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Rep. Andi Story, a Juneau Democrat, talks with a guest page on the House floor Wednesday morning. Story, a member of the House Education Committee, was among the members in the minority who expressed concern a bill giving teachers end-of-year bonuses will be used by House leaders to avoid a larger and more general increase to public school funding this session. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

A step forward for teacher bonuses, a step back for a BSA increase

House committee advances year-end educator payments, but outlook for school funding boost dims

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Senate Finance Committee co-chair Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, right, listens to Sealaska Corp. Board Chair Joe Nelson testify about the committee’s proposed budget during a hearing April 20.

News

Revised Senate budget contains smaller education increase, $1,300 PFD

Finance Committee proposing one-time $680 per-pupil boost in attempt to avoid deficit

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, exchanges words with Rep. CJ McCormick, D-Bethel, before Wednesday’s House floor session. The two legislators were on opposite sides of a 4-3 House Education Committee vote earlier during the morning to advance a bill restricting references to sex and gender in public schools, with Allard supporting the bill and McCormick opposing.

News

‘Parental rights’ bill expanded to require parents’ OK for entire curriculum

Legislation restricting sex and gender references in schools advances out of first committee.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

News

Police calls for Tuesday, April 25, 2023

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

Genevieve Berry, 3, places litter in a trash bag on Earth Day during a communitywide cleanup. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

News

Community picks up tons of trash

Does this article count as litter-ature?

President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House on April 14, 2021, about the withdrawal of the remainder of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)

News

Biden announces 2024 reelection bid

“Let’s finish this job,” he said.

A model of a DNA molecule is displayed in the New York office of the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research on Oct. 18, 1962. The discovery of DNA’s “twisted ladder” structure 70 years ago opened up a world of new science — and also sparked disputes over who contributed what and who deserves credit. In an opinion piece published Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in the journal Nature, two historians are suggesting that while James Watson and Francis Crick did rely on research from Rosalind Franklin and her lab without their permission — Franklin was more a collaborator than just a victim. (AP Photo / Anthony Camerano)

News

Rosalind Franklin’s role in DNA discovery gets a new twist

The story dates back to the 1950s, when scientists were working out how DNA’s pieces fit together.

State Rep. Zack Fields

Opinion

Opinion: Transformational policies for economic growth

Investing in people and energy could position Alaska to achieve unprecedented prosperity.

Jason Traver, sitting furtherest away, with defense attorney Nicholas Ambrose and state prosecuting attorney Jessalyn Gillum, awaits the jury’s verdict on Friday after a week’s long trial concluded. For a case that initially had started in 2019, Traver was ultimately found not guilty of second-degree assault.

News

Man found not guilty of assault after wife says injuries were from consensual BDSM, not abuse

It’s the end of a three-year trial dating back to Oct. 12, 2019.

From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Deputy Mayor Maria Gladziszewski, City Manager Rorie Watt and SHI President Rosita Worl laugh together during a speech at the dedication ceremony of the Kootéeyaa Deiyí, Totem Pole Trail, held Saturday in downtown Juneau at Heritage Plaza. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Downtown’s Seward Street could soon have a new name

SHI President called for the change during a recent public gathering downtown.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire City and Borough of Juneau Deputy City Manager Robert Barr speaks to the Assembly meeting as the Committee of the Whole Monday evening. The Assembly OK’d the city to begin soliciting proposals to offer funding for one to two child care start-up grants to local providers and facility owners.

News

City OKs funds to create startup child care grant program

Program intended to fund the opening of one to two new child care centers in Juneau.

Marcus Eddie Jamestown, 34, of Juneau is wanted by the Juneau Police Department on a felony warrant for his arrest for violating conditions of his release, along with criminal charges of escape and violating conditions of release. Police are asking the community for assistance in finding Jamestown. (Juneau Police Department)

News

Police seek assistance in locating wanted man

The 34-year-old ran away after cutting off ankle monitor, police say.

Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, and Tristin Walsh, a staff member for Armstrong, prepare to present her bill seeking to prevent LGBTQ+ discrimination to the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination bill advances after heated debate

Next stop is the House Judiciary Committee.

A welcome song is played and sang by Tulalip performers during a Road to Healing event at the Tulalip Gathering Hall in Marysville, Washington on Sunday, April 23, 2023. The tour is lead by United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

News

Cabinet secretary visits Tulalip to listen to boarding school survivors

“Federal Indian boarding school policies have touched every Indigenous person I know,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said Sunday.

A moose walks into the lobby of the Kenai Cinemas in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (Photo courtesy Kenai Cinemas)

News

Video of movie theater moose encounter goes viral

As of Tuesday evening, the video had amassed more than 2.3 million views on TikTok

Emergency lights flash on top of a police car. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

News

Police: Pepper spray used to apprehend Juneau woman after resisting arrest

She faces multiple criminal charges and was taken to the Lemon Creek Correctional Center.

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck bucket lowers Vance R. Webster III from the roof of Nugget Mall after being detained by Juneau Police Department Sunday morning. (Courtesy / Nano Brooks)

News

Juneau man removed from mall roof, arrested

He reportedly threw objects at responding officers.

State Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, left, confers with Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and other members during Monday’s floor session about a bill allowing residents to receive Medicaid funds for providing care for elderly and disabled family members. The bill introduced by Gov. Mike Dunleavy passed unanimously. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Senate OKs Medicaid funds for home care of elderly, disabled

Bill also allows state to seek extension of COVID-era funds for other residents needing daily care

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file Juneau state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, standing, addresses a town hall audience Jan. 11 at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School as Juneau state Reps. Sarah Hannan, far left, and Andi Story wait their turn to discuss their priorities during the current legislative session.

News

Bills, bills, bills: How Juneau’s three lawmakers are faring with three weeks to go

Local delegation makes significant moves in recent days, from final bill passage to medieval memes

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, explains the provisions of his bill making confidential the addresses of law enforcement officers, their families, and victims of sexual assault and domestic violence during Monday’s floor session. The bill passed unanimously, as did a related bill making peer support programs for law enforcement officers confidential.

News

Confidential address registry for officers, victims passes Senate

Bill by Juneau’s Jesse Kiehl forwards mail from state P.O. box; confidential counseling bill also OK’d