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Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. When school resumes in August, Juneau teacher Kelly Stewart will be the interim assistant principal, district officials announced on Friday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Local teacher named assistant principal at TMHS

Kelly Stewart accepts interim role

Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. When school resumes in August, Juneau teacher Kelly Stewart will be the interim assistant principal, district officials announced on Friday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Dozens of vendors and thousands of people were on hand for the 11th Juneau Maritime Festival held Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Juneau has a merry time at outdoor festival

11th Maritime Festival among first major in-person events in the city since the pandemic.

Dozens of vendors and thousands of people were on hand for the 11th Juneau Maritime Festival held Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire A proposal by the Juneau Off-Road Association to build a hardened trail and campground in the Montana Creek area generated 280 public comments. The majority of comments submitted to the state opposed the plan. A sign marks the end of the road in the area on June 17, 2021.

Proposed Montana Creek Access Road generates almost 500 pages of comments

Users of the Montana Creek area have a lot to say.

Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire A proposal by the Juneau Off-Road Association to build a hardened trail and campground in the Montana Creek area generated 280 public comments. The majority of comments submitted to the state opposed the plan. A sign marks the end of the road in the area on June 17, 2021.
Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. When school resumes in the fall, John Luhrs will serve as the interim principal. The search for a new assistant principal continues. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Interim principal named at TMHS

Veteran educator John Luhrs will step into the post

Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. When school resumes in the fall, John Luhrs will serve as the interim principal. The search for a new assistant principal continues. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A former Juneau chiropractor who was indicted for multiple sexual assault charges in April was charged with more assaults in early June. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Former chiropractor faces additional sexual assault charges

The former Juneau resident was indicted for five more felony charges early in June.

A former Juneau chiropractor who was indicted for multiple sexual assault charges in April was charged with more assaults in early June. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. Juneau School District Officials are working to find two new principals for the school. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

Principal seats are open at TMHS

Search begins for new leaders

Thunder Mountain High School on April 18, 2021. Juneau School District Officials are working to find two new principals for the school. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, looks on as Senators vote whether to adjourn the long-awaited budget vote on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Budget talks were derailed Tuesday after lawmakers and the governor balked at the budget proposal.

Budget talks break down as shutdown looms

Legislative leadership met for most of the day Tuesday.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, looks on as Senators vote whether to adjourn the long-awaited budget vote on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Budget talks were derailed Tuesday after lawmakers and the governor balked at the budget proposal.
Iris, a baby Sitka black-tailed deer found on Kruzof Island, was rehomed by Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Wildlife Trooper personnel after being “rescued” over the weekend. (Courtesy photo / Corrine Ferguson)

Wildlife officials: Fawn rehomed but serves as cautionary example

Don’t mess with the wildlife.

Iris, a baby Sitka black-tailed deer found on Kruzof Island, was rehomed by Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Wildlife Trooper personnel after being “rescued” over the weekend. (Courtesy photo / Corrine Ferguson)
The Norwegian Bliss pulls out of Juneau’s downtown harbor on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Norwegian Cruise Lines recently offered to donate $2 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic-related pause on cruises. On Monday evening, city officials declined the donation and asked the company to redirect the money to the Juneau Community Foundation, a local charitable organization. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)

CBJ redirects cruise line’s donation offer

City asks NCL to give proposed $2M donation to Juneau Community Foundation.

The Norwegian Bliss pulls out of Juneau’s downtown harbor on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Norwegian Cruise Lines recently offered to donate $2 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic-related pause on cruises. On Monday evening, city officials declined the donation and asked the company to redirect the money to the Juneau Community Foundation, a local charitable organization. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)
Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire file)

Assembly members vote to increase pay for elected officials

Soon service to the City and Borough of Juneau will offer better pay.

Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire file)
On Monday evening, assembly member Michelle Bonnet Hale introduced an amendment to reduce the mill rate for the 2021 property tax levy to 10.56. The measure passed and the .10 reduction will reduce 2021 property taxes by about $10 on every $100,000 of valuation. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

CBJ Assembly changes course, lowers property tax rate

Lower rates mean savings for homeowners

On Monday evening, assembly member Michelle Bonnet Hale introduced an amendment to reduce the mill rate for the 2021 property tax levy to 10.56. The measure passed and the .10 reduction will reduce 2021 property taxes by about $10 on every $100,000 of valuation. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Drag performers dance Saturday to “YMCA” by the Village People at the Zach Gordon Youth Center’s Pride Month event at the center. Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire

Youth center holds Pride event for LGBTQ youth

Food, music, and age-appropriate fun for the community’s LGBTQ teenagers.

Drag performers dance Saturday to “YMCA” by the Village People at the Zach Gordon Youth Center’s Pride Month event at the center. Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire
Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a fire near Twin Lakes on Sunday evening. One firefighter sustained a minor injury as they extinguished the fire but didn’t require medical attention. (Courtesy photo/CCFR)

Firefighters extinguish Twin Lakes residence fire

The fire was an accident, the investigation determined.

Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a fire near Twin Lakes on Sunday evening. One firefighter sustained a minor injury as they extinguished the fire but didn’t require medical attention. (Courtesy photo/CCFR)
Juneau residents place hundreds of pairs of children's shoes in front of the state at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on June 12, 2021 as they mourned for the 215 dead children uncovered at a residential school in Canada. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Community members hold vigil for residential school victims

The appalling legacy of the schools stretches far and deep.

Juneau residents place hundreds of pairs of children's shoes in front of the state at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on June 12, 2021 as they mourned for the 215 dead children uncovered at a residential school in Canada. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Darren Snyder, who helps manage community gardens as part of the the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, talks to kids about gardening in Southeast Alaska on June 11, 2021.

Planting a seed: Students learn about gardening, carbon sequestration

Learning to care for a plant was also on the agenda.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Darren Snyder, who helps manage community gardens as part of the the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, talks to kids about gardening in Southeast Alaska on June 11, 2021.
A man was found guilty of multiple charges of sexual abuse of a minor by a Juneau jury on June 10, 2021. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire)

Man found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor

It was the first felony trial since the easing of the court’s pandemic measures.

A man was found guilty of multiple charges of sexual abuse of a minor by a Juneau jury on June 10, 2021. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire)
Bretwood “Hig” Higman, executive director of Ground Truth Trekking, talks Thursday at a news conference outside Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School about the risk of an eventual landslide in the Lemon Creek area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Group investigates possibility of landslides in Lemon Creek area

There’s not cause for immediate concern, just watchfulness and evaluation, officials say.

Bretwood “Hig” Higman, executive director of Ground Truth Trekking, talks Thursday at a news conference outside Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School about the risk of an eventual landslide in the Lemon Creek area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, speaks to the first in-person meeting of the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce luncheon in over a year at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Young told the crowd he was working toward bipartisanship but expressed frustration with opposition to the resource industry. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Energy is Alaska’s future, Young tells chamber

Just don’t say no.

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, speaks to the first in-person meeting of the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce luncheon in over a year at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Young told the crowd he was working toward bipartisanship but expressed frustration with opposition to the resource industry. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Seaplanes held a cookout in Tenakee Springs on June 9, 2021, to celebrate the debut of a new seaplane in their fleet in one of the communities that aircraft will serve. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Company holds cookout in Tenakee Springs for new aircraft

Free rides and free food.

Alaska Seaplanes held a cookout in Tenakee Springs on June 9, 2021, to celebrate the debut of a new seaplane in their fleet in one of the communities that aircraft will serve. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Members of the Seward City Council take part in a work session on Monday, June 7, 2021, in Seward, Alaska. (Screenshot)

Seward council member apologizes for antisemitic remark

Sharyl Seese made the comment during a council work session.

Members of the Seward City Council take part in a work session on Monday, June 7, 2021, in Seward, Alaska. (Screenshot)