Juneau Board of Education President Deedie Sorensen (left) and Vice President Emil Mackey (right), with his son Emil Mackey IV between them, listen to a presentation during a school board retreat at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on Saturday, Sept 28. Recall votes for both board members are failing in the initial vote tally in this year’s municipal election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

School board that made lots of changes appears it will remain the same after election

Three incumbents leading by large margins; recall petitions against two members failing

Juneau Board of Education President Deedie Sorensen (left) and Vice President Emil Mackey (right), with his son Emil Mackey IV between them, listen to a presentation during a school board retreat at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on Saturday, Sept 28. Recall votes for both board members are failing in the initial vote tally in this year’s municipal election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An aerial view of part of Southeast Alaska’s Kensington gold mine. (James Brooks via Wikipedia under Creative Commons 2.0)

Dozens of fish died near the Kensington mine. Two months later, state regulators haven’t determined what killed them.

Scientists say circumstances suggest a water quality problem, but awaiting data from mine’s operator.

  • Oct 4, 2024
  • By Max Graham, Northern Journal
  • Fishmining
An aerial view of part of Southeast Alaska’s Kensington gold mine. (James Brooks via Wikipedia under Creative Commons 2.0)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Monday, Sept. 30, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Workers install Hesco Barriers along the Los Angeles River to protect against El Niño flooding in 2016. Similar barriers along the Mendenhall River are being considered by Juneau city leaders. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)
Video

Building blocks toward flood prevention being sought by city, community group

Four-mile levy using giant sand barriers proposed to Assembly; neighborhood group seeks own solutions.

Workers install Hesco Barriers along the Los Angeles River to protect against El Niño flooding in 2016. Similar barriers along the Mendenhall River are being considered by Juneau city leaders. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)
Video
A newly installed Forest Service sign orients recreators on the reconstructed Fish Creek bridge, one of 64 bridges that were rebuilt along the 14-mile trail. (Photo by Dave Haas)

From a mining aqueduct to recreational gold: The restoration of the Treadwell Ditch Trail

Community members, agencies team up to work on trail with nearly 150-year-old history

A newly installed Forest Service sign orients recreators on the reconstructed Fish Creek bridge, one of 64 bridges that were rebuilt along the 14-mile trail. (Photo by Dave Haas)
Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau is among the state prisons housing inmates whose names were included in material improperly accessible to the public on a website for months, according to officials. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Update: Inmate records improperly online for months contained fictitious health data, company says

Investigation rebuts illegal health data leak accusations by ACLU, which still finds fault with explanation

Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau is among the state prisons housing inmates whose names were included in material improperly accessible to the public on a website for months, according to officials. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Rep. Laddie Shaw, R-Anchorage, is surrounded by education advocates as he enters the House chambers before a veto override vote on Senate Bill 140 on Monday, March 18, 2024. Shaw voted no on the override, which failed by a single vote. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska legislative panel bans large signs in the state Capitol after education protest

Signs limited to 11x17” and can’t be attached to posts or sticks, according to new visitor policy.

Rep. Laddie Shaw, R-Anchorage, is surrounded by education advocates as he enters the House chambers before a veto override vote on Senate Bill 140 on Monday, March 18, 2024. Shaw voted no on the override, which failed by a single vote. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 3, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 3, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Aaron Jacobs (lower right), a National Weather Service Juneau hydrologist, provides an update about the status of Suicide Basin during a special meeting of the Juneau Assembly on Thursday. (Screenshot from official livestream of Juneau Assembly meeting)

Expert: Major flood from Suicide Basin this fall now appears highly unlikely

Basin would take 145 days to fill at current rate as colder weather sets in, Assembly members told.

