according to results released last Friday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)

Carlos Boozer memoir includes full life story, Juneau years

NBA star and hometown hero pens “Every Shot Counts”

Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)
A closed sign sits on Delta’s ticket counter after hours inside Juneau International Airport in August of 2022. The airline announced this week it is suspending service between Juneau and Seattle from Nov. 4 to June 6, 2024. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

Delta Air Lines canceling Juneau-Seattle flights from Nov. 4 until early next June

Airline cites “commercial and operational constraints,” analyst says higher local airfares likely.

A closed sign sits on Delta’s ticket counter after hours inside Juneau International Airport in August of 2022. The airline announced this week it is suspending service between Juneau and Seattle from Nov. 4 to June 6, 2024. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
Residents sit in voter booths at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Election Day kicks off in Juneau

Preliminary results of municipal election expected to be announced late Tuesday night.

Residents sit in voter booths at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

McCarthy becomes the first speaker ever to be ousted from the job in a House vote

WASHINGTON — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history that was forced by… Continue reading

  • Oct 3, 2023
  • By Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amari Associated Press
  • National News
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)

Juneau’s teams fall short in 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage

TMHS goes 9-3, JDHS 0-12 in pool play; both local teams knocked out early in bracket rounds.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)