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Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School Principal Molly Yerkes has been named AASSP Region 5 Principal of The Year for 2024, the second time she has won the award since 2020. (Courtesy photo)

Neighbors

Neighbors: DZ Principal Molly Yerkes named regional principal of the year for second time since 2020

Middle school’s principal for past 14 years also recipient of national Millikan award in 2013.

A lot in Thane near the city’s cold weather emergency shelter, seen at right in the background, is being proposed as the site for a campground for people experiencing homelessness that would open in April. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Moving homeless campground next to warming shelter strongly opposed by nearby businesses

Damage, safety, theft among concerns cited in petition to Assembly, which considers proposal Monday.

The room where the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee holds its meeting sits empty on Tuesday. A presentation about an increase in the number of inmate deaths in state custody was abruptly canceled here. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

News

Republican lawmakers shut down legislative hearing about deaths in Alaska prisons

Former commissioner: “All this will do, is it will continue to inflame passions of advocacy groups.”

Annauk Olin, holding her daugher Tulġuna T’aas Olin, and Rochelle Adams pose on March 20, 2024, after giving a presentation on language at the Alaska Just Transition Summit in Juneau. The two, who work together at the Alaska Public Interest Research Group’s Language Access program, hope to compile an Indigenous environmental glossary. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

News

Project seeks to gather Alaska environmental knowledge embedded in Indigenous languages

In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, the word for month known in English as…

A towering Lutz spruce, center, in the Chugach National Forest is about to be hoisted by a crane Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, for transport to the West Lawn of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to be the 2015 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)

News

Tongass National Forest selected to provide 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Eight to 10 candidate trees will be evaluated, with winner taking “whistlestop tour” to D.C.

The Shopper’s Lot is among two of downtown Juneau’s three per-hour parking lots where the cash payments boxes are missing due to vandalism this winter. But as of Wednesday people can use the free ParkSmarter app to make payments by phone. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Pay-by-phone parking for downtown Juneau debuts with few reported complaints

App for hourly lots part of series of technology upgrades coming to city’s parking facilities.

The aging Tustumena ferry, long designated for replacement, arrives in Homer after spending the day in Seldovia in this 2010 photo. (Homer News file photo)

News

Feds OK most of state’s revised transportation plan, but ferry and other projects again rejected

Governor’s use of ferry revenue instead of state funds to match federal grants a sticking point.

Employees at the Kensington Mine removing tailings from Johnson Creek on Feb. 17 following a Jan. 31 spill of about 105,000 gallons of slurry from the mine, although a report by the mine’s owners states about half slurry reached the creek 430 meters away. (Photo from report by Coeur Alaska)

News

Emergency fisheries assessments sought after 105,000-gallon tailings spill at Kensington Mine

Company says Jan. 31 spill poses no risk to Berners Bay habitat, but NOAA seeks federal evaluation.

Thunder Mountain High School coach John Blasco, shown in action at the state tournament opening game against West Valley last week, was selected the 2024 4A Boys Coach of the Year by the Alaska Basketball Coaches Association. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Blasco, Young and Brock selected respective divisional state coaches of the year

Thunder Mountain, Mt. Edgecumbe, Petersburg coaches note the award is about the kids, communities.

Peacocks and peahens wander the grounds at Pederson Hill Farm. (Laurie Craig / For the Juneau Empire)

News

Farming for flowers amongst peacocks, bees and a ‘deer runway’ gives new growth to family tradition

Pederson Hill Farm making the most of manure-rich former horse corral owned by relatives since ‘50s.

Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, before presenting his bill that would increase internet speeds for rural Alaska schools to the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. (Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

News

Lawmakers approve faster internet speeds for Alaska’s rural school districts

The approval comes just days before a deadline to access federal grants

Dozens of people throw colors in the air and at each other during a Holi festival gathering Monday night outside Spice Juneau Indian Cuisine. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Holi festival in Juneau revives colorful childhood memories for some, creates them for others

Dozens toss caution and colored cornstarch to the wind in traditional Hindu celebration of spring

Angoon’s Levi Johnson Jr. takes a shot under the basket against Hydaburg during the B Bracket championship of the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Hoonah takes two titles, Angoon and POW one each in 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament

Longtime participants say little has changed over decades as huge crowds from communities show up.

Thunder Mountain High School senior Jenna Dobson (5) defends Mountain City senior Morgan Maldonado during the Falcons’ 52-37 loss to the Lions in the 3rd/5th-place game of the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Girls Basketball State Championships on Saturday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain High School girls end historic final season at state tournament

Falcons battle, but fall 52-37 in third-place game loss to Mountain City.

House Rules Committee Chair Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, speaks in favor of House Bill 135 on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in the Alaska House. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska House votes to give police warrantless emergency access to cellphone location data

Lawmakers pass other bills, on storage rentals, fireworks rules, telemedicine and federal lands.

The Thunder Mountain Falcons boys basketball team poses with their runner-up trophy after falling to East Anchorage 60-34 in the title game of the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Boys Basketball State Championship game on Saturday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain boys fall to East 60-34 in state title game

Falcons’ historic final season ends after surprising run at championship, but journey will continue.

Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, center, discusses budget legislation with her chief of staff, Remond Henderson, standing, and Reps. Neil Foster, D-Nome, left, and Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham on March 20, 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Draft House budget includes $2,272 PFD, $680 per-student education increase, $152 million surplus

Plan boosts dividends $444 by abandoning agreement to put half the amount in reserve fund.

Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, listens to debate in the Alaska House of Representatives on Thursday. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska House votes to remove some obstacles for birth control prescriptions

House Bill 17 allows women to buy up to 12 months’ worth of birth control pills at a…

Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, speaks on March 28, 2023. He has sponsored a bill to make vandalism of a church a felony. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska House votes to make church vandalism a felony; bill goes to Senate

Juneau Rep. Sara Hannan among dissenters in 35-5 vote, cites issues about property vs. hate crimes.

Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, speaks at a Tuesday news conference held by the Senate majority caucus. Claman has proposed a constitutional amendment to lower the threshold needed to override a veto by a governor of a spending bill. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska senators consider constitutional amendment easing some veto override votes

The Alaska Senate is moving closer to approving a state constitutional amendment that would lower the number of…