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A rainbow spans North Douglas on Aug. 16. (Photo by Kelsey Riederer)

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Wild Shots

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A $10 million project to improve drainage and resurface parking lots at Juneau International Airport is slated for completion Nov. 1. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau airport project three-quarters of the way through

The primary goal of $10 million effort is to address longstanding drainage issues.

A painting by MK MacNaughton, whose works will be on display along with artist Patti Jouppi during a First Friday event from 4:30-8 p.m. at Spice Cafe and Gallery. (Courtesy of the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)

News

Here’s what’s happening for First Friday in September

Sounds of Áak’w Rock, a gut check for Indigenous voices and an artists’ quintet market.

The ferry Tustumena is seen July 20, 2021, in southwestern Alaska. (Photo by James Brooks)

News

After a false start, Alaska prepares to solicit bids for new mainline ferry

DOT expects to issue new request for proposals from U.S. shipyards next month to replace Tustumena.

A map shows the location of Suicide Basin, an ice dam which since 2011 has released water into the Mendenhall Lake and River in an annual cycle known as a jökulhlaup. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

News

Bomb the glacier? City leaders say they’re willing to evaluate all options after flood

Drastic measures for Suicide Basin appear impractical, river protection more likely, officials say.

Mountains tower over downtown Juneau in late May. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Assembly in committee votes against new hazard maps adoption

“Downtown is not the only place we have problems.”

State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, explains the details of his bill banning PFAS chemicals for most firefighting during the Senate floor session on May 8. A bill with those provisions was vetoed Saturday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Dunleavy vetoes bill containing Kiehl’s ban on PFAS chemicals for most firefighting

Republican governor rejects effort by Democratic Juneau senator after bill passes Legislature 58-2.

President Joe Biden speaks on the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act during an event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

News

Biden to observe 9/11 anniversary in Alaska

Stop in Anchorage will be first time a president has not visited one of the sites attacked

The project manager for the Centennial Hall ballroom renovation, Lisa Eagan-Lagerquist, points out new features of the ballroom set to open its doors again for the first time on Saturday after nearly nine months under construction. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Centennial Hall ballroom opening back up with a new look

Saturday marks the first event since its closure in December for renovations.

From left to right, students Kelby Randall, KC Abad and Sage Chavez smile as they sit outside during a lunch break Monday afternoon at the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau on the first day of the 2023 fall semester. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

UAS fall semester kicks off with a sunny start and increased enrollment

New chancellor reports 4% increase in overall enrollment, 87% increase in Indigenous programs.

Shannon Mason, 24, visits the Airport Hiking Trail in mid-August, during the transition period between her former job as a spokesperson for Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy and her new job as a spokesperson for Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Straying on message: Former Dunleavy spokesperson now speaks for Peltola

Juneau resident Shannon Mason says switch isn’t as strange as it might seem, given Alaska’s politics.

This is a photo of the fluke of “Tango,” a humpback whale calf that was found dead on an island near Juneau Friday evening. (Courtesy / Bri Pettie)

News

Humpback whale calf found dead near Juneau

Body of young male named “Tango” found near Hump Island with injuries.

Manu Satele (9) scores on a long touchdown to give Bartlett High School a 42-7 lead near the end of the second quarter during its home game against the Juneau Huskies on Saturday. (Courtesy of Juneau Huskies Football)

Sports

Huskies whipped in first away game, losing to Bartlett 56-21

Juneau falls behind 35-7 midway through second quarter to Anchorage team, drops to 0-3.

Evelyn Richards (12) spikes the ball to score a point Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé near the end of the team’s second game against Thunder Mountain High School on Saturday at JDHS. THMS won the game by a score of 25-10. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS volleyball team hopeful about future potential despite losses against TMHS

THMS completes sweep of two nights of matchups between local teams on each other’s courts.

Kelly Tshibaka speaks at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in October 2022. A group led by the former Republican U.S. Senate candidate has been accused of violating state campaign finance laws. (Photo by Yereth Rosen./Alaska Beacon)

News

Report from Alaska campaign regulator says Tshibaka-linked group violated state law

Staff for the Alaska Public Offices Commission have recommended a $16,450 fine against Preserve Democracy, a group led…

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

News

Ships in Port for t​​he Week of Aug. 27

Here what to expect this week

Workers load cars aboard the Columbia ferry during a stop in mid-July. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire File)

News

State ferry board pushes for measures to boost hiring

Motion calls on Dunleavy and Legislature to grant marine director more power.

Chloe Casperson (right) of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé tries to get a shot by Adella Dinle of Thunder Mountain High School during a game on Friday night at TMHS. TMHS swept all three games during the evening, with the teams set for a rematch Saturday at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

THMS volleyball team takes advantage of seniority at home against JDHS

The two schools plan to apply lessons learned during rematch Saturday at JDHS.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior racer Oliver Zigmund leads a pack of runners as they charge up a hill during the Sayeik Invitational on Douglas Saturday morning. Zigmund finished the race 10th with a time of 18 minutes and 18 seconds. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau cross-country teams have successful start at first home meet

Alumni and high school runners go neck-and-neck on their home turf.

Shawn Miller hands his racing jersey tag to a volunteer after winning the Goldbelt Tram-Mount Roberts Run on Saturday with a time of 35 minutes, 52 seconds. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Goldbelt Tram-Mount Roberts Run delivers a 22-caliber challenge

Smaller-than-usual field competes after race delayed seven weeks, but victors still get peak thrill.