Around Town

Juneau Gastineau Rotary Club meeting, 7 a.m., The Prospector Hotel.Women, Infants and Children walk-in clinic, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., SEARHC Juneau WIC Clinic, 3245 Hospital Drive,… Continue reading

Police & fire for Thursday, June 16, 2016

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed… Continue reading

Coast Guard to undergo machine gun training tactics Friday

Don’t mind the gunshots on Friday. That’s the sound of the Coast Guard training.Coast Guard Station Juneau warned the public in a prepared statement that… Continue reading

National Weather Service Juneau office to hold open house

The National Weather Service’s Juneau office is holding an open house for the public today.The theme is “Building Community Awareness to Reduce Hazardous Weather Impacts,”… Continue reading

Mark Bouquin, a former Ketchikan resident and Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show lumberjack, poses for a portrait during the filming of the endurance challenge reality TV show, "American Grit."

Former Ketchikan lumberjack wins reality show competition

KETCHIKAN — A former Ketchikan resident and Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show lumberjack won FOX’s “American Grit,” a military-style endurance reality TV show.Mark Bouquin of Colden,… Continue reading

Mark Bouquin, a former Ketchikan resident and Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show lumberjack, poses for a portrait during the filming of the endurance challenge reality TV show, "American Grit."

Alaska Airlines CEO says he might keep Virgin brand

NEW YORK — Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden said Wednesday that he might keep the Virgin America brand, running it and Alaska as two different… Continue reading

Ketchikan authorities seize half a pound of meth, arrest three

KETCHIKAN — The Ketchikan Police Department, Alaska State Troopers and Adult Probation office searched a Ketchikan building near Ward Cove on Monday and turned up… Continue reading

Members of the House Bill 247 conference committee hold a brief discussion before opening a meeting at 8 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2016. From left are Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole; Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage; Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna; and Rep. David Talerico, R-Healy.

Lawmakers keep billion-dollar oil tax loophole

The Alaska Legislature has approved a cut to oil and gas drilling subsidies that promises millions in savings but fails to close a loophole that… Continue reading

Members of the House Bill 247 conference committee hold a brief discussion before opening a meeting at 8 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2016. From left are Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole; Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage; Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna; and Rep. David Talerico, R-Healy.
Two members of the teacher contract negotiation team - Juneau School District Director of Human Resources Ted Van Bronkhorst and Juneau Education Association president-elect Laura Mulgrew - talk to the Juneau School Board at Tuesday night's regular meeting.

In tight fiscal times, Juneau teachers agree to slight salary increases

Salary increases for Juneau School District teachers over the next three years will likely will not keep up with rates of inflation, according to the… Continue reading

Two members of the teacher contract negotiation team - Juneau School District Director of Human Resources Ted Van Bronkhorst and Juneau Education Association president-elect Laura Mulgrew - talk to the Juneau School Board at Tuesday night's regular meeting.
Myrna Garner, Central Council's business and economic development manager, speaks to the Juneau Planning Commission about a plan to turn the old Thane Ore House into a Native cultural immersion park at Tuesday night's meeting. The commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the project.

Planning Commission gives Native culture center the go ahead

The doors of the Thane Ore House, locked since the business closed in 2012, will soon be open again.The Juneau Planning Commission approved a conditional… Continue reading

Myrna Garner, Central Council's business and economic development manager, speaks to the Juneau Planning Commission about a plan to turn the old Thane Ore House into a Native cultural immersion park at Tuesday night's meeting. The commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the project.

Adult smoking generally declines, still higher among Alaska Natives

Smoking rates continue to decline in Alaska, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.Between 1996 and 2013, the number of adult smokers… Continue reading

Senior sales tax hardship rebate apps due soon

Seniors looking to apply for the city’s senior citizen sales tax hardship have until the end of the month to do so. Rebate applications are… Continue reading

In this March 2, 2010 file photo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco looks out from the waterfront as she speaks to fisherman in Gloucester, Massachusettes. Nearly 400 scientists are urging President Obama to eliminate the possibility of Arctic offshore drilling in the near future by taking Arctic waters out of the next federal offshore lease sale plan. The 388 scientists include Lubchenco, Obama's former administrator of NOAA. The Interior Department is collecting public comment through Thursday, June 16, 2016, on the proposed 5-year oil and gas leasing program, which would cover 2017 to 2022.

Scientists: Drop Arctic from plans for offshore drilling

ANCHORAGE — Nearly 400 scientists have signed a letter urging President Obama to eliminate the possibility of Arctic offshore drilling in the near future by… Continue reading

In this March 2, 2010 file photo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco looks out from the waterfront as she speaks to fisherman in Gloucester, Massachusettes. Nearly 400 scientists are urging President Obama to eliminate the possibility of Arctic offshore drilling in the near future by taking Arctic waters out of the next federal offshore lease sale plan. The 388 scientists include Lubchenco, Obama's former administrator of NOAA. The Interior Department is collecting public comment through Thursday, June 16, 2016, on the proposed 5-year oil and gas leasing program, which would cover 2017 to 2022.

Alaska officials welcome new federal rule on adoption cases

JUNEAU — Alaska officials say a new federal rule that will require judges to ask whether a child is a Native American during foster-care and… Continue reading

Rep. Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, left, and Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, listen during the House Finance Committee meeting as they work on SB 128, the Permanent Fund spending bill, in the Bill Ray Center on Monday.

House hostile to Permanent Fund bill

Members of the Alaska House Finance Committee continue to express uncertainty and hostility toward a measure that would use money from the earnings of the… Continue reading

Rep. Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, left, and Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, listen during the House Finance Committee meeting as they work on SB 128, the Permanent Fund spending bill, in the Bill Ray Center on Monday.

Police & fire for Wednesday, June 15, 2016

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed… Continue reading

Around Town

Women, Infants and Children walk-in clinic, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., SEARHC Juneau WIC Clinic, 3245 Hospital Drive, first floor. Free nutrition services for income-eligible women who… Continue reading

A’s to your Q’s on the Permanent Fund bill

The Alaska Legislature is moving quickly to address a bill that would divert a portion of the Alaska Permanent Fund to pay for the state’s… Continue reading

‘A love sonnet’ by a former city manager

Juneau is not the same place it was when former city manager Kim Kiefer began working for the city 32 years ago. It still looks… Continue reading

Police arrest two men tied to downtown group assault

Juneau police say they have arrested two of six people connected to a group attack on an Alaskan Hotel and Bar employee last week, and… Continue reading