The Alaska House Finance Committee is seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska politicians contemplate first statewide borrowing request since 2012

Dunleavy administration considering the possibility, but bond package not yet introduced.

The Alaska House Finance Committee is seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Feb. 7, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Feb. 11

Three decades of capital city coverage (about past school district budget woes, in this instance).

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Feb. 7, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake on Jan. 28. (Photo by Deana Barajas)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake on Jan. 28. (Photo by Deana Barajas)
This image from video provided by Sunrise Aviation shows the landslide that occurred near Wrangell on Nov. 20, 2023. (Sunrise Aviation via AP)

Alaska state geologists’ report on fatal landslide in Wrangell cites heavy rainfall as trigger

Soils saturated by heavy rains unleashed the massive landslide that killed six people in the Southeast Alaska community of Wrangell in November, along with a… Continue reading

This image from video provided by Sunrise Aviation shows the landslide that occurred near Wrangell on Nov. 20, 2023. (Sunrise Aviation via AP)
Juneau Assembly members and city administrators confer during a finance committee meeting Wednesday night about specific wording for portions of a proposed financial bailout package for the Juneau School District. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly members back $4M loan, taking over 3.9M in costs to fix school district’s 7.9M deficit

District still facing steep cuts such as school consolidations to prevent future shortfalls.

Juneau Assembly members and city administrators confer during a finance committee meeting Wednesday night about specific wording for portions of a proposed financial bailout package for the Juneau School District. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Attendees at the Southeast Conference Mid-Session Summit listen to a live video speech by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Report: Juneau second-best summer job place in U.S. for youths — in part because there are fewer of them

Update of annual Southeast Alaska economic report features other contrasting up-and-down trends

Attendees at the Southeast Conference Mid-Session Summit listen to a live video speech by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire)

Police calls for Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Chief Justice Peter J. Maassen delivers his first State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Chief justice highlights permanent changes resulting from pandemic in first State of the Judiciary speech

Increasing use of remote hearings, other technology cited as long-term positives for efficiency.

Alaska Chief Justice Peter J. Maassen delivers his first State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Monday, Feb. 5, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska governor bans big new contracts with companies that boycott Israel

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a far-reaching administrative order on Monday that calls for public agencies to stop doing business with companies that support an economic… Continue reading

The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that are used by state welfare departments to issue benefits is displayed at a grocery store on Dec. 4, 2019, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Alaska must face food stamp litigation after a year of stays, court says

A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that are used by state welfare departments to issue benefits is displayed at a… Continue reading

A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that are used by state welfare departments to issue benefits is displayed at a grocery store on Dec. 4, 2019, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Venietia Bingham, owner of V’s Cellar Door, testifies in opposition to a resolution seeking to nearly double the number of licenses for establishments allowed to serve alcohol during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Proposal to nearly double places in Juneau able to serve alcohol delayed by Assembly until November

Existing establishments worry about impact of seasonal operators; supporters cite new opportunities.

Venietia Bingham, owner of V’s Cellar Door, testifies in opposition to a resolution seeking to nearly double the number of licenses for establishments allowed to serve alcohol during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This screenshot from a court filing by the Alaska Department of Law shows two identical pairs of wool booties taken from a tourist shop near Denali National Park. One pair bears the label “made in Nepal,” while the other says that it was made in Alaska. (Screenshot)

Mythical ‘Yakutat alpaca’ items costs Denali-area clothing shop $53,000 in fines

No such creature exists, despite claims of store officials say re-branded foreign products.

This screenshot from a court filing by the Alaska Department of Law shows two identical pairs of wool booties taken from a tourist shop near Denali National Park. One pair bears the label “made in Nepal,” while the other says that it was made in Alaska. (Screenshot)
Juneau School District administrators and board members listen to a presentation about the district’s multi-million deficit during a Jan. 9 meeting. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

School board asks city to take over $4 million in ‘shared costs,’ provide zero-interest loan

Request to be evaluated by Assembly members Wednesday as district tries to fix budget crisis.

Juneau School District administrators and board members listen to a presentation about the district’s multi-million deficit during a Jan. 9 meeting. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Multiple vehicles line up at the entrance of Waste Management’s Capitol Disposal Landfill in Lemon Creek on Jan. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

Landfill fees rising 9% for residential trash, nearly tripling for metal, starting March 1

Increase follows near-tripling of rates last year that’s blamed for widespread illegal dumping.

Multiple vehicles line up at the entrance of Waste Management’s Capitol Disposal Landfill in Lemon Creek on Jan. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Juneau Empire file photo)

Aurora forecast for the week of Feb. 5

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute and available online, along with more data, at www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast. The listings below will… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
The Red Devil Mine, which produced mercury on and off from the 1930s to 1971, is seen from the air in 1960 in this archival photo from the University of Alaska Anchorage’s collection. The Bureau of Land Management has approved a plan to clean up what is considered the last remaining source of contamination: tailings spread over the property. (Photo by Don Grybeck/University of Alaska Anchorage Consortium Library archives and special collections)

Federal regulators approve long-term plan for cleaning site of Alaska mercury mine

Nearly a century after a Western Alaska mine began producing mercury, cleanup of the site is entering a final but long-term phase. The U.S. Bureau… Continue reading

The Red Devil Mine, which produced mercury on and off from the 1930s to 1971, is seen from the air in 1960 in this archival photo from the University of Alaska Anchorage’s collection. The Bureau of Land Management has approved a plan to clean up what is considered the last remaining source of contamination: tailings spread over the property. (Photo by Don Grybeck/University of Alaska Anchorage Consortium Library archives and special collections)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Capital Transit buses will operate on revised schedules starting Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Changes to Capital Transit routes including Riverside Drive, Vintage Business Park start Monday

New schedule includes rerouting bus near school on Back Loop Road where safety upgrades occurring.

Capital Transit buses will operate on revised schedules starting Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)