News

The city-owned property at 9290 Hurlock Avenue went up for sale at the beginning of the month, and six local organizations have applied to take over the location. (Courtesy photo | City and Borough of Juneau)

Could the Glory Hole move to the Valley? The shelter’s board is considering it

The Glory Hole Homeless Shelter is considering a move to the Mendenhall Valley in order to turn its downtown location into a vehicle for a… Continue reading

The city-owned property at 9290 Hurlock Avenue went up for sale at the beginning of the month, and six local organizations have applied to take over the location. (Courtesy photo | City and Borough of Juneau)

Mining Committee seeks to make ordinance easier to understand

The City and Borough of Juneau Mining Committee voted Thursday to pursue changes to the city’s current mining ordinance — very minor ones, that is.… Continue reading

Interim Director of the Glory Hole Kyle Hargrave, center, thanks second grade students from Harborview Elementary School after their donation of fresh vegetables on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Second-grade students bring vegetables, cheer to homeless shelter

Lately, Harborview second-grade teacher Diane Antaya has been finding vegetables in her mailbox at school. Throughout January, her second-grade class has been collecting onions, carrots,… Continue reading

Interim Director of the Glory Hole Kyle Hargrave, center, thanks second grade students from Harborview Elementary School after their donation of fresh vegetables on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Riverbend Elementary School fifth-grader Sofia Lindoff gets a closeup view of Stephen Young’s tuba as Juneau School District fifth-graders attend a program by the Juneau Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Troy Quinn titled “The Orchestra Sings!” in the Juneau-Douglas High School Auditorium on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. The Symphony Excursion for 5th Grade is part of Juneau’s ANY GIVEN CHILD programming. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Students listen, participate as they get special show from Juneau Symphony

Miles Shriver, a fifth grader at Gastineau Community School, had never seen anything like he saw Friday morning. Shriver, along with more than 400 other… Continue reading

Riverbend Elementary School fifth-grader Sofia Lindoff gets a closeup view of Stephen Young’s tuba as Juneau School District fifth-graders attend a program by the Juneau Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Troy Quinn titled “The Orchestra Sings!” in the Juneau-Douglas High School Auditorium on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. The Symphony Excursion for 5th Grade is part of Juneau’s ANY GIVEN CHILD programming. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Spring king derby canceled, again

For the second year in a row, the Annual Spring King Salmon Derby has been canceled, Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of… Continue reading

Mary Ann Pease, a senior advisor for Pacific Dataport, speaks about the company’s plan to deploy a geosynchronous satellite to provide broadband services throughout all of Alaska to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Satellite company aims to provide service to rural parts of state

Getting a reliable internet connection in parts of Alaska is nearly impossible. Mary Ann Pease, senior advisor at satellite communications company Pacific Dataport Inc. (PDI),… Continue reading

Mary Ann Pease, a senior advisor for Pacific Dataport, speaks about the company’s plan to deploy a geosynchronous satellite to provide broadband services throughout all of Alaska to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School junior Jasz Garrett won first place in the Life in Alaska category of the Juneau iDida Awards this week with this photo.

LEGOS, landscapes, lights lead to accolades for Juneau students

Most of the award winners at Juneau’s fifth annual iDida Photography and Video Contest were honored for one photo. Hunter Greene was honored for 1,900… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain High School junior Jasz Garrett won first place in the Life in Alaska category of the Juneau iDida Awards this week with this photo.
Juneau residents received this alert in the wake of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake early Tuesday morning. Many GCI customers did not, as a result of the company still working to implement emergency alerts through a lengthy process. (Juneau Empire screenshot)

Here’s why some Juneauites received tsunami alerts, while others didn’t

When a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska forced weather authorities to declare a tsunami warning for many communities in coastal Alaska, Juneau… Continue reading

Juneau residents received this alert in the wake of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake early Tuesday morning. Many GCI customers did not, as a result of the company still working to implement emergency alerts through a lengthy process. (Juneau Empire screenshot)
In this December 2015 photo, Juneau residents view artwork and listen to music at The Canvas during Gallery Walk. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

The Canvas to host annual fundraising dinner Jan. 27

The Canvas Community Art Studio & Gallery is holding its annual fundraising dinner this Saturday, Jan. 27 from 6-9 p.m. There will be live music… Continue reading

In this December 2015 photo, Juneau residents view artwork and listen to music at The Canvas during Gallery Walk. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Heather Lee, right, and Michael George Patterson receive foot care during the Juneau Coalition on Housing & Homelessness’ 7th annual Project Homeless Connect in the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Annual event provides options for city’s homeless population

Thanks to staff from Front Street Community Health Center, Heather Lee was experiencing a rare moment of luxury. Lee, also known by her married name… Continue reading

