Home

Sally Schlichting practices the flute at the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum Atrium Monday afternoon in preparation for her upcoming solo concert Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Fluting solo: Esteemed Juneau musician to perform first solo concert in nearly a decade

Con Brio’s Sally Schlichting will perform a series of classical chamber pieces on the flute

Sally Schlichting practices the flute at the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum Atrium Monday afternoon in preparation for her upcoming solo concert Saturday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, addressing a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Tuesday,

What sank the Juneau icebreaker plan?

Sullivan, in a “bit of hearsay,” blames last-minute swap for border funds by still-unknown person

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, addressing a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Tuesday,
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)
Video

Biden says in State of Union that U.S. is ‘unbowed, unbroken’

Address comes as the nation struggles to make sense of confounding cross-currents at home and abroad.

  • Feb 7, 2023
  • By Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim Associated Press
  • National News
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)
Video
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan addresses a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature in the House chambers on Tuesday. The Republican senator, appearing on the same day as Democratic President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech (and thus absent from it), criticized the administration on issues ranging from drugs to opposing resource development in Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sullivan applauds, denounces feds in speech to Legislature

Senator praises ferry funds and monitoring of China’s balloon, fears Biden limiting oil project.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan addresses a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature in the House chambers on Tuesday. The Republican senator, appearing on the same day as Democratic President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech (and thus absent from it), criticized the administration on issues ranging from drugs to opposing resource development in Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy Photo / Tanya Nizich 
JDHS girls basketball team poses for group photo during their four-game road trip in Anchorage. The Crimson Bears played one solo game against Service High School with the remaining three games being part of the Dimond Tournament against Lathrop, Colony and Dimond High Schools.

JDHS girls basketball goes 3-1 at Dimond Tournament

Crimson Bears beat Service High School in pre-tourny game.

Courtesy Photo / Tanya Nizich 
JDHS girls basketball team poses for group photo during their four-game road trip in Anchorage. The Crimson Bears played one solo game against Service High School with the remaining three games being part of the Dimond Tournament against Lathrop, Colony and Dimond High Schools.
Members of the Juneau Police Department pose for a group photo during the annual JPD awards ceremony on Monday. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JPD honors officers in annual award ceremony

The late Chief Pat Wellington presented with legislative memoriam.

Members of the Juneau Police Department pose for a group photo during the annual JPD awards ceremony on Monday. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Chunks of ice break off the Perito Moreno Glacier, in Lake Argentina, at Los Glaciares National Park, near El Calafate, in Argentina's Patagonia region, March 10, 2016. As glaciers melt and pour massive amounts of water into nearby lakes, 15 million people across the globe live under the threat of a sudden and deadly outburst flood, a new study finds. (AP Photo / Francisco Munoz)

Study: 15 million people live under threat of glacial floods

More than half of those are in just four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru and China.

Chunks of ice break off the Perito Moreno Glacier, in Lake Argentina, at Los Glaciares National Park, near El Calafate, in Argentina's Patagonia region, March 10, 2016. As glaciers melt and pour massive amounts of water into nearby lakes, 15 million people across the globe live under the threat of a sudden and deadly outburst flood, a new study finds. (AP Photo / Francisco Munoz)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire 
Edward Richards, left, a high school student in the Sitka School District, talks about the lack of mental health services in Alaska’s public schools as part of the testimony also offered by district Superintendent Frank Hauser, center, and student Felix Myers during a Senate Education Meeting on Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. The committee is proposing a 17% increase in the state’s school funding formula, which was remained essentially flat since 2017.

School’s in at the Capitol

Students and education leaders from around state make case for more classroom cash.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire 
Edward Richards, left, a high school student in the Sitka School District, talks about the lack of mental health services in Alaska’s public schools as part of the testimony also offered by district Superintendent Frank Hauser, center, and student Felix Myers during a Senate Education Meeting on Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. The committee is proposing a 17% increase in the state’s school funding formula, which was remained essentially flat since 2017.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Ayuq Blanchett and Josaia Lehauli recieve awards for their work at the Tlingit Culture Language and Literacy program at Harborview Elementary School Monday morning.

Tlingit language and culture program expands its reach

The optional district program is extending to eighth grade, hiring full-time principal

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Ayuq Blanchett and Josaia Lehauli recieve awards for their work at the Tlingit Culture Language and Literacy program at Harborview Elementary School Monday morning.
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire 
Kyle Clayton, Ryan Staska and Brandon Wilks, all members of the Lynn Canal Community Players, perform a staged reading of the play, “The Strange Fate of the Clara Nevada” on Sunday at the Haines Sheldon Museum to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the ship’s sinking in 1898.

