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An empty hallway at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska seeks to create statewide reading standards for Alaska Native languages

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is seeking a specialist in Alaska Native language education to create state standards for reading in Alaska… Continue reading

An empty hallway at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)
Campaign signs for Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly and Ella Adkison sit side-by-side in a yard on Douglas. Kelly and Adkison are the candidates currently leading in the 10-person field for two open Assembly Areawide seats, according to preliminary results released Wednesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Candidates react to unofficial local election results

City Hall bond faces narrow rejection, Assembly races with razor-thin margins.

Campaign signs for Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly and Ella Adkison sit side-by-side in a yard on Douglas. Kelly and Adkison are the candidates currently leading in the 10-person field for two open Assembly Areawide seats, according to preliminary results released Wednesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Safeway supermarket in Juneau, seen here Wednesday, is among those in Alaska that might be sold if its parent company, Albertsons Companies Inc., merges with Kroger Co., the parent company of Fred Meyer. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

24 of 60 Alaska state lawmakers sign letter opposing merger of Safeway, Fred Meyer parent companies

All three of Juneau’s Democratic legislators among those opposing merger.

The Safeway supermarket in Juneau, seen here Wednesday, is among those in Alaska that might be sold if its parent company, Albertsons Companies Inc., merges with Kroger Co., the parent company of Fred Meyer. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An emergency alert is displayed on a cellphone, Oct. 30, 2020, in Rio Rancho, N.M. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

Nationwide emergency alert test to hit cellphones and TVs starting at 10:20 a.m. Wednesday

People scheduled to get an alert during a 30-minute window.

  • Oct 4, 2023
  • By Rebecaa Santana Associated Press
An emergency alert is displayed on a cellphone, Oct. 30, 2020, in Rio Rancho, N.M. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)
Michael Beasley drops a ballot into a drop box at the City Hall Assembly Chambers on Election Day Tuesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Michael Beasley drops a ballot into a drop box at the City Hall Assembly Chambers on Election Day Tuesday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Students in the Juneau School District fared better on standardized science tests during the past year than their peers statewide, but the local proficiency score of about 43% was nearly 6% lower than the local scores last year, according to results released last Friday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Statewide test scores show Alaska’s students still struggling

About 37% proficient in science statewide; Juneau at 43%, down from 48.6% a year ago.

Students in the Juneau School District fared better on standardized science tests during the past year than their peers statewide, but the local proficiency score of about 43% was nearly 6% lower than the local scores last year, according to results released last Friday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)

Carlos Boozer memoir includes full life story, Juneau years

NBA star and hometown hero pens “Every Shot Counts”

Carlos Boozer, a former Juneau high school basketball player and retired NBA all-star, talks with a student at his basketball camp in Juneau in 2017. (Nolin Ainsworth/Juneau Empire File)
A closed sign sits on Delta’s ticket counter after hours inside Juneau International Airport in August of 2022. The airline announced this week it is suspending service between Juneau and Seattle from Nov. 4 to June 6, 2024. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

Delta Air Lines canceling Juneau-Seattle flights from Nov. 4 until early next June

Airline cites “commercial and operational constraints,” analyst says higher local airfares likely.

A closed sign sits on Delta’s ticket counter after hours inside Juneau International Airport in August of 2022. The airline announced this week it is suspending service between Juneau and Seattle from Nov. 4 to June 6, 2024. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
Residents sit in voter booths at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Election Day kicks off in Juneau

Preliminary results of municipal election expected to be announced late Tuesday night.

Residents sit in voter booths at the voter center located at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library on Tuesday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

McCarthy becomes the first speaker ever to be ousted from the job in a House vote

WASHINGTON — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history that was forced by… Continue reading

  • Oct 3, 2023
  • By Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amari Associated Press
  • National News
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)

Juneau’s teams fall short in 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage

TMHS goes 9-3, JDHS 0-12 in pool play; both local teams knocked out early in bracket rounds.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)
An exercise station at Anchorage’s Westchester Lagoon is seen on Monday. The “Fitness Cluster” offers opportunities for strength and cardiovacular training, and signage gives fitness information and advice. Two-thirds of Alaska adults are overweight or obese, and about a fifth of them engage in no physical activity, according to an annual report released by the state Department of Health. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Report: Alaskans dogged by chronic diseases

Many residents lack healthy lifestyles or regular screenings.

An exercise station at Anchorage’s Westchester Lagoon is seen on Monday. The “Fitness Cluster” offers opportunities for strength and cardiovacular training, and signage gives fitness information and advice. Two-thirds of Alaska adults are overweight or obese, and about a fifth of them engage in no physical activity, according to an annual report released by the state Department of Health. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
This is a photo included in the Mga Kuwento: Filipinos of Juneau exhibition set to open at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum on Friday. (Juneau-Douglas City Museum)
This is a photo included in the Mga Kuwento: Filipinos of Juneau exhibition set to open at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum on Friday. (Juneau-Douglas City Museum)
The exhibit “Visceral: Verity, Legacy, Identity – Alaska Native Gut Knowledge and Perseverance” will feature four final days of closing events starting with First Friday and ending on Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Alaska State Museum. (Alaska State Museum)

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

Monthly lineup includes start of multiday events for Alaska Native, Filipino communities.

The exhibit “Visceral: Verity, Legacy, Identity – Alaska Native Gut Knowledge and Perseverance” will feature four final days of closing events starting with First Friday and ending on Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Alaska State Museum. (Alaska State Museum)
Resurrection Lutheran Church in April. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Church congregation to vote for third time on hosting winter emergency shelter

Pastor says she will likely leave role if vote is unsuccessful.

Resurrection Lutheran Church in April. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
A photo of the Palmer Project north of Haines provided to the Empire in 2019 by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. (Courtesy photo)

Palmer Project challenge to administrative ruling denied by DEC

Constantine wanted to know “precisely how” wastewater standards would be assessed.

A photo of the Palmer Project north of Haines provided to the Empire in 2019 by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. (Courtesy photo)
(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Police investigate second drive-by pellet gun shooting in less than a week

The two reported incidents are not believed to be connected, JPD spokesperson says.

(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, speaks with students at Barrow High School on Aug. 30, 2023. (Photo provided by Environmental Protection Agency)

Report links lack of investment in school guidance programs to Alaska’s lagging workforce

Jobs are available in Alaska, but the workforce to fill them isn’t there. A report from the Association of Alaska School Boards linked it to… Continue reading

Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, speaks with students at Barrow High School on Aug. 30, 2023. (Photo provided by Environmental Protection Agency)
Runners start the combined DI/DII Region V Boys Cross Country Championship race on Saturday at Treadwell Mine Trails. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

JDHS, Sitka sweep region XC titles

Cross-country champions cite strong team chemistry.

Runners start the combined DI/DII Region V Boys Cross Country Championship race on Saturday at Treadwell Mine Trails. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau senior Eric Tipton (88) levels Anchorage South wide receiver Landon Drumm during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Field. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Huskies go South, lose regular season finale 46-0

Juneau, last place at 0-7 in conference, faces top-seed Anchorage West in playoffs.

Juneau senior Eric Tipton (88) levels Anchorage South wide receiver Landon Drumm during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Field. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)