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Lee Richards, a Thunder Mountain High School sophomore, gets ready to let an arrow fly during this year’s Traditional Games held Saturday and Sunday at the high school in Juneau. This year’s games were the first to feature archery. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Target acquired: Traditional Games see archery debut, record number of athletes

Dozens of teams, over 200 athletes compete.

Lee Richards, a Thunder Mountain High School sophomore, gets ready to let an arrow fly during this year’s Traditional Games held Saturday and Sunday at the high school in Juneau. This year’s games were the first to feature archery. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
This March 28, 2023, photo shows Bruce Boolowon, left, posing with Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, during a ceremony in Gambell, Alaska. Saxe presented Alaska Heroism Medals to Boolowon, the last surviving guardsman who helped rescue 11 Navy crewmen after they crash landed on St. Lawrence Island on June 22, 1955, and to the family members of 15 other guardsman who are now deceased. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

Alaska Native Scouts honored 67 years after rescuing Navy crew

“I’m glad we did our duty as a guardsman.”

This March 28, 2023, photo shows Bruce Boolowon, left, posing with Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, during a ceremony in Gambell, Alaska. Saxe presented Alaska Heroism Medals to Boolowon, the last surviving guardsman who helped rescue 11 Navy crewmen after they crash landed on St. Lawrence Island on June 22, 1955, and to the family members of 15 other guardsman who are now deceased. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
Flags fly outside the State Office Building on Friday, where a note police described as a possible threat against children was discovered at midday on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Police investigate notes indicating possible threat against children

In a statement, JPD said two such messages were found on Friday.

Flags fly outside the State Office Building on Friday, where a note police described as a possible threat against children was discovered at midday on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Vera Metcalf stands on Wednesday by a chunk of sea ice transported from Utqiagvik and displayed at the Arctic Encounter Symposium. The melting ice, which started at 310 pounds, symbolizes the rapid climate change that is weaking the Arctic ice pack, with profound implications for ecosystems, communties and cultures. (Photo by Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)

Sea ice, critical to ecosystems and communities, looms large at Alaska conference

Suspended in netting in a downtown Anchorage building is a potent symbol of Arctic climate change: a chunk of sea ice that started at 310… Continue reading

Vera Metcalf stands on Wednesday by a chunk of sea ice transported from Utqiagvik and displayed at the Arctic Encounter Symposium. The melting ice, which started at 310 pounds, symbolizes the rapid climate change that is weaking the Arctic ice pack, with profound implications for ecosystems, communties and cultures. (Photo by Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)
Frank Hauser, who on Friday was selected by the Juneau School District Board of Education to be the district's next superintendent, addresses members of the Juneau School Board and attendees of a Tuesday evening forum at Thunder Mountain High School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

Longtime Alaska educator picked to be next Juneau superintendent

School board president gets the OK to negotiate 3-year contract with Frank Hauser.

Frank Hauser, who on Friday was selected by the Juneau School District Board of Education to be the district's next superintendent, addresses members of the Juneau School Board and attendees of a Tuesday evening forum at Thunder Mountain High School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
CCFR crews work to contain a residential structure fire in the 2800 block of Engineers Cut-Off Road on Thursday afternoon where it was reported that a 51-year-old man was the only casualty. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)

Authorities investigating fatal fire

A Juneau man died after a residential structure fire Thursday afternoon, according to Juneau Police Department. The fire took place in the 2800 block of… Continue reading

CCFR crews work to contain a residential structure fire in the 2800 block of Engineers Cut-Off Road on Thursday afternoon where it was reported that a 51-year-old man was the only casualty. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)
(Left to right): Britt Smith, President of the National Engineering Society, Floyd Dryden Middle School team members: Tyler Oudekerk, Caden Morris, Dan Degener, FDMS Coach Alan Degener and State Mathcounts Coordinator Clark Milne. FDMS team receiving their second place trophies at the state Mathcounts tournament in Fairbanks on March 25.

Local mathletes make trip to Fairbanks count

The Floyd Dryden Mathcounts team recently placed second in the state Mathcounts competition.

(Left to right): Britt Smith, President of the National Engineering Society, Floyd Dryden Middle School team members: Tyler Oudekerk, Caden Morris, Dan Degener, FDMS Coach Alan Degener and State Mathcounts Coordinator Clark Milne. FDMS team receiving their second place trophies at the state Mathcounts tournament in Fairbanks on March 25.
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, inquires about election legislation during a committee hearing Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol. Carpenter, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, is sponsoring bills to decrease business taxes and implement a 2% statewide sales tax that got hearings this week.

Tax on, tax off: Cutting corporate taxes while imposing 2% sales tax gets skeptical response

Fiscal plan focus of a committee hearing.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, inquires about election legislation during a committee hearing Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol. Carpenter, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, is sponsoring bills to decrease business taxes and implement a 2% statewide sales tax that got hearings this week.
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Two-time Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster Lauren Sisler addresses an audience of students and adults at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday as part of the Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club’s Pillars of America speaker series.

A Pillar in the face of loss: Lauren Sisler shares tale of resilience amid tragedy

Talk part of sunsetting Pillars of America series.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Two-time Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster Lauren Sisler addresses an audience of students and adults at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday as part of the Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club’s Pillars of America speaker series.
Former President Donald Trump announces he is running for president for the third time as he smiles while speaking at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 15, 2022. A lawyer for Trump said Thursday, March 30, 2023, that he has been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik, File)

Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime

His lawyers said: “He did not commit any crime.”

