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Long-serving City and Borough of Juneau Assembly member Loren Jones, addresses the crowd at his last assembly meeting on Oct. 25. His wife of almost 52 years, La Rae Jones, stands beside him. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

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Changing of the guard

Jones departs, Blake joins, Weldon and Hale return

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire The Norwegian Encore slips past Douglas Island on Sept. 8, as part of 2021’s abbreviated cruise season. In 2020, COVID-19 halted all cruise traffic. Earlier this year, Norwegian Cruise Lines announced $10 million in donations to communities hard hit by 2020’s pandemic-induced suspension on cruising, including $2 million to organizations in Juneau. Recently, local organizations have started to receive the money.

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Donations flow to local nonprofit groups

NCL money offers pier-to-peer support

Juneau’s unified football cheerleaders supported the football team Friday night in Anchorage and picked up a slew of awards, including “Grand Master Champs” at Saturday's "Rally in the Valley" cheer competition at Colony High School in Palmer. (Courtesy photo/Carlene Nore)

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Juneau’s cheerleaders bring home a W

Team earns top honors at the Rally in the Valley

Carl Schrader and his dog, Luna, on Sandy Beach on Oct. 18. Schrader, who is a longtime hospice volunteer, credits a strong personal meditation practice and walks with his dog with helping him restore his emotional energy after working with people who are dying and their families. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

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Serving neighbors, supporting families, standing witness

Hospice volunteer reflects on his work

A brisk wind blows leaves into the water near Eagle Beach State Recreation area on Friday, Oct. 22. The falling leaves are one sign that winter is coming to Southeast Alaska. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center released its winter outlook and predicted a second winter with a La Nina climate. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

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A La Nina winter is coming

La Nina could mean colder-than-normal temps

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File Michelle Ward and Anthony Davidson walk their children, Kyesin, 6, left, CJ, 5, center, and Callen, 2, down Seward Street as they visit downtown merchants for Halloween 2018. This year, downtown businesses are taking a pass on trick-or-treating. However, options for spooky fun and treat gathering abound.

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Thrills and chills on tap for the capital city

Everything you need for your Halloween calendar

This March 2020 photo shows Juneau’s City Hall. On Tuesday, the canvass review board certified the 2021 municipal election results. The final results did not reflect any significant changes over the preliminary results that were released last Friday. (Peter Segall /Juneau Empire File)

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City officials certify election

Final count closely mirrors preliminary numbers

School board member Emil Mackey places a ballot in the drop box at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Oct. 5. Three open seats on the Juneau School District Board of Education attracted eight candidates, including two write-in candidates. Based on the most recent election returns, write-in candidate Will Muldoon earned enough votes to win a seat on the board. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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Professor says local results aren’t indicative of a national trend

Dynamics of the race led to write-in candidate win

Teaser

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Then Now: Looking back on pandemic response

Comparing messaging from 1918 to 2021

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File David Kimbrough, 7, right, Clayton Haywood, 6, center, and Kyla Belcourt, 8, play in sprinklers set up during the RALLY program at Harborview Elementary School on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. RALLY provides before- and after-school care to families with school-age children and offers care during school breaks. Recently, some parents have complained that the price of the program is too high. Meanwhile, school officials say RALLY routinely loses money and that changes are needed to make it more sustainable.

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RALLY attendance stresses family and program budgets

School administrators look for a sustainable operating model

This photo shows a ballot for the 2021 municipal election. Friday night, unofficial results including all ballots approved for counting were released. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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Inching closer to final results

City clerk releases new batch of election returns Friday evening

Alan Young leads the Juneau Symphony through a Tuesday night rehearsal inside St. Paul's Catholic Church. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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Together again: Juneau Symphony returns to live, in-person performances

First live performance in almost two years ushers in 59th season

A Juneau resident receives a flu shot while getting a booster shot for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at Centennial Hall on Oct. 2, 2021. More than 1,300 Juneau residents received booster shots at the clinic and about half of those people also received a flu shot. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

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Experts urge flu shots ASAP

Jabs keep infections down and free up health care resources

A voter casts his ballot in Juneau’s municipal election at the Douglas Library on Sept. 23. On Monday evening, City and Borough of Juneau election officials issued updated election results. The count continued today and city officials expect to have additional returns on Oct. 15. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

News

Vote count continues

Write-in candidate pulls ahead for likely spot on school board

Election workers Nora Laughlin and Bob Laurie man the City Hall election station on the last day of voting for Juneau's municipal election, Oct. 5, 2021. On Friday, results started to roll in with more expected Monday. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

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Update: Continuing count shuffles early results

With almost 70% of the vote counted, results remain unofficial

Workers make progress on the Sealaska Heritage Institute's Northwest Coast arts campus on Sept. 24. Supply chain issues and material shortages have been a factor for local construction projects this year. (Michael S. Lockett/Juneau Empire)

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Shortages and shipping snarls complicate local projects

Substitutions and patience prevail

Sarah Traiger drops off a ballot at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Tuesday, the last day to cast a ballot in the City and Borough of Juneau’s 2021 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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City clerk releases unofficial election results

Voters appear to OK sales tax extension.

Thunder Mountain High School on April 18. Earlier this fall, vandalism including stolen soap dispensers and toilets clogged with foreign objects such as paper towel rolls were a problem at schools nationwide and in Juneau. But, principals say the local situation is improving. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

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After brief surge, vandalism subsiding at local high schools

Principals say internet trends, stress likely behind incidents.

Bartlett Regional Hospital on Oct. 4. Jerel Humphrey will step into the top job at the hospital on Oct. 18. He’s the fourth Chief Executive Officer—and the third person to hold the position on an interim basis at the hospital this year. (Michael S. Lockett/Juneau Empire)

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Bartlett names interim CEO

Jerel Humphrey starts Oct. 18

Judy Carmichael, of the Judy Carmichael Trio, greeted well-wishers and autographed merchandise at the Heritage Coffee shop’s downtown location on Oct. 1. She visited Juneau to perform as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Fall Festival. (Instagram)

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Jazz trio finds adventure in Juneau

A storm, a glacier and sold-out shows