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This file photo shows Klawock senior Lea Armour (23), eighth grader Jayla Edenshaw and senior Kaiya Marvin defending Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Bergen Erickson (12) during this season's Capital City Classic in the George Houston Gymnasium. The Region V 1A basketball championships begin Wednesday at Thunder Mountain Middle School. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Region V 1A basketball championships in Juneau

Small schools, big plays set to start Wednesday at TMMS.

U.S. House Speaker Speaker Mike Johnson put down revolts on a budget bill Tuesday among centrist Republicans who feared that the plan would require deep cuts to Medicaid and conservatives who wanted more reductions. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

News

U.S. House passes GOP budget teeing up enormous tax and spending cuts

Officials say cuts may result in 100,000 Alaskans losing Medicaid coverage, 70,000 losing SNAP benefits.

State Senate Finance Committee Co-Chair Bert Stedman (R-Sitka), Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage) and Senate President Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak) discuss budget, education and other issues during a press availability Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Two top Alaska GOP leaders on Trump: ‘It’s like Christmas every day’…‘if all you expect is coal in your stocking’

Gov. Dunleavy cheery about state’s prospects; some Republican legislators grim about lost jobs, funds.

Tourists walk along Juneau’s harbor on April 26, 2024, next to the docked Carnival Spirit, a ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Cruise ship visitation to Alaska has increased in recent years, and so have measured violations of wastewater standards. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

News

More cruise traffic in Alaska is followed by more wastewater violations, officials say

Violations roughly triple after elimination of ocean ranger program by Dunleavy in 2019.

The Craig Tribal Association visits the Tongass National Forest to harvest a cultural tree in April of 2024. (U.S. Forest Service photo)

News

Reviews range widely to Forest Service’s draft ‘biography’ of Tongass as part of management plan update

Comment period ends Monday for assessment of forest — but will plan’s direction change under Trump?

A state-run fish hatchery in Anchorage. (Alaska Department of Fish and Game photo)

News

Dunleavy’s bill to legalize fish farms seen as flaky by many lawmakers, interest groups

Governor responds to widespread opposition with video emphasizing salmon not among species allowed.

Juneau Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen listens to a discussion during a Juneau Assembly meeting Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. She was named the Municipal Clerk of the Year by the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks the previous week. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Juneau City Clerk Beth McEwen announces retirement after nearly 30 years with CBJ

Winner of statewide Municipal Employee of the Year in 2015 and Municipal Clerk of the Year in 2023.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Nordic Ski team at the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Nordic Ski State Championships at Fairbanks Birch Hill Recreation Area. (Photo courtesy JDHS Nordic Ski team)

Sports

Lamb gives JDHS cross-country ski team historic finish at state tournament

Senior is first Crimson Bear to place during Nordic tournament; JDHS girls win Academic Award.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Addison Wilson (10) is defended by Monroe sophomore Leila Church as Monroe coach Travis Cortez gives directions during the Crimson Bears’ 40-33 loss to the Rams on Saturday in the George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS girls fall to Monroe 40-33 on Saturday

Crimson Bears lose in physical contest to visiting Rams.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Ahmir Parker (2) attempts a steal as Monroe senior Jett McCullough (4) dribbles behind his back during the Crimson Bears’ 71-55 loss to the Rams on Saturday in the George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Crimson Bears battle, but are butted by Rams

JDHS falls to Monroe Catholic for the second night in a row

Kristen Rankin rehearses the opening scene from “The Thanksgiving Play” on Thursday night at Perseverance Theatre. (Photo by Molly Johnson)

News

Political correctness runs afowl in Perseverance Theatre production opening Friday

Satirical comedy “The Thanksgiving Play” comes to Juneau, no thanks to cancel culture.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Pedrin Saceda-Hurt leads the Crimson Bears onto the court Friday before their 76-55 loss to the Monroe Rams. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

JDHS basketball teams split first games of Monroe series as participants shoot for mental health awareness

Crimson Bears girls topple Rams 52-40, Crimson Bears boys fall 76-55.

Jude Humphrey, a Student Conservation Association intern for the U.S. Forest Service, reads a story about snowflakes to kids during a Mendenhall Minis event at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Saturday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Firing on: Remaining Forest Service staff fill in to keep Mendenhall Glacier activities flowing

As visitor center continues lectures and kids’ events, fired employees get a show of community support.

Elon Musk on stage with a chainsaw gifted to him by President Javier Milei of Argentina, left, during the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in National Harbor, Md., on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)

News

Update: Trump administration, breaking with Musk’s directive, says replying to his email is voluntary

Federal workers told Saturday by Musk failure to reply by Monday would be treated as a resignation.

Tetyana Robbins, executive director of Project Alaska, embraces Deepika Ramesh Perumal, executive director of the Alaska Literacy Project, after a House Judiciary Committee meeting at the Alaska State Capitol Building on Feb. 19, 2025. The presentation to the Alaska Legislature was one of many in Juneau this week by immigration leaders in the state. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

Immigrants and refugees in Alaska feel uncertainty under Trump administration

Policy changes spur preparation outreach from immigration advocates.

A bike is parked outside the main entrance of Bartlett Regional Hospital on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

About 100,000 Alaskans could lose health insurance under GOP plan backed by Trump, hospital officials say

Cut affecting Medicaid could also be costly to state and other policyholders, letter to delegation asserts.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior swimmers Pacific Ricke and Lucia Chapell signed national letters of intent to become student-athletes at Bates College and Colorado College, respectively, Thursday at Augustus Brown Pool. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Chapell, Ricke sign to swim at Colorado and Bates

From Haines to Juneau, fast friends follow futures in the pool.

The University of Alaska Southeast class of 2024 receives their degrees during a commencement ceremony Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the UAS Recreation Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

University of Alaska removing DEI references from all print and online materials

UAS chancellor says deletions are to comply with Board of Regents’ directive issued Friday afternoon.

Greens Creek is one of the largest silver mines in the world. It recently lost access to its supply of hydroelectric power, which its owner, Hecla, says could cost the company $5 million to replace with diesel generation. (Hecla Greens Creek Mine)

News

Juneau’s push to expand renewable power could boost the region’s mines — or cost them

Proposals to electrify cruise docks and build hydroelectric plant may help one mine, hurt another.

A worker aboard a commercial fishing vessel. (Photo provided by NOAA Fisheries)

News

Alaska fisheries observers experience harassment at much higher than reported rates, study says

Researchers estimate 22% to 38% of observers experience victimization each year.