News

A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Ships in Port for the week of July 24

Here’s what to expect this week.

A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Students show off their new backpacks at Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s annual backpack distribution at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on July 23, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Back to school: Tlingit and Haida holds annual backpack distribution

Hundreds of backpacks were distributed, with hundreds still to go out.

Students show off their new backpacks at Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s annual backpack distribution at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on July 23, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Fire/Rescue personnel triage a casualty during an exercise simulating a plane crash at Juneau International Airport on July 23, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

(Simulated) great balls of fire: Airport carries out emergency plan exercise

Dozens of volunteers took part, simulating the variously wounded survivors of a plane crash.

Capital City Fire/Rescue personnel triage a casualty during an exercise simulating a plane crash at Juneau International Airport on July 23, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Chris Cotton, in black, and Matthew Wetherholt measure off distance in a house they and other members of Team Rubicon, a disaster-recovery nonprofit, are helping to restore following the Haines landslide of 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Haines recovery continues with help from within and without

Dozens of landslides struck the town, destroying homes and requiring extensive rebuilding.

Chris Cotton, in black, and Matthew Wetherholt measure off distance in a house they and other members of Team Rubicon, a disaster-recovery nonprofit, are helping to restore following the Haines landslide of 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
David Keith, right, an Oklahoma hospital leader who is among the three finalists for the CEO position at Bartlett Regional Hospital, chats with Bartlett board members Hal Geiger and Kenny Solomon-Gross during a meet-and-greet Friday at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Hospital holds 3rd CEO candidate meet and greet

David Keith meets folks for the last in a series of three.

David Keith, right, an Oklahoma hospital leader who is among the three finalists for the CEO position at Bartlett Regional Hospital, chats with Bartlett board members Hal Geiger and Kenny Solomon-Gross during a meet-and-greet Friday at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A Hills Bros. coffee can found at an old cabin on the Fortymile River. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: A field guide to old coffee cans

Can you dig it?

A Hills Bros. coffee can found at an old cabin on the Fortymile River. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
A graph shows individual non-sale price of 20 items at Juneau’s four main supermarkets on July 1. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Getting the most bread for your bread

Fred Meyer still has Juneau’s cheapest groceries, with the three other stores about even.

A graph shows individual non-sale price of 20 items at Juneau’s four main supermarkets on July 1. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Shelby Martin the, co-owner of the Alaskan Shel, stands at the bow of her boat as it sinks while docked at the Don D. Statter Harbor. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Group effort stops ship from sinking at Statter Harbor

“I am so grateful for them and so appreciative of their help.”

Shelby Martin the, co-owner of the Alaskan Shel, stands at the bow of her boat as it sinks while docked at the Don D. Statter Harbor. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant has normally handled roughly 250,000 to 300,000 gallons of intake a day since 2016. But that average has increased somewhat since 2019 and spiked to a record high of nearly 1 million gallons on Dec. 1, 2020, due to a record amount of rainfall during a 24-hour period, according to a report published Monday assessing climate change impacts on Juneau. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Deep doo-doo due to climate change

Problems at Mendenhall Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant now blamed on abnormally high precipitation

The Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant has normally handled roughly 250,000 to 300,000 gallons of intake a day since 2016. But that average has increased somewhat since 2019 and spiked to a record high of nearly 1 million gallons on Dec. 1, 2020, due to a record amount of rainfall during a 24-hour period, according to a report published Monday assessing climate change impacts on Juneau. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
It's a police car until you look closely. The eye shies away, the . (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)

Police calls for Friday, July 22, 2022

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

  • Jul 22, 2022
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
It's a police car until you look closely. The eye shies away, the . (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)
With the U.S. Capitol in the background, a person waves a rainbow flag as they participant in a rally in support of the LGBTQIA+ community at Freedom Plaza, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Washington. The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday, July, 19, 2022, to protect same-sex and interracial marriages amid concerns that the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade abortion access could jeopardize other rights criticized by many conservative Americans. (AP Photo / Jose Luis Magana)

Alaska’s senators and a Senate hopeful talk same-sex marriage bill

Each indicate differing stances on the topic.

