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Rosemarie Becker looks toward the parking lot during Floyd Dryden Middle School’s 50th anniversary celebration Wednesday. Her father, Ed Becker, looks on as they wait in the hot dog line. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

News

Floyd Dryden celebrates 50th birthday with flair

Hundreds show up at middle school for party with bouncy house, hot dogs and instrument petting zoo.

A group of people gather in front of the stone fireplace at Taku Lodge including Leigh Hackley “Hack” Smith, who inherited one-quarter of the estate from his grandparents at age nine, his mother Erie Smith next to fireplace on the right and Mary Joyce who took over the lodge when “Hack” died in 1934. (Courtesy of Ken and Mic Ward)

News

A centennial tribute to the people who built the Taku Glacier Lodge

The former hunting and fishing camp has gone through generations of owners and changes.

A cycle rickshaw passes the State Office Building in September of 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

State payroll department ‘one crisis away’ from workers going unpaid

Almost half of payroll processing jobs are unfilled, causing errors and delays

A Capital Transit bus makes its way downtown in August. The City and Borough of Juneau is considering a public transit bus to use as a winter warming shelter as it has received no bids to host a shelter. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

City considers overnight warming bus for homeless during winter

Temporary option in discussion as city faces no prospects to host winter warming shelter.

Fire blazes from an abandoned home in the Mendenhall Valley on Tuesday morning. Capital City Fire/Rescue officials are investigating the fire as a possible arson. (Courtesy of Capital City Fire/Rescue)

News

Tuesday morning house fire investigated as possible arson

No injuries were reported and the structure was unoccupied, officials say.

This rendering depicts Huna Totem Corp.’s proposed new cruise ship dock downtown that was approved for a conditional-use permit by the City and Borough of Juneau Planning Commission in early July. The project has since been appealed and following Assembly action Monday night will now be assigned to a hearing officer. (City and Borough of Juneau)

News

Assembly accepts appeal of new cruise ship dock permit, assigns hearing officer

Appeal process can take anywhere from six to nine months before a decision is made, attorney says.

Karen Wood (foreground) animal control director for Juneau Animal Control & Protection, and deputy director Andy Nelson examine cats being kept at the facility on Monday. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

News

Official: A ‘terrifically crazy year’ for stray cats in Juneau

41% increase in impounded cats for year ending June 30; 65% jump in dogs surrendered also reported.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new round of funding for rural broadband loans and grants. (Image by John Lamb/Getty Images)

News

Alaska gets nearly $100M from USDA for rural broadband

Hoonan/Angoon area among three statewide areas getting fiber and wireless connections.

The campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks is seen from the air on Sept. 20, 2022. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Former UAF student sues school, alleging injuries from hot sauce

Woman seeking more than $100,000 from incident in culinary arts class.

Pauline Plumb and Penny Saddler carry vegetables grown by fellow gardeners during the 29th Annual Juneau Community Garden Harvest Fair on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Soil smarts produce a bountiful crop

Growers and buyers share the dirt at 29th Annual Juneau Community Garden Harvest Fair.

Sam Hatch (left) and Amanda Hatch (right) show pictures of their flood-damaged home to Mike Macans, an individual assistance branch chief for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, at a newly opened disaster assistance center at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Monday. State and local officials are offering in-person assistance at the center through Wednesday to people affected by record flooding from Suicide Basin earlier this month. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Disaster assistance center opens at Mendenhall library for Suicide Basin flood victims

State and local officials offering immediate as well as longer-term help with aid requests.

A man died Sunday after falling off a fishing charter boat in Barlow Cove, located directly west of Auke Bay, according to the Alaska State Troopers. No foul play is suspected. (Map by the U.S. Forest Service)

News

Man dies after falling off fishing charter boat in Barlow Cove

No foul play suspected as 69-year-old Wisconsin passenger loses footing aboard vessel, officials say

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File Rows of houses line Douglas Highway in late May. On Monday the Assembly approved a program that will offer $13,500 to the first 16 eligible Juneau residents who apply with the city’s Accessory Dwelling Unit Grant Program to go toward constructing an accessory dwelling unit on their property.

News

City OKs program to give 16 residents $13.5K grants to build accessory dwelling unit

City to begin accepting applications later this week, manager says

Sarah Clark pushes a stroller with her 16-month-old daughter Faye across the finish line of the 5K course during the 32nd Annual Beat the Odds: A Race Against Cancer that started and ended at Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen Elementary School on Saturday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

A course in pushing together toward a common cause

More than 300 people run and walk in the 32nd Annual Beat the Odds: A Race Against Cancer

Anthony Garcia (22) celebrates with Juneau Huskies teammates after intercepting a pass with less than two minutes left in the third quarter against the Dimond High School Lynx on Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Field. The interception sparked a rapid 19-point rally by the Huskies, who were trailing 32-14 at the time, as they took a 33-32 lead with about 10 minutes in the fourth quarter before going on to lose by a final score of 40-33. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Big plays and a big rally for Huskies, but Dimond gets final score to win

Juneau scores TDs of 91, 73, 71 and 51 yards, turns 24-7 deficit into 33-32 lead before losing…

Members of the Glacier Valley Rotary Club clean thousands of ducks that have been in storage for four years in preparation for the annual Juneau Duck Derby scheduled Aug. 26 at Twin Lakes. (Photo courtesy of the Glacier Valley Rotary Club)

News

After four years, it’s finally time to duck again at Twin Lakes

Thousands of flightless fowl make return, will be dropped by helicopter during annual Duck Derby.

Tattoo artists make their marks on attendees at a Ink Masters Tattoo Show in Colorado. (Courtesy of Ink Masters)

News

Considering some permanent body art? Book early

Founders of Ink Masters bringing national expo to Juneau for the first time

This is a photo of the Juneau Police Department’s new armored security vehicle that arrived in March. (Courtesy / Krag Campbell)

News

Police department’s new $348K armored vehicle arrived in March

“At this time, we’re just not trying to show this vehicle off,” JPD spokesperson says.

Caution tape surrounds the exit of a slide located at the Project Playground at Twin Lakes Park Friday morning. Two slides were vandalized with bear spray earlier this week, resulting in multiple injuries. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

At least two children suffer injuries after going down slides covered in bear spray

An investigation is underway, no suspects have been identified at this time, police say.

The Hubbard state ferry remains in dock at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal on Friday after suffering generator problems that are expected to keep the ship out of service until Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Hubbard likely out of service until Monday due to generator problems

Newest state ferry suffers failure after carrying Buttigieg from Juneau to Haines.