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Hosts and guests mingle at a fundraising brunch on behalf of the Alaska Cultural Trust at the Rie Muñoz Gallery on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Practicing the art of of seeking funds from lawmakers during a lean year at the Alaska State Capitol

Alaska Cultural Trust seeks $733,000 — $1 per resident — for grants it hopes to start awarding this…

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Luke Bovitz (4) and Kenai’s Evyn Witt (31) and Cole Langham (28) go for a puck during the Crimson Bears’ 5-1 loss to the Kardinals on Saturday at Treadwell Ice Arena. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS hockey sets record, but falls twice to visiting Kenai

Friday senior night one to remember, Saturday morning one to forget.

The Juneau Symphony rehearses for its winter mainstage concert in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé auditorium on Jan. 23, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau Symphony’s winter mainstage concert features Juneau guitarist

The symphony will play a guitar concerto for the first time.

President Donald Trump discusses Helene recovery during a visit to Western North Carolina on Jan. 24, 2025. (C-SPAN screenshot)

News

Trump floats ‘getting rid’ of FEMA as he visits North Carolina to survey Helene damage

Federal agency approved more than $2.6M in aid for Juneau residents affected by 2024 flood.

Mount McKinley, officially renamed from Denali as of Friday, is seen in the distance. (National Park Service photo)

News

It’s official: Denali is again Mount McKinley

Interior Department says change effective as of Friday; Gulf of Mexico is also now Gulf of America.

A sign at Thunder Mountain Middle School was changed in January 2025 from Thunder Mountain High School to reflect the Juneau School District consolidation that officially took effect July 1, 2024. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Alaska House bill raising education funding more than 40% over three years gets first hearing Monday

Juneau school leaders say they’ve done their part, Legislature now needs to uphold state constitution.

Dimond junior Katie MacDonald and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Layla Tokuoka battle for a ball during Friday’s Crimson Bears 62-48 win over the Lynx inside the George Houston Gymnasium. The teams play Saturday at 7 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS girls steal Dimond’s shine

Crimson Bears defense leads to offense and stymies Lynx.

A voter in Alaska’s special U.S. House primary election drops their ballot into a box on Saturday, June 11, 2022 as a poll worker observes. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Election reforms are on the agenda for Alaska lawmakers this year

Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced bill through House; Senate majority is expected to introduce its own.

The future U.S. Coast Guard cutter Storis, the service’s newest icebreaker, near Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 10, 2024. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

News

The Juneau-bound icebreaker has design problems and a history of failure. It’s America’s latest military vessel.

Aiviq builders gave more than $7M in political donations since 2012; Coast Guard purchased vessel under pressure from…

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) walks to the Senate chamber ahead of a vote at the Capitol in Washington, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times)

News

Murkowski says she will vote against Hegseth, making her first GOP senator to oppose a Trump Cabinet pick

Defense Secretary nominee facing barrage of accusations including sexual assault, drinking.

President Trump signed a series of executive orders in the first hours of his term. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)

News

Birthright citizenship of Native Americans questioned by Trump administration

Justice Department makes argument defending executive order suspending birthright citizenship.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Jan. 24, 1995. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending Jan. 25

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Katie Kachel (left), a federal lobbyist for the City and Borough of Juneau, talks with Juneau Assembly Member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs and Mayor Beth Weldon following a joint meeting of the Assembly and Juneau’s legislative delegation on Thursday at the Assembly Chambers. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Federal flood help for Juneau not likely to be affected by Trump, but officials avoiding climate references

Local impacts may include “green” issues such as electric vehicles, Assembly members told by lobbyist.

A Mendenhall Valley neighborhood is swamped by a record glacial outburst flood on on Aug. 6, 2024. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities photo)

News

Profits from ‘fully’ extracting Alaska’s resources minus the cost of climate impacts: Who will gain/lose how much?

The results may not be high either way since experts say Trump’s goals are unlikely to happen anytime…

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys junior varsity basketball team pose for a photo Saturday in the Petersburg High School gym. (Photo courtesy JDHS JV)

Sports

JDHS JV taste varsity action at Petersburg tournament

Crimson Bears show they are ready for next step

A person receives a COVID-19 vaccination. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Trump administration orders federal health agencies to halt public advisories, other communications

Directive in effect at least through Feb. 1, future communications will need OK of Trump appointee.

Members of the Women’s Division all-tournament team at last week’s Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational Basketball Tournament at the MEHS B.J. McGillis Gymnasium. (Photo courtesy MEHS)

Sports

Big names play big at 18th Annual Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational

190 players on 22 teams participate in regional tournament; Juneau’s Travis Dybdahl wins Iron Man Award.

House members gather for the first floor session of the 34th Alaska State Legislature on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Tribal public schools, election reform, snowfall guessing contests among Legislature’s first bills

Nearly 130 bills and resolutions introduced as state lawmakers get down to work on Wednesday.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks about new Trump administration policies at a news conference Wednesday in his Anchorage office. Behind him are Attorney General Treg Taylor and Department of Natural Resources Commissioner John Boyle. Dunleavy and administration officials said President Trump’s reversals of Biden administration environmental policies will benefit Alaska. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

News

Gov. Dunleavy and administration officials applaud Trump’s Alaska policies

Executive orders will enable more drilling, mining and other resource development.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears hockey seniors will be honored before their game against Northern Lights Conference foe Kenai on Friday at Treadwell Ice Arena. JV play at 2 p.m., Senior Honors are at 6 p.m. and varsity action begins at 7:30 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS hockey senior night welcomes Kenai

Crimson Bears ready to de-ice conference foe Kardinals.