News

Thanks to COVID-19 vaccines, the members of the New Squids on the Dock were able to gather and look over the hardware they won in the Tsunami Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition. The team from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé is now busy preparing for the upcoming national competition. From left to right, team members include Elin Antaya, Jack Marx, team captain Tias Carney, Adrian Whitney and Addy Mallot. (Courtesy photo/Shannon Easterly)

Swimming in the intellectual deep end

JDHS NOSB team prepares for the national competition

Thanks to COVID-19 vaccines, the members of the New Squids on the Dock were able to gather and look over the hardware they won in the Tsunami Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition. The team from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé is now busy preparing for the upcoming national competition. From left to right, team members include Elin Antaya, Jack Marx, team captain Tias Carney, Adrian Whitney and Addy Mallot. (Courtesy photo/Shannon Easterly)
Jeff Rogers, CBJ's finance director, joined the April 22 Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Alaska Business Roundtable's Zoom meeting to explain why commercial properties have recently been reassessed and what it means for business and property owners in the borough. (Screenshot)

Wrestling with a taxing issue: Increased value of commercial properties could reduce property tax rates

Increasing value for commercial properties could reduce property tax rates

Jeff Rogers, CBJ's finance director, joined the April 22 Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Alaska Business Roundtable's Zoom meeting to explain why commercial properties have recently been reassessed and what it means for business and property owners in the borough. (Screenshot)
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire A proposal to the Docks and Harbors board to double residency fees for live-aboard residents of Juneau’s harbors have rankled many.

Docks and Harbors floats idea of live-aboard fee increase

Live-aboard residents less than thrilled about potential doubling of residency fee.

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire A proposal to the Docks and Harbors board to double residency fees for live-aboard residents of Juneau’s harbors have rankled many.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Bears, like this one looking for fish in a stream along the Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Aug. 22, 2020, have been sleeping through the winter but they’re waking up and experts want residents to be prepared.

Bear in mind: What you need to know now that they’re waking up

A bear-raising situation.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Bears, like this one looking for fish in a stream along the Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Aug. 22, 2020, have been sleeping through the winter but they’re waking up and experts want residents to be prepared.
Thunder Mountain High School will be closed to in-person attendance until Monday, April 26, Juneau School District announced Tuesday afternoon. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

New COVID cases reported at Thunder Mountain High School

There are five active cases associated with the school

Thunder Mountain High School will be closed to in-person attendance until Monday, April 26, Juneau School District announced Tuesday afternoon. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A man was indicted by a Juneau grand jury on April 8 for multiple sexual assault alleged to have occurred in Juneau from 2016 to 2020 in Juneau. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Man arrested in New Mexico after Juneau indictment for sexual assault

The alleged sexual assaults occurred while he worked at SEARHC

A man was indicted by a Juneau grand jury on April 8 for multiple sexual assault alleged to have occurred in Juneau from 2016 to 2020 in Juneau. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A Juneau man was indicted at the beginning of April for two charges of sexual abuse of a minor, according to an Alaska Department of Law news release. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau man indicted on sexual abuse of a minor charges

The maximum penalty if convicted is 99 years imprisonment.

A Juneau man was indicted at the beginning of April for two charges of sexual abuse of a minor, according to an Alaska Department of Law news release. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Alex Alf, cultivation manager at Stoned Salmon Farms, displays a marijuana variety called Blissful Wizzard, on April 16. He said this variety of marijuana was developed to relieve epilepsy symptoms. Alf said that cultivating marijuana in Alaska requires experimentation to fine-tune the final product. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Checking in on a budding local industry

Even in the face of pandemic, business stays high.

Alex Alf, cultivation manager at Stoned Salmon Farms, displays a marijuana variety called Blissful Wizzard, on April 16. He said this variety of marijuana was developed to relieve epilepsy symptoms. Alf said that cultivating marijuana in Alaska requires experimentation to fine-tune the final product. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Kristi Peel checks in her electric vehicle with a volunteer ahead of a road rally held Saturday in Juneau for Earth Day. Previously, Peel said she was the proud owner of the first Chrysler PT Cruise in town. However, after about two decades and 80,000 miles, she purchased her late model Chevrolet Bolt. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Rally generates excitement for electric vehicles

Going for green.

