David Valentine Evenson, 51 at the time, appears in Juneau District Court on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide of Aaron G. Monette. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Evenson set to serve sentence in transit center death case

After pleading guilty this April to criminally negligent homicide, Juneau resident David Valentine Evenson will serve a sentence of three years in prison. Juneau Superior… Continue reading

David Valentine Evenson, 51 at the time, appears in Juneau District Court on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide of Aaron G. Monette. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Emissions from cruise ships cloud up the Gastineau Channel on July 5. (Photo courtesy Eric Adam)

As blue haze rises, so do cruise ship complaints

Complaints over cruise ship emissions are rising, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation, partly due to excessive blue haze from cruise ship exhaust stacks.… Continue reading

Emissions from cruise ships cloud up the Gastineau Channel on July 5. (Photo courtesy Eric Adam)
David Valentine Evenson, 51 at the time, appears in Juneau District Court on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide of Aaron G. Monette. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Evenson set to serve sentence in transit center death case

After pleading guilty this April to criminally negligent homicide, Juneau resident David Valentine Evenson will serve a sentence of three years in prison. Juneau Superior… Continue reading

David Valentine Evenson, 51 at the time, appears in Juneau District Court on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide of Aaron G. Monette. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

As blue haze rises, so do cruise ship complaints

Complaints over cruise ship emissions are rising, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation, partly due to excessive blue haze from cruise ship exhaust stacks.… Continue reading

Brynne Loggy-Smith, 10, gears up for the 2018 Soapbox Challenge on St. Ann’s Avenue. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Soapbox Challenge results

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Santiago Hoff came in third place in the 9- and 10-year-old division. Elias Lowell placed third… Continue reading

Brynne Loggy-Smith, 10, gears up for the 2018 Soapbox Challenge on St. Ann’s Avenue. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

State shows progress on reducing opioids

Looking at the entirety of the opioid addiction epidemic that has taken hold of Alaska and the rest of the country, it’s easy to get… Continue reading

“Solstice,” by Fisher Stevens, won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Douglas Sandcastle Challenge on July 4, 2018. (Photo courtesy Zane Jones)

Juneau and Douglas Fourth of July parade and contest winners

More floats registered for this year’s Juneau parade, committee director Jean Sztuk said, that organizers had to turn a few entrants away. The Douglas parade… Continue reading

“Solstice,” by Fisher Stevens, won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Douglas Sandcastle Challenge on July 4, 2018. (Photo courtesy Zane Jones)
Seine boats and tender vessels participate in a special harvest area fishing opening near Amalga Harbor on Thursday. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)

Fishing fleet packs Amalga Harbor

Drivers out the road might encounter a somewhat new sight on Thursdays this month: A small armada of commercial seine boats, fishing in close proximity,… Continue reading

Seine boats and tender vessels participate in a special harvest area fishing opening near Amalga Harbor on Thursday. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)
Laron Carlton Graham appears in Juneau Superior Court on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, for an arraignment on two counts of first-degree murder for the Nov. 15, 2015 shooting deaths of 36-year-old Robert H. Meireis and 34-year-old Elizabeth K. Tonsmeire. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Attorneys prep for complex murder trial

The task of preparing for a complex murder trial has proven difficult for the defense attorney in the case, as she said Thursday that she’s… Continue reading

Laron Carlton Graham appears in Juneau Superior Court on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, for an arraignment on two counts of first-degree murder for the Nov. 15, 2015 shooting deaths of 36-year-old Robert H. Meireis and 34-year-old Elizabeth K. Tonsmeire. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
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Two men arrested for assaulting officers in separate incidents

Two incidents this week led to police officers being assaulted, according to Juneau Police Department reports and a press release. At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,… Continue reading

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Firefighters prepare to enter the Mendenhall Tower Apartments on Thursday, July 5, 2018 to respond to a kitchen fire on the third floor. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

Unattended food on stovetop catches fire at downtown apartment

A kitchen fire sent smoke and residents streaming out of the Mendenhall Tower Apartments on Thursday morning, Capital City Fire/Rescue officials said on the scene.… Continue reading

