City and Borough of Juneau

Juneau’s first electric bus, parked in the Capital Transit garage on April 8, 2021. As more electric busses join the fleet and the new Valley Transit Center opens, existing bus routes will be reconfigured. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File)

Valley Transit Center on track to open next summer

New bus routes, new shelters coming

Juneau’s first electric bus, parked in the Capital Transit garage on April 8, 2021. As more electric busses join the fleet and the new Valley Transit Center opens, existing bus routes will be reconfigured. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau City Hall on October 24, 2020. At Monday’s Public Works and Facilities Committee meeting, members discussed options for moving forward with a new city hall building. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

CBJ to consider new city hall locations

Voters will have final say

Juneau City Hall on October 24, 2020. At Monday’s Public Works and Facilities Committee meeting, members discussed options for moving forward with a new city hall building. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Jeff Rogers, CBJ’s finance director, joined the April 22 Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Alaska Business Roundtable’s Zoom meeting to explain why commercial properties have recently been reassessed and what it means for business and property owners in the borough. (Screenshot)

Strictly commercial: Property owners chafe at new assessments

Business owners question assessment process.

Jeff Rogers, CBJ’s finance director, joined the April 22 Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Alaska Business Roundtable’s Zoom meeting to explain why commercial properties have recently been reassessed and what it means for business and property owners in the borough. (Screenshot)
Courtesy Photo / Jesse Ramsey A number of bears, such as this one spotted downtown, have been observed around Juneau seeking shelter in cooler interiors and looking for food, according to Department of Fish and Game researchers. (Courtesy Photo / Jesse Ramsey)

Wildlife officials urge preventative measures as bears display concerning behaviors

High heat and human habituating are contributing factors.

Courtesy Photo / Jesse Ramsey A number of bears, such as this one spotted downtown, have been observed around Juneau seeking shelter in cooler interiors and looking for food, according to Department of Fish and Game researchers. (Courtesy Photo / Jesse Ramsey)
Mila Cosgrove, right, who retired from her position as Deputy City Manager of the City and Borough of Juneau, received a commendation from the CBJ Assembly Monday night for her years of service to the city. This August 2011 file photo shows Cosgrove in her former position as CBJ Human Resources and Risk Management Director alongside former City Attorney Jane Sebens. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file)

City commends retired deputy city manager

“When you have a Mila Cosgrove…”

Mila Cosgrove, right, who retired from her position as Deputy City Manager of the City and Borough of Juneau, received a commendation from the CBJ Assembly Monday night for her years of service to the city. This August 2011 file photo shows Cosgrove in her former position as CBJ Human Resources and Risk Management Director alongside former City Attorney Jane Sebens. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file)
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly gave the city manager's office the go-ahead to begin negotiations with Norwegian Cruise Line over land the company needs to build its proposed dock on Egan Drive, seen here on Jun. 6, 2021. The company will need access to state and city-owned tidelands in order to complete the dock, and City Manager Rorie Watt told Assembly members Monday the company could now submit its applications. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Assembly says cruise company can submit plans

Next steps.

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly gave the city manager's office the go-ahead to begin negotiations with Norwegian Cruise Line over land the company needs to build its proposed dock on Egan Drive, seen here on Jun. 6, 2021. The company will need access to state and city-owned tidelands in order to complete the dock, and City Manager Rorie Watt told Assembly members Monday the company could now submit its applications. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The City and Borough of Juneau raised its coronavirus alert level to Level Three- High, beginning on July 30, 2021 after a recent spike in cases. (Unsplash / Tai’s Captures)

City raises community risk level to high

Masks are now mandatory for everyone, regardless of vaccine status, for all indoor public settings.

The City and Borough of Juneau raised its coronavirus alert level to Level Three- High, beginning on July 30, 2021 after a recent spike in cases. (Unsplash / Tai’s Captures)
This March 2020 photo shows Juneau’s City Hall. On Wednesday, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly OK’d extending local mitigation measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire File)

City extends COVID mitigation measures

Plans set to expire Oct. 31, fine dropped

This March 2020 photo shows Juneau’s City Hall. On Wednesday, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly OK’d extending local mitigation measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire File)
Shoppers wear masks inside of The Cool store in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course Tuesday, July 27, 2021, on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging. City and Borough of Juneau officials are considering extending local mitigation measures that advise residents to wear masks when in indoor public spaces. (AP Photo/ Marcio Jose Sanchez)

City assembly to revisit mitigation measures

A special meeting is set for Wednesday evening

Shoppers wear masks inside of The Cool store in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course Tuesday, July 27, 2021, on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging. City and Borough of Juneau officials are considering extending local mitigation measures that advise residents to wear masks when in indoor public spaces. (AP Photo/ Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Deputy City Clerk Diane Cathcart finalizes the list of candidates seeking office in the October municipal election on Monday afternoon. On Monday, races for seats on both the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly and Juneau School District Board of Education took shape. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Local election takes shape ahead of filing deadline

Mayor unopposed, school race heats up

Deputy City Clerk Diane Cathcart finalizes the list of candidates seeking office in the October municipal election on Monday afternoon. On Monday, races for seats on both the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly and Juneau School District Board of Education took shape. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
COVID-19 cases are rising and health officials say new variants are spurring the increase, even among the vaccinated. But health officials note the majority of hospitalizations and deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire file)

Officials urge health diligence as COVID cases rise

Mask up indoors.

