Neighbors

Backyard bird count starts today

The 21st annual Great Backyard Bird Count starts today and goes through Feb. 19. Help the Juneau Audubon Society catalog and track local bird populations… Continue reading

Aurora is space weather made visible. Photo by Ned Rozell.

Space weather: Havoc caused by the sun

Space weather affects snowplow drivers carving through Thompson Pass in a whiteout, Iowa farmers dropping seeds of corn, and wedding planners who release white doves… Continue reading

Aurora is space weather made visible. Photo by Ned Rozell.
Zach Brown. Courtesy image.

Inian Islands Institute a reality

Three years and a million dollars later, Zach Brown’s dream is coming to fruition. The Inian Island Institute, an educational hub for researchers, conservationists, and… Continue reading

Zach Brown. Courtesy image.
Gary Neilson has to chop through snow and ice to pull the plug in his skiff. He’ll let the saltwater in to melt the snow and ice that’s accumulated in the bottom. The seats and bow will have to be shoveled off before the skiff can be used to go get mail and groceries.

‘Chionomisia’ for the win

Snow. Chiono is Greek for snow; phobia is Greek for fear. While there is definitely anxiety involved when I hear that there is a big… Continue reading

Gary Neilson has to chop through snow and ice to pull the plug in his skiff. He’ll let the saltwater in to melt the snow and ice that’s accumulated in the bottom. The seats and bow will have to be shoveled off before the skiff can be used to go get mail and groceries.
University of Alaska Southeast assistant professor of Alaska Native Languages Lance Twitchell teaches a basic Northwest Coast Formline Art workshop at UAS on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly

Art of Place: Spirit through form(line)

Northwest Coast Art is an easily distinguished and recognizable art form, and formline is its foundation, seen on cultural objects from blankets to screens. So… Continue reading

University of Alaska Southeast assistant professor of Alaska Native Languages Lance Twitchell teaches a basic Northwest Coast Formline Art workshop at UAS on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly

What can an owl’s face tell you about its habits?

There was much excitement this winter, among birders and photographers, over the sightings of a northern hawk owl on the wetlands. What captured my fancy… Continue reading

Recent births

Recent births at Bartlett Regional Hospital: • On Feb. 2, a daughter, Athena Terese Ortiz Lopez, weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces, was born to Mackenzie… Continue reading

  • Feb 13, 2018
Group picture of families attending the 20th Anniverary Dinner of the Juneau Community Charter School at Juneau-Douglas High School on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018.

Thank you from the charter school

The Juneau Community Charter School expresses its gratitude to the many organizations and individuals who offered assistance and support for its recent 20th anniversary celebration.… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
Group picture of families attending the 20th Anniverary Dinner of the Juneau Community Charter School at Juneau-Douglas High School on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018.

Umpires needed for upcoming Adult Slow Pitch Softball season

The Juneau Douglas Officials Association and Juneau Softball Association are looking for slow-pitch softball umpires for the upcoming season. Starting next month, umpire training will… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
  • By Juneau Empire
The Juneau School District gratefully accepted almost 250 pair of new winter boots from Juneau Fred Meyer to distribute to schools for children in need.

Thank you Fred Meyer

The Juneau School District appreciates the generous donation of winter boots from Juneau Fred Meyer. Our Juneau Fred Meyer store donated nearly 250 pair of… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
The Juneau School District gratefully accepted almost 250 pair of new winter boots from Juneau Fred Meyer to distribute to schools for children in need.

I kind of love that Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday

I lean toward melancholy so I love Russian authors, cloudy days, a good drizzle, and Ash Wednesday. These things make my heart sing not because… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
  • By PASTOR TARI STAGE-HARVEY

Free lunches offer info on homelessness, mental health, more

Starting soon, monthly luncheons will seek to educate members of the public about social issues facing the community. The National Association of Social Workers Alaska… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
  • By Juneau Empire
Yulia Galysheva, of Kazakhstan, jumps during the women’s moguls finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (Gregory Bull | The Associated Press)

Olympic-in’ and Grinnin’

This past Friday, the world took a break from humanitarian strife, economic tumult and that whole “dueling memos” thing and shifted its gaze to PyeongChang,… Continue reading

  • Feb 11, 2018
  • By Geoff Kirsch
Yulia Galysheva, of Kazakhstan, jumps during the women’s moguls finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (Gregory Bull | The Associated Press)
Ed Shanley and Dennis Hall ski along the northern side of the Taku Range on the Juneau icefield. (Photo by Bjorn Dihle)

Chose your own adventure on the Juneau Icefield

Juneau has some serious perks. The best, in my opinion, is that we have a 1,500 square mile icefield on one side of town and… Continue reading

Ed Shanley and Dennis Hall ski along the northern side of the Taku Range on the Juneau icefield. (Photo by Bjorn Dihle)

The story behind these elegant spider webs

One fine, cold day in late January, I took a stroll on crunchy snow. In a couple of places, I ventured off-trail a little way,… Continue reading

Photo blog: Skinning Mount Troy

Photo blog: Skinning Mount Troy

On a recent Wednesday, University of Alaska Southeast’s spring semester Outdoor Studies Leadership group went up Mount Troy. Everyone in the group, including me, will… Continue reading

Photo blog: Skinning Mount Troy
“Terpsichore,” part of the “Lost Language” exhibit. Image courtesy of Papke.

Q&A with Skagway artist Daniel Papke

If you swung by the Alaska State Museum this past January you may have noticed the exhibit “Lost Language” by Skagway painter Daniel Papke. Up… Continue reading

“Terpsichore,” part of the “Lost Language” exhibit. Image courtesy of Papke.
Patricia Hull, as the witch, bullies Zebadiah Bodine, as the Baker, into taking Little Red Riding Hood’s red cape to undo a spell during rehearsal of Juneau-Douglas High School’s production of “Into the Woods” at JDHS on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.

‘Into the Woods’ offers fairytales … with a twist

Familiar fairytale characters like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Jack and his magic beanstalk will soon grace the Juneau-Douglas High School stage, but their… Continue reading

Patricia Hull, as the witch, bullies Zebadiah Bodine, as the Baker, into taking Little Red Riding Hood’s red cape to undo a spell during rehearsal of Juneau-Douglas High School’s production of “Into the Woods” at JDHS on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.
Reknowned weaver Teri Rofkar’s Lituya Bay robe. The robe documents the 1958 earthquake that created a tsunami in the bay. Photo courtesy of Vivian Mork Y&

Planet Alaska: A tsunami warning at sea level

We awoke just after midnight to a pounding on our door. My slightly inebriated fisherman neighbor, who is moored on another finger, anxiously informed us… Continue reading

Reknowned weaver Teri Rofkar’s Lituya Bay robe. The robe documents the 1958 earthquake that created a tsunami in the bay. Photo courtesy of Vivian Mork Y&

Sons of Norway holding annual membership dinner

Juneau residents looking to experience a little Scandinavian culture don’t need to go to Petersburg to do it — they can join the Sons of… Continue reading

  • Feb 4, 2018
  • By Juneau Empire