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The Southeast Alaska village of Metlakatla. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

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Biden administration could wade into lawsuit over Southeast Alaska tribal fishing rights

The Biden administration could jump into a high-profile lawsuit involving a Southeast Alaska Native community that’s fighting with…

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 4, 2005. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Dec. 10

Three decades of capital city coverage.

“The Phantom of the Opera” is screened with a live musical soundtrack at the Gold Town Theater in April. Three of the musicians are scheduled to perform Sunday during two screenings of the 1928 silent film “The Wind.” (Courtesy of Gold Town Theater)

News

This weekend’s lineup at the Gold Town Theater really blows

Xmas Bazaar Xtravaganza nearly sold out already, but seeing “The Wind” to live music a breeze.

Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, right, and former Rep. Christopher Kurka, R-Wasilla, saw ethics complaints against them dismissed on Nov. 29. (Photos by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Committee dismisses complaints that two Alaska lawmakers committed ethics violations

The body charged with policing the ethics of members of the Alaska House of Representatives has dismissed complaints…

This symbol is inside of the Alaska Department of Corrections office on Sept. 7, 2022, in Douglas. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska Police Standards Council turns down plan to lower hiring age of corrections officers — for now

The Alaska Police Standards Council voted down a regulation change that would allow the state to hire corrections…

“I voted” stickers await voters on Election Day 2022, the first regular general election in Alaska to include ranked choice voting. A petition to repeal such voting is now circulating, with an organization supporting it the target of a complaint filed this week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Complaint seeks to halt signature gathering by group aiming to repeal Alaska’s ranked voting system

Supporters of an effort to get rid of Alaska’s ranked choice voting system are accused of “intentional deception”…

A chart shows the proposed plans for each of the Alaska Marine Highway System’s nine ferries next summer under a schedule open for public comment until Dec. 19. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

News

Proposed ferry schedule for next summer looks a lot like this year’s — with one possible big exception

Cross-Gulf sailings will resume if enough crew hired; AMHS begins two-week public comment period.

The Juneau School District is entangled in a dispute with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development about supplemental funds the city provides for what the district calls non-instructional purposes such as after-school programs and pupil transportation. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

State seeks to change rules for ‘local contribution’ funds to school districts beyond the ‘cap’

Education department abandons challenge under existing state law to Juneau, other districts.

Snow falls on the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Funding gap looms for Alaska’s domestic violence programs, but need for services is as high as ever

A major source of funding for Alaska’s domestic violence response has decreased significantly in the past five years,…

Tree reflections and icy patterns on an East Glacier Trail pond Nov. 29. (Photo by Denise Carroll)

News

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of…

A bus parks outside the entrance of Foodland IGA during the Southeast Alaska Food Bank’s annual Caring is Sharing Food Drive on Nov. 18. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

SNAP benefits backlog surges past 12,000 applicants again due to technical, staffing woes

State reportedly cleared year-long 14,000-person backlog, only to have new crisis erupt.

A Hawaiian Airlines plane taxis for position at Kahalui, Hawaii, on the island of Maui, March 24, 2005. Alaska Air Group said Sunday that it agreed to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1 billion deal. (AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni, File)

News

Alaska Air to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal that may attract regulator scrutiny

SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines said Sunday it agreed to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal, including…

Hundreds walk the waterfront near Elizabeth Peratrovich Plaza during the 2023 Juneau Maritime Festival in early May. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Survey: Residents increasingly negative about cruise tourism, but positive opinions still prevail

48% of respondents say overall impacts positive, 22% negative after record-high passenger season.

Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe, located at the south end of the Mendenhall Mall, is closing at the end of the day Wednesday, leaving Juneau with one remaining independent pharmacy. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Closure of Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe reflects nationwide battle over prescription drug prices

Policymakers: “Middlemen” between drugmakers and retailers pocket profits to detriment of consumers.

Strips of chum salmon hang on a drying rack on Aug. 22, 2007. A new study by federal and state biologists identies marine heat waves in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska as the likely culprit in the recent crashes of Western Alaska chum salmon runs. (Photo by S.Zuray / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

News

Study points to concurrent marine heat waves as culprit in Western Alaska chum declines

Successive marine heat waves appear to have doomed much of the chum salmon swimming in the ocean waters…

A ConocoPhillips oil rig operating during winter on Alaska’s North Slope is featured on the cover of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s report recommending approval of the Willow oil project. (U.S. Bureau of Land Management)

News

Judge rejects calls to halt winter construction work on Willow oil project in Alaska during appeal

A federal judge in Alaska on Friday rejected requests from environmental groups to halt winter construction work for…

The Hubbard state ferry (left), the newest vessel in the Alaska Marine Highway System fleet, is back in service in northern Southeast Alaska after a maintenance period as the LeConte, which also serves the region, undergoes a scheduled annual overhaul until March 3. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Marine Highway System)

News

AMHS leaders hopeful staffing, sailings are trending up

More employees at key positions hired, restoration of cross-Gulf sailings next summer envisioned.

Cruise ship passengers walk around in downtown Juneau in late May. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Public suggestions for spending cruise ship passenger fees being accepted starting Monday

More than $21.6M available after record season, but proposals limited to cruise-related projects.

Varieties of kelp are seen underwater. A U.S. Department of Energy-funded project will investigate whether kelp and other seaweed in the waters off Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island can absorb significant amounts of rare earth elements that leach out from the Bokan Mountain site. (National Marine Sanctuary photo provided by NOAA)

News

Federally funded project will search for rare earth elements in Southeast Alaska seaweed

What if prized rare earth elements could be extracted from seaweed, avoiding the need to dig into the…

Fresh snow covers the surface of Eaglecrest Ski Area on Friday morning. General Manager Dave Scanlan said Thursday the plan is to open the ski area next Saturday. (Webcam photo courtesy of Eaglecrest Ski Area)

Sports

Eaglecrest manager says things look cool for upcoming season, despite delayed opening

Strong numbers for season pass sales, number of foreign student employees, business leaders told.