News

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck parks near a privately owned airport hangar at the Juneau International Airport after Capital City Fire/Rescue extinguished a fire in the building Thursday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

No injuries reported in airport hangar fire

CCFR officials say cause of fire was electrical.

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck parks near a privately owned airport hangar at the Juneau International Airport after Capital City Fire/Rescue extinguished a fire in the building Thursday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A thumb hovers over a smartphone screen displaying the Juneau Empire app. While many people read the Empire on their phones or tablets today, that option didn't exist in 1996 when the Empire first went digital. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

An e-history of the Juneau Empire

The Website rose in spurts from a ragged debut in 1996, as “monster circulation” of newspaper declined

A thumb hovers over a smartphone screen displaying the Juneau Empire app. While many people read the Empire on their phones or tablets today, that option didn't exist in 1996 when the Empire first went digital. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Travel Juneau President Liz Perry (left) and board member McHugh Pierre (right) discuss it’s budget at the Assembly’s Finance Committee Meeting last Wednesday. According to City Finance Director Jeff Rogers, the largest portion of the organization’s annual budget (around 80%) comes from the city’s hotel bed tax revenue. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City forecasts record-breaking bed tax revenues — again

Assembly discusses reallocating some of the funds for affordable housing.

Travel Juneau President Liz Perry (left) and board member McHugh Pierre (right) discuss it’s budget at the Assembly’s Finance Committee Meeting last Wednesday. According to City Finance Director Jeff Rogers, the largest portion of the organization’s annual budget (around 80%) comes from the city’s hotel bed tax revenue. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Captain Joe Emerson catches a salmon aboard his boat the TommyL II using a line-caught method, also known as trolling for his co-owned Southeast business Shoreline Wild Salmon. Shoreline was recently recognized by Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab as one of the best seafood delivery services currently in business. (Courtesy Photo / Joe Emerson)

Southeast salmon business hooks national attention

Shoreline Wild Salmon delivery service feted by Good Housekeeping.

Captain Joe Emerson catches a salmon aboard his boat the TommyL II using a line-caught method, also known as trolling for his co-owned Southeast business Shoreline Wild Salmon. Shoreline was recently recognized by Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab as one of the best seafood delivery services currently in business. (Courtesy Photo / Joe Emerson)
JPD Chief Ed Mercer, Officer Kevin Fermin and Deputy Chief David Campbell pose for a group photo on Friday during Fermin’s retirement ceremony at the Juneau Police Department. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JPD officer retires from department after 25 years

Over the course of a 25-year career with the Juneau Police Department, Officer Kevin Fermin touched lives inside and outside the department, and those contributions… Continue reading

JPD Chief Ed Mercer, Officer Kevin Fermin and Deputy Chief David Campbell pose for a group photo on Friday during Fermin’s retirement ceremony at the Juneau Police Department. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
The Tagaban family, Jacob, Jessielea, Joseph and Ed, pose with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation. (Courtesy photo / Ed Tagaban)

‘Test yourself and you’ll eventually make it’: Petersburg teen takes NBA All-Star’s advice into fight with cancer

“It just really shows me how precious time is.”

The Tagaban family, Jacob, Jessielea, Joseph and Ed, pose with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation. (Courtesy photo / Ed Tagaban)
Children sit in a dugout canoe Wednesday in the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon. The dugout was dedicated to mark the 140th anniversary of the bombardment of Angoon. In 1882, the U.S. Navy opened fire on Angoon, burning the village and destroying all but one in its fleet of canoes. The new dugout was carved by Tlingit master carver Wayne Price and students in the Chatham School District. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Once again, Angoon has a dugout’: Village residents welcome dugout canoe 140 years after bombardment

It’s the first dugout canoe in Angoon since the U.S. destroyed the village’s fleet in 1882.

Children sit in a dugout canoe Wednesday in the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon. The dugout was dedicated to mark the 140th anniversary of the bombardment of Angoon. In 1882, the U.S. Navy opened fire on Angoon, burning the village and destroying all but one in its fleet of canoes. The new dugout was carved by Tlingit master carver Wayne Price and students in the Chatham School District. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Juneau School District’s recently announced the new principal for Juneau Community Charter School who is set to start in their position this summer. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Charter school has a new principal

There’s a new Weiss in town.

The Juneau School District’s recently announced the new principal for Juneau Community Charter School who is set to start in their position this summer. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau Empire’s printing press prints pages for the last time Friday evening after 36 years of service on Channel Drive. The Empire will now print the newspaper in Washington, shipping them up to Juneau on a twice-weekly basis. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Empire prints its last paper in Juneau

The Juneau-based printing press retired after 36 years of service.

The Juneau Empire’s printing press prints pages for the last time Friday evening after 36 years of service on Channel Drive. The Empire will now print the newspaper in Washington, shipping them up to Juneau on a twice-weekly basis. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau Docks and Harbors board members discuss a lease extension agreement with the University of Alaska Southeast during its Thursday evening meeting. The agreement would include the city offering a variety of “education benefits” to university students in exchange for a less than fair market value annual lease cost. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Board approves hefty benefits to UAS in exchange for land lease extension

Free Eaglecrest lift tickets, bus passes to students OK’d by Docks and Harbors.

