News

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Thunder Mountain High School track teams held a meet at TMHS on April 30, 2021 as the track season gets going. (Courtesy photo / Dwayne Duskin)

Track teams up and running for spring season

Athletes are excited to get competing, coaches say.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Thunder Mountain High School track teams held a meet at TMHS on April 30, 2021 as the track season gets going. (Courtesy photo / Dwayne Duskin)
Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick, a 154-foot Sentinel–class vessel, towed the derelict tugboat Lumberman, to a position 54 miles west of Cross Sound, Alaska, on May 2, 2021. The decision to dispose of the Lumberman at sea, which had been abandoned in the Gastineau channel in 2016, was made after it was determined to be derelict and posed a significant public safety risk. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Lumberman finally towed out and scuttled

We won’t be seeing it again.

Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick, a 154-foot Sentinel–class vessel, towed the derelict tugboat Lumberman, to a position 54 miles west of Cross Sound, Alaska, on May 2, 2021. The decision to dispose of the Lumberman at sea, which had been abandoned in the Gastineau channel in 2016, was made after it was determined to be derelict and posed a significant public safety risk. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
Rev. Simeon Johnson, rector of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in downtown Juneau, celebrates orthodox Easter, or Pascha, with his congregation on Sunday, May 2, 2021. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

After a missed year, historic church celebrates

Parishioners gather in Juneau, Livestream to villages

Rev. Simeon Johnson, rector of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in downtown Juneau, celebrates orthodox Easter, or Pascha, with his congregation on Sunday, May 2, 2021. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Nora Baldwin, 8, a member of Girl Scout Troop 4009 carries a dirty shirt found on the side of Mendenhall Loop Road in between gloved fingers toward a litter bag on Saturday, May 1, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Juneau has its pick of the litter

Many hands make litter work.

Nora Baldwin, 8, a member of Girl Scout Troop 4009 carries a dirty shirt found on the side of Mendenhall Loop Road in between gloved fingers toward a litter bag on Saturday, May 1, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake, indicated by the large red dot on the Alaska Earthquake Center’s quake map, occurred near the surface, about 60 miles east of Elfin Cove, early in the morning of May 1, 2021. (Screenshot / AEC)

Magnitude 4.7 earthquake reported west of Elfin Cove

Rumbles felt in Juneau.

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake, indicated by the large red dot on the Alaska Earthquake Center’s quake map, occurred near the surface, about 60 miles east of Elfin Cove, early in the morning of May 1, 2021. (Screenshot / AEC)
Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images Talisa Rhea, shown here on October 6, 2020 after the Seattle Storm won the WNBA championships, has been promoted to general manager of the team.

From rainy Juneau to the Seattle Storm: JDHS grad promoted to GM of WNBA team

One of Juneau’s brightest stars keeps climbing,

Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images Talisa Rhea, shown here on October 6, 2020 after the Seattle Storm won the WNBA championships, has been promoted to general manager of the team.
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Damage to undersea cable leads to widespread communication outages

Services have been restored via other cables, and a repair ship is deployed to fix the breakage.

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The Lumberman, shown here moored alongside the City and Borough of Juneau’s pier downtown, will be scuttled in the open sea when clear weather allows. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Lumberman scuttling on weather hold for now

Sometimes, it’s like you can look out and still see her moored there.

The Lumberman, shown here moored alongside the City and Borough of Juneau’s pier downtown, will be scuttled in the open sea when clear weather allows. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
The Norwegian Pearl cruise ship, right, pulls into the AJ Dock in Juneau in September 2018. The future of large vessel cruise ship-based tourism is a topic of debate as a group of cruise reform activists are trying to advance ballot measures aimed at limiting cruise ships in Juneau. Another community group has started a Stop the Sign campaign to prevent the questions from appearing on the ballot in October's municipal election. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)

Cruise control on the ballot?

