Mari Kanagy

Yuxgitisiy George Holly and Lorrie Gax.áan.sán Heagy (center left and right) stand alongside Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (left) and other honorees at the Governor’s Arts and Humanities Award ceremony in Anchorage on Oct. 28, 2025. Holly won the Margaret Nick Cooke Award for Alaska Native Arts and Languages, and Heagy won the award for Individual Artist. (photo courtesy of Yuxgitisiy George Holly)

Two Juneau educators win Governor’s arts awards

Holly and Heagy turn music and dance into Lingít language learning, earning statewide arts awards.

Yuxgitisiy George Holly and Lorrie Gax.áan.sán Heagy (center left and right) stand alongside Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (left) and other honorees at the Governor’s Arts and Humanities Award ceremony in Anchorage on Oct. 28, 2025. Holly won the Margaret Nick Cooke Award for Alaska Native Arts and Languages, and Heagy won the award for Individual Artist. (photo courtesy of Yuxgitisiy George Holly)
Goldbelt Inc. illustrates a potential cruise ship port and development along the coast of west Douglas Island. (Port of Tomorrow MG image)

Assembly approves one step in Douglas cruise port plan, but pauses next move

Goldbelt’s “new cultural cruise destination” in west Douglas is still years out.

Goldbelt Inc. illustrates a potential cruise ship port and development along the coast of west Douglas Island. (Port of Tomorrow MG image)
HESCO barriers line the Mendenhall River on Monday, May 12, 2025. (File photo, Jasz Garrett/Juneau Empire)

Army Corps to fund next steps of flood barrier improvements

CBJ accepts federal help for flood mitigation

HESCO barriers line the Mendenhall River on Monday, May 12, 2025. (File photo, Jasz Garrett/Juneau Empire)
Glass clan house screen and house posts made by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary at the Walter Soboleff Center in Juneau, Alaska. The screen shows a Northwest Coast design in sandblasted glass. On the left stands an Eagle warrior; while on the right stands a Raven created in a dark charcoal color. (photo courtesy SHI)

SHI to host November lecture series on SE Alaska Native history

The monthlong series brings together artists, scholars and leaders.

Glass clan house screen and house posts made by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary at the Walter Soboleff Center in Juneau, Alaska. The screen shows a Northwest Coast design in sandblasted glass. On the left stands an Eagle warrior; while on the right stands a Raven created in a dark charcoal color. (photo courtesy SHI)
Left to right: Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon stands as Municipal Attorney Emily Wright swears in Assembly member Ella Adkison, Greg Smith and Nano Brooks at the Assembly meeting on Monday, Oct. 27. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)

Assembly members sworn in facing protesters and tighter city budget

Attendees object Telephone Hill demolition; Assembly approves pay raises and project funding.

Left to right: Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon stands as Municipal Attorney Emily Wright swears in Assembly member Ella Adkison, Greg Smith and Nano Brooks at the Assembly meeting on Monday, Oct. 27. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)
Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire
The digital billboard on Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé says “Substitutes Wanted.”

Superintendent addresses school district successes, concerns

Graduation numbers are climbing, and staffing gaps are persisting.

Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire
The digital billboard on Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé says “Substitutes Wanted.”
Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, right, hands KC Kreger, left, a trespass letter asking him to leave the Assembly meeting on Monday, Oct. 27. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire

Juneau Police escort man from Assembly meeting for alleged threatening behavior against city officials

KC Kreger was asked to leave the meeting after his arrest at City Hall earlier this month.

Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, right, hands KC Kreger, left, a trespass letter asking him to leave the Assembly meeting on Monday, Oct. 27. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire
Close up view of an adult male mountain goat in late-winter, near Juneau Icefield, Alaska. In the background, steep avalanche prone slopes are visible. (Photo by Kevin White)

Avalanche lessons from mountain goats: A study of ‘Life on the Edge’

Wildlife biologist Kevin White shared the relationship between mountain goats and avalanches.

Close up view of an adult male mountain goat in late-winter, near Juneau Icefield, Alaska. In the background, steep avalanche prone slopes are visible. (Photo by Kevin White)
Young people cutting salmon at the First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Conference, which took place in Anchorage from Oct. 12-15. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Angerman).

Tlingit & Haida expands Traditional Food Program with new grant

A $25,000 award will help the Tribe upgrade equipment, fund harvests and strengthen food education.

