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The Alaska Youth Choir sings the official state song during its traditional appearance to open the 50th Alaska Folk Festival on Monday night at Centennial Hall. (Mark Sabbatini)

News

50th Folk Festival opens with longtime, long-absent, new and other performers

Weeklong festival adheres to tradition, but revisits many of its past moments with tales and tunes.

Quentin O’Domin attempts a 100-inch two-foot high kick during the Traditional Games on Sunday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Mindsets and methods matter more than muscles for some medalists at Traditional Games

More than 250 competitors young and old test ancient Iñupiaq skills at three-day Juneau event.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé freshman Ayla Erickson (16) blasts a shot through three Eagle River defenders during the Crimson Bears 3-0 win over the Wolves on Friday at Adair Kennedy Field. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS soccer teams play beautiful game

Crimson Bears girls win 3-0, Crimson Bears boys win 9-1.

The head of the National Archives, which has been described as “the custodian of America’s collective memory,” was fired by President Trump in February. (Jared Soares / For The New York Times)

News

The White House frames the past by erasing parts of it

Public record being selectively deleted, letting president declare his version of history, archivists say.

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt / States Newsroom)

News

GOP budget would add an ‘unprecedented’ $5.8 trillion to the deficit, analysis finds

WASHINGTON — The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released an analysis Friday showing the budget resolution…

Protesters spill out into the street beyond the front of the Alaska State Capitol on Saturday as part of anti-Trump demonstrations that took place internationally during the day. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Largest Juneau protest of Trump’s second term joins voices of discontent at events worldwide

Wide range of grievances shared in speeches and songs Saturday at Alaska State Capitol.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Riley Schultz heads a corner kick from junior teammate Peyton Wheeler (not shown) that would score against Eagle River during the Crimson Bears’ 5-0 win over the Wolves on Saturday at Adair Kennedy Field. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Crimson Bears finish pitch sweep of Wolves

JDHS girls down Eagle River 5-0, boys win 12-0.

The House Finance Committee listens to public testimony about next year’s proposed budget on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

State budget with $1.9B deficit and ‘full’ $3,800 PFD sent to House floor; expect drastic revisions by Senate

House Finance plan passes after battles among allies as well as opponents; vote on $1,000 PFD fails 7-4.

An oil drilling site in Midland, Texas. (Desiree Rios / For The New York Times)

News

‘Wait, baby, wait’: Slumping oil prices reflect economic worries

Fears Trump’s tariffs will slash global economic growth — and oil demand — are weighing on the market.

The Anchorage band Big Chimney Barn Dance performs in the main ballroom of Centennial Hall on Sunday, April 14, 2024, near the end of the 49th Annual Alaska Folk Festival. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

50th Folk Festival looks to continue long traditions, only more so with record performer interest

Weeklong festival will feature long-ago as well as current musicians, all captured for documentary.

A school bus drives in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska Senate committee advances school funding bill with $1,000 per student formula boost

Senate Education Committee amended House Bill 69 with policy changes, including capping class sizes.

Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 15 on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in the Alaska House of Representatives. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Alaska Legislature approves bill allowing teenage alcohol servers at restaurants, breweries

The Alaska Legislature has voted to allow teenagers as young as 18 to serve alcohol in the state.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Murkowski votes to oppose Canada tariffs, Sullivan votes in support

Vote largely symbolic since resolution lacks support in the Republican-controlled U.S. House.

The 2024-25 Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team pose for a photo. They begin play next weekend at the Sitka Varsity Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS softball)

Sports

JDHS softball returns to the circle, baseball to the mound

Crimson Bears girls in new conference, boys on new field.

NOAA Fisheries Alaska region, hit hard by staffing losses, helps oversee the harvests off Alaska, which produce about half the fish caught in U.S. waters. Here, a trawl net full of pollock — the largest volume fishery off Alaska — comes aboard the Northern Hawk during the summer 2023 harvest. (Photo by Hal Bernton)

News

Internal memo outlines stark impacts of federal downsizing on Alaska regional fishery agency

Understaffed federal offices supporting fishing regulators cut even further, as NOAA Fisheries works ‘to keep the lights on’

An Eaglecrest skier cruises downhill in warm temperatures and scant snow on Wednesday. The ski area announced Thursday its last day of the season will be this Sunday. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)

News

Eaglecrest Ski Area to end season a week early on Sunday with concert, but no Slush Cup

Poor conditions much of the season limited operations, officials say rain may wipe out scant snow left.

Clockwise from top center: Malia Towne, Mackenzie Englishoe, Sophie Swope and Jazmyn Lee Vent. (Image by Mer Young/High Country News)

News

How Alaska Native youth are protecting the land for their future ancestors

Four women devoting careers to preservation of Indigenous lifeways under threat in Alaska.

Tidal Echoes editors Annie Kessler and Adonis Scalia holding 2025 editions (Photo from @uas.tidalechoes on Instagram)

News

Tidal Echoes launches 2025 literary and arts journal Friday at UAS

Featured artist Mark Sixby and writer Corinna Cook will discuss works at unveiling.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks at an event where he announced new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. President Trump unveiled his most expansive tariffs to date in a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, saying he would impose a 10 percent tariff on all trading partners. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)

News

Trump imposes vast global tariffs; some key partners hit hard

©10% tariff for all countries; trading partners like China, Japan and Europe face significantly higher rates.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé girls soccer seniors pose for a photo during Wednesday practice at Thunder Mountain Middle School. Front row left to right are Alyssa Lawhorne, Adelyn Buss, Milina Mazon, Priscilla Lam and Cerys Hudson. Back row left to right are Alison Tingey, Dori Germain, Parker Boman, Daniela Lamas, Natalie Travis and Ella Orsborn. Not pictured are Mary Canapary, Lena Field and Lola Hines. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Soccer teams open with DI Eagle River

New season, new conference as Crimson Bears rise up.