Noah Teshner (right) exhibits the physical impact military-grade flood barriers will have on properties with the help of other residents at a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Locals protesting $8K payment for temporary flood barriers told rejection may endanger permanent fix

Feds providing barriers free, but more help in danger if locals won’t pay to install them, city manager says.

Noah Teshner (right) exhibits the physical impact military-grade flood barriers will have on properties with the help of other residents at a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Juneau Empire file photo)

Aurora forecast through the week of Nov. 17

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)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Sunday, Nov. 17, 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 Saturday, Nov. 16, 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 Friday, Nov. 15, 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 Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Tlingit “I Voted” stickers are displayed on a table at the voting station at the Mendenhall Mall during early voting in the Nov. 5 general election. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)

Ranked choice voting repeal coming down to wire, Begich claims U.S. House win in latest ballot counts

Repeal has 0.28% lead as of Saturday, down from 0.84% Thursday — an 895-vote gap with 9,000 left to count.

Tlingit “I Voted” stickers are displayed on a table at the voting station at the Mendenhall Mall during early voting in the Nov. 5 general election. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
A map shows properties within a proposed Local Improvement District whose owners could be charged nearly $8,000 each for the installation of a semi-permanent levee to protect the area from floods. (City and Borough of Juneau map)

Hundreds of property owners in flood zone may have to pay $7,972 apiece for Hesco barrier levee

City, property owners to split $7.83M project cost under plan Juneau Assembly will consider Monday.

A map shows properties within a proposed Local Improvement District whose owners could be charged nearly $8,000 each for the installation of a semi-permanent levee to protect the area from floods. (City and Borough of Juneau map)
Dan Allard (right), a flood fighting expert for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, explains how Hesco barriers function at a table where miniature replicas of the three-foot square and four-foot high barriers are displayed during an open house Thursday evening at Thunder Mountain Middle School to discuss flood prevention options in Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Residents express deluge of concerns about flood barriers as experts host meetings to offer advice

City, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say range of protection options are still being evaluated

Dan Allard (right), a flood fighting expert for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, explains how Hesco barriers function at a table where miniature replicas of the three-foot square and four-foot high barriers are displayed during an open house Thursday evening at Thunder Mountain Middle School to discuss flood prevention options in Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Geological Survey geologist Geoffrey Ellis stands on Oct. 29 by a poster diplayed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks that explains how pure hydrogen can be pooled in underground formations. Ellis is the leading USGS expert on geologic hydrogen. He was a featured presenter at a three-day workshop on geologic hydrogen that was held at UAF. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska scientists and policymakers look to hydrogen as power source of the future

The key to decarbonization may be all around us. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is in the ocean, in the sky, in… Continue reading

U.S. Geological Survey geologist Geoffrey Ellis stands on Oct. 29 by a poster diplayed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks that explains how pure hydrogen can be pooled in underground formations. Ellis is the leading USGS expert on geologic hydrogen. He was a featured presenter at a three-day workshop on geologic hydrogen that was held at UAF. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
People gather outside Resurrection Lutheran Church as it hosts its weekly food pantry on Tuesday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Resurrection Lutheran Church leadership dispute intensifies with accusations of assault, theft, sabotage

Pastor removed, lawsuit lingers as competing groups try to continue worship services, food pantry.

People gather outside Resurrection Lutheran Church as it hosts its weekly food pantry on Tuesday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Getty Images)

Rural Alaska mayor takes office, cancels elections, pleads guilty to felony election interference

Arthur Sammy Heckman Sr. has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of unlawful interference with an election after illegally canceling a local 2023… Continue reading

(Getty Images)
Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota speaks to reporters at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in advance of the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, Sept. 10, 2024. President-elect Trump has tapped Burgum to lead the Interior Department, leading the new administration’s plans to open federal lands and waters to oil and gas drilling. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

Trump nominates governor of North Dakota — not Alaska — to be Interior Secretary

Doug Burgum gets nod from president-elect, leaving speculation about Dunleavy’s future hanging

Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota speaks to reporters at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in advance of the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, Sept. 10, 2024. President-elect Trump has tapped Burgum to lead the Interior Department, leading the new administration’s plans to open federal lands and waters to oil and gas drilling. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Nick Begich, center, the Republican candidate for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, talks with supporters during a meet-and-greet Oct. 12 at the Southeast Alaska Real Estate office near the Nugget Mall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Begich, repeal of ranked choice voting still lead in latest vote counts, by slightly smaller margins

All precincts have reported, but up to 35,000 ballots still uncounted with final results due Nov. 20.

Nick Begich, center, the Republican candidate for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, talks with supporters during a meet-and-greet Oct. 12 at the Southeast Alaska Real Estate office near the Nugget Mall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Maple the dog leads Kerry Lear and Stephanie Allison across the newly completed Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (also known as the Brotherhood Bridge Trail) over Montana Creek Monday, November 11. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

Reconnected: New bridge over Montana Creek reopens portion of Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei

People again able to walk a loop on what’s commonly known as the Brotherhood Bridge Trail.

Maple the dog leads Kerry Lear and Stephanie Allison across the newly completed Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (also known as the Brotherhood Bridge Trail) over Montana Creek Monday, November 11. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
City officials pose with a gold shovel at the location of a new marine haulout Friday at the Gary Paxton Industrial Site. Pictured are, from left, Assembly member Kevin Mosher, GPIP Board of Directors members Chad Goeden and Lauren Howard Mitchell (holding her son, Gil Howard), Municipal Engineer Michael Harmon, Assembly member Thor Christianson, Municipal Administrator John Leach, Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz, Sitka Economic Development Association Executive Director Garry White, and GPIP Board of Directors Chair Scott Wagner. (James Poulson / Sitka Sentinel)

Sitka Assembly approved memorandum of understanding on cruise ship passenger limits by 4-3 vote

MOA sets daily limit of 7,000, guidelines for docking bans for ships that would exceed that total.

City officials pose with a gold shovel at the location of a new marine haulout Friday at the Gary Paxton Industrial Site. Pictured are, from left, Assembly member Kevin Mosher, GPIP Board of Directors members Chad Goeden and Lauren Howard Mitchell (holding her son, Gil Howard), Municipal Engineer Michael Harmon, Assembly member Thor Christianson, Municipal Administrator John Leach, Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz, Sitka Economic Development Association Executive Director Garry White, and GPIP Board of Directors Chair Scott Wagner. (James Poulson / Sitka Sentinel)
A map shows Alaska had the largest increase in drug overdose deaths among the five states reporting increases during the 12-month period ending in June. Overdoses nationally declined for a second straight year. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map)

Drug overdose deaths in Alaska jump 38.68% in a year as nationwide rate drops 14%

National experts see hope in second annual decline as Alaska officials worry about ongoing crisis.

A map shows Alaska had the largest increase in drug overdose deaths among the five states reporting increases during the 12-month period ending in June. Overdoses nationally declined for a second straight year. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map)
Wrangell’s Artha DeRuyter is one of 300 volunteers from around the country who will go to Washington, D.C., later this month to help decorate the White House for the Christmas season. (Sam Pausman / Wrangell Sentinel)

Wrangell florist invited to help decorate White House for Christmas

For Artha DeRuyter, flowers have always been a passion. She’s owned flower shops in Fairbanks and now Wrangell. Sometimes she operates seasonally — other times,… Continue reading

Wrangell’s Artha DeRuyter is one of 300 volunteers from around the country who will go to Washington, D.C., later this month to help decorate the White House for the Christmas season. (Sam Pausman / Wrangell Sentinel)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)