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Sarah Palin arriving at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Andres Kudacki / For The New York Times)

News

Jury rules against Palin in libel case against the New York Times

After two hours of deliberation, claim rejected she was defamed in newspaper’s 2017 editorial.

Rep. Andi Story (D-Juneau), co-chair of the House Education Committee, speaks in favor of overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of an education funding bill during a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Legislature fails to override Dunleavy’s veto of $1,000 increase in per-student education spending

Lawmakers supporting veto note state’s financial shortfall, suggest smaller BSA increase or new revenue.

Mike Verdoorn, Patrick Bracken and Richard Ward of The Segal Group Inc. provide an overview of their study of Alaska state employee salaries to the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Shortcomings revealed in state employee salary study won’t be addressed until at least next year

Legislators and state administrators dispute who is underpaid and by how much, but agree fix is complex.

Lee Hart puts her jacket back on while talking with security officer Rayme Vinson after going through the new security screening process at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

TSA-style security screenings now required for visitors at Alaska State Capitol

Lawmakers, family, staff and other with keycards can bypass scans that began Monday.

Will Muldoon’s official campaign profile photo as a Juneau Board of Education candidate in the 2024 municipal election. Muldoon resigned from the board on Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

News

Former write-in candidate Will Muldoon resigns from Juneau Board of Education

Muldoon, first write-in to win local election in 29 years in 2021, won easily reelection last fall.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Dance Team seniors Serena Crupi and Stella Moran perform “Vienna” at the JDHS dance team Showtime 2025 on Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS dance team gives Juneau a spectacular season finish

No seats needed when audience stands in enthusiastic approval

The Norwegian Bliss cruise ship docks in downtown Juneau on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Ballot petition to restrict daily and annual cruise passengers in Juneau certified for signatures

Opponent of measure argues it violates due process, free travel and other constitutional rights.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Peyton Wheeler (5) touches what would be a scoring shot over West Valley junior keeper Kyle Sharpton (1) during the Crimson Bears 2-1 win over the Wolfpack Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

Crimson Bears girls flip the pitch against Wolfpack

Juneau-Douglas wins in second home clash with West Valley.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Kai Ciambor (14) works for a ball among West Valley defenders during the Crimson Bears’ 4-1 win over the Wolfpack on Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

JDHS boys soccer topples West Valley for weekend sweep

Crimson Bears feed undefeated streak against Railbelt opponents.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé players await junior home run hitter Alayna Echiverri during the Crimson Bears’ 12-6 win over the West Valley Wolfpack on Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

JDHS softball sweeps Railbelt conference rival West Valley

Fundamental fielding, power hitting, earn another win Saturday.

Protesters rally against the Trump administration’s deportation polices in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

‘Just give us a chance’: One Juneau refugee family puts faith in God, another flees as departure orders arrive

Both families arrived legally; validity of demands by Trump administration to depart being challenged

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Kenzie Simonson (7) scores under pressure from West Valley juniors Evyn Bowen (11), Anna Baysinger (4) and Lola Seitz (7) during the Crimson Bears’ 5-2 loss to the Wolfpack on Friday at Adair Kennedy Park. The teams play again at 10 a.m. Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

Crimson Bears girls soccer falls to Wolfpack

Juneau-Douglas on low end of 5-2 match at Adair Kennedy Park

JDHS junior Jesper Bennetsen (8) clears a ball past West Valley senior Diego Guevara (11) as JDHS freshman Bryce Haygood (15) and senior Kellen Chester react during the Crimson Bears’ 1-0 win over the Wolfpack on Friday at Adair Kennedy Park. The teams play again at noon Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

Crimson Bears battle conference rival Wolfpack on home pitch

Juneau-Douglas boys win 1-0 soccer showcase at Adair Kennedy Park

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Tatum Billings attempts a bunt against West Valley during the Crimson Bears’ 9-4 win over the Wolfpack on Friday at Adair Kennedy Park. The teams play again at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).

Sports

Crimson Bears win softball clash against Wolfpack

JDHS tops West Valley 9-4 at Adair Kennedy Park

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club members, left-to-right, Jaxin Jim (JDHS sophomore), Caleb Aube (JDHS freshman), Colton Cummins (JDHS senior) and Hayden Aube (JDHS senior) pose with their All-American Status diplomas and medals last week at the Adidas National Wrestling Tournament in Independence, Missouri. (Photo courtesy Loren Cummins)

Sports

JYWC sends seven grapplers to Adidas National tournament

Colton Cummins, Hayden and Caleb Aube, Jaxin Jim earn All-American Status.

A polar bear is spotted on a multiyear ice floe in the Beaufort Sea on Aug. 13, 2023. The Trump administration is planning to designate a new “High Arctic” region off Alaska for offshore oil and gas leasing. (Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Bice/U.S. Coast Guard)

News

Trump administration plans offshore oil leasing in Alaska’s ‘High Arctic’

Multiyear program will include a reconfigured Arctic area where future lease sales will be held.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and other state of Alaska officials pose for a photo with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, center, and other government officials during Dunleavy’s trip to Taiwan last month. (Taiwan Office of the President photo)

News

Alaska’s governor flew to Taiwan to sell LNG. China’s not happy.

China says Dunleavy’s trip “sends a very wrong signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”

The Norwegian Bliss docks downtown on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Juneau’s leaders to discuss city’s long-term future, cruise industry in series of public meetings

Four sessions on CBJ’s 20-year plan on Tuesday and Wednesday; Assembly and cruise leaders meet Thursday.

Tina Martin, left and her daughter, Isabelle, 17, clean trash from a stream along Back Loop Road on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Carcasses, recliners and butts all part of a bustling annual Juneau spring cleaning

Cleanups throughout town include newcomers and those participating for decades.

Aleijah Fulmer, 6, deposits the plastic shells of eggs in a basket after removing the candy inside during the Molly of Denali EGG-Stravaganza at the University of Alaska Southeast on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire) (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

UAS celebrates ‘Molly of Denali’ Emmy win with watch party and Easter egg hunt

Award for Native language instructor who wrote episode gives university a reason to resurrect egg event.