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A channel flows through the mud flats along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm in Alaska on Oct. 25, 2014. Authorities said, a 20-year-old man from Illinois who was walking Sunday evening, May 21, 2023, on tidal mud flats with friends in an Alaska estuary, got stuck up to his waist in the quicksand-like silt and drowned as the tide came in before frantic rescuers could extract him. (Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News)

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Illinois man gets stuck waist-deep in Alaska mud flats, drowns as tide comes in

“…It’s Mother Nature, and she has no mercy for humanity.”

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. Alaska's push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, even as the state continues to embrace new fossil fuel production, including the controversial Willow oil project. (ConocoPhillips)

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‘Leap of faith:’ Alaska pursues carbon offset market while embracing oil

Alaska’s push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week…

Rep. Josiah Patkotak, I-Utqiagvik, explains the history of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska during an Alaska State House floor session in February. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

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America’s farthest-north state representative is planning to leave the Alaska Capitol

Patkotak says he’s running to be the next mayor of the North Slope Borough.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears freshman Peyton Wheeler, shown in earlier season action, had two goals and an assist at Ketchikan last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire File)

Sports

Crimson Bears girls tie and win at Kayhi

JDHS receives number four seed for state tournament.

On Monday the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed a motion in support of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s intention to rename the two blocks of South Seward Street between Front Street and Marine Way to Heritage Way. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

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City signals support for renaming South Seward Street

Sealaska Heritage Institute applied for it to be renamed to Heritage Way.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy signs legislation allowing the state to set up a carbon offset program Tuesday in Anchorage. Dunleavy signed the bill with Alaska lawmakers and administration officials standing behind him during the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

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Dunleavy signs carbon ‘trees’ bill at sustainable energy conference

National and state leaders discuss Alaska’s green market prospects in-state and internationally

A sign at the entrance of the Juneau International Airport’s short-term parking lot informs travelers that construction will begin May 31 and long-term parking will be closed the same day. The airport’s construction project will begin next Wednesday, May 31, for parking lot improvements, including repaving, new curbing, lighting and draining, as well as installing a new payment system in the short-term lot. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

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Airport to begin $10M parking improvement project next week

Parking will be limited during the summer and into the fall, officials say.

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Letters to the Editor

Opinion: Improvements are needed in mental health care and oversight

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority is presenting full-page updates touting the improvements in mental health care in…

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer at sea during the 2022 Caribbean Mapping expedition. The ship will be in Alaska waters for much of this year. (Anna Sagatov / NOAA)

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New mapping efforts seek to expand knowledge of Alaska’s waters

Around 70% of Alaska’s waters are unmapped…

Thunder Mountain junior third baseman Jack Lovejoy attempts to tag Juneau-Douglas senior base runner Amira Andrews during softball action Saturday at Melvin Park. Andrews was out on the play. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Crimson Bears top Lady Falcons in final home softball action

Tournament next for Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain

This is a photo of the Juneau International Airport in April 2023. A Montana man pleaded guilty last Wednesday to assaulting a flight crew member while aboard a flight from Sitka to Juneau in early April. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

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Man pleads guilty to assault of crew member while on flight to Juneau

The assault occurred on April 1, according to court documents.

Witty Youngman performs a set Saturday evening at Crystal Saloon during the Amplify Alaska Fundraising Festival on behalf of the Áak’w Rock Indigenous Music Festival scheduled in September. The event featuring five mini-concerts raised more than $5,000. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

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Stocking up for Aak’w Rock

Livestreamed multi-artist gig raises more than $5K for Indigenous music festival

This is a picture of the City and Borough of Juneau City Hall in October 2022. The Assembly Finance Committee OK’d $10 million in funding to go toward a City Hall project on Wednesday, more than six months after voters narrowly rejected a city ballot proposal to approve $35 million in bond debt to fund the majority of the construction cost for a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

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Assembly OKs $10M in funds for future City Hall project

The funding could go toward building a new one or renovating the current building.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Tobin Montalbo, far right, cheers his 4x400 teammates on as senior Robbie Gabel sprints to pass the baton to junior Wilder Dillingham in the Crimson Bears final event of the Region V Track & Field Championships, Saturday, at Thunder Mountain Field. JDHS defeated Ketchikan for the team title with this win. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS boys secure Region V track title with final event

Ketchikan’s Lorig earns Male Athlete of the Meet

Thunder Mountain High School senior Mallory Welling leads the field en route to winning the girls 100 meter hurdles during the Region V Track & Field Championships, Saturday, at TMHS. From left: Ketchikan junior Linnea Loretan, Welling, Juneau-Douglas junior Hannah Brennell and JDHS freshman Isabella Reyes-Boyer. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

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Falcons girls nip Crimson Bears for DI track title

Welling honored as Female Athlete of the Meet

Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire Sitka High School senior Silas Demmert cruises to a win in the Division II boys 1,600-meter race.

Sports

Sitka dominates DII at Region V Track & Field Championships

Wolves’ Silas Demmert, Clare Mullin named athletes of the meet

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

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Ships in Port for the Week of May 21

Here’s what to expect this week.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

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Police calls for Tuesday, May 23

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

Athlete Tammy Birch carries the torch with help from Branden Horst during the Alaska Law Enforcement Torch Run at Twin Lakes Park Saturday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Annual fundraiser run torches last year’s total

Around $15,000 was raised to go toward athletes on the Special Olympics Alaska Juneau team.

Juneau state representatives Sara Hannan, left, and Andi Story discuss legislative business during a break in the House floor session on Tuesday. Both Democratic members were part of the minority caucus this session after being in the majority during their first two terms. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

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A trio of Capitol recaps from the local delegation

From passage of PFAS limits to postponing vaping tax, Juneau’s legislators tally wins and losses.