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Carol Beecher, the new director of the Alaska Division of Elections, answers questions from reporters on Feb. 16. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska to stay with voter fraud prevention network as other Republican states drop out

Other states are leaving ERIC, often based on unfounded 2020 election allegations

Pedestrians cross by the newly repainted rainbow sidewalk downtown on Thursday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Clear June skies mean rainbow crosswalk repainting downtown

“The community support for this and the support for this from visitors continues to grow.”

Wanda Fleming, a Juneau resident since 1973, eats dinner Wednesday with other new residents at the Riverview Senior Living complex. Fleming said she has been following the facility’s progress since she first read about it in 2021 and was among the first four residents to move in. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Riverview Senior Living complex opens

Initial group of residents and staff bond quickly, say facility helps address a critical shortage

City and Borough of Juneau administration and Assembly members smile for a picture during the Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night, which was city Finance Director Jeff Rogers last finance meeting after serving four years in his position. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Assembly and chamber bid farewell to outgoing city finance director

Jeff Rogers will depart from his position at the end of June.

Fenton Jacobs, 42, was sentenced to 53 years in prison Tuesday after being found guilty of a number of charges from his involvement in a 2019 stabbing. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

News

Man sentenced to 53 years for fatal downtown stabbing

The sentencing follows a guilty verdict last June for the 2019 crime.

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly member Greg Smith smiles Thursday afternoon while walking across the rainbow crosswalk recently repainted in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Assembly member Greg Smith

“For me it’s about acceptance, respect and understanding where people are in their lives.”

Key Bank was one of the banks victimized by a Juneau man who pleaded guilty Thursday to federal theft charges after stealing nearly $580,000 from multiple banks and credit unions between 2019 and 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Juneau man pleads guilty to nearly $580,000 bank fraud

He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on March 7 in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Opinion

Opinion: Sullivan’s complaints about debt ceiling deal reveal hypocrisy about government spending

Before Sen. Dan Sullivan voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act, he praised House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for…

Former President Donald Trump listens as he speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, in Waco, Texas, on March 25 while en route to West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

News

Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president

MIAMI — Donald Trump said Thursday that he was indicted for mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate,…

Capital City Fire/Rescue officials respond to a trailer fire that was reported at the Switzer Village Mobile Home Park in the Lemon Creek area Wednesday afternoon. No one was in the trailer at the time of the fire, and no injuries have been reported, officials say. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

CCFR: Wiring failure causes trailer fire in Lemon Creek area

Damages are estimated to be around $10,000 and the owner did not have insurance, officials say.

A graph shows how Southeast Alaska businesses feel about the region’s business climate in surveys conducted since 2010. Meilani Schijvens, owner and director of Rain Coast Data, said the survey she conducted this year shows the most optimistic responses in the annual survey’s history. (Rain Coast Data)

News

Optimism of Southeast Alaska businesses hits 14-year high

Annual survey shows 73% of businesses positive about business climate, but some sectors less hopeful

Boats jockey for position minutes before the opening of the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery on March 23, 2014, in Sitka, Alaska. Sitka is the home port for a charter fishing boat that sank in nearby waters killing three and leaving two lost at sea in late May 2023. The tragedy has put a spotlight on the safety of southeast Alaska’s vibrant charter fishing industry and on the port town of Sitka, where charter operators charge thousands of dollars per person for guided fishing trips. (James Poulson/The Daily Sitka Sentinel via AP, File)

News

Tragedy that left 5 dead or missing puts spotlight on safety in Alaska charter fishing industry

Morgan Robidou posed next to the bright aluminum hull of his prized new vessel, a 30-foot (9-meter) fishing…

Capital City Fire/ Rescue respond to a structure fire Tuesday morning in the Fritz Cove area near Fox Farm Trail. No injuries were reported. (CCFR)

News

‘It’s like a bombshell’: Cigarette causes substantial damage to house in Fritz Cove area

“I’m just getting what’s salvageable out of there.”

A progress pride flag flies in the wind below an U.S. flag outside of the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building on Monday evening. Last week the flag was raised for the first time by members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and will remain up through the month of June. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

LGBTQ+ pride flag raised at federal building sparks backlash, support

Varying reactions to the flag that was raised for the first time outside the building.

Water and wastewater rates in the City and Borough of Juneau will increase 2% starting July 1. (Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)

News

Water, wastewater rates to increase starting July 1

The 2% increase is to match inflationary costs, city says.

A lifeboat from the Sapphire Princess cruise ship loads passengers and crew from the Wilderness Discoverer after an engine fire on the vessel Monday morning. No significant injuries were reported and U.S. Coast Guard officials said the disabled vessel will be towed to Ketchikan. (Photo by Dan Reilly)

News

Nearly 70 people rescued after engine fire aboard small cruise ship in Glacier Bay

No significant injuries reported as large cruise ship, Coast Guard respond to disabled vessel Monday

The Dusky Rock sits at Aurora Harbor on Saturday morning. The vessel was towed there from Sandy Beach on Friday evening after three people died within a three-day period aboard the vessel while anchored offshore. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Police continue investigation into three ‘unusual’ deaths on boat anchored off Sandy Beach

Causes of the deaths remain undetermined, police say Monday.

Courtesy Photo / Chris Blake The <strong>Hōkūleʻa</strong>, a double-hulled and wind-powered traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, navigates throughout Southeast Alaska in May. On Saturday the canoe and crew members will be welcomed to Juneau in preparation for the canoes launch days later for its four-year-long global canoe voyage called the <strong>Moananuiākea</strong>.

News

Celebration of four-year Polynesian canoe voyage to kick off Saturday at Auke Bay

Voyage set to circumnavigate 43,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean beginning in Juneau.

Cars and people move past the City and Borough of Juneau current City Hall downtown on Monday. The Assembly Committee of the Whole unanimously OK’d an ordinance Monday night that, if passed by the full Assembly, would again ask Juneau voters during the upcoming municipal election whether to approve $27 million in bond debt to fund the construction of a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Voters could see proposal for a new City Hall back on the ballot this fall

City signals support for $27 million initiative, after $35M bond last year fails.

TMHS senior Mallory Welling, running for team North/Southeast, competes in the 100 hurdles at the Brian Young Invitational on Saturday in Kodiak. (Photo courtesy Brandi Adams)

Sports

Local athletes qualify for Junior Olympics

Southeast track stars impress at Kodiak’s Brian Young Invitational