Aaron Jacobs (lower right), a National Weather Service Juneau hydrologist, provides an update about the status of Suicide Basin during a special meeting of the Juneau Assembly on Thursday. (Screenshot from official livestream of Juneau Assembly meeting)
Supporters of Mayor Beth Weldon and Juneau Assembly candidate Neil Steininger wave signs to motorists on Egan Drive at the Douglas Bridge intersection on Tuesday morning. Both are well ahead in their two-candidate races in the first batch of ballots tallied Tuesday night, with official results scheduled to be certified on Oct. 15. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Leaders in mayoral, Assembly races cautiously ponder issues ahead as more ballots tallied

Mayor Beth Weldon, Assembly hopeful Neil Steininger have solid leads; Maureen Hall a narrower edge

Supporters of Mayor Beth Weldon and Juneau Assembly candidate Neil Steininger wave signs to motorists on Egan Drive at the Douglas Bridge intersection on Tuesday morning. Both are well ahead in their two-candidate races in the first batch of ballots tallied Tuesday night, with official results scheduled to be certified on Oct. 15. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen (right) and Deputy Clerk Diane Cathcart await the arrival of election materials as early ballots are counted at the Thane Ballot Processing Center on Tuesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Ship-Free Saturday losing, Weldon leads mayor’s race, school board recalls failing in early election results

Unofficial partial count shows Steininger, Hall leading Assembly races; school board incumbents also ahead.

Juneau Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen (right) and Deputy Clerk Diane Cathcart await the arrival of election materials as early ballots are counted at the Thane Ballot Processing Center on Tuesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An early voting station is set up in the atrium of the State Office Building in Juneau on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, the first day of early voting for the 2024 Alaska primary election. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska’s voter registration deadline is Sunday, but most residents don’t need to worry

Sunday, Oct. 6, is the deadline to register as an Alaska voter for the November general election. Elections offices will be open from 10 a.m.… Continue reading

An early voting station is set up in the atrium of the State Office Building in Juneau on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, the first day of early voting for the 2024 Alaska primary election. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Mike Lane (left), talks to guests Brandi Billings (wearing pink) and Jessica Geary minutes before the first live broadcast in eight months of KINY-AM’s “Problem Corner” on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

‘Problem Corner’ returns to KINY with talk of elections, safe graduations and ‘squishy’ kittens

Station revives live weekday program eight months after halting Alaska’s longest-running radio show.

Mike Lane (left), talks to guests Brandi Billings (wearing pink) and Jessica Geary minutes before the first live broadcast in eight months of KINY-AM’s “Problem Corner” on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Koningsdam and Eurodam cruise ships remain docked in Juneau early Tuesday morning after arriving Monday, due to a storm that brought high winds to many parts of Southeast Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Cruise ships remain in Juneau overnight after canceling Southeast stops elsewhere due to storm

Two ships arriving Monday staying until Tuesday, with a third making an unscheduled stop in Juneau

The Koningsdam and Eurodam cruise ships remain docked in Juneau early Tuesday morning after arriving Monday, due to a storm that brought high winds to many parts of Southeast Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Dan Kenkel sets up an election sign outside City Hall as in-person voting begins at 7 a.m. Tuesday in Juneau’s municipal election. Voting locations and ballot dropoff boxes are open until 8 p.m. tonight.

Election Day arrives with Assembly, school board, municipal bond and cruise ship items on ballot

In-person voting and dropoff boxes open until 8 p.m.; initial results expected sometime after 10 p.m.

Dan Kenkel sets up an election sign outside City Hall as in-person voting begins at 7 a.m. Tuesday in Juneau’s municipal election. Voting locations and ballot dropoff boxes are open until 8 p.m. tonight.
The Donlin Gold airstrip, with the camp at the far end on the right, is seen from the air on Aug. 11, 2022. The mine site is in the hilly terrain near Southwest Alaska’s winding Kuskokwim River. The mine won a key permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018, but a federal judge ruled on Monday that the environmental study on which that permit was based was flawed because it failed to consider the impacts of a catastrophic dam failure. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Federal judge faults environmental analysis for planned huge gold mine in Western Alaska

Regulators failed to consider impacts of a dam failure when issuing Donlin mine permit, judge rules.

The Donlin Gold airstrip, with the camp at the far end on the right, is seen from the air on Aug. 11, 2022. The mine site is in the hilly terrain near Southwest Alaska’s winding Kuskokwim River. The mine won a key permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018, but a federal judge ruled on Monday that the environmental study on which that permit was based was flawed because it failed to consider the impacts of a catastrophic dam failure. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
(Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Three women arriving on flights arrested on drug charges in two incidents at Juneau’s airport

Drugs with a street value of more than $175,000 seized during arrests, according to JPD.

(Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)