Firefighters prepare to enter the Mendenhall Tower Apartments on Thursday, July 5, 2018 to respond to a kitchen fire on the third floor. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Debbie Reinwand (Courtesy Photo | Debbie Reinwand)

Former Empire reporter’s production company wins Emmy

A former Empire reporter recently won an Emmy Award for her production company’s work on an Alaska historical documentary. Debbie Reinwand, a 1977 graduate of… Continue reading

Debbie Reinwand (Courtesy Photo | Debbie Reinwand)
Alex Weiss is pictured riding his bike Wednesday, July 4, 2018. The Weiss family believes the bike, which won first place in the boys’ division of the Most Decorated Bicycle competition, was stolen after the annual Fourth of July parade in Douglas. (Derek Weiss | Courtesy Photo)

Award-winning bike stolen after Fourth of July parade

Following the Douglas Fourth of July Parade on Wednesday, 7-year-old Alex Weiss leaned his award-winning bike against a fence near the Montessori School. Weiss had… Continue reading

Alex Weiss is pictured riding his bike Wednesday, July 4, 2018. The Weiss family believes the bike, which won first place in the boys’ division of the Most Decorated Bicycle competition, was stolen after the annual Fourth of July parade in Douglas. (Derek Weiss | Courtesy Photo)
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Two men arrested for assaulting officers in separate incidents

Two incidents this week led to police officers being assaulted, according to Juneau Police Department reports and a press release. At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,… Continue reading

123rf.com stock image

Unattended food on stovetop catches fire at downtown apartment

A kitchen fire sent smoke and residents streaming out of the Mendenhall Tower Apartments on Thursday morning, Capital City Fire/Rescue officials said on the scene.… Continue reading

Robert H. Meireis (pictured) was one of two victims during a Nov. 15, 2015 double murder, along with Elizabeth K. Tonsmeire. (Courtesy photo | Facebook)

Attorneys prep for complex murder trial

The task of preparing for a complex murder trial has proven difficult for the defense attorney in the case, as she said Thursday that she’s… Continue reading

Robert H. Meireis (pictured) was one of two victims during a Nov. 15, 2015 double murder, along with Elizabeth K. Tonsmeire. (Courtesy photo | Facebook)
Lee Stoops works on a brown bear and cub sand sculpture Wednesday during a sand sculpting contest at Sandy Beach. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)

Fourth festivities draw thousands

Sunny weather and unblemished skies drew thousands to downtown Juneau and Douglas on Wednesday for Fourth of July festivities. Between the parades, firemen’s races, soapbox… Continue reading

Lee Stoops works on a brown bear and cub sand sculpture Wednesday during a sand sculpting contest at Sandy Beach. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)
Lee Stoops works on a brown bear and cub sand sculpture Wednesday during a sand sculpting contest at Sandy Beach. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)

Fourth festivities draw thousands

Sunny weather and unblemished skies drew thousands to downtown Juneau and Douglas on Wednesday for Fourth of July festivities. Between the parades, firemen’s races, soapbox… Continue reading

Lee Stoops works on a brown bear and cub sand sculpture Wednesday during a sand sculpting contest at Sandy Beach. (Kevin Gullufsen | Juneau Empire)
Firefighter Emily Lockie sprays down the crowd at the annual Make & Break hose race in Douglas on Wednesday, July 4, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

Annual hose race douses spectators, honors tradition

About 100 feet from where Firefighter Emily Lockie stood prior to the start of Wednesday’s annual Make & Break hose race, a memento of the… Continue reading

Firefighter Emily Lockie sprays down the crowd at the annual Make & Break hose race in Douglas on Wednesday, July 4, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Aaron Hull, 9, races in the Soapbox Challenge down St. Ann’s Avenue on Wednesday. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Soapbox Challenge thrill for youth

For 9-year-old Aaron Hull, racing in the Soapbox Challenge is by-and-large a good time. “It’s a little bit scary,” Hull said of starting down a… Continue reading

Aaron Hull, 9, races in the Soapbox Challenge down St. Ann’s Avenue on Wednesday. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)