Site Logo
This photo shows Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is seeking a contractor for an estimated $5-10 million project to address structural repair and renovation at the Juneau prison. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau prison to undergo multimillion-dollar repair and renovation project

State seeks contractor for work estimated to cost between $5-10 million.

A temporary pedestrian bridge over Montana Creek, seen here Thursday, is now open as a replacement for the bridge that suffered substructure damage from weather events last September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Temporary bridge installed over Montana Creek, no funding yet for permanent one

The opening follows 10 months of closure due to substructure damage of previous bridge.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

News

Police calls for Wednesday, June 28, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Assembly member Carole Triem chats with Deputy City Manager Robert Barr during a Finance Committee meeting in early May. Triem announced Wednesday she is departing from her role on the Assembly on July 10, citing family medical issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Assembly member Carole Triem to resign

She plans to depart in July, citing family medical issues.

A boat crosses under the bridge between the Juneau mainland and Douglas Island on Wednesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Feds award $16.5M toward design of second Juneau-Douglas crossing

City officials say funding will bring the project to full design.

The Tazlina berths at the Auke Bay Terminal in March. The Alaska Marine Highway System’s proposed winter schedule is now available for public review, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced Thursday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Winter ferry schedule now open for review

Public comments are being accepted through July 12.

Residents wear matching shirts in advocacy for the proposed off-road vehicle riding park at 35 Mile, which was up for permit consideration and later approved at a January evening Planning Commission meeting. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Construction of new off-road vehicle riding park to begin later this summer

Officials hope to see the first mile loop of the park complete within the year.

Sonya Taton, 46, appeared via via telephone for a readiness hearing Tuesday afternoon at the Juneau Courthouse in Courtroom C. Taton, who is accused of stabbing a man with a fillet knife in June 2019, is set to go to trial in early November. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Woman accused of fatal fillet knife stabbing in 2019 set for November trial

Sonya Taton appeared virtually for a readiness hearing at the Juneau Courthouse Tuesday afternoon.

People walk past City Hall downtown on Monday evening. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to allow the city to advocate for a new City Hall ahead of the upcoming municipal election. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

City funds $50K advocacy initiative for new City Hall

Residents in opposition argue the “project should stand on its own merits.”

Mayor Beth Weldon flips through an Assembly meeting agenda to give a glimpse at the workload potential candidates for the upcoming election can expect if elected into local office. Weldon was joined by Kristin Bartlett, chief of staff for the Juneau School District (left), Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorenson (middle right) and Mila Cosgrove, former deputy city manager (right), at the City and Borough of Juneau’s annual “How To Run For Local Office” workshop Saturday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

City holds workshop to help residents learn the ropes of running for local office

Assembly and school board members offer advice as filing period for local races nears.

This March 10 photo shows drugs seized by police. A Juneau man was arrested Thursday on felony drug charges and police seized several types of drugs with a street value of $32,650, plus nearly $50,000 in cash. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Police: Juneau man arrested for distributing multiple types of drugs

Narcotics seized have an estimated value of more than $30,000.

Emily Mesch, president of Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, smiles for a photo near the Mendenhall Glacier Thursday evening. SEAGLA is a Juneau-based nonprofit that works to “provide a supporting social network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in Southeast Alaska.” (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Emily Mesch

“There are people out there and we want to help support them.”

This is a picture of the Alaska Department of Health building in downtown Juneau on Thursday afternoon. A recently released bulletin shows a dramatic increase in the number of infants born with congenital syphilis in Alaska. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Alaska sees ‘dramatic’ rise in number of infants born with congenital syphilis

The bulletin identified 26 cases reported in Alaska between 2018 and 2022.

Cans of smoked sockeye salmon line the shelves at the Alaska Seafood Company facility in Lemon Creek. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska recently purchased the company and will begin operations by beginning of July, the tribe’s president told the Empire. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Tlingit and Haida purchases Alaska Seafood Company

The tribe’s president said the acquisition supports mission of economic sovereignty.

Mandy Cole, executive director of AWARE, speaks to the crowd at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon at the Moose Lodge alongside Amy Skilbred, executive director of the Juneau Community Foundation. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Community leaders share new nonprofit housing council’s goals to address crisis

“This problem cannot be solved by the free market alone.”

The F/V Tommy L II, co-owned by longtime Juneau resident Joe Emerson, sits berthed in Aurora Harbor in late May. On Wednesday a federal court decision allowed for the king salmon troll fishery in Southeast Alaska to begin July 1, a reversal of a lower court ruling in May. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Fishing is a go for Southeast Alaska troll fishery this summer

Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals reverses lower court ruling, allows season to begin July 1.

Planned Parenthood’s location in Juneau is now offering vasectomy services as of Wednesday and a procedure day will take place every two months, officials say. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Planned Parenthood now offers vasectomy services in Juneau

The procedure service will be provided on a bimonthly basis.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel sits docked at Auke Bay in November 2022. On Saturday the Coast Guard suspended its search for a 70-year-old man who was last seen departing for a fishing trip near Kake on Friday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Coast Guard suspends search for missing Kake boater

The decision was made following a 16-hour search effort covering more than 375 nautical miles.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks during a news conference in April focusing on the budget and a long-range fiscal plan for the state. He signed the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 on Sunday, but did not publicly announce the signing or line-item vetoes made — including cutting in half an increase to public education spending — until Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Lawmakers call for override of Dunleavy’s budget cuts to education funding

Odds are “going to be very difficult,” says Juneau senator.

Capt. Mark Ellis receives a ceremonial cedar rope alongside other captains during a blessing ceremony at the global launch ceremony of the Moananuiākea voyage at the University of Alaska Recreation Center Thursday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau leaders bless voyagers at launch ceremony ahead of Hōkūle‘a send-off

“I am grateful for all the love and support the people of Southeast Alaska have done for us”