Bill Ritter, former governor of Colorado and founder of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, promotes bipartisanship in his opening address on May 24 at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Bill Ritter, former governor of Colorado and founder of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, promotes bipartisanship in his opening address on May 24 at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A residential fire totaled a house in the Mendenhall Valley on May 30, 2022, possibly caused by electrical issues. (Courtesy photo / Dan Jager)

CCFR: Electrical issues may have caused Monday house fire

Hot, dry conditions are creating ideal conditions for grass fires elsewhere in Juneau

A residential fire totaled a house in the Mendenhall Valley on May 30, 2022, possibly caused by electrical issues. (Courtesy photo / Dan Jager)
The Juneau Off-Road Association and Trail Mix Inc. have received a grant from Polaris to begin preliminary work on building an off-road vehicle park out beyond the 35-mile marker on Glacier Highway. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Trail Mix, Juneau Off-Road receive grant for future park

The potential park would be located at mile 35 out on Glacier Highway.

The Juneau Off-Road Association and Trail Mix Inc. have received a grant from Polaris to begin preliminary work on building an off-road vehicle park out beyond the 35-mile marker on Glacier Highway. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy photo / JDHS soccer 
The JDHS boys soccer team overcame a 2-0 lead against TMHS to win the state title, including three goals by a freshman player.
Courtesy photo / JDHS soccer 
The JDHS boys soccer team overcame a 2-0 lead against TMHS to win the state title, including three goals by a freshman player.
A Coast Guard color guard presents the colors during a Memorial Day ceremony held by the Veterans of Foreign Wars at Evergreen Cemetery on May 30, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
A Coast Guard color guard presents the colors during a Memorial Day ceremony held by the Veterans of Foreign Wars at Evergreen Cemetery on May 30, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Dunleavy

Governor’s office contracts ex-aide for ‘statehood defense’

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office has entered a contract with a former Dunleavy aide for up to $50,000 in part to… Continue reading

Dunleavy
Courtesy photo / Myra Pugh 
The JDHS girls soccer team swept to victory in the DII state championship on Saturday without a single goal being scored against them in the tournament.
Courtesy photo / Myra Pugh 
The JDHS girls soccer team swept to victory in the DII state championship on Saturday without a single goal being scored against them in the tournament.
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File
A Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Sector Juneau rescued a pair of kayakers in distress near Spuhn Island on Saturday.
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File
A Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Sector Juneau rescued a pair of kayakers in distress near Spuhn Island on Saturday.
Thunder Mountain High School students throw their caps in celebration at the graduation ceremony for the class of 2022 on Sunday, May 29, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School students throw their caps in celebration at the graduation ceremony for the class of 2022 on Sunday, May 29, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Sophia Pugh, left, Eden Denton, center, and Rileyanne Payne, right, seniors from Juneau's three high schools are about to graduate as their time in high school comes to a close. (Courtesy Photos)

Ahead of graduation, seniors look back on high school

Sitting astride a pandemic, these seniors have had an interesting four years.

Sophia Pugh, left, Eden Denton, center, and Rileyanne Payne, right, seniors from Juneau's three high schools are about to graduate as their time in high school comes to a close. (Courtesy Photos)
The finalists to be the new chief executive officer at Bartlett Regional Hospital are Emily Dilley (left), CEO of Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, Kan., Matthew Heyn (center), president and CEO of Delta Health in Delta, Colo., and Jeffery Hudson-Covolo, vice president for patient care services and chief nurse executive of Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville, Calif. All three will be in Juneau for interviews with hospital officers and public meet-and-greets starting next Friday. (Courtesy Photos)

3 finalists for top job at Bartlett

Candidates will meet Bartlett officials and public beginning next Friday

The finalists to be the new chief executive officer at Bartlett Regional Hospital are Emily Dilley (left), CEO of Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, Kan., Matthew Heyn (center), president and CEO of Delta Health in Delta, Colo., and Jeffery Hudson-Covolo, vice president for patient care services and chief nurse executive of Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville, Calif. All three will be in Juneau for interviews with hospital officers and public meet-and-greets starting next Friday. (Courtesy Photos)
A pharmacy sign outside the Foodland IGA will soon disappear as the pharmacy inside is closing as of Wednesday, June 1, due to the inability to hire a new pharmacist. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Pharmacy at Foodland closing June 1

Owner says months-long effort to hire new pharmacist has been unsuccessful.