COVID-19 cases are rising and health officials say new variants are spurring the increase, even among the vaccinated. But health officials note the majority of hospitalizations and deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire file)
Ginger Hudson, seen here on July 23, 2021, stepped up as the manager of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in January of 2021, taking over one of the northernmost arboretums in the world, as well as one renowned internationally for its collection of primrose plants. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

New arboretum manager takes root

It’s a rare gardner that has experience growing plants this far north.

Ginger Hudson, seen here on July 23, 2021, stepped up as the manager of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in January of 2021, taking over one of the northernmost arboretums in the world, as well as one renowned internationally for its collection of primrose plants. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
This chart shows City and Borough of Juneau's 14-day COVID-19 active case trend. As of Thursday, there were 80 active cases in the city. Amid rising rates of new cases, the city's community risk level is being raised. That comes with reimplimenting some mitigation measures that will go into effect at noon on Friday. (Screenshot / CBJ)

City raises community risk level amid rising case rates

New risk level, familiar mitigation measures.

This chart shows City and Borough of Juneau's 14-day COVID-19 active case trend. As of Thursday, there were 80 active cases in the city. Amid rising rates of new cases, the city's community risk level is being raised. That comes with reimplimenting some mitigation measures that will go into effect at noon on Friday. (Screenshot / CBJ)
Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. More structures and swaths of land in downtown Juneau are located in avalanche or landslide-prone areas, according to new maps commissioned by the City and Borough of Juneau. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

New maps show updated landslide and avalanche risk downtown

Regulatory changes to be considered next year

Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. More structures and swaths of land in downtown Juneau are located in avalanche or landslide-prone areas, according to new maps commissioned by the City and Borough of Juneau. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
A sign on a city bus urges the use of face coverings. Masks are again required in city facilities because of an uptick in cases locally and throughout the state. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Update: Masks required in city facilities, encouraged in other indoor spaces

Juneau is seeing highest rates of new infections since December.

A sign on a city bus urges the use of face coverings. Masks are again required in city facilities because of an uptick in cases locally and throughout the state. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt holds up a chart showing the increase in the size of cruise ships during a meeting of the Tourism Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. At Monday’s meeting, members of the City Assembly’s Committee of the Whole discussed three of the committee’s recommendations-a discussion that was sidelined by COVID-19. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)

City turns to tourism management ahead of short cruise season

Community survey coming, new tourism job being considered

City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt holds up a chart showing the increase in the size of cruise ships during a meeting of the Tourism Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. At Monday’s meeting, members of the City Assembly’s Committee of the Whole discussed three of the committee’s recommendations-a discussion that was sidelined by COVID-19. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)
A surplus warehouse at 1325 Eastaugh Way, off Thane Road, seen here on Monday, July 19, 2021, is being considered by the City and Borough of Juneau as a possible location for a ballot-counting center should the city decide to increase its use of voting by mail in future municipal elections. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

City eyes warehouse for possible ballot-counting center

Not a cheap endeavor.

A surplus warehouse at 1325 Eastaugh Way, off Thane Road, seen here on Monday, July 19, 2021, is being considered by the City and Borough of Juneau as a possible location for a ballot-counting center should the city decide to increase its use of voting by mail in future municipal elections. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Beth McEwen, municipal clerk for the City and Borough of Juneau, holds a packet of forms in her office on Monday. The forms are ones candidates must complete to be added to the ballot for October’s municipal election. Candidates for the election must complete all filing steps by Monday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Local election filing period now open

Candidates can file until July 26

Beth McEwen, municipal clerk for the City and Borough of Juneau, holds a packet of forms in her office on Monday. The forms are ones candidates must complete to be added to the ballot for October’s municipal election. Candidates for the election must complete all filing steps by Monday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
Michelle Bonnet Hale on July 14 at the office of the Juneau Empire. Hale is seeking a second, three-year term on the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly. So far, she is the only candidate to announce a run for the District 2 seat in the valley. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

Assembly member to seek reelection

She’s currently unopposed in District 2

Michelle Bonnet Hale on July 14 at the office of the Juneau Empire. Hale is seeking a second, three-year term on the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly. So far, she is the only candidate to announce a run for the District 2 seat in the valley. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)
A person aboard the American Constellation wears a mask as the ship arrives late Monday afternoon at the downtown cruise docks. A cluster of COVID-19 cases associated with the ship has reached 10. All known cases in the cluster are isolating. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Cruise ship COVID cluster reaches 10

Public Health: Risk of exposure to the public is low

A person aboard the American Constellation wears a mask as the ship arrives late Monday afternoon at the downtown cruise docks. A cluster of COVID-19 cases associated with the ship has reached 10. All known cases in the cluster are isolating. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)