News

In a letter shared to the public on Monday, Juneau Raptor Center President Dale Cotton announced “it is with great sorrow” that the center has decided to suspend its operations in Juneau after 35 years of service. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire )

Juneau raptor center suspends operations

Expect a phased wind-down with building vacated by end of the year

In a letter shared to the public on Monday, Juneau Raptor Center President Dale Cotton announced “it is with great sorrow” that the center has decided to suspend its operations in Juneau after 35 years of service. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire )
Carole Triem is running for the Assembly Area Wide seat.

Get to know a candidate: Carole Triem

She’s running for reelection to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly.

Carole Triem is running for the Assembly Area Wide seat.
Wade Bryson is running for re-election for a Assembly District 2 seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Get to know a candidate: Wade Bryson

He’s running for reelection to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly.

Wade Bryson is running for re-election for a Assembly District 2 seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Greg Smith is running for reelection to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Get to know a candidate: Greg Smith

He’s seeking reelection to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly.

Greg Smith is running for reelection to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire City Borough of Juneau’s City Clerk Beth McEwen gives a tour of the new local Ballot Processing Center to residents on Monday afternoon.

City unveils new Ballot Processing Center

It opens just weeks ahead of the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 4

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire City Borough of Juneau’s City Clerk Beth McEwen gives a tour of the new local Ballot Processing Center to residents on Monday afternoon.
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 Sept. 11

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)
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Get to know a candidate: Deedie Sorensen

She’s running for reelection to the Juneau School District Board of Education.

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Emil Robert Mackey III is running for a seat on the Juneau School District's Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Get to know a candidate: Emil Mackey

He’s running for reelection to the Juneau School District Board of Education.

Emil Robert Mackey III is running for a seat on the Juneau School District's Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club hosted a ceremony Sunday morning to remember the events that took place on 9/11 by honoring Juneau’s first responders at the September 11th Memorial at Riverside Rotary Park. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

9/11 remembered at Riverside Rotary Park

“Never forget.”

Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club hosted a ceremony Sunday morning to remember the events that took place on 9/11 by honoring Juneau’s first responders at the September 11th Memorial at Riverside Rotary Park. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire A two-hour Canoe Healing-Journeys was offered for suicide loss and attempt survivors in recognition of International Suicide Prevention Awareness Day, hosted by Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition and partners on Saturday at Sandy Beach.

Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition recognizes International Suicide Prevention Awareness Day

Community barbecue and canoe rides at Sandy Beach.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire A two-hour Canoe Healing-Journeys was offered for suicide loss and attempt survivors in recognition of International Suicide Prevention Awareness Day, hosted by Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition and partners on Saturday at Sandy Beach.
From left to right, Alison Sacks, David Gomez, Alec Mesdag, Justin Kanouse, Jennifer Meyer, Doug Simon, Larry Magura, Greg Kinney, and Gaye Willis. Each of them in various ways were instrumental in recognizing the Salmon Creek Dam as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Juneau-Douglas Museum. The late AEL&P Civil Engineer Scott Willis was also given a dedication with a memorial plaque that will hang next to the Salmon Creek Dam dedication plaque at Salmon Creek Trailhead. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Salmon Creek Dam recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark

It was completed in 1914 and was the first of it’s kind.

From left to right, Alison Sacks, David Gomez, Alec Mesdag, Justin Kanouse, Jennifer Meyer, Doug Simon, Larry Magura, Greg Kinney, and Gaye Willis. Each of them in various ways were instrumental in recognizing the Salmon Creek Dam as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Juneau-Douglas Museum. The late AEL&P Civil Engineer Scott Willis was also given a dedication with a memorial plaque that will hang next to the Salmon Creek Dam dedication plaque at Salmon Creek Trailhead. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty discusses Juneau’s tourism this summer during a meet-and-greet aboard the Serenade of the Seas cruise ship. He said ships in most ports are at 100% “load factor” this summer after dropping to zero at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Alaska sailings are about 70% full as the end of the season nears. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Cruise CEO cherishes post-Covid comeback

New Royal Caribbean leader hosts meet-and-greet with Juneau tourism leaders as end of season nears

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty discusses Juneau’s tourism this summer during a meet-and-greet aboard the Serenade of the Seas cruise ship. He said ships in most ports are at 100% “load factor” this summer after dropping to zero at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Alaska sailings are about 70% full as the end of the season nears. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire From left to right, Liz Perry, president and CEO of Travel Juneau; SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium project manager Sierra Gadaire; High Cadence Triathlon team coach Jamie Bursell; and City and Borough of Juneau Finance Director Jeff Rogers met at Juneau Moose Family Center on Thursday afternoon to share a recap of the Ironman Alaska to a full crowd of members of the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce who joined in at the luncheon.

