Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Assembly members and city administrators confer during a finance committee meeting Wednesday night about specific wording for portions of a proposed financial bailout package for the Juneau School District. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly members back $4M loan, taking over 3.9M in costs to fix school district’s 7.9M deficit

District still facing steep cuts such as school consolidations to prevent future shortfalls.

Juneau Assembly members and city administrators confer during a finance committee meeting Wednesday night about specific wording for portions of a proposed financial bailout package for the Juneau School District. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Attendees at the Southeast Conference Mid-Session Summit listen to a live video speech by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Report: Juneau second-best summer job place in U.S. for youths — in part because there are fewer of them

Update of annual Southeast Alaska economic report features other contrasting up-and-down trends

Attendees at the Southeast Conference Mid-Session Summit listen to a live video speech by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Chief Justice Peter J. Maassen delivers his first State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Chief justice highlights permanent changes resulting from pandemic in first State of the Judiciary speech

Increasing use of remote hearings, other technology cited as long-term positives for efficiency.

Alaska Chief Justice Peter J. Maassen delivers his first State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Venietia Bingham, owner of V’s Cellar Door, testifies in opposition to a resolution seeking to nearly double the number of licenses for establishments allowed to serve alcohol during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Proposal to nearly double places in Juneau able to serve alcohol delayed by Assembly until November

Existing establishments worry about impact of seasonal operators; supporters cite new opportunities.

Venietia Bingham, owner of V’s Cellar Door, testifies in opposition to a resolution seeking to nearly double the number of licenses for establishments allowed to serve alcohol during a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Caden Johns (#5), seen here in a Dec. 16, 2023, game against Palmer High School, was the lone JDHS player named to the all-tournament team during the Division II state hockey tournament in that concluded Saturday in Soldotna. Luke Bovitz (#4) was one of two key players missing during the tournament due to injuries. The Crimson Bears finished fourth in the tournament. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Crimson Bears finish hockey season with pair of wins to finish fourth at DII state tournament

Caden Johns makes all-tournament team as JDHS rebounds from opening loss that thwarted title hopes.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Caden Johns (#5), seen here in a Dec. 16, 2023, game against Palmer High School, was the lone JDHS player named to the all-tournament team during the Division II state hockey tournament in that concluded Saturday in Soldotna. Luke Bovitz (#4) was one of two key players missing during the tournament due to injuries. The Crimson Bears finished fourth in the tournament. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau School District administrators and board members listen to a presentation about the district’s multi-million deficit during a Jan. 9 meeting. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

School board asks city to take over $4 million in ‘shared costs,’ provide zero-interest loan

Request to be evaluated by Assembly members Wednesday as district tries to fix budget crisis.

Juneau School District administrators and board members listen to a presentation about the district’s multi-million deficit during a Jan. 9 meeting. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Multiple vehicles line up at the entrance of Waste Management’s Capitol Disposal Landfill in Lemon Creek on Jan. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

Landfill fees rising 9% for residential trash, nearly tripling for metal, starting March 1

Increase follows near-tripling of rates last year that’s blamed for widespread illegal dumping.

Multiple vehicles line up at the entrance of Waste Management’s Capitol Disposal Landfill in Lemon Creek on Jan. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
Capital Transit buses will operate on revised schedules starting Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Changes to Capital Transit routes including Riverside Drive, Vintage Business Park start Monday

New schedule includes rerouting bus near school on Back Loop Road where safety upgrades occurring.

Capital Transit buses will operate on revised schedules starting Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
An extended advisory forecasting up to eight more inches of snow by 9 a.m. Sunday, in addition to about four inches of snow that fell between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, is issued by the National Weather Service Juneau at 12:50 p.m. Saturday. (National Weather Service Juneau)

Advisory for latest weekend storm extended, with more than a foot of snow possible by 9 a.m. Sunday

Storm that began Friday night continues pattern that led to record snowfall in January.

An extended advisory forecasting up to eight more inches of snow by 9 a.m. Sunday, in addition to about four inches of snow that fell between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, is issued by the National Weather Service Juneau at 12:50 p.m. Saturday. (National Weather Service Juneau)
Wade Bryson answers a call during the final live episode of the KINY-AM show “Problem Corner” on Friday morning. The show that began about 70 years ago, making it the longest-running radio program in Alaska’s history, is being replaced on weekdays with music programming after new owners purchased all of Juneau’s commercial radio stations last year. A weekly podcast version of “Problem Corner” that is broadcast on Saturdays and available on-demand is scheduled to debut Feb. 17. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Final ‘Problem Corner’ live broadcast features tributes, tirades, tires for sale and news of a new podcast

Host: Alaska’s longest-running radio show at about 70 years old to offer a weekly non-live program.