Not so fast, says Protect Juneau’s Future committee

The Norwegian Pearl cruise ship, right, pulls into the AJ Dock in Juneau in September 2018. The future of large vessel cruise ship-based tourism is a topic of debate as a group of cruise reform activists are trying to advance ballot measures aimed at limiting cruise ships in Juneau. Another community group has started a Stop the Sign campaign to prevent the questions from appearing on the ballot in October's municipal election. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)
A screenshot from the FBI’s Most Wanted page showing a photo the FBI said was taken on Jan. 6, 2021, inside the U.S.Capitol. Marilyn Hueper said FBI agents showed her this image and claimed it was her. (Screenshot)

Homer residents said home was searched by FBI in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots

Couple said agents seized computers, cellphones

A screenshot from the FBI’s Most Wanted page showing a photo the FBI said was taken on Jan. 6, 2021, inside the U.S.Capitol. Marilyn Hueper said FBI agents showed her this image and claimed it was her. (Screenshot)
Juneau Pioneer Home resident Phyllis Woodman, left, sits with the home's administrator Gina Del Rosario, right, on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Del Rosario is retiring and friends and colleagues say she'll be hard to replace. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

‘Only one Gina’: Pioneer Home administrator announces retirement

‘A friend and an admin.”

Juneau Pioneer Home resident Phyllis Woodman, left, sits with the home's administrator Gina Del Rosario, right, on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Del Rosario is retiring and friends and colleagues say she'll be hard to replace. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
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Communications outage downs phones and internet service

The cause is currently unknown.

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A drop box awaits ballots at Don D. Statter Harbor in late September 2020. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Petition seeks to limit local vote-by-mail options

Group wants voters to weigh in on the future of municipal elections

A drop box awaits ballots at Don D. Statter Harbor in late September 2020. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Members of Thunder Mountain High School's four robotics teams stand with four robots. (Courtesy Photo / Carol May)

Wired to win:Robotics teams earn awards in state contest

TMHS team took top honors but weren’t the only winners.

Members of Thunder Mountain High School's four robotics teams stand with four robots. (Courtesy Photo / Carol May)
Dozens of amendments to a bill extending the state's disaster declaration are laid out on a table outside the Senate chambers on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Lawmakers eventually passed the bill, but didn't adjourned until late in the evening. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire.)

Lawmakers pass disaster bill, wait for governor

Disaster disagreement.

Dozens of amendments to a bill extending the state's disaster declaration are laid out on a table outside the Senate chambers on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Lawmakers eventually passed the bill, but didn't adjourned until late in the evening. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire.)
Bowls like those seen here will be available for sale or auction during the Glory Hall’s Empty Bowls fundraiser beginning Friday, April 30, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Mariya Lovishchuk)

Empty Bowls goes on amid reduced fanfare

The Glory Hall also recieved a major donation of cleaning supplies.

Bowls like those seen here will be available for sale or auction during the Glory Hall’s Empty Bowls fundraiser beginning Friday, April 30, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Mariya Lovishchuk)
An Alaska Department of Corrections news release announced that all DOC facilities, including Lemon Creek Correctional Center, shown above, will reopen for public visitation on Friday, April 30, 2021. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Prisons to reopen public visitation statewide

All visits will be subject to health and safety guidelines.

An Alaska Department of Corrections news release announced that all DOC facilities, including Lemon Creek Correctional Center, shown above, will reopen for public visitation on Friday, April 30, 2021. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Maralee Guiher drops off her ballot during the City and Borough of Juneau Municipal Election on Oct. 6, 2020. On Monday, city assembly members decided to follow the 2020 playbook for the 2021 municipal election. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters and at least two polling places and drop boxes will be available. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Municipal election to be conducted mostly by mail

At least two polling places and drop boxes will be available

Maralee Guiher drops off her ballot during the City and Borough of Juneau Municipal Election on Oct. 6, 2020. On Monday, city assembly members decided to follow the 2020 playbook for the 2021 municipal election. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters and at least two polling places and drop boxes will be available. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire A sign seen on a downtown Juneau business reminds customers that masks are required. On Monday night, CBJ officials voted to add flexibility to the city’s COVID-related ordinances and adopted a tiered mitigation strategy within the lowest risk level that changes as local vaccination rates increase.

CBJ adds flexibility, adopts tiered COVID mitigation strategies

Travel-related testing mandate expires Saturday

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire A sign seen on a downtown Juneau business reminds customers that masks are required. On Monday night, CBJ officials voted to add flexibility to the city’s COVID-related ordinances and adopted a tiered mitigation strategy within the lowest risk level that changes as local vaccination rates increase.
Thunder Mountain High School junior Kiah Dihle kicks the ball during a game against Ketchikan High School. (Courtesy Photo / Zach Hanna)

Girls soccer seasons off to energetic start

Both teams had solid wins over Ketchikan before facing off at home.

Thunder Mountain High School junior Kiah Dihle kicks the ball during a game against Ketchikan High School. (Courtesy Photo / Zach Hanna)