2023 vision: Officials look at the future of Ironman Alaska

They reviewed what went well and what could change for next time.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire From left to right, Liz Perry, president and CEO of Travel Juneau; SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium project manager Sierra Gadaire; High Cadence Triathlon team coach Jamie Bursell; and City and Borough of Juneau Finance Director Jeff Rogers met at Juneau Moose Family Center on Thursday afternoon to share a recap of the Ironman Alaska to a full crowd of members of the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce who joined in at the luncheon.
Alaska gubernatorial candidates Bill Walker, left, and Les Gara participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Gara and Walker face off at forum

The two, who found common ground on some issues, took aim at Dunleavy

Alaska gubernatorial candidates Bill Walker, left, and Les Gara participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Juneau Police Department vehicle parks in front of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalè on Friday, Sept. 9. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

School officials: JDHS secure after weapon report

Student has been located, police are investigating.

A Juneau Police Department vehicle parks in front of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalè on Friday, Sept. 9. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
People walk past City Hall in downtown Juneau on a sunny evening in early September. On Wednesday night the City Borough of Juneau’s Assembly Finance Committee passed a motion to move for the Full Assembly to determine if the city should provide an out-of-budget grant of more than $12,200 to the Glory Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Committee moves forward with Glory Hall grant after debate

CBJ Assembly Finance Committee grapples with a decision to provide Glory Hall an out-of-budget grant

People walk past City Hall in downtown Juneau on a sunny evening in early September. On Wednesday night the City Borough of Juneau’s Assembly Finance Committee passed a motion to move for the Full Assembly to determine if the city should provide an out-of-budget grant of more than $12,200 to the Glory Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
On Wednesday night, the City Borough of Juneau’s Assembly Finance Committee OK’d a motion to send an ordinance to the full Assembly, which would appropriate $700,000 to fund a predevelopment loan for the proposed Gastineau Lodges project which, if developed, would create a 72-unit apartment building in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

New downtown housing could be on the way

Committee sends ordinance appropriating $700K for 72-unit development to Assembly.

On Wednesday night, the City Borough of Juneau’s Assembly Finance Committee OK’d a motion to send an ordinance to the full Assembly, which would appropriate $700,000 to fund a predevelopment loan for the proposed Gastineau Lodges project which, if developed, would create a 72-unit apartment building in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Tlingit master carver Wayne Price wedges a piece of wood between the width of the dugout canoe he and students at Chatham School District steamed on Tuesday. It’s the first dugout canoe to be made in Angoon since 1882 when the U.S. Navy bombarded the village, destroying all but one of its fleet of dugout canoes.

Chipping away the past: Dugout canoe means healing for Angoon

“This is how we can heal and revive the culture that was taken from us”

Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Tlingit master carver Wayne Price wedges a piece of wood between the width of the dugout canoe he and students at Chatham School District steamed on Tuesday. It’s the first dugout canoe to be made in Angoon since 1882 when the U.S. Navy bombarded the village, destroying all but one of its fleet of dugout canoes.
Senior MJ Topou (24) had his first big catch of the year against Colony High School in Anchorage with a 66-yard reception. The Huskies next host West Valley Eagles of Washington state on Friday at 7 p.m. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Friday night football returns to Juneau

Cook Inlet Conference’s top dogs welcome Washington state team

Senior MJ Topou (24) had his first big catch of the year against Colony High School in Anchorage with a 66-yard reception. The Huskies next host West Valley Eagles of Washington state on Friday at 7 p.m. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
This August 2022 photo provided by Pfizer shows vials of the company’s updated COVID-19 vaccine during production in Kalamazoo, Mich. New boosters targeting the most prevalent strains of the virus that causes COVID are expected to be available in Juneau starting next week. (Pfizer)

New COVID boosters expected to be available soon

Scheduling for appointments available now

This August 2022 photo provided by Pfizer shows vials of the company’s updated COVID-19 vaccine during production in Kalamazoo, Mich. New boosters targeting the most prevalent strains of the virus that causes COVID are expected to be available in Juneau starting next week. (Pfizer)