Wade Bryson answers a call during the final live episode of the KINY-AM show “Problem Corner” on Friday morning. The show that began about 70 years ago, making it the longest-running radio program in Alaska’s history, is being replaced on weekdays with music programming after new owners purchased all of Juneau’s commercial radio stations last year. A weekly podcast version of “Problem Corner” that is broadcast on Saturdays and available on-demand is scheduled to debut Feb. 17. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Smoke emits from a fire at Mike Hatch Sales And Service on North Douglas Highway on Thursday night. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)
Smoke emits from a fire at Mike Hatch Sales And Service on North Douglas Highway on Thursday night. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)

‘Heavy fire’ damages Mike Hatch Sales And Service on North Douglas Highway

Road blocked as fire department sends large-scale response; fire “knocked down” at about 7:20 p.m.

Smoke emits from a fire at Mike Hatch Sales And Service on North Douglas Highway on Thursday night. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)
Smoke emits from a fire at Mike Hatch Sales And Service on North Douglas Highway on Thursday night. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)
Felix Toner, a Juneau resident who was active in fighting efforts to move the capital, was named Citizen of the Year award at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet on Jan. 30, 1984. (Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire file photo)
Felix Toner, a Juneau resident who was active in fighting efforts to move the capital, was named Citizen of the Year award at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet on Jan. 30, 1984. (Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau School District leaders hold up signs for subgroups they are leading during a Community Budget Input Session at Thunder Mountain High School on Wednesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Cost-cutting school consolidation options concerning to teachers, parents and students

Participants in first community budget meeting worry big changes will have wide-ranging impacts.

Juneau School District leaders hold up signs for subgroups they are leading during a Community Budget Input Session at Thunder Mountain High School on Wednesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the recommended decision for expanding the mine announced Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The expansion would extend the life of the mine up to 18 years. The tailings stack is significantly larger in two other proposed alternatives that would expand the mine’s life up to 40 years. (U.S. Forest Service)

Draft USFS decision extends production of Hecla Greens Creek Mine for 12 to 18 years

Expansion of Admiralty Island mine includes heightened mitigation and monitoring, agency reports.

A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the recommended decision for expanding the mine announced Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The expansion would extend the life of the mine up to 18 years. The tailings stack is significantly larger in two other proposed alternatives that would expand the mine’s life up to 40 years. (U.S. Forest Service)
The National Weather Service Juneau station has received more than 10 inches of snow as of 6 a.m Thursday from a storm that started Wednesday afternoon. (Screenshot from video by NWS Juneau)

Juneau appears to break January snowfall record; remote learning day for schools, city opens at 11 a.m.

Unofficial total of 76.8 inches of snow at the airport tops 75.2 inches that fell in 2009.

The National Weather Service Juneau station has received more than 10 inches of snow as of 6 a.m Thursday from a storm that started Wednesday afternoon. (Screenshot from video by NWS Juneau)
Members of the Juneau Assembly and Juneau Board of Education, along with top administrators for the city and school district, meet jointly to discuss the district’s financial crisis on Tuesday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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City leaders say they’ll help school district solve financial crisis, but express anger at situation

Loan and taking over millions in service costs proposed — which could result in a mill rate increase.

Members of the Juneau Assembly and Juneau Board of Education, along with top administrators for the city and school district, meet jointly to discuss the district’s financial crisis on Tuesday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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A winter storm warning for the Juneau area is forecasting up to 14 inches of snow between 3 p.m. Wednesday and 3 p.m. Thursday. (National Weather Service Juneau)

Sounds like a broken record (literally?): Up to 14” of snow forecast starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday

Juneau 5.2 inches shy of the snowfall record for January as of Monday.

A winter storm warning for the Juneau area is forecasting up to 14 inches of snow between 3 p.m. Wednesday and 3 p.m. Thursday. (National Weather Service Juneau)
Members of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s hockey team look to get the puck out of their end of the rink during Saturday’s game against Houston High School at Treadwell Arena. (Photo courtesy of Bailey Hensen)

Crimson Bears get tough tuneup entering hockey playoffs

JDHS, ranked fourth, loses final two regular season games to top-ranked Houston High School.

Members of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s hockey team look to get the puck out of their end of the rink during Saturday’s game against Houston High School at Treadwell Arena. (Photo courtesy of Bailey Hensen)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola addresses supporters during a campaign meet-and-greet Saturday night at the Crystal Saloon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Peltola gets early exposure to pluses, perils of reelection campaign during week with stop in Juneau

Large crowds enthusiastic at first 2024 events, but people challenging her on Gaza cause disruptions

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola addresses supporters during a campaign meet-and-greet Saturday night at the Crystal Saloon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Michael J. Burns Building, whose tenants include the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., is being evaluated as a relocation site for some or all of the City and Borough of Juneau’s downtown offices, including the Assembly Chambers. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Moving city offices to ‘PFD building’ gets conceptual OK from Assembly members

Search for existing space to relocate follows failed ballot measures to fund new city hall.

The Michael J. Burns Building, whose tenants include the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., is being evaluated as a relocation site for some or all of the City and Borough of Juneau’s downtown offices, including the Assembly Chambers. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)