Exhibit shines a light on shipwreck’s history

Haines commemorates 125th anniversary of the Clara Nevada.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire 
Kyle Clayton, Ryan Staska and Brandon Wilks, all members of the Lynn Canal Community Players, perform a staged reading of the play, “The Strange Fate of the Clara Nevada” on Sunday at the Haines Sheldon Museum to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the ship’s sinking in 1898.
The Crimson Bear’s took home second place at the 2023 Alaska DII Hockey State Championships over the weekend to round off another successful season. (Courtesy / Judy Campbell)

Crimson Bears hockey makes history at state tournament

The team finished second and was honored with the tournament’s sportsmanship award.

The Crimson Bear’s took home second place at the 2023 Alaska DII Hockey State Championships over the weekend to round off another successful season. (Courtesy / Judy Campbell)
Folks at the Alaska State Capitol openly admit to plenty of fish tales, but to a large degree in ways intended to benefit residents and sometimes even the fish. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

The bizarre bills other state legislatures are considering

Alaska’s Legislature isn’t mulling the headline-grabbers some statehouses have in the works.

Folks at the Alaska State Capitol openly admit to plenty of fish tales, but to a large degree in ways intended to benefit residents and sometimes even the fish. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
From left to right, AFS and Rotary exchange students Goce Dimitriev, Leni Schilling, Ana Scopel and Wasiq Malik pose for a photo at Floyd Dryden Middle School on Friday. Each met with various classes throughout the day to share their presentations and answer questions from Juneau students.

Students expand worldview through exchange programs

Sixteen-year-old Leni Schilling said she’s been dreaming of traveling to America through an international national program since she was a young girl. The aspiration began… Continue reading

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
From left to right, AFS and Rotary exchange students Goce Dimitriev, Leni Schilling, Ana Scopel and Wasiq Malik pose for a photo at Floyd Dryden Middle School on Friday. Each met with various classes throughout the day to share their presentations and answer questions from Juneau students.
Climate activists hold a rally outside the Alaska State Capitol Friday afternoon in advocacy for legislative action to improve Alaska’s renewable energy development and future sustainability. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Climate activists hold rally near the Capitol

Statewide organizations advocate for legislative action

Climate activists hold a rally outside the Alaska State Capitol Friday afternoon in advocacy for legislative action to improve Alaska’s renewable energy development and future sustainability. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
These photos show Nova, a 3-year-old golden retriever, and the illegally placed body hold trap, commonly referred to as a Conibear trap, that caught her while walking near Outer Point Trail last week. (Courtesy / Jessica Davis)

Dog narrowly survives rare illegally placed trap in Juneau

State wildlife officials outlined what to do if found in similar situation

These photos show Nova, a 3-year-old golden retriever, and the illegally placed body hold trap, commonly referred to as a Conibear trap, that caught her while walking near Outer Point Trail last week. (Courtesy / Jessica Davis)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
City and Borough of Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon and Bartlett Regional Hospital Board President Kenny Solomon-Gross sit next to each other during a joint meeting between the Assembly and hospital’s senior leadership team and board to discuss the hospital’s current multi-million dollar deficit and financial state.

Joint meeting addresses hospital’s growing deficit

Bartlett Regional Hospital officials outline measures to fix projected shortfall.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
City and Borough of Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon and Bartlett Regional Hospital Board President Kenny Solomon-Gross sit next to each other during a joint meeting between the Assembly and hospital’s senior leadership team and board to discuss the hospital’s current multi-million dollar deficit and financial state.
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police: Gift card scam connected to hoax Fred Meyer threats

This article has been moved in front of the Empire’s paywall. A gift card scam has an apparent connection to hoax threats made to a… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
This is a concept design drawing that was included in the request for proposal sent out by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities seeking outside engineering and design services to determine whether it’s feasible to build a new ferry terminal facility in Juneau at Cascade Point. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

DOT takes steps toward potential Cascade Point ferry terminal facility

It would accommodate the Tazlina and or Hubbard, shorten trips to Haines and Skagway

This is a concept design drawing that was included in the request for proposal sent out by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities seeking outside engineering and design services to determine whether it’s feasible to build a new ferry terminal facility in Juneau at Cascade Point. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, stands in the well of the House Chambers with other Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to hear Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., deliver remarks shortly after becoming the new minority leader on Jan. 6. The speech came after a nearly weeklong stalemate by Republicans in electing a speaker after they won a narrow majority in November’s election. (Screenshot from C-SPAN video feed)

Peltola learning the House party is over

Distractions and inaction replace honeymoon headlines as Alaska’s new rep joins minority.

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, stands in the well of the House Chambers with other Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to hear Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., deliver remarks shortly after becoming the new minority leader on Jan. 6. The speech came after a nearly weeklong stalemate by Republicans in electing a speaker after they won a narrow majority in November’s election. (Screenshot from C-SPAN video feed)