Rep. Don Young smiles during a sit-down in the Juneau Empire's offices last June. Young died on Friday, according to the longtime U.S. representative's office. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Don Young dies at 88

On his way home to Alaska.

Rep. Don Young smiles during a sit-down in the Juneau Empire's offices last June. Young died on Friday, according to the longtime U.S. representative's office. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
The Mendenhall River is one of Juneau’s many water systems that was affected by the drought from 2016 to 2019. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Project looks into causes, effects of 2016-2019 drought

Hotter weather and less rain drove the three-year drought.

The Mendenhall River is one of Juneau’s many water systems that was affected by the drought from 2016 to 2019. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Attorney for the State of Alaska Matthew Singer defends the Alaska Redistricting Board to the Alaska Supreme Court on Friday, March 18, 2022. The Court will return a decision on the state's new electoral districts by April 1. (Screenshot)
Attorney for the State of Alaska Matthew Singer defends the Alaska Redistricting Board to the Alaska Supreme Court on Friday, March 18, 2022. The Court will return a decision on the state's new electoral districts by April 1. (Screenshot)
Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing, fly in formation after being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, during U.S. Northern Command Exercise Arctic Edge 2022, March 15, 2022. (U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Taylor Crul)

Military wraps up major cold-weather exercise

More than a thousand servicemembers traveled to Alaska from across North America for the exercise.

Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing, fly in formation after being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, during U.S. Northern Command Exercise Arctic Edge 2022, March 15, 2022. (U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Taylor Crul)
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File 
In this April 24, 2015, filephoto, a worker empties oilfield wastewater from a tank truck into storage tanks on Carl and Justin Johnson’s ranch near Crossroads, N.M. Labor shortages, supply problems and volatile prices have made oil companies cautious about new drilling even as U.S. politicians push for increased production.

Ukraine war ups pressure for US oil; industry faces hurdles

Rhetoric about quickly ramping up U.S. crude output is at odds with the industry’s reality.

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File 
In this April 24, 2015, filephoto, a worker empties oilfield wastewater from a tank truck into storage tanks on Carl and Justin Johnson’s ranch near Crossroads, N.M. Labor shortages, supply problems and volatile prices have made oil companies cautious about new drilling even as U.S. politicians push for increased production.
Police are investigating a hit and run that resulted in a serious casualty on Thursday evening. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Man medevaced to Seattle following hit and run

He suffered serious injuries from being hit by the pickup truck.

Police are investigating a hit and run that resulted in a serious casualty on Thursday evening. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
An improvised heating device sparked a February fire in a vehicle near Donna’s, totally destroying the vehicle. (Courtesy photo / Capital City Fire/Rescue)

Fire marshal: Homemade heating device sparked February car fire

No one was injured, but the vehicle was immolated.

An improvised heating device sparked a February fire in a vehicle near Donna’s, totally destroying the vehicle. (Courtesy photo / Capital City Fire/Rescue)
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)

Police calls for Friday, March 18, 2022

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

  • Mar 18, 2022
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)
(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

State House passes campaign contribution limits bill

Bill would set a $2,000 limit on what someone could contribute to a candidate per campaign period.

