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An assortment of furniture, clothing and other household items are exposed to the elements at Mill Campground after being left behind by residents who departed ahead of the campground’s closing last October. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Surge in illegal homeless activity prompts city to look at moving Mill Campground

Lot next to cold weather shelter considered after report cites drug use, violence, other trouble.

An aerial view of Fairbanks, Alaska, is seen in summer in an undated photo. An Alaska State Troopers photo of the yard of a house in more rural area north of the city was the subject of an Alaska Supreme Court ruling. (Photo by Jacob Boomsma via Getty Images Plus)

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Alaska Supreme Court bars police zoom-lens aerial photos of residents’ lawns without warrants

Justices focus on privacy; Department of Public Safety doesn’t see ruling affecting current programs.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

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Police calls for Thursday, March 7, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Fishing boats are lined up on Oct. 3, 2022, at a dock at Kodiak’s St. Paul Harbor. Alaska’s fishing industry is being battered by competition from vast quantities of Russian fish, inflation that has reduced seafood demand and other factors. State legislative leaders are proposing a task force to come up with some policy responses to help the industry and those who depend on it. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

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Leading Alaska legislators propose task force to help rescue a seafood industry ‘in a tailspin’

Russian fish flooding global markets and other economic forces beyond the state’s border have created dire conditions for…

Amber Frommherz, a member of the Juneau Board of Education, expresses concerns about next year’s proposed budget during a special meeting Thursday night at Thunder Mountain High School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

School board votes 4-3 to reconsider consolidation plan merging high and middle schools

Motion allows amending plan next week, despite concern by some officials budget is also due then.

The sun remains well above the horizon at about 8 p.m. in May of 2022 at the National Shrine of St. Thérèse. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Alaskans fighting healthy battle to prevent Daylight Saving Time, but it’s here again nonetheless

Clocks move an hour forward at 2 a.m. Sunday as legislation establishing year-round time debated.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Police calls for Wednesday, March 6, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Alaska House Education Committee is seen on Monday, March 20, 2023. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Disagreements between Alaska House Republicans stalled education work for three weeks

House Education Committee hasn’t met since Feb. 14, denying Dunleavy channel of support for his ideas

The front page of the Juneau Empire on March 3, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of March 9

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Juneau School District administrators and school board members discuss the district’s proposed budget for next year during a special meeting Thursday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire) Juneau School District administrators and school board members discuss the district’s proposed budget for next year during a special meeting Thursday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Proposed school district budget for next year cuts 12% of employees, increases class sizes

Pupil-teacher ratio of 30 — or 4 to 5 extra kids per class — proposed for all grades…

Steven Arends (left) feeds Joshua Midgett in Juneau Ghost Light Theatre’s production of “Bat Boy: The Musical,” which is being staged through March 17 at Thunder Mountain High School. (Cam Byrnes/ Juneau Ghost Light Theatre)

News

“Bat Boy: The Musical” gets nuclear family treatment from Juneau Ghost Light Theatre

Production scheduled to debut Friday, continue through March 17, at TMHS auditorium.

Voters line up on Tuesday during Alaska’s Republican Presidential Preference Poll. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Former President Donald Trump wins Alaska Republican poll

Juneau voters opt for Trump over Haley by 309-57 vote.

Freshly made beds are seen in an unoccupied room at the Fairbanks emergency shelter, Interior Alaska center for Non-Violent Living on Oct. 14, 2023. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

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Alaska domestic violence and sexual assault victims services face $4M funding gap

As major source of federal funding dwindles, state programs seek state money to continue care.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Police calls for Monday, March 4, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Police calls for Tuesday, March 5, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

A blueprint shows plans for a geotechnical exploration/bathymetry survey scheduled at Cascade Point this summer for a proposed ferry terminal. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

News

Cascade Point ferry terminal may be ready by ’25, but AMH board members skeptical about its usefulness

“The compelling reason for this is still escaping me,” one member says during project update Tuesday

Angie Flick (center), finance director for the City and Borough of Juneau, presents an overview of local property value assessments during a meeting of the Assembly’s Finance Committee on Wednesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau residential property assessments rise 1.66% in 2023, compared to 16% in 2022, preliminary data shows

Cooling of housing market results in lower increase, CBJ’s finance director says.

About 15 members of the group Juneau for Palestine are among the residents showing up the public testimony portion of a Juneau Assembly meeting on Feb. 5. Members of the group also attended Monday’s Assembly meeting to reiterate their call for a resolution seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.(Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Assembly members express support for peace in Gaza conflict, decline to support resolution

Calls for a ceasefire by residents at recent meetings, rally prompts local leaders to weigh in.

A sign objecting to the Juneau School District’s consolidation plan is displayed by an audience member during a Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night as members consider a $9.7 million bailout package to help solve the district’s financial crisis. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Assembly approves $9.7M bailout package for school district

Superintendent says some layoffs, other cuts can be reversed if increase in state funding occurs

Josh Fortenbery records a song from his debut album “No Such Thing as Forever” while sitting in an improvised sound isolation booth at the KTOO studios in early 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Struggles of isolation and support of community come together for launch of debut album

Josh Fortenbery’s “No Such Thing As Forever” available Friday, with two-show release party Saturday.