Kristi Peel checks in her electric vehicle with a volunteer ahead of a road rally held Saturday in Juneau for Earth Day. Previously, Peel said she was the proud owner of the first Chrysler PT Cruise in town. However, after about two decades and 80,000 miles, she purchased her late model Chevrolet Bolt. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Distance learning will continue Tuesday at Thunder Mountain High School. The school initially shifted to distance delivery for Monday, April 19, following three confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the high school. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

In-person classes to resume Thursday at Thunder Mountain following COVID cases

Boys soccer and wrestling teams to skip practice for quarantine and testing

Distance learning will continue Tuesday at Thunder Mountain High School. The school initially shifted to distance delivery for Monday, April 19, following three confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the high school. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
This photo shows the stern of the MV Matanuska on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

2 Matanuska crewmembers test positive for COVID

No close contacts with passengers identified.

This photo shows the stern of the MV Matanuska on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Courtesy photo / Sonny Mauricio The Thunder Mountain High School Dance Team, shown here, ended their season with a superior-rated performance at their regional tournament.

Dance teams round out a virtual season with superiority

Both earned the highest rating for their regional competition.

Courtesy photo / Sonny Mauricio The Thunder Mountain High School Dance Team, shown here, ended their season with a superior-rated performance at their regional tournament.
Courtesy photo / Imagine Learning Educators at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School hold a giant check for the food donated to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank through a drive that math students at the school participated in.

Middle school students raise money for food bank with math skills

The donation drive was spread across schools in four states.

Courtesy photo / Imagine Learning Educators at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School hold a giant check for the food donated to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank through a drive that math students at the school participated in.
Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department in September 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police department to host drug take back site

No liquids, syringes or lithium batteries.

Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department in September 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities triggered an avalanche as a mitigation measure above Thane Road on April 15, 2021.

City plans ahead for future avalanche seasons

More snow isn’t bad, but dynamic weather makes predicting avalanches tricky

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities triggered an avalanche as a mitigation measure above Thane Road on April 15, 2021.
Staff at Bartlett Regional Hospital, seen here on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, will be among some of the first to receive a vaccine for COVID-19 once federal authorities give the go-ahead. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Bartlett Hospital considers 4% price increase

Despite the increase, fees remain low compared to other hospitals.

Staff at Bartlett Regional Hospital, seen here on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, will be among some of the first to receive a vaccine for COVID-19 once federal authorities give the go-ahead. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
A skier makes a run at Eaglecrest Ski Area in January 2021. A perfect storm of heavy snow coupled with pandemic-weary residents eager for outside recreation resulted in an excellent season on the mountain and money in the bank. Ski area officials shared budget projections for the 2022 season with the city’s finance committee Wednesday night. (Courtesy Photo / Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Heavy snow drives successful ski season

Eaglecrest expects to bank money, reduce reliance on city money in 2022

A skier makes a run at Eaglecrest Ski Area in January 2021. A perfect storm of heavy snow coupled with pandemic-weary residents eager for outside recreation resulted in an excellent season on the mountain and money in the bank. Ski area officials shared budget projections for the 2022 season with the city’s finance committee Wednesday night. (Courtesy Photo / Eaglecrest Ski Area)
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, contracting with Coastal Helicopters, works to reduce avalanche risk on Thane Road by setting off avalanches in a controlled fashion on Feb. 5, 2021.(Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Thane Road closure scheduled for avalanche hazard reduction

Weather conditions cause cancellation.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, contracting with Coastal Helicopters, works to reduce avalanche risk on Thane Road by setting off avalanches in a controlled fashion on Feb. 5, 2021.(Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

COVID at a glance for Wednesday, April 14

The most recent state and local numbers.

Arriving passengers walk past a sign in the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport in London, during England’s third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. On Tuesday, City and Borough of Juneau officials said the city has confirmed the first local case of a COVID-19 variant first detected in Britain. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

State lab ID’s British COVID variant in Juneau resident

Public health officials say variant acquired via community spread

Arriving passengers walk past a sign in the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport in London, during England’s third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. On Tuesday, City and Borough of Juneau officials said the city has confirmed the first local case of a COVID-19 variant first detected in Britain. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)