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Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire
This photo shows vials of COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. BRH immediately began vaccinating its personnel upon receipt of the vaccine.
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire
This photo shows vials of COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. BRH immediately began vaccinating its personnel upon receipt of the vaccine.
Juneauites were out and about in the snow on 2nd Street in Douglas Wednesday, but the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for another storm Thursday morning which could bring up to two feet of snow in two days. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Juneauites were out and about in the snow on 2nd Street in Douglas Wednesday, but the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for another storm Thursday morning which could bring up to two feet of snow in two days. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The author drew a coveted elk hunt on Etolin Island a few years ago. In five days, he and his two buddies saw zero elk, but it still ranks as one of his favorite all-time hunts. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: My ticket to paradise

Sheep. Goat. Caribou. Bison. Not necessarily in that order.

The author drew a coveted elk hunt on Etolin Island a few years ago. In five days, he and his two buddies saw zero elk, but it still ranks as one of his favorite all-time hunts. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
The City and Borough of Juneau and four Juneau residents will be among those honored in the Governor’s Arts and Humanities Awards in early January. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau residents to be recognized with arts and humanities awards

Four Juneauites and the city itself among the eight honored.

The City and Borough of Juneau and four Juneau residents will be among those honored in the Governor’s Arts and Humanities Awards in early January. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, seen here in this April 7, photo, will hold a news conference Tuesday evening. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, seen here in this April 7, photo, will hold a news conference Tuesday evening. (Courtesy photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
The property at 9290 Hurlock Avenue near the intersection of Egan Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road was vacant Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, but a group of nonprofit organizations are partnering to try and turn the site into a youth homeless center. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed two ordinances Monday which would allow the project to move forward. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Youth shelter awaits funding

Worthy project but funds are tight.

The property at 9290 Hurlock Avenue near the intersection of Egan Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road was vacant Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, but a group of nonprofit organizations are partnering to try and turn the site into a youth homeless center. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed two ordinances Monday which would allow the project to move forward. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Mike Wiley, left, and daughter Megan Bishop serve a customer at their store, Ben Franklin Store, in downtown Juneau on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. The city extended its mask mandate at a meeting Monday, but Wiley and Bishop said they'd ask customers to wear a mask regardless of the mandate. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Juneau extends mask mandate

Vaccines have arrived, but vigilance remains important, city officials said.

Mike Wiley, left, and daughter Megan Bishop serve a customer at their store, Ben Franklin Store, in downtown Juneau on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. The city extended its mask mandate at a meeting Monday, but Wiley and Bishop said they'd ask customers to wear a mask regardless of the mandate. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Fire/Rescue will be escorting their Clauses around Juneau this year, with some slight modifications to the annual tradition. (Courtesy photo / City and Borough of Juneau)

Santa Claus is coming to town

Capital City Fire/Rescue, Mr. and Mrs. Claus ready for parade

Capital City Fire/Rescue will be escorting their Clauses around Juneau this year, with some slight modifications to the annual tradition. (Courtesy photo / City and Borough of Juneau)
Chief Master Sgt. Winfield Hinkley Jr., Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the Alaska National Guard, left, Makayla Hikley, middle, and Maj. John Brackenbury, divisional commander with the Salvation Army, Alaska Division, wrap gifts in Anchorage, Alaska, that will be sent to children in three rural Alaska villages, on Nov. 17, 2020. The Alaska National Guard and the Salvation Army were able to provide and deliver gifts for the program’s 65th year, but had to scale back distribution parties that are normally held in the villages because of COVID-19. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

Pandemic prompts scaled back Christmas tradition in Alaska

This year’s edition of Operation Santa Claus didn’t have the pomp of previous incarnations.

  • Dec 15, 2020
  • By Mark Thiessen Associated Press
Chief Master Sgt. Winfield Hinkley Jr., Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the Alaska National Guard, left, Makayla Hikley, middle, and Maj. John Brackenbury, divisional commander with the Salvation Army, Alaska Division, wrap gifts in Anchorage, Alaska, that will be sent to children in three rural Alaska villages, on Nov. 17, 2020. The Alaska National Guard and the Salvation Army were able to provide and deliver gifts for the program’s 65th year, but had to scale back distribution parties that are normally held in the villages because of COVID-19. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
Lawmakers will return to the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Nov. 4, 2020, in January but the Legislature remains deeply divided, and new leadership has yet to emerge in either the House or Senate. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers cautious of governor’s budget

Reactions mixed to big proposals.

Lawmakers will return to the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Nov. 4, 2020, in January but the Legislature remains deeply divided, and new leadership has yet to emerge in either the House or Senate. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File
The U.S. Flag and Alaska state flag fly on the roof of the Alaska State Capitol on Oct. 17. With just over a month before legislative session is set to begin, some lawmakers are waiting to lock down digs. One factor: uncertainty about how — and for how long — lawmakers plan to meet.

Virus causes session housing headaches for state lawmakers

Uncertainty shaped short-term housing plans.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File
The U.S. Flag and Alaska state flag fly on the roof of the Alaska State Capitol on Oct. 17. With just over a month before legislative session is set to begin, some lawmakers are waiting to lock down digs. One factor: uncertainty about how — and for how long — lawmakers plan to meet.
The first doses of the vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Anchorage on Dec. 13, 2020, and are due to begin being injected within days. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Department of Health and Social Services)

Alaska receives first coronavirus vaccine shipments

The first vaccinations are expected to happen this week.

The first doses of the vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Anchorage on Dec. 13, 2020, and are due to begin being injected within days. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Department of Health and Social Services)
Division of Elections staff conducted an audit of the ballots for Measure 2 at the division's offices at the Mendenhall Mall on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. DOE announced the audit found no changes from the original count and the results remained the same as originally certified. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Ballot Measure 2 audit shows no changes

Alaska’s election comes out clean.

Division of Elections staff conducted an audit of the ballots for Measure 2 at the division's offices at the Mendenhall Mall on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. DOE announced the audit found no changes from the original count and the results remained the same as originally certified. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (Courtesy Photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

Opinion: Our hearts go out to Southeast Alaska

Governor shares thoughts, response information on recent disaster.

  • Dec 14, 2020
  • By Gov. Mike Dunleavy
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (Courtesy Photo / Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)
First Student Inc. held a bus parade Saturday to remember recently killed employee Mark Sateri, driving by the Mountain View Apartments where Sateri lived and died as residents came out to remember him, Dec. 12, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Man remembered as kind, enthusiastic, hardworking

Residents at the Mountain View Apartment came out to remember their former friend and neighbor.

First Student Inc. held a bus parade Saturday to remember recently killed employee Mark Sateri, driving by the Mountain View Apartments where Sateri lived and died as residents came out to remember him, Dec. 12, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
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Slack Tide: Whole lotta latkes

Celebrate Hanukkah with these “excellent calorie shovels.”

  • Dec 13, 2020
  • By Geoff Kirsch For the Juneau Empire
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The Tailings Treatment Facility at Kensington Gold Mine, seen here on Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, will need to be expanded in order for the mine to operate for another 10 years. Environmentalists are concerned about pollutants from the mine contaminating local waters. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
The Tailings Treatment Facility at Kensington Gold Mine, seen here on Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, will need to be expanded in order for the mine to operate for another 10 years. Environmentalists are concerned about pollutants from the mine contaminating local waters. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. (Photo by the Canadian Press/AP-NIAID-RML via AP)

State reports 18 COVID-19 deaths

Of 18 deaths, five were recent, according to the state.

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