News

Characters Rose (Xáalnook Erin Tripp) and Anthony (Kenny Ramos) smile and chat midway through the Wednesday night rehearsal performance of “Where the Summit Meets the Stars” at Perseverance Theatre. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Where the Summit Meets the Stars’ opens Perseverance Theatre season on uncharted waters

New play draws from traditional stories, Tlingit arts

Characters Rose (Xáalnook Erin Tripp) and Anthony (Kenny Ramos) smile and chat midway through the Wednesday night rehearsal performance of “Where the Summit Meets the Stars” at Perseverance Theatre. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
An array of I Voted stickers lie on a table at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Election Day votes were not among the ballots tallied in unofficial results released late Tuesday night. A photo shows the City and Borough of Juneau City Hall. A ballot proposition that would fund construction of a new City Hall saw a nearly 50-50 split of the vote in unofficial results shared Tuesday night. Cars drive past a sign encouraging voters to support Proposition 4, which would repeal a local ordinance requiring the disclosure of the sales price of real property. The proposition was heavily supported by local Realtors. Signs encouraging voters to support Proposition 2, which would OK $6.6 million in bond debt for recreation improvements, sit in a chair on the track at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park ahead of a football game. Upgrading the track is among the projects Prop 2 would fund. (Juneau Empire Photos)

Votes on new City Hall, real estate disclosure both extremely close

Next batch of results expected on Friday.

An array of I Voted stickers lie on a table at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Election Day votes were not among the ballots tallied in unofficial results released late Tuesday night. A photo shows the City and Borough of Juneau City Hall. A ballot proposition that would fund construction of a new City Hall saw a nearly 50-50 split of the vote in unofficial results shared Tuesday night. Cars drive past a sign encouraging voters to support Proposition 4, which would repeal a local ordinance requiring the disclosure of the sales price of real property. The proposition was heavily supported by local Realtors. Signs encouraging voters to support Proposition 2, which would OK $6.6 million in bond debt for recreation improvements, sit in a chair on the track at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park ahead of a football game. Upgrading the track is among the projects Prop 2 would fund. (Juneau Empire Photos)
Juneau musician Michael Maas poses for a photo to promote his newest album “Here Be Dragons,” coming out on Friday, Oct. 7. This latest endeavor is being released under Maas’ Blue Nagoon project and was a collaboration of several different lead vocalists, many of which are local Juneau artists. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

‘Here Be Dragons’ will be here soon

Juneau musician releases collaborative album

Juneau musician Michael Maas poses for a photo to promote his newest album “Here Be Dragons,” coming out on Friday, Oct. 7. This latest endeavor is being released under Maas’ Blue Nagoon project and was a collaboration of several different lead vocalists, many of which are local Juneau artists. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Larry Silverly opens the door at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library to cast his vote on Tuesday afternoon.

Early results show tight races for 2 of 4 ballot props

Tuesday marked municipal election day here in the capital city

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Larry Silverly opens the door at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library to cast his vote on Tuesday afternoon.
A bald eagle looks toward the Mendenhall Glacier near the visitor center on Tuesday. The U.S. Forest Service is proposing expanding a ban on mining and other mineral resource extraction activities from an area on the glacier a short distance from the existing face to several hundred yards inward, extending outward to the mountainsides along both sides. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Forest Service seeks input on expanding mineral extraction ban near glacier

Forest Service seeks input on expanding mineral extraction ban in recreation area

A bald eagle looks toward the Mendenhall Glacier near the visitor center on Tuesday. The U.S. Forest Service is proposing expanding a ban on mining and other mineral resource extraction activities from an area on the glacier a short distance from the existing face to several hundred yards inward, extending outward to the mountainsides along both sides. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy / SEARHC SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is offering a promotion this month to provide 3D mammograms with no out-of-pocket cost to patients who book an appointment at one of its multiple clinics across Southeast Alaska. A free swag bag is also given to patients when appointment is booked during October.

SEARHC offers mammograms with no out-of-pocket cost amid Breast Cancer Awareness Month

“The earlier we detect it, the better outcome the patient can have.”

Courtesy / SEARHC SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is offering a promotion this month to provide 3D mammograms with no out-of-pocket cost to patients who book an appointment at one of its multiple clinics across Southeast Alaska. A free swag bag is also given to patients when appointment is booked during October.
(Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Opinion: Opposite sides agree that a constitutional convention is a bad idea

Approving a constitutional convention would be very bad for Alaska.

(Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Scuba Sue, a brown bear at Anan Wildlife Observatory, is one of the nine bears that are set to receive an award during Tongass National Forest’s first-ever Anan Bear Awards. (Courtesy / Tongass National Forest)

Octo-bear festivities: Tongass National Forest hosts its first-ever Anan Bear Awards

Southeast Alaska gets its own Fat Bear Week-esque event.

Scuba Sue, a brown bear at Anan Wildlife Observatory, is one of the nine bears that are set to receive an award during Tongass National Forest’s first-ever Anan Bear Awards. (Courtesy / Tongass National Forest)
The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard makes rescue in poor visibility

Man and woman safe after boat grounds near Juneau

The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Ships in Port for the week of Oct. 2

Here’s what to expect this week.

A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘This is a healing time’: New totem pole honors survivors of gender-based violence

“It provides an opportunity for healing on multiple levels”

Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

It’s almost municipal Election Day. Are you ready?

Here’s what you need to know.

A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.

Troubled bridges over Juneau waters

September saw record rainfall, damaged structures.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.

CBJ Election Day is almost here

Deadline to cast municipal ballots is 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.
Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Sorensen soars again: School board member talks reelection goals

The sky’s the limit for the district

Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Return of the Mackey: The school board member talks future of Juneau’s district

Mackey is back-y

Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Undoing erasure: Orange Shirt Day brings attention to boarding school history

Too vibrant, too active, too many to go unseen.

Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

‘It’s shocking’: Family hopes for answers after suspicious death of loved one

“She wanted to make things beautiful, to help make people beautiful…”

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.
Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Healing from the past: Local organizations bring awareness to boarding school history

Orange Shirt Day is this Friday.

Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Longer season, hours OK’d for warming shelter

Extended operations for church’s second year as host seeks less frigid winter for homeless, neighbors

Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)