Peter Segall

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A health care worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. There's concern that COVID-19 vaccination could be made mandatory by businesses for activities such as travel-- or employment. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Without a vaccine mandate exemptions are untested

Legal gray area.

A health care worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. There's concern that COVID-19 vaccination could be made mandatory by businesses for activities such as travel-- or employment. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Longtime Alaska law enforcement official Jim Cockrell, seen here in an undated photo in his role as a colonel with the Alaska State Troopers, was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

Dunleavy appoints new Public Safety Commissioner

Law enforcement veteran to lead state’s public safety department.

Longtime Alaska law enforcement official Jim Cockrell, seen here in an undated photo in his role as a colonel with the Alaska State Troopers, was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Juneau’s downtown waterfront sits empty Monday. In a typical year, businesses would be getting ready for the flood of local tourists. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, Alaska’s cruise ship season remains uncertain.

New guidelines for cruise ships, but Alaska’s still off the itinerary

Maritime law cuts off Alaskan tourism.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Juneau’s downtown waterfront sits empty Monday. In a typical year, businesses would be getting ready for the flood of local tourists. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, Alaska’s cruise ship season remains uncertain.
Doug Woodby, co-chair of environmental group 350Juneau, holds up a letter addressed to the CEO of Wells Fargo alongside Irene Alexakos and Dick Farnell, wearing the costume. The group delivered the letter urging divestment from the fossil fuel industry to the bank's branch in downtown Juneau on Friday, April 2, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Costume-clad conservationist calls on banks to divest from fossil fuels

Tyrannosaurus checks.

Doug Woodby, co-chair of environmental group 350Juneau, holds up a letter addressed to the CEO of Wells Fargo alongside Irene Alexakos and Dick Farnell, wearing the costume. The group delivered the letter urging divestment from the fossil fuel industry to the bank's branch in downtown Juneau on Friday, April 2, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department displayed on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. The state is suing prescription drug companies, accusing them of helping to fuel a drug crisis in the state. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

State sues drug companies over opioids

Not Alaska’s first opioid lawsuit.

Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department displayed on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. The state is suing prescription drug companies, accusing them of helping to fuel a drug crisis in the state. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
The banner at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case on display at the Newseum in Washington D.C. The banner's owner was unable to find it a home in Juneau, and it's been sent to the First Amendment Museum in Maine. (Wikicommons)

Banner at center of Supreme Court case leaves Juneau

Student speech still relevant.

The banner at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case on display at the Newseum in Washington D.C. The banner's owner was unable to find it a home in Juneau, and it's been sent to the First Amendment Museum in Maine. (Wikicommons)
House lawmakers are hoping to see at least some cruise ship passengers like these seen in this Sept. 2017 file photo, and passed a resolution urging Congress and the president to take action on behalf of Alaska's tourist sector. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

House OKs resolution urging federal action to allow cruise ships to come to Alaska

Juneau’s lawmakers say tourism needed for Southeast.

House lawmakers are hoping to see at least some cruise ship passengers like these seen in this Sept. 2017 file photo, and passed a resolution urging Congress and the president to take action on behalf of Alaska's tourist sector. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A person holds their thumb over a fingerprint sensor to log into an application. Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday introduced a bill that would make companies that collect and sell private information have to receive user's consent first. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

New bill would allow Alaskans to know when data is collected

Governor introduced Consumer Data Privacy Act on Wednesday.

A person holds their thumb over a fingerprint sensor to log into an application. Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday introduced a bill that would make companies that collect and sell private information have to receive user's consent first. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Deputy commissioner to fill in for Tshibaka

Departure effective immediately.

The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A fishing vessel is dwarfed by the Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl in Juneau’s downtown harbor in September 2014. A resolution urging federal action on maritime laws was held up by House Republicans with legal concerns. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

House Republicans balk at cruise ship waiver language

Will they waive them through?

A fishing vessel is dwarfed by the Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl in Juneau’s downtown harbor in September 2014. A resolution urging federal action on maritime laws was held up by House Republicans with legal concerns. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 26, 2021, to announce the state’s intention to begin management of over 800,000 miles of submerged lands as affirmed in a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

State demands right to manage submerged lands

‘Enough is enough.’

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 26, 2021, to announce the state’s intention to begin management of over 800,000 miles of submerged lands as affirmed in a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

House passes emergency declaration bill

Ongoing issues.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers clash on how to manage pandemic

Disaster debate shows deep divisions.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Sens. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left and Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, questioned acting Attorney General Treg Taylor about the administration’s approach to legal matters at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, March 23, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

AG defends pandemic emergency orders during hearing

Liberties can be limited.

Sens. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left and Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, questioned acting Attorney General Treg Taylor about the administration’s approach to legal matters at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, March 23, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The sign for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Juneau on March 18, 2021. Had a proposal to close six rural DMVs gone through, Juneau woud be the closest DMV for residents in Haines, who aren't able to drive there. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Public pushback puts pause on DMV proposal

I want my DMV.

The sign for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Juneau on March 18, 2021. Had a proposal to close six rural DMVs gone through, Juneau woud be the closest DMV for residents in Haines, who aren't able to drive there. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The shelves at the Southeast Alaska Food Bank were full on Feb. 18, 2021, as food banks around the state have been working hard to meet extra demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but starting in April its possible the state could lose $8 million a month in federal food stamp benefits. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Looming benefit loss causes food security concerns

Two bills are being considered to keep increased food stamp benefits.

The shelves at the Southeast Alaska Food Bank were full on Feb. 18, 2021, as food banks around the state have been working hard to meet extra demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but starting in April its possible the state could lose $8 million a month in federal food stamp benefits. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Volunteers with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network perform a necropsy on a beached humpback whale on Kuzof Island on Thursday, March 18, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network)

Beached humpback provides rare opportunity for scientists

Volunteers led by UAS researchers dissect whale near Sitka.

Volunteers with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network perform a necropsy on a beached humpback whale on Kuzof Island on Thursday, March 18, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network)
Rep. Chris Kurka, R-Wasilla, leaves the chambers of the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, March 19, 2021, after an hour of delays concerning the wording on his mask. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Mask rules standoff derails House floor session

Rescheduled for Saturday.

Rep. Chris Kurka, R-Wasilla, leaves the chambers of the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, March 19, 2021, after an hour of delays concerning the wording on his mask. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The MV Matanuska awaits repairs at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal on Thursday as lawmakers at the state Capitol debated whether the Alaska Marine Highway System was actually a highway. A bill that would shape long-term planning for the system passed out of committee.

Bill that would reshape AMHS leadership moves forward

Ideological divide over the word ‘highway.’

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The MV Matanuska awaits repairs at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal on Thursday as lawmakers at the state Capitol debated whether the Alaska Marine Highway System was actually a highway. A bill that would shape long-term planning for the system passed out of committee.
The Juneau School District, it’s headquarters seen here in this Juneau Empire file photo, will receive a portion of Alaska’s more than $358 million in federal relief money for schools. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

Alaska to receive over $358 million to reopen schools

Reopen “quickly and safely.”

The Juneau School District, it’s headquarters seen here in this Juneau Empire file photo, will receive a portion of Alaska’s more than $358 million in federal relief money for schools. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)