Young people cutting salmon at the First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Conference, which took place in Anchorage from Oct. 12-15. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Angerman).
A sign urging Juneau residents to vote yes on Propositions 1 and 2 remains posted downtown on Oct. 21, when final municipal election results were released. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)

Municipal election results are in: Voters approve tax cuts, new city leaders

Certified municipal election results were released Tuesday afternoon.

A sign urging Juneau residents to vote yes on Propositions 1 and 2 remains posted downtown on Oct. 21, when final municipal election results were released. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)
Snow geese fly over Gustavos Beach Meadows. This photo was the winner of May art show in Gustavus. (Photo by James Mackovjak, Lituya@gmail.com)

Southeast Alaska Land Trust deal protects coastal wetlands

An easement for land along the Icy Strait safeguards habitat and preserves public access

Snow geese fly over Gustavos Beach Meadows. This photo was the winner of May art show in Gustavus. (Photo by James Mackovjak, Lituya@gmail.com)
Protesters stand amidst the rain and fog at the “No Tsars, No Kings” protest on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Overstreet Park. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)

Juneau ‘No Tsars, No Kings’ protest draws hundreds on Alaska Day

More than 1,000 protesters gathered at Overstreet Park.

Protesters stand amidst the rain and fog at the “No Tsars, No Kings” protest on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Overstreet Park. (Mari Kanagy/Juneau Empire)
The emergency cold weather warming shelter is seen in Thane in spring 2025. (Jasz Garrett file photo)

Warming shelter opens for the winter

The shelter is open to all for overnight stays

The emergency cold weather warming shelter is seen in Thane in spring 2025. (Jasz Garrett file photo)
Example of fentanyl pills. (Photo courtesy of DEA)

Juneau man arrested after $111,000 in narcotics seized

Investigators say the package contained 219 grams of fentanyl and other drugs

Example of fentanyl pills. (Photo courtesy of DEA)
Joe Yeilnaawú Zuboff performs Yéik Utee (Imitating the Spirits) at the Sealaska Heritage Institute ceremony on Monday. "We're calling on our ancestors, the ones before us that got us to this point we're to give thanks to them," Zuboff said. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

PHOTOS: Indigenous Peoples Day at the Sealaska Heritage Institute

The ceremony featured dancing, speaches and gifts

Joe Yeilnaawú Zuboff performs Yéik Utee (Imitating the Spirits) at the Sealaska Heritage Institute ceremony on Monday. "We're calling on our ancestors, the ones before us that got us to this point we're to give thanks to them," Zuboff said. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)
Former Juneau Police Department officer Brandon LeBlanc kneels beside man after violent arrest on July 30, as seen in police body cam footage. (Juneau Police Department screenshot)

State clears former Juneau police officer of charges in violent July arrest

The state said they likely could not prove that the officer’s use of force was unjustified.

Former Juneau Police Department officer Brandon LeBlanc kneels beside man after violent arrest on July 30, as seen in police body cam footage. (Juneau Police Department screenshot)
The Norwegian Encore at the Alaska Steamship Wharf on Tuesday, the final cruise ship of the season. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

2025 Juneau cruise season comes to a close

The last cruise of the season came and went amid ongoing debate over tourism’s impact

The Norwegian Encore at the Alaska Steamship Wharf on Tuesday, the final cruise ship of the season. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Electric Light & Power facility in Lemon Creek on Tuesday afternoon. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Juneau returns to hydropower after outage sweeps city

The outage briefly shifted the city to generators, but no spike in power costs expected

Alaska Electric Light & Power facility in Lemon Creek on Tuesday afternoon. (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)
National Weather Service screenshot
Warning issued by the National Weather Service shows high flood risk along west and north coasts of Alaska.

Governor declares disaster as storm floods west and north Alaska communities

Governor Mike Dunleavy declared the 2025 October West Coast Storm a disaster this afternoon, after flooding hit communities along Alaska’s west and north coasts. Flooding… Continue reading

National Weather Service screenshot
Warning issued by the National Weather Service shows high flood risk along west and north coasts of Alaska.
The ballot processing center in Thane receives all ballots on Election Day (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)

Updated unofficial election results show sales tax cuts hold strong, candidate leads widening

Only one position has changed, while the rest remain consistent with first round results

The ballot processing center in Thane receives all ballots on Election Day (Mari Kanagy / Juneau Empire)