(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
From left to right: Chairman of Goldbelt Inc.'s Board of Directors Todd Antioquia, Sealaska Corporation Board of Director's Chair Joe Nelson; Sealaska CEO Anthony Mallot; Goldbelt President and CEO McHugh Pierre and University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor Karen Carey at the Centennial Hall on Thursday, March 17, 2022 for the Juneau Economic Development Corporation's annual innovation summit. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
From left to right: Chairman of Goldbelt Inc.'s Board of Directors Todd Antioquia, Sealaska Corporation Board of Director's Chair Joe Nelson; Sealaska CEO Anthony Mallot; Goldbelt President and CEO McHugh Pierre and University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor Karen Carey at the Centennial Hall on Thursday, March 17, 2022 for the Juneau Economic Development Corporation's annual innovation summit. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The winners of the Juneau Economic Development Corporation’s Innovation Summit pitch contest Jay Byam, left, and Jack Finnegan, were announced Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Centennial Hall. Byam’s Anchorage company Kartorium makes 3D models for industrial products and Finnegan’s Ketchikan-based Fishability Alaska has designs for a charter fishing boat that’s universally accessable for people with disabilities. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The winners of the Juneau Economic Development Corporation’s Innovation Summit pitch contest Jay Byam, left, and Jack Finnegan, were announced Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Centennial Hall. Byam’s Anchorage company Kartorium makes 3D models for industrial products and Finnegan’s Ketchikan-based Fishability Alaska has designs for a charter fishing boat that’s universally accessable for people with disabilities. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Anthony Mallott, president and CEO of Sealaska Corp. reflected on the 50th Anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act during the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce weekly lunch on Thursday.

Mallott looks back — and forward — 50 years after ANCSA

Native corporates are big business in Alaska

Anthony Mallott, president and CEO of Sealaska Corp. reflected on the 50th Anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act during the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce weekly lunch on Thursday.
Ketchikan resident Jack Finnegan, left, owner of Fishability, and Bonnie, center, and Stormy Hamar, who own Kasaan Arts, Museum, and Canoes stand outside the Sealaska Heritage Building on Feb. 8. Earlier Tuesday, each business owner was named a winner of the Path to Prosperity contest, put on by nonprofit Spruce Root. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Entrepreneurs get a boost on the Path to Prosperity

Spruce Root awards $50,000 in prizes

Ketchikan resident Jack Finnegan, left, owner of Fishability, and Bonnie, center, and Stormy Hamar, who own Kasaan Arts, Museum, and Canoes stand outside the Sealaska Heritage Building on Feb. 8. Earlier Tuesday, each business owner was named a winner of the Path to Prosperity contest, put on by nonprofit Spruce Root. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Chignik Lake is the first of two lakes in the Chignik River system; it is longer and deeper than the second lake, Black Lake, which is wide and shallow. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

The Salmon State: A tale of two salmon

Chignik has two genetically distinct runs of sockey

Chignik Lake is the first of two lakes in the Chignik River system; it is longer and deeper than the second lake, Black Lake, which is wide and shallow. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
A former Army Special Forces medic is raising money to go to Ukraine and set up a triage station there for casualties of the Russian invasion. (Courtesy photo / Brent Kunzler)

Skagway man prepares to head to Ukraine to provide medical aid

He’s raising money to set up an aid station inside the Ukrainian border.

A former Army Special Forces medic is raising money to go to Ukraine and set up a triage station there for casualties of the Russian invasion. (Courtesy photo / Brent Kunzler)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, talks with a reporter after attending at an event to celebrate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Washington. Murkowski spoke the the Alaska House of Representatives Special Committee on Tribal Affairs Thursday about what the bill means for Alaska. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, talks with a reporter after attending at an event to celebrate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Washington. Murkowski spoke the the Alaska House of Representatives Special Committee on Tribal Affairs Thursday about what the bill means for Alaska. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Police calls for Thursday, March 17, 2022

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

  • Mar 17, 2022
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
Kristine Paulick and Bill Paulick rehearse in a music classroom in Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School ahead of an upcoming Juneau Community Bands Horns a Plenty concert set for Sunday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Pardon their French horns: Live music returns with Horns A-Plenty concert

Unless you were in New York City two years ago, you haven’t heard this played live before.

Kristine Paulick and Bill Paulick rehearse in a music classroom in Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School ahead of an upcoming Juneau Community Bands Horns a Plenty concert set for Sunday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Alberta's oilsands are operating with critical staff only as the highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

COVID at a Glance for Wednesday, March 16

Numbers come from reports from the City and Borough of Juneau Emergency Operations Center and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, as well… Continue reading

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Alberta's oilsands are operating with critical staff only as the highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML
The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)