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City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt and Mayor Beth Weldon smile for a photo at the Alaska Municipal League luncheon Thursday afternoon. Watt was named AML’s municipal official of the year at the event. (Courtesy / CBJ)

News

Watt receives statewide municipal official of the year award

Can I get a Watt Watt?

Rain drizzles on a sign Wednesday morning at a trailhead leading into the Montana Creek Wetlands area. A public meeting was held Wednesday evening presenting a revised Montana Creek draft master plan. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Residents get a new view of the Montana Creek draft master plan

It proposes projects like new public use cabins, trails and maintenance.

Cyclists pedal away from University of Alaska Southeast Sunday during Ironman Alaska 2022, the first --- and for now---last Ironman to be held in the state. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

News

Ironman Alaska canceled

Popular endurance race scratched for ‘23 and ‘24, citing “economic pressure.”

A “sold” sign hangs outside the property that formerly housed Walmart Thursday after it was announced it has been purchased by U-Haul. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

U-Haul purchases former Walmart building

Storage containers, trucks, trailers, boxes, bike racks and more to be available at site

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Teachers and school board members talk during the Juneau Board of Education and Juneau Education Association’s annual meet and greet in mid November. JEA contract negotiation team declared impasse last Friday and are in the process of filing for federal mediation.

News

Juneau teachers union declares impasse amid drawn-out negotiations

Still, the teachers union and district express optimism about working toward agreement.

Rain drops in a puddle of water on Wednesday afternoon in the Valley area. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau breaks rainfall record

It’s the most rain seen in Juneau since recording began 86 years ago

This photo shows downtown Juneau in late October. Between July and September of this year, the City and Borough of Juneau collected more than $20.2 million in sales tax revenue — equalling $2.3 million more than originally expected. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Summer quarter brings in $2.3M more than expected in sales tax

City official say “take it with a grain of salt.”

Police vehicles block Egan Drive going outbound toward the Valley area after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire) Police vehicles block Egan Drive going toward the Mendenhall Valley after a multi-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Police: Vehicle traveling in wrong direction led to wreck

Police are investigating.

Juneau Animal Rescue’s in-house Veterinarian, Dr. Tracy Ward, performs the first public spaying procedure at JAR since 2014 on a female cat named Monte. In mid-November JAR reopened its doors to the public for its spay and neuter services. (Courtesy Photo / Samantha Blankenship)

News

Dogged efforts underway at local shelter

Spay and neuter services, food collection and more.

People and dogs traverse the frozen surface Mendenhall Lake on Monday afternoon. Officials said going on to any part of Mendenhall Lake can open up serious risks for falling into the freezing waters. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Officials warn residents about the dangers of thin ice on Mendenhall Lake

Experts outline what to do in the situation that someone falls through ice

Multidisciplinary artist Mary McEwen talks about her experience learning to weave during her Artist Talk Saturday morning about her exhibition, “Hit & Miss: Adventures in Textile Reuse,” at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Weaving a new narrative out of repurposed goods

Local artist shares her journey of learning to weave and the importance of reusing

Senior assistant captain Anna Dale attempts to stuff the net during a home game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Varsity hockey team and the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Treadwell Arena Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Crimson Bears topple Kardinals on home ice

The team won with a score of 4-2

Police vehicles converge near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as Brotherhood Bridge Trail on Sept. 21, 2022, the day police say Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was killed. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

News

Suspect in killing of Faith Rogers indicted on additional charges

This follows an first-degree murder charge late last week.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire At Wednesday evening’s special Assembly meeting, the Assembly appropriated nearly $4 million toward funding a 5.5% wage increase for all CBJ employees along with a 5% increase to the employer health contribution. According to City Manager Rorie Watt, it doesn’t necessarily fix a nearly two decade-long issue of employee retention concerns for the city.

News

City funds wage increase amid worker shortage

City Manager says raise doesn’t fix nearly two decade-long issue of employee retainment

Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire People walk the docks as the sun sets in downtown Juneau on Monday night. The City and Borough of Juneau recently signed a memorandum of agreement with member companies of Cruise Lines International Association to come to an agreement on a number of tourism management issue in Juneau.

News

City accepting proposals for marine passenger fee projects

Residents and local business have until Jan. 2 to submit ideas to the city.

Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at Juneau's Gallery Walk 2022 on Friday, Dec. 2. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

‘It’s just a good time and a special thing’: Grins and the Grinch greet Gallery Walk

Dozens of business joined in for the holiday themed event

Aires Kelley, 1, holds a Pride flag Saturday during Drag Storytime at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library, one of many LGBTQ+ friendly events held in Alaska’s capital city. For the second year in a row, the City and Borough of Juneau received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Municipality Equality Index scorecard. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

News

Juneau receives perfect score for LGBTQ+ inclusivity

Meanwhile, state and federal protections are lacking, advocates say.

An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File) An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000 and will need to figure out a way to replenish the fund deficit and balance its budget before the next budgeting cycle starting June 30, 2023. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

News

‘There’s no easy way out of this’: City discusses school district’s overall $3.2M deficit

The district will need to replenish its $620,000 operating fund deficit before next budgeting cycle

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore berths at in the Juneau Harbor in late October. Findings from this year’s Juneau Tourism Survey showed nearly 75% supported limiting the number of large cruise ships per day in Juneau’s harbor to five.

News

Survey shows preference for daily limit on ships visiting Juneau

Respondents generally report positive impact, but shine light on some challenges.

This photo shows cabins for Eaglecrest Ski Area’s recently acquired gondola which overall shipping cost came in $262,000 over budget. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

News

Eaglecrest Gondola shipping cost comes in $262,000 over budget

City talks funding of gondola project and a possible new partnership