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Lt. Krag Campbell with the Juneau Police Department smiles for a photo outside of City Hall on Sept. 26, when he was interviewed as one of two finalists for police chief. Campbell on Tuesday was named JPD’s new deputy chief as of Jan. 1, serving under new Chief Derek Bos who is scheduled to start Feb. 1. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Krag Campbell, runner-up for JPD’s new chief, named deputy chief starting Jan. 1

21-year veteran of department will serve as acting chief until Derek Bos takes over Feb. 1

A crane unloads a car from a used gondola after its arrival in Juneau last year. Eaglecrest Ski Area officials say they are hoping the gondola will be operational by the 2025-26 winter ski season. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

News

Eaglecrest gondola needs more parts than expected as prices for them soar

Ski area manager says installation possible without extra city funds via ‘alternative procurement.’

SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium’s (SEARHC) new Vintage Park Campus, under construction since the summer of 2022, is seen a few hours after opening for limited services on Tuesday morning. Work on some parts of the facility is scheduled to continue for the next month. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

SEARHC’s new Vintage Park Campus opens with limited services

Urgent care, imaging, lab work available now; optometry, pediatrics, primary care scheduled soon.

State Reps. Andi Story (foreground) and Sara Hannan, both Juneau Democrats wearing red blazers — reportedly by coincidence — greet visitors and family members during an annual holiday open house hosted by the local legislative delegation at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Making a list, checking it off thrice at holiday open house hosted by local legislative delegation

Visitors at Capitol share greetings and hopes for upcoming session with trio of Juneau lawmakers.

Mila Hargrave pitches for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé against Sitka High School on June 3 during the ASAA Division II State Softball Championships. (Courtesy of JDHS Softball)

Sports

JDHS all-star softball player to pitch for U.S. team at international tournament

Mila Hargrave selected for one of 16 teams at The Cup in the Netherlands next month.

People line up at the Ptarmigan lift on Sunday morning in the hope Eaglecrest Ski Area would begin limited operations during the day, but high winds prevented the lift from opening. The ski area is scheduled to begin its daily holiday schedule on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Sports

Eaglecrest’s attempted ‘early’ opening Sunday blown by wind, but ski area expects to open Wednesday

Heavy snow prompts effort for limited weekend opening after delays, but high winds prevent lift use.

Doug Chilton works on a canoe journey carving at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé in February of 2016. (Courtesy of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska)

News

Longtime Tlingit artist and activist Doug Chilton closing his shop Dec. 24, heading south

Juneau-born resident plans to return for One People Canoe Society trips he founded, other events.

Juneau and Palmer players fight for the puck near the Crimson Bears’ goal during Saturday night’s game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Palmer High School at Treadwell Arena. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS loses pair of games to Palmer in battle between top two teams in conference

Crimson Bears rebound from 5-1 defeat Friday, take Palmer to last minute of OT in 3-2 loss Saturday.

Paul Voelckers (left) offers farewell remarks along with Michael LeVine (right) during their last Juneau Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night. Listening to their remarks are commission members Mandy Cole — who was appointed to the board Thursday — and Erik Pedersen. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Three members appointed to both the planning commission and hospital board

James Kohn joins two incumbents on Bartlett board; Lacey Derr, Jessalyn Rintala new to commission.

Juneau School District Administrative Services Director Cassee Olin (center) appears with Karen Tarver (right), a partner with the audit firm Elgee Rehfeld, to discuss an audit of the Juneau School District’s previous fiscal year with the Juneau Board of Education on Nov. 14. Olin resigned from the district as of Dec. 1. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

School district seeks quick temporary help with budget after administrative services director quits

Cassee Olin resigns as district faces multimillion dollar deficit, audit that found flaws.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Alaska Attorney General Trig Taylor (foreground) discusses litigation the state Department of Law is involved with during Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s (left background) unveiling of his proposed budget during a press conference Thursday at the Alaska State Capitol.

News

Legislative Council votes to sue Dunleavy administration in state employee union dues case

Legislators say executive branch violated separation of powers with unauthorized spending.

Eaglecrest Ski Area employees clear snow from a lift chair on Sunday, when conditions for opening by this weekend seemed promising. But warmer and wet weather this week means the bottom of the mountain is still not ready for operation, although Eaglecrest Grill will be open this weekend for people wanting to access snow on the upper part of the mountain on their own. (Photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area.)

Sports

Eaglecrest won’t be open again this weekend — but its grill will be

Restaurant will be open for people wanting to hike to snow on upper parts of ski area, manager…

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 14, 1995. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Dec. 17

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy discussed his proposed state budget for next year during a press conference Thursday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Dunleavy’s proposed budget contains “full” PFD, no per-student education increase, $1B deficit

Revenue forecast also released calls for oil prices that could result in supplement to PFD.

An illustration shows a new Welcome Center and plaza area at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area as proposed in May. The facilities approved in a Notice of Decision on Thursday are similar, but are being relocated further from the face of the glacier to the existing commercial overflow parking lot. (Image from the Notice of Decision published by the U.S. Forest Service).

News

Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area improvement plan gets a final decision

New welcome center and outdoor amphitheater, more trails, no motorized boats in multiyear plan.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy greets visitors during the annual Holiday Open House at the Governor’s Residence on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Governor says proposed budget will be released Thursday, funds for new ferry will be included

Dunleavy also highlights initiatives to address “affordability” issues, and charter and home schools.

A school bus on Back Loop Road prepares to turn into the entrance to Mendenhall River Community School shortly before classes start on Wednesday morning. Juneau School District Superintendent Frank Hauser on Tuesday said he is asking state transportation officials to consider street lights and/or other safety improvements on the road following a collision last Thursday between a vehicle and three people walking to the school. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

School district asks state for safety improvements on Back Loop Road near school following collision

Superintendent says DOT safety engineer will discuss lights, crosswalk at local meeting in January.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball coach Jody Levernier takes a photo of players who are joined by family and friends during Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 28, at JDHS. On Tuesday the Juneau Board of Education unanimously approved changing the name of the gym to the George Houston Gymnasium, following the death earlier this year of the longtime local coach. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS gym renamed George Houston Gymnasium to honor longtime former basketball coach

School board’s unanimous vote occurs on night when dozens of title-winning athletes also honored.

An illustration shows the conceptual design for Gastineau Lodge Apartments in downtown Juneau, which the project’s applicant hopes will be ready for occupancy by the summer of 2025. (Image from documents submitted to the Juneau Planning Commission)

News

Apartment building on Gastineau Avenue gets Planning Commission OK despite fire department concerns

Project in landslide zone also shows effect of Assembly’s vote to eliminate development restrictions.

Juneau Nordic Ski Team members Erin Wallace, front, leads Aaron Blust and Anna Iverson in a pole-less skiing drill through fresh snow on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at the Mendenhall Campgrounds. The team has been granted interim high school “club” status to compete in the Alaska School Activities Association’s state championship for the first time in many years in February. (Nolin Ainsworth / Juneau Empire file photo)

Sports

Juneau’s high school Nordic ski team eligible to compete for state title for first time in many years

JDHS and TMHS approve combined team sanctioned to participate in upcoming ASAA tournament.