Site Logo
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.

A pilot flies over Denali National Park and Preserve in an undated photo. (iStock/Getty Images Plus)

News

Federal Aviation Administration withdraws from Alaska groups that work on safety

On Feb. 5, one day before the crash of Bering Air Flight 445, the Federal Aviation Administration informed…

Wrangell senior Della Churchill applauds the effort of a Stikine Middle School wrestler during the Southeast Middle School Regional Wrestling Championships at Thunder Mountain Middle School last week. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Della Churchill finds solace and perseverance on the mat

Wrangell senior’s strength through adversity a mark of her wrestling character

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Feb. 19, 1985. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending Feb. 22

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, speaks on the House floor on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Education funding bill unexpectedly advances again, nears House floor vote amid affordability concerns

HB 69 clears Finance Committee at first hearing as minority says discussions there are not worthwhile.

In this 2014 photo Thunder Mountain High School senior Ben Jahn (32) and Juneau-Douglas senior Kevin Guimmayen (10) shake hands before their game. Guimmayen passed from leukemia in 2017. Funds from Saturday’s game will go to help Cancer Connection and childhood cancer awareness. Friday’s game will support mental health through Take A Timeout To Talk supported by Find Your Fire and Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Weekend home basketball welcomes Monroe

Series will feature mental health and cancer awareness.

Juneau Ski Club’s coach Kevin Stell, Elaine Duvall, Marin Lowell, coach Brock Tabor and McKinley Burgess-Fitzpatrick pose Friday at the Alyeska Cup races in Girdwood. (Photo courtesy JSC)

Sports

Juneau Ski Club takes 14 athletes to Alyeska

Andrews, Stell highlight four top five JSC finishes

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Begich supports Trump’s federal cutbacks, but ‘I recognize the process won’t be perfect’

Congressman says cutting most Mendenhall Glacier staff may have been hasty; also wants faster flood fix.

Alaska State House members confer about a proposal to advance an education funding bill during a break in Wednesday’s floor session. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Education funding bill advances in House as majority shortcuts committee process due to stalemate

Bill held up in Education Committee due to absent member now skips ahead to Finance Committee.

2024 Thunder Mountain High School graduate James Polasky (34) is shown in action for St. Olaf College against the University of Wisconsin-River Falls this past November in the Oles gym in Minnesota. (Photo courtesy St. Olaf College)

Sports

Basketball a piece of cake for former TMHS star James Polasky

St. Olaf freshman has found taste for college.

Glacier Swim Club’s Levi Phelps, center, was 1st place high point winner for 14 year old boys at the Alaska Age Group Champs in Fairbanks over the weekend. At left is third place Noah Unks of Chugiak Aquatics Club and at right is second place Haoran Zhang of Midnight Sun Swim Team. (Photo courtesy GSC)

Sports

Glacier Swim Club thaws out Fairbanks pool with second-place team finish

Phelps, Soboleff, Woodruff pace team at Age Group Championships.