Heather Lee, right, and Michael George Patterson receive foot care during the Juneau Coalition on Housing & Homelessness’ 7th annual Project Homeless Connect in the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Philip Yun, Executive Director of Ploughshares and a former State Department senior advisor for North Korea Policy under President Bill Clinton, gives a speech for the Juneau World Affairs Council at KTOO on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

North Korea expert: Communication, understanding key to defusing tensions

Philip Yun presented his audience with a terrifying concept. Yun is a former U.S. diplomat and the executive director of the Ploughshares Fund, which works… Continue reading

Philip Yun, Executive Director of Ploughshares and a former State Department senior advisor for North Korea Policy under President Bill Clinton, gives a speech for the Juneau World Affairs Council at KTOO on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Annual homeless outreach program takes place today

The seventh annual Project Homeless Connect is taking place today, offering free services to those who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. From… Continue reading

The Juneau Police Department arrested 42-year-old Seth Martin Timmer, pictured, on Tuesday morning. Timmer was charged with third-degree assault and might be connected with a recent vehicle theft. (Courtesy photo | Juneau Police Department)

Police track down man wanted for breaking probation

On Friday, the Juneau Police Department requested help from the public in catching a man wanted on an Alaska State Troopers warrant. Early Tuesday morning,… Continue reading

The Juneau Police Department arrested 42-year-old Seth Martin Timmer, pictured, on Tuesday morning. Timmer was charged with third-degree assault and might be connected with a recent vehicle theft. (Courtesy photo | Juneau Police Department)

Juneau Youth Services names new executive director

After a months-long search, Juneau Youth Services has its new executive director. Amy Taylor, who has spent more than two decades in behavioral health in… Continue reading

Tsunami warning issued after 7.9 quake near Kodiak

The National Weather Service has issued a tsunami warning for Alaska and British Columbia after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 (which was… Continue reading

Deputy City Manager Mila Cosgrove, center, and City Manager Rorie Watt, right, listen to the testimony of Janet Clarke-Kennedy at Monday’s City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting. Despite arguments from Clarke-Kennedy and 16 other members of the public asking them not to go forward with expanding the city’s borders farther on Admiralty Island, the Assembly members voted by a 5-4 count to go ahead with it. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

City will apply to annex parts of Admiralty Island despite arguments from public

After an hour of hearing public comment urging them not to do it, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members voted Monday to apply… Continue reading

Deputy City Manager Mila Cosgrove, center, and City Manager Rorie Watt, right, listen to the testimony of Janet Clarke-Kennedy at Monday’s City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting. Despite arguments from Clarke-Kennedy and 16 other members of the public asking them not to go forward with expanding the city’s borders farther on Admiralty Island, the Assembly members voted by a 5-4 count to go ahead with it. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, speaks at a joint meeting of the Juneau Legislative Delegation and the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

Local lawmakers worried about funding for ferry service, public safety

The uncertain future of the Alaska Marine Highway System and funding for public safety services dominated the conversation as City and Borough of Juneau Assembly… Continue reading

Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, speaks at a joint meeting of the Juneau Legislative Delegation and the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
The CGC Bailey Barco pulls into its home port of Ketchikan on May 12 ,2017. The vessel, just the second Fast Response Cutter to be stationed in Alaska, was commissioned in Juneau on June 14, 2017. City officials are hoping that the Coast Guard will select Juneau as a spot for a future cutter. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)

City officials hope to bring Fast Response Cutter to capital city

In 2023, a Coast Guard cutter stationed in Juneau is expected to be decommissioned. After that, it’s unclear whether the Coast Guard will commission another… Continue reading

The CGC Bailey Barco pulls into its home port of Ketchikan on May 12 ,2017. The vessel, just the second Fast Response Cutter to be stationed in Alaska, was commissioned in Juneau on June 14, 2017. City officials are hoping that the Coast Guard will select Juneau as a spot for a future cutter. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)
Brant Secunda, as pictured on the Dance of the Deer Foundation website.

This New Jersey-raised man wants to hold expensive ‘shamanic retreat’ in Juneau. Alaska Native leaders are not having it.

An Alaska Native leader has asked a non-indigenous shaman to cancel a pricey retreat to Juneau which she says amounts to cultural theft and the… Continue reading

Brant Secunda, as pictured on the Dance of the Deer Foundation website.
Jessica Burns, holding her 10-month-old son, Avery, in her new shop called “Momma Says” on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. The shop, located in the Juneau Family Health and Birth Center, carries maternity and baby products for mothers before and after they give birth. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

New store caters to mothers both before, after baby arrives

When Jessica Burns says her new shop is a “family store,” her words carry two meanings. First of all, she and her husband Ron own… Continue reading

Jessica Burns, holding her 10-month-old son, Avery, in her new shop called “Momma Says” on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. The shop, located in the Juneau Family Health and Birth Center, carries maternity and baby products for mothers before and after they give birth. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)