Home

Capital City Fire/Rescue firefighters seek to extinguish a house fire near Point Lena on March 10, 2021. (Courtesy photo / CCFR)

Point Lena house fire ignition source under investigation

The damage to the roof is substantial, but no injuries occured.

Capital City Fire/Rescue firefighters seek to extinguish a house fire near Point Lena on March 10, 2021. (Courtesy photo / CCFR)
Bridget Weiss, superintendent of the Juneau School District, has been nominated for a Women of Distinction award. She is pictured here addressing the Senate Education Committee at the Capitol on April 16, 2019. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)

Board praises superintendent, nominates her for award

Superintendent subject of glowing remarks from school board during Women’s History Month

Bridget Weiss, superintendent of the Juneau School District, has been nominated for a Women of Distinction award. She is pictured here addressing the Senate Education Committee at the Capitol on April 16, 2019. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire File)
Alaska Senate Secretary Liz Clark, right, holds a copy of the Alaska Legislature's uniform rules as she talks to Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, center, while Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna and Senate Majority Leader Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska, Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Reinbold was excluded from most spaces in the Alaska State Capitol until she follows the Legislature's anti-COVID policies. (James Brooks / Anchorage Daily News via AP, Pool)

State Senate takes action against member over virus rules

An 18-1 vote allows leadership to enforce COVID-19 mitigation policies.

Alaska Senate Secretary Liz Clark, right, holds a copy of the Alaska Legislature's uniform rules as she talks to Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, center, while Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna and Senate Majority Leader Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska, Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Reinbold was excluded from most spaces in the Alaska State Capitol until she follows the Legislature's anti-COVID policies. (James Brooks / Anchorage Daily News via AP, Pool)
A bill from Gov. Mike Dunleavy would rework the Marine Transportation Advisory Board to help the Alaska Marine Highway System with long-term planning to provide better service for passengers like the ones seen here at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal on May 16, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Governor’s new bill would change long-term planning for state’s ferry system

In it for the long haul?

A bill from Gov. Mike Dunleavy would rework the Marine Transportation Advisory Board to help the Alaska Marine Highway System with long-term planning to provide better service for passengers like the ones seen here at the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal on May 16, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy Photo / Perseverance Theatre This composite image shows M.C. MoHagani Magnetek, Leslie Ishii and Molly Smith. All three will be part of upcoming Perseverance Theatre events that will share often-overlooked perspectives.
Capital City Weekly

Theater events will highlight often untold stories

Black Alaskans, women in theater to be focus of livestreams.

Courtesy Photo / Perseverance Theatre This composite image shows M.C. MoHagani Magnetek, Leslie Ishii and Molly Smith. All three will be part of upcoming Perseverance Theatre events that will share often-overlooked perspectives.
Bartlett Regional Hospital infection preventionist Charlee Gribbon prepares vaccines during a clinic at Centennial Hall on Feb. 11, 2021. The City and Borough of Juneau is on track to have about half of its residents vaccinated by the end of March. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

80% of Juneau residents now eligible for COVID vaccine

“Healthy people means healthy economies.”

Bartlett Regional Hospital infection preventionist Charlee Gribbon prepares vaccines during a clinic at Centennial Hall on Feb. 11, 2021. The City and Borough of Juneau is on track to have about half of its residents vaccinated by the end of March. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Board of Education members are debating the best way to spend operating funds, allocate grant money and use federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds for the 2021-22 school year. Personnel changes are expected at multiple schools ahead of that school year, including principal changes at Auke Bay and Harborview elementary schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Looking ahead: Board of education mulls budget for next school year

Enrollment uncertainty complicates budget process for Juneau School District.

Board of Education members are debating the best way to spend operating funds, allocate grant money and use federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds for the 2021-22 school year. Personnel changes are expected at multiple schools ahead of that school year, including principal changes at Auke Bay and Harborview elementary schools. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a fire near Lena Beach on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, where a shed fire ignited the interior insulation of a residence. (Courtesy photo / Robert Zager)

Firefighters tackling smouldering roof fire near Lena Beach

A shed fire caught the roof interior of the adjoining house on fire.

Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a fire near Lena Beach on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, where a shed fire ignited the interior insulation of a residence. (Courtesy photo / Robert Zager)
Tease
Capital City Weekly

JDHS puts on pandemic-friendly production of ‘Fame: The Musical’

Feel it coming together?

Tease
The fear of looking ridiculous or incompetent prevents many people from putting their creative abilities on display. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went To The Woods: Fear of the single star

There are good leaps and there are dumb ones.

