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The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on April 17, 2023, the first cruise ship of the 2023 season. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

The first cruise ship of the season arrives in Juneau

The Norwegian Bliss marked the kickoff to the 2023 season

Juneau District School board and administrators listen to Jess Cobley, Juneau Education Association middle school representative at large, as she speaks about the contract negotiations during a December meeting at Thunder Mountain High School. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau School District, teachers union reach tentative contract agreement

Members are expected to vote on whether to ratify it in the coming weeks.

Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press in Juneau Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau Empire upgrading online coverage, changing print publication days

Emphasis on enhanced digital content; print production moving to Washington state

Eric Osuch tries to offer papers related to his arrest in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday morning to a reporter as Juneau Police Department officers escort him to a nearby patrol vehicle. Osuch, who was staging a solo protest about fisheries bycatch policies, was banned from the Capitol after causing a public disruption and was arrested a short time later for another alleged disturbance inside the State Office Building. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Fisheries activist arrested at Capitol

Juneau man staging solo protest disrupts committee hearing, gets in fight in State Office Building

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Freshly printed paper makes it way through the Juneau Empire printing press Thursday evening. Beginning May 3, the Juneau Empire will be printed in Washington state, and delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

News

From the editor and publisher

Ben Hohenstatt and David Rigas

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, discusses what she considers inadequacies in state education funding during floor debate Monday about the House’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget approved by a 23-17 vote will next be considered by the Senate, with a compromise version likely drafted to resolve differences before the end of the session.

News

House finally passes budget as final month of session begins

Senate expected to take public testimony on its proposed spending plan later this week

Folkapotamus featuring Andrew Heist, Annie Bartholomew, Erin Heist and Nicole Lantz play to a pack house Saturday night at JDHS for the 48th annual Alaska Folk Festival. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

Come rain or volcanoes, the show must folk on

48th annaul Alaska Folk Festival wraps up with a bang.

Leeann Thomas, third-generation owner of the Triangle Club, stands before the business her grandfather started in 1947. The location has a long history of Juneau businesses. (Laurie Craig / For the Downtown Business Association)

Neighbors

Rooted in Community: The Triangle Club and 76 years of the Thomas family

Historical photos hang in the building that once housed the famous Winter and Pond photo studio.

Gavel Alaska screenshot The House Finance Committee hears a presentation Monday by Joshua Strauss. The presentation informed legislators of the potential of carbon offset programs.

News

Bill proposing carbon offsets meets lukewarm reaction in key committee

House Finance members express skepticism about claimed benefits

A Transportation Security Administration officer checks luggage at the Juneau International Airport in March. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Two Juneau residents arrested on drug charges at airport

The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $111,300.

Ron Soherville, a Juneau resident, testifies in favor of a bill restricting sex and gender content in public schools during a House Education Committee meeting Thursday night. He was surrounded by a crowd of mostly students who testified against the bill. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

‘Parental rights’ sequel: Six hours of separation

About 180 more people testify mostly in opposition to bill, but legislators’ minds appear unchanged

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File A black bear looks around near the Shrine of St. Therese in 2021.

News

Experts offer advice as bears exit hibernation

Safety tips to bear in mind.

Residents jog along the downtown cruise ship docks Friday morning. Downtown is about to become much busier starting Monday as Juneau welcomes the first cruise ship of the 2023 season. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

First cruise ship of the season to arrive Monday

Juneau is expected to welcome a record-breaking amount of passengers this summer.

Residents in Juneau and across Alaska were subjected to dozens of flight cancellations due to air travel disruptions from ash that drifted from a volcanic eruption on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula earlier this week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Flight cancellations continue amid volcanic eruption disruptions

Alaska Airlines reported 84 cancelled flights as of Friday afternoon.

City and Borough of Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, speaks to the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce in July. On Friday Watt announced his plans to resign from his position at the end of September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Juneau city manager to resign this fall

Rorie Watt announced his resignation Friday evening.

Members of the Juneau Forest Service along with Hecla staff answer questions posed by the public regarding the Greens Creek Mine expansion alternatives on Wednesday during an open house hosted by the Juneau Ranger District. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

Ranger District hosts open house for Greens Creek Mine expansion project

45-day comment period open until May 8.

Dave Scanlan, General Manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area, speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee Thursday evening about the municipal- owned ski area’s budget for fiscal year 2024. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Eaglecrest proposes 10% rate increase on all products next year

Eaglecrest general manager outlines the ski area’s proposed budget to begin in July.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl poses for a photo before heading to Anchorage over the weekend to participate in the AABC all-star exhibition game.

Sports

JDHS senior carries on family’s basketball tradition

Orion Dybdahl selected to play in AABC all-star game.

A Juneau Police Department vehicle parks in front of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalè in early September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Police: Student arrested after firearm seized at JDHS

The student has been taken to the Johnson Youth Center.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Juneau Montessori School student Caleb Schane, 13, testifies in favor of a bill increasing education funding during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Thursday.

News

Hard math begins on education funding boost

Testimony nearly unanimous in favor of 22.5% proposed increase; senators ask how to pay for it