City and Borough of Juneau Docks and Harbors board members discuss a lease extension agreement with the University of Alaska Southeast during its Thursday evening meeting. The agreement would include the city offering a variety of “education benefits” to university students in exchange for a less than fair market value annual lease cost. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This Wednesday, April 26, 2023, photo shows Lemon Creek Correctional Center, where an incarcerated man was found hanging in his cell Saturday. The man, Mark Cook Jr. of Hoonah was later pronounced dead. Cook’s family expressed concerns that his death by suicide was preventable. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Family says man’s death in Lemon Creek Correctional Center was avoidable

Family says death could have been avoided.

This Wednesday, April 26, 2023, photo shows Lemon Creek Correctional Center, where an incarcerated man was found hanging in his cell Saturday. The man, Mark Cook Jr. of Hoonah was later pronounced dead. Cook’s family expressed concerns that his death by suicide was preventable. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Math

Gimme a Smile: Math is weird.

Sometimes math doesn’t make sense conceptually.

Math
Authorities respond Wednesday evening to a fatal two-vehicle crash at Mendenhall Loop Road and Egan Drive. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Police seek more info on fatal crash

Investigation continues into two-vehicle collision at Mendenhall Loop Road and Egan Drive.

Authorities respond Wednesday evening to a fatal two-vehicle crash at Mendenhall Loop Road and Egan Drive. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Michelle Bonnet Hale, Greg Smith and Christine Woll listen to discussion Wednesday night from other Assembly members about the community funding requests for the 2023 fiscal year budget. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Several community asks are on the outs following Wednesday night city meeting

Assembly members makes some tough calls as it works through the budget process.

From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Michelle Bonnet Hale, Greg Smith and Christine Woll listen to discussion Wednesday night from other Assembly members about the community funding requests for the 2023 fiscal year budget. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A line of vehicles responds to the scene of a fatal wreck at Egan Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road. The two-vehicle crash involved a car and a truck. Three people in critical condition were taken to the hospital after the wreck, and one person died at the scene, according to Juneau Police Department. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Police investigate wreck after one dead, three injured

Authorities say avoid Mendenhall Loop Road and Egan Drive.

A line of vehicles responds to the scene of a fatal wreck at Egan Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road. The two-vehicle crash involved a car and a truck. Three people in critical condition were taken to the hospital after the wreck, and one person died at the scene, according to Juneau Police Department. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School in May 2021 that raised money for mental health. TMHS and JDHS both will be participating in the Paint it Pink Cancer Awareness games on Saturday, May 13 along with Ketchikan and Sitka high schools at Melvin Park and Dimond Park Field No. 4 (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Southeast high school softball teams go to bat for cancer awareness

Paint it Pink Cancer Awareness Games on May 13.

JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School in May 2021 that raised money for mental health. TMHS and JDHS both will be participating in the Paint it Pink Cancer Awareness games on Saturday, May 13 along with Ketchikan and Sitka high schools at Melvin Park and Dimond Park Field No. 4 (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau Police Department is asking the community to assist in identifying a man who allegedly threw a large rock at a police patrol vehicle windshield at around 2:30 a.m. on April 16. This is a picture shared by police of the the man wearing an orange cap and gray hoody as seen in surveillance footage. (Juneau Police Department)

Police seek help identifying man who allegedly threw a rock at a patrol vehicle

JPD shared images of the man wearing an orange cap and gray hoody.

The Juneau Police Department is asking the community to assist in identifying a man who allegedly threw a large rock at a police patrol vehicle windshield at around 2:30 a.m. on April 16. This is a picture shared by police of the the man wearing an orange cap and gray hoody as seen in surveillance footage. (Juneau Police Department)
From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Carole Triem, Alicia Hughes-Skandijs and Wade Bryson listen to City Clerk Beth McEwen as she speaks about election code changes Monday night at the Assembly Committee of the Whole meeting where member’s OK’d the city to move an ordinance to make vote-by-mail elections the default in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City moves to make vote-by-mail elections the default in Juneau

The ordinances are set to be introduced in May and open for public hearing in June.

From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Carole Triem, Alicia Hughes-Skandijs and Wade Bryson listen to City Clerk Beth McEwen as she speaks about election code changes Monday night at the Assembly Committee of the Whole meeting where member’s OK’d the city to move an ordinance to make vote-by-mail elections the default in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire City and Borough of Juneau Deputy City Manager Robert Barr speaks to the Assembly meeting as the Committee of the Whole Monday evening. The Assembly OK’d the city to begin soliciting proposals to offer funding for one to two child care start-up grants to local providers and facility owners.

City OKs funds to create startup child care grant program

Program intended to fund the opening of one to two new child care centers in Juneau.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire City and Borough of Juneau Deputy City Manager Robert Barr speaks to the Assembly meeting as the Committee of the Whole Monday evening. The Assembly OK’d the city to begin soliciting proposals to offer funding for one to two child care start-up grants to local providers and facility owners.
Jason Traver, sitting furtherest away, with defense attorney Nicholas Ambrose and state prosecuting attorney Jessalyn Gillum, awaits the jury’s verdict on Friday after a week’s long trial concluded. For a case that initially had started in 2019, Traver was ultimately found not guilty of second-degree assault.

Man found not guilty of assault after wife says injuries were from consensual BDSM, not abuse

It’s the end of a three-year trial dating back to Oct. 12, 2019.

Jason Traver, sitting furtherest away, with defense attorney Nicholas Ambrose and state prosecuting attorney Jessalyn Gillum, awaits the jury’s verdict on Friday after a week’s long trial concluded. For a case that initially had started in 2019, Traver was ultimately found not guilty of second-degree assault.