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Rose Lawhorne, a longtime employee at Bartlett Regional Hospital, stands next to the new CEO nameplate outside her office on April 1. She takes over as CEO this week. Lawhorne first joined the hospital staff in 1993 and has worked her way up the ranks in a variety of roles. She expects to draw on her vast experience as she guides the hospital post-pandemic. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

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Bartlett Regional Hospital’s new CEO is focused on stability

Longtime employee Rose Lawhorne steps into the top job this week

Courtesy Photo/ Consortium for Ocean Leadership A group of students from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé won the Tsunami Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition that is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The team, which uses the name New Squids on the Dock, will join winners from 20 other regional bowls for virtual finals in May.

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JDHS students win regional ocean science competition

Next up: virtual finals

Second grade teacher Katie Koski reacts to the news that a student lost a tooth and was visited by the Tooth Fairy, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020. Juneau’s students started this school year with distance learning. In January, some students started attending partial, in-person learning. Late Thursday, district officials announced a broader return to in-person learning for elementary school students. Starting next week, students will attend four full days each week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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District expands schedule for in-person learning for elementary schools

School is in session.

The pageantry of western opera will join forces with the Tlingit culture’s rich history of storytelling, song and dance to create the world’s first Tlingit opera. The opera, which is currently untitled, will premiere at the Perseverance Theatre around 2025. (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage Institute)

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First-ever first Tlingit opera will premiere locally

It is a collaboration between Perseverance Theatre and the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

Roman Motyka, Juneau Nordic Ski Club board member, grooms the trail along Montana Creek Road on Dec. 29. A new trail could be in the works for the popular recreation area. The Juneau Off-Road Association submitted a request to build a hardened trail in the Montana Creek area, making it easier for people to operate all-terrain vehicles there. The proposed trail is approximately 6,800 feet long and 25 feet wide, containing about 3.90 acres and an additional quarter acre for a campsite. Other organizations who make use of the area have expressed reservations about the plan. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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A new road ahead? There’s a proposal for an access road at Montana Creek

State opens comment period for possible work.

Christine Woll is completing her first six months of service as a City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly member. Last October, she beat out three other candidates to win a three-year term representing District 2. (Courtesy Photo/Christine Woll)

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Checking in with Juneau Assembly member Christine Woll

Her first six months of service have unfolded entirely on Zoom.

A new Systematic Racism Review Committee will soon be in place to guide Juneau’s municipal lawmakers as they consider future ordinances. City Assembly members established the committee late last year after racial justice protests took place in Juneau and around the country throughout the summer of 2020. Here, Lacey Davis attends a May 30, 2020, vigil honoring George Floyd, the man whose death while in police custody sparked protests worldwide. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

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Juneau seats members of the Systematic Racism Review committee

First meeting on April 1, policy review begins in July.

A panel of state and local experts answered questions and encouraged COVID-19 vaccinations during a moderated online discussion Wednesday evening. Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, encouraged all eligible Alaskans to get vaccinated as soon as possible to end the pandemic. Here, department of Veterans Affairs nurse Regina McComber applies a bandage to David Summers’ arm on the morning of March 13, 2021. Summers was among the veterans who were vaccinated at a VA clinic in Juneau. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

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An ounce of prevention through a shot in the arm

Experts gather to talk COVID vaccines, answer local questions.

The City and Borough of Juneau is working to correct violations that occurred at two of their three wastewater treatment facilities between 2015 and 2019. Many of the violations occurred during a summer construction project at the Juneau-Douglas facility, which was accepting wastewater from cruise ships during the construction process. A number of effluent violations were reported from that timeframe. Norwegian Pearl cruise ship, right, pulls into the AJ Dock in Juneau in September 2018. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)

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Wastewater treatment violations result in fines

Juneau to pay $64,000 and undertake corrective actions

Rose Lawhorne has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Bartlett Regional Hospital, officials announced in a news release on Monday. Lawhorne is a long-time hospital employee and is currently serving as Bartlett’s chief nursing officer. She will begin the CEO role on April 4. (Courtesy Photo/Bartlett REgional Hospital)

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Longtime Bartlett employee Rose Lawhorne named CEO

She is currently the chief nursing officer

After months of discussion, the board of education gathered via Zoom late last week to finalize the district’s fiscal year 2021-2022 operating budget. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

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School board OKs funds for teaching supplies, finalizes budget

An additional $5.5 million in federal money coming soon

On Friday, Juneau school officials announced that two new principals have been named for the upcoming school year. Harborview School, will welcome Kelley Harvey as the new principal in August. William Sarandria was named the new principal at Auke Bay Elementary School, starting in August. Both Harvey and Sarandria are long-time Juneau educators. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

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Juneau educators named to local principal posts

Auke Bay and Harborview Schools to welcome new principals in August

New principals will take the helm at Auke Bay and Harborview elementary schools next school year. A committee interviewed five candidates for the roles this week. School officials plan to name the new principals soon. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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Principal candidates interview for open jobs

Committee interviews candidates for the top job at Harborview and Auke Bay

It's Girl Scout Cookie time. Local scouts will sell about 24,500 boxes of Girl Scout cookies in Juneau this cookie-selling season. Cookies are available at pop-up cookie stands at Safeway, Rainbow Foods, The Grind Coffee Company and Nugget Mall. Or, text “cookies” to 59618 to find a nearby cookie sales location or order them online. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

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Local Girl Scouts are selling cookies all around Juneau

What’s your favorite cookie flavor?

Fireworks illuminate the night sky over the Mendenhall Valley on New Year's Eve. At Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members discussed changes to soften the restrictions outlined in an earlier proposal that would have significantly curtailed the use and sale of fireworks in the city. Key questions include where fireworks can be sold and what types of fireworks qualify as concussive. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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City committee mulls fireworks limitations

What’s too loud on July 4?

Bridget Weiss, superintendent of the Juneau School District, has been nominated for a Women of Distinction award. She is pictured here addressing the Senate Education Committee at the Capitol on April 16, 2019. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)

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Board praises superintendent, nominates her for award

Superintendent subject of glowing remarks from school board during Women’s History Month

This screenshot from a video posted by Salty Lady Seafood Co. shows an orca swimming close to a boat. "I thought for sure it would splash us with its tail or nose the skiff," the company said in a social media post. "It was just checking us out though. Fun end to a hard day of work at the farm." (Screenshot)

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A whale of a tale

Salty Lady Seafoods crew enjoy an unexpected visit.

Bartlett Regional Hospital pharmacist Chris Sperry holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

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Half of Juneau’s residents expected to get COVID-19 vaccine by end of March

Late Tuesday, state officials expanded vaccine eligibility

Board of Education members are debating the best way to spend operating funds, allocate grant money and use federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds for the 2021-22 school year. Personnel changes are expected at multiple schools ahead of that school year, including principal changes at Auke Bay and Harborview elementary schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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Looking ahead: Board of education mulls budget for next school year

Enrollment uncertainty complicates budget process for Juneau School District.

A hearing officer heard arguments for and against revoking a special use permit the city granted for a Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska-run transitional living facility on the corner of Alaway Avenue and Glacier Highway. This picture shows a proposed design of the facility. (Courtesy Image / Tlingit and Haida)

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Hearing held for proposed Alaway Avenue project

Both sides of debate make their case.