The fear of looking ridiculous or incompetent prevents many people from putting their creative abilities on display. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
Bartlett Regional Hospital pharmacist Chris Sperry holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Half of Juneau’s residents expected to get COVID-19 vaccine by end of March

Late Tuesday, state officials expanded vaccine eligibility

Bartlett Regional Hospital pharmacist Chris Sperry holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Service from ferries like the MV Tazlina, seen here coming into dock at Juneau on May 16, 2020, have become unreliable for coastal communities as year-to-year planning leads to high levels of uncertainty, according to coastal lawmakers. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Lack of planning hampers AMHS, lawmakers say

Uncertainty hurts business.

Service from ferries like the MV Tazlina, seen here coming into dock at Juneau on May 16, 2020, have become unreliable for coastal communities as year-to-year planning leads to high levels of uncertainty, according to coastal lawmakers. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Spot, a kitten who escaped on an Alaska Marine Highway ferry bound from Washington to Haines, took a solo adventure in Juneau but was returned to her family in Haines by a thoughtful Juneau resident on March 9, 2021. (Courtesy Photo / Ashlyn Harper)

Kitten escaped on ferry found in Juneau and returned to owner

The cat made the last leg of the trip to Haines Tuesday after a solo expedition.

Spot, a kitten who escaped on an Alaska Marine Highway ferry bound from Washington to Haines, took a solo adventure in Juneau but was returned to her family in Haines by a thoughtful Juneau resident on March 9, 2021. (Courtesy Photo / Ashlyn Harper)
In this December 2020 photo, Bartlett Regional Hospital pharmacy personnel take delivery of the first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine. About three months later, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the state is making the vaccine available to all Alaskans starting March 10. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Breaking: Vaccine soon available to all Alaskans

Everyone living and working in Alaska.

In this December 2020 photo, Bartlett Regional Hospital pharmacy personnel take delivery of the first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine. About three months later, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the state is making the vaccine available to all Alaskans starting March 10. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, seen here on Aug. 11, 2020, will be holding a news conference at 5 p.m. regarding COVID-19, according to a release from his office. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

Watch: Dunleavy news conference on COVID-19

Watch here.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, seen here on Aug. 11, 2020, will be holding a news conference at 5 p.m. regarding COVID-19, according to a release from his office. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
Capital City Fire/Rescue and the Juneau Police Department are investigating a carport fire occurring on March 6, 2021, seen above, as an intentionally set fire. (Courtesy photo / CCFR)

Police and fire marshal investigating Smith Hall carport fire as arson

“The question we’re dealing with is, why would someone burn senior citizen’s property or automobiles.”

Capital City Fire/Rescue and the Juneau Police Department are investigating a carport fire occurring on March 6, 2021, seen above, as an intentionally set fire. (Courtesy photo / CCFR)
A hearing officer heard arguments for and against revoking a special use permit the city granted for a Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska-run transitional living facility on the corner of Alaway Avenue and Glacier Highway. This picture shows a proposed design of the facility. (Courtesy Image / Tlingit and Haida)

Hearing held for proposed Alaway Avenue project

Both sides of debate make their case.

A hearing officer heard arguments for and against revoking a special use permit the city granted for a Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska-run transitional living facility on the corner of Alaway Avenue and Glacier Highway. This picture shows a proposed design of the facility. (Courtesy Image / Tlingit and Haida)
Medical Assistant Keona Shepard holds up the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as she prepares to administer it at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the mass coronavirus vaccination in New Orleans, in this Thursday, March 4, 2021, file photo. (Chris Granger / The Advocate)

CDC: Fully vaccinated people can gather without masks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the guidance Monday.

Medical Assistant Keona Shepard holds up the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as she prepares to administer it at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the mass coronavirus vaccination in New Orleans, in this Thursday, March 4, 2021, file photo. (Chris Granger / The Advocate)
The Department of Health and Social Services, its headquarters seen here in Juneau on Monday, March 8, 2021, could be split into two departments by an executive order from the governor. However, some lawmakers have raised concern about the legality of the order, saying it could lead to costly litigation. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers question whether proposed department split is legal

Governor maintains executive order is within his powers, others are less sure.

The Department of Health and Social Services, its headquarters seen here in Juneau on Monday, March 8, 2021, could be split into two departments by an executive order from the governor. However, some lawmakers have raised concern about the legality of the order, saying it could lead to costly litigation. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School Yadaa.at Kalé senior Jenae Pusich dribbles down the court at Friday night's game against Thunder Mountain High School. On Friday, THMS carried the night with a score of 52-45. However, on Saturday, Pusich scored 19 points in a game JDHS won 54 to 35. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Crosstown matchups put teams on road to post-season

JDHS win clinches team No. 1 seed in the Region V tournament.

Juneau-Douglas High School Yadaa.at Kalé senior Jenae Pusich dribbles down the court at Friday night's game against Thunder Mountain High School. On Friday, THMS carried the night with a score of 52-45. However, on Saturday, Pusich scored 19 points in a game JDHS won 54 to 35. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)