With the U.S. Capitol in the background, a person waves a rainbow flag as they participant in a rally in support of the LGBTQIA+ community at Freedom Plaza, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Washington. The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday, July, 19, 2022, to protect same-sex and interracial marriages amid concerns that the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade abortion access could jeopardize other rights criticized by many conservative Americans. (AP Photo / Jose Luis Magana)
A map shows locations in the U.S. designated as tribal lands and thus eligible for higher benefits from the Affordable Connectivity Program. All of Alaska falls under that designation. (Courtesy Image / FCC)

90K Alaska households are eligible for internet assistance —only 10K are taking advantage

White House touts a recently launched “one-stop” website to make signing up easier.

A map shows locations in the U.S. designated as tribal lands and thus eligible for higher benefits from the Affordable Connectivity Program. All of Alaska falls under that designation. (Courtesy Image / FCC)
Alaska Chef Amara Enciso featured at the Jorgenson House. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Chef Amara Enciso represents Alaska in 2022 Great American Seafood Cook-Off

See her seafood on the mainstage

Alaska Chef Amara Enciso featured at the Jorgenson House. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, speaks to a crowd of people as they enjoy a slice of lasagna at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon on Thursday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Watt’s up: The city manager talks city budget and upcoming ballot initiatives

Lasagna with a side of ballot initiatives.

City and Borough of Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, speaks to a crowd of people as they enjoy a slice of lasagna at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon on Thursday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., makes a point during an event with Democratic women House members and advocates for reproductive freedom ahead of the vote on the Right to Contraception Act, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. She is flanked by Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill. Democrats are pushing legislation through the House that would inscribe the right to use contraceptives into law. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House OKs bill to protect contraception from Supreme Court

The measure drew a mixed reaction from two of the Senate’s more moderate Republicans.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., makes a point during an event with Democratic women House members and advocates for reproductive freedom ahead of the vote on the Right to Contraception Act, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. She is flanked by Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill. Democrats are pushing legislation through the House that would inscribe the right to use contraceptives into law. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Evidence markers are placed around the scene of a shooting in Centennial Park campground in Anchorage, Alaska, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. (Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News)

Officer, man wounded in shootout at Anchorage homeless camp

Both were taken to the hospital and are expected to survive, police said.

Evidence markers are placed around the scene of a shooting in Centennial Park campground in Anchorage, Alaska, Wednesday, July 20, 2022. (Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News)
Donated blood is prepared for storage and eventual transport at the Blood Bank of Alaska's Juneau location. There is a statewide shortage of donated blood. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Blood Bank of Alaska says there’s a critical need for blood

Blood Bank of Alaska is currently in urgent need of all blood types

Donated blood is prepared for storage and eventual transport at the Blood Bank of Alaska's Juneau location. There is a statewide shortage of donated blood. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks during hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget for the FBI in Washington, May 25, 2022. A bipartisan group of senators, including Collins, released proposed changes July 20, to the Electoral Count Act, the post-Civil War-era law for certifying presidential elections that came under intense scrutiny after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. (Ting Shen / Pool Photo)

Senators propose changes to electors law after Capitol riot

“The events that occurred on January 6, 2021 must never happen again,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski said.

  • Jul 20, 2022
  • By Lisa Mascaro AP Congressional Correspondent
  • Nation-World
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks during hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget for the FBI in Washington, May 25, 2022. A bipartisan group of senators, including Collins, released proposed changes July 20, to the Electoral Count Act, the post-Civil War-era law for certifying presidential elections that came under intense scrutiny after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. (Ting Shen / Pool Photo)
White sand beaches aren’t entirely rare in Southeast Alaska, but they are special nonetheless, especially on warm summer days. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: Adjusting the itinerary

It’s not that anglers want things to be difficult, we just enjoy the payoff of time and experience…

White sand beaches aren’t entirely rare in Southeast Alaska, but they are special nonetheless, especially on warm summer days. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discontinued a program of monitoring the COVID levels aboard cruise ships operating in the United States on Tuesday. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

CDC coronavirus-status program for cruise ships discontinued

Politicians and industry officials lauded the move.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discontinued a program of monitoring the COVID levels aboard cruise ships operating in the United States on Tuesday. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)