A pharmacy sign outside the Foodland IGA will soon disappear as the pharmacy inside is closing as of Wednesday, June 1, due to the inability to hire a new pharmacist. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A woman was cited Thursday for falsely reporting to her employer that she’d been the subject of an attempted kidnapping. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A woman was cited Thursday for falsely reporting to her employer that she’d been the subject of an attempted kidnapping. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Alaska Seaplanes assistant chief pilot Pat Ford helps Stuart Woodbury into one of the company’s aircraft during an event celebrating Seaplanes’ expansion of service to Wrangell on May 26, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Alaska Seaplanes Wrangells up a new route

The new route will streamline traveling for health care in the Southeast, SEARHC officials say.

Alaska Seaplanes assistant chief pilot Pat Ford helps Stuart Woodbury into one of the company’s aircraft during an event celebrating Seaplanes’ expansion of service to Wrangell on May 26, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
This photo shows the old Glory Hall building on South Franklin Street. Leaders of the longtime homeless shelter and soup kitchen hope that the building will be developed into low-income housing. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Glory Hall gets another chance at developing downtown property

Planning commission orders reconsideration.

This photo shows the old Glory Hall building on South Franklin Street. Leaders of the longtime homeless shelter and soup kitchen hope that the building will be developed into low-income housing. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
The U.S.C.G. cutter Liberty, homeported in Juneau for 33 years, is being re-homeported in Valdez, and as a send-off to the community the ship was open for tours on Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The U.S.C.G. cutter Liberty, homeported in Juneau for 33 years, is being re-homeported in Valdez, and as a send-off to the community the ship was open for tours on Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Students at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé go through the hallways mostly without face masks during a break between classes in April shortly after the Juneau Board of Education ended a mask mandate. The decision was controversial due to concerns by some people that events such as proms and graduation ceremonies could become spreader events for COVID-19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Officials hope for healthy graduation ceremonies

199% increase in COVID-19 cases the past two weeks has some concerned about lack of mandates.

Students at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé go through the hallways mostly without face masks during a break between classes in April shortly after the Juneau Board of Education ended a mask mandate. The decision was controversial due to concerns by some people that events such as proms and graduation ceremonies could become spreader events for COVID-19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Sylvia Heinz, Team Rubicon's deputy administrator for Alaska, hones her chainsaw technique on a downed tree as part of a training event for the disaster-relief organization on Douglas Island on May 25, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Emergency response volunteer group sharpens skills

Chainsawing safely is no amateur job.

Sylvia Heinz, Team Rubicon's deputy administrator for Alaska, hones her chainsaw technique on a downed tree as part of a training event for the disaster-relief organization on Douglas Island on May 25, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Coast Guard aircrews medevaced two people from Dry Bay Airstrip, approximately 30 miles Southeast of Yakutat, Alaska, after their plane crashed, May 25, 2022. (Courtesy photo / Coast Guard District 17)
Coast Guard aircrews medevaced two people from Dry Bay Airstrip, approximately 30 miles Southeast of Yakutat, Alaska, after their plane crashed, May 25, 2022. (Courtesy photo / Coast Guard District 17)
Reverend Father Simeon Johnson, the rector for St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, left, stands in the church chapel with the recently enthroned Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sitka and Alaska, the Right Reverend Alexei on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Alexei was in Juneau to discuss rennovations to St. Nicholas, the second oldest Orthodox church in Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Reverend Father Simeon Johnson, the rector for St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, left, stands in the church chapel with the recently enthroned Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sitka and Alaska, the Right Reverend Alexei on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Alexei was in Juneau to discuss rennovations to St. Nicholas, the second oldest Orthodox church in Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)