  • Mar 30, 2023
  • By Michael R. Sisak, Eric Tucker and Colleen Long Associated Press
  • Nation-World
Former President Donald Trump announces he is running for president for the third time as he smiles while speaking at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 15, 2022. A lawyer for Trump said Thursday, March 30, 2023, that he has been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik, File)
The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, a nonprofit headquartered in Juneau with 10 employees, is awaiting the final outcome of a vote by five non-management employees in favor of unionization. A challenge by the organization’s management on whether the National Labor Relations Board, which tallied the employees’ ballots Thursday, is legally allowed to intervene in the matter is pending. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file)

SEACC employees prevail in union vote, but appeal pending

Conservation nonprofit questions NLRB’s authority in dispute, argues outcome may have national impact

The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, a nonprofit headquartered in Juneau with 10 employees, is awaiting the final outcome of a vote by five non-management employees in favor of unionization. A challenge by the organization’s management on whether the National Labor Relations Board, which tallied the employees’ ballots Thursday, is legally allowed to intervene in the matter is pending. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file)
Little chairs sit in stacks after the temporary closure of downtown Gold Creek Child Development Center in mid-January, and another closure shortly followed, leaving dozens of families scrambling to find child care. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Opinion: Alaska’s child care crisis is too costly to ignore

Alaskans see this impact daily.

  • Mar 30, 2023
  • By Charles L. Westmoreland and Blue Shibler
Little chairs sit in stacks after the temporary closure of downtown Gold Creek Child Development Center in mid-January, and another closure shortly followed, leaving dozens of families scrambling to find child care. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
President Joe Biden speaks during a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, celebrating Greek Independence Day. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)

Biden won’t veto Republican-led bill ending COVID emergency

Republicans celebrated the turn of events Wednesday.

President Joe Biden speaks during a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, celebrating Greek Independence Day. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State representatives Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka, left, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, discuss a proposal requiring school districts to maintain a public online checkbook with Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton, the bill’s sponsor, during a break in a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday. The two Southeast Alaska representatives expressed concerns about cyber security and small remote districts that do not have official websites.

Lawmakers try to fill in some blanks in ‘online checkbook’ for schools bill

Proposed online register raises questions about practicality, cyberattacks, offline districts.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State representatives Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka, left, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, discuss a proposal requiring school districts to maintain a public online checkbook with Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton, the bill’s sponsor, during a break in a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday. The two Southeast Alaska representatives expressed concerns about cyber security and small remote districts that do not have official websites.
This combination image shows Frank Hauser, Thom Peck and Carlee Simon, the three candidates who are currently being considered for the Juneau School District superintendent position. The district is expected to make a decision on Friday. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Superintendent decision moved to Friday

Board meeting at noon via Zoom.

This combination image shows Frank Hauser, Thom Peck and Carlee Simon, the three candidates who are currently being considered for the Juneau School District superintendent position. The district is expected to make a decision on Friday. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
JDHS’ Skylar Tuckwood (13) sprints down the court against Ketchikan High School on Friday, Feb. 24 at JDHS where she led with a total of 19 points. Tuckwood earned first team all-state honors for her 22-23 senior season. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

Four Juneau basketball players earn all-state honors

Hoopers from every local team named among the best in the state.

JDHS’ Skylar Tuckwood (13) sprints down the court against Ketchikan High School on Friday, Feb. 24 at JDHS where she led with a total of 19 points. Tuckwood earned first team all-state honors for her 22-23 senior season. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)
Robert DeMaine, principal cellist of the L.A. Philharmonic, is scheduled to perform Dvorak’s Cello Concerto during a pair of concerts this weekend by the Juneau Symphony. (Courtesy Photo/ Daniel Lippitt)
Capital City Weekly

Say cello to the guest artist: Symphony performance features L.A. Philharmonic’s principal cellist

Concert will include Dvořák’s Cello Concerto among other selections.

Robert DeMaine, principal cellist of the L.A. Philharmonic, is scheduled to perform Dvorak’s Cello Concerto during a pair of concerts this weekend by the Juneau Symphony. (Courtesy Photo/ Daniel Lippitt)
Heidi Teshner, acting commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, explains details of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s so-called “parental rights” bill during a House Education Committee hearing Wednesday. Public testimony on the bill is scheduled to be heard by the committee Thursday evening. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Public gets first say on proposal to restrict sex, gender content in schools

House Education Committee to host Thursday hearing on Dunleavy’s bill.

Heidi Teshner, acting commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, explains details of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s so-called “parental rights” bill during a House Education Committee hearing Wednesday. Public testimony on the bill is scheduled to be heard by the committee Thursday evening. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, speaks during a meeting of the House State Affairs committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Juneau, Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Kenai area lawmakers set sights on financial fixes

KENAI — The central Kenai Peninsula’s representatives in the Alaska House of Representatives have their eyes on state finances this week. Reps. Justin Ruffridge, a… Continue reading

Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, speaks during a meeting of the House State Affairs committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Juneau, Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire From left to right, Carlee Simon, Frank Hauser and Thom Peck pose for a photo on Tuesday at Thunder Mountain High School after the Juneau School Board hosted a public forum in which Simon, Hauser and Peck were given an opportunity to answer questions as the three finalists being considered for the Juneau School District superintendent position.

Superintendent finalists field questions

Forum held ahead of Wednesday’s special school board meeting.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire From left to right, Carlee Simon, Frank Hauser and Thom Peck pose for a photo on Tuesday at Thunder Mountain High School after the Juneau School Board hosted a public forum in which Simon, Hauser and Peck were given an opportunity to answer questions as the three finalists being considered for the Juneau School District superintendent position.