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Alaska’s Medicaid backlog triggers lawsuit

On a life-flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Sierra Ott’s newborn son Liam would not stop bleeding from a…

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo
Erika Lee leads other singers in a version of “Redneck Woman” with adapted local lyrics during the closing song of a “Neighborhood Cabaret” show at the Glory Hall on June 29, 2023. The homeless shelter will host another such show on Monday to kick off the Fourth Annual Alaska Theater Festival.

News

Performers seeking to multiply their presence at Fourth Annual Alaska Theater Festival

Mix-and-match cabarets, staging of “Pride and Prejudice,” expanded climate fair from June 10-July 27

The Juneau Animal Rescue facility, which took custody of 30 cats and kittens from a Juneau residence on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Dozens of cats, many in poor health, taken from Juneau home by animal control officials

Incident still under investigation, officials ask residents not to bring other cats to JAR shelter.

Canoes from communities south of Juneau led by the One People Canoe Society land downtown on Tuesday to cheers and songs from people on shore. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Paddling to Celebration in traditional canoes a journey of healing, remembrance and kinship

New and longtime participants arriving in downtown Juneau say trip reconnects them to ancestors.

Quigley Peterson, a longtime doctor at Bartlett Regional Hospital, speaks in favor of its hospice and home health programs during a public forum at the hospital Tuesday to get feedback on proposed cuts to certain programs. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

As residents worry about program cuts at Bartlett, hospital leaders worry about competition from SEARHC

Risk of a “monopoly” by Native nonprofit expressed at meeting discussing hospital’s “non-core” services.

Dave Hoffman sells materials for Brigham Young University, a private religious college, at the IDEA Homeschool Curriculum Fair in Anchorage on April 18. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

News

New correspondence school regulations will not come until July — if at all, Alaska officials say

Regulations intended to stabilize Alaska’s correspondence school program are not coming soon, state officials said at a Board…

Nearly 1,600 dancers from 36 Indigenous groups wait to dance for the Grand Entrance of Celebration. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Celebration 2024 opens ‘stronger than ever’

Nearly 1,600 dancers take part in Grand Entrance ceremony as four-day Indigenous gathering begins.

State Rep. Andi Story (left), D-Juneau, will face former Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, for the Alaska Legislature’s District 3 House seat in this year’s election. (Official photos from Rep. Andi Story and the Alaska State Legislature)

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Rep. Andi Story and former Rep. Bill Thomas will face off in only locally contested legislative race

Juneau’s Rep. Sara Hannan and Sen. Jesse Kiehl among eight unopposed candidates in 50 races.

A 2018 view of Suicide Basin and the Mendenhall Glacier. (Photo from National Weather Service Juneau)

News

‘Building a weather-ready nation’: What’s new for Suicide Basin’s outburst flooding

New monitoring equipment improves forecasts after last year’s record flood, experts say at town hall.

Paddlers in traditional Tlingit canoes, plus a smaller Bering Sea kayak guided by Lou Logan, arrive at the Auke Village Recreation Area at midday Tuesday following their journey down the northern part of the Inside Passage. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

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Traditional canoes making voyage from Haines to Celebration get warm welcome from Lingít Aaní

Group joins others from Southeast making long paddle to Juneau for biennial Indigenous event.

Marie Mead performs a traditional dance during the Inuit-soul musical group Pamyua’s performance as part of the final night of the Áak’w Rock music festival at Centennial Hall on Sept. 23, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Áak’w Rock bringing another ‘Side Stage’ to accompany this week’s Celebration

10 Indigenous performers scheduled Friday and Saturday at various venues downtown.

Cruise ships and passengers in downtown Juneau on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Limit of 16,000 cruise passengers daily, 12,000 on Saturdays, agreed to by CBJ and industry

Pact taking effect in 2026 allows some exemptions, criticized by backers of Saturday ban on ships.

This Woodworm Grease Bowl by artist Patrizia (Patty) Fiorella is among the works accepted into Sealaska Heritage Institute’s 2024 Juried Art Show and Competition as part of First Friday and Celebration. (Brian Wallace / Courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute)

News

Here’s what happening for First Friday in June

Art events affiliated with Celebration, skateboarding and pro-choice activism among activities.

Melina Meyer and Laine Rinehart laugh while weaving the bottom fringe of the Chilkat Pride robe on Saturday. The robe will be exhibited and danced in for the first time during this year’s Celebration. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Celebration 2024 mixes decades of tradition with new events

Thousands gather in Juneau for four-day Indigenous dance-and-culture festival starting Wednesday.

City of Juneau Pipe Band members Sue Behnert and Scott Mornon lead participants along the downtown Juneau waterfront to Bill Overstreet Park during the annual Celebration of Life Walk on Sunday, June 2, which is National Cancer Survivors Day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Cancer survivors offer a ringing tribute to overcoming challenges during Celebration of Life Walk

Dancers, bagpipes and a bell symbolizing healing mark annual National Cancer Survivors Day event.

KINY’s “prize patrol” vehicle is parked outside the Local First Media Group Inc.’s building on Wednesday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau radio station KINY is using AI to generate news stories — how well does it get the scoop?

As trust and economics of news industry continue long decline, use and concerns of AI are growing.

The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen Monday, June 6, 2022 in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Permanent Fund bosses vote to defy Alaska Legislature, keep Anchorage office

One dissenting member of board of trustees warns vote could cause “a fight” with the Legislature.

The trustees of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen during a quarterly meeting Feb. 16. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska Permanent Fund leaders vote to hire law firm to investigate leaker and themselves

Third-party investigator will examine six years of contacts between staff and the board of trustees.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Landon Simonson is greeted at home after hitting a grand slam on Friday during the Division I Alaska School Activities Association Baseball State Championships in Anchorage. (Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report)

Sports

JDHS baseball, TMHS softball teams make it to final day of state tournaments

Crimson Bears play for consolation title after grand slam win Friday; Falcons still in title hunt

Members of the Thunder Mountain High School softball team pose for a shot following their 18-0 victory against North Pole High School on Friday during the Division II Alaska School Activities Association Softball State Championships in Fairbanks. (Thunder Mountain Softball photo)

Sports

Final flight of the TMHS Falcons ends with 6-4 loss on final day of state softball tournament

“It’s been a fun ride,” coach says as team wins conference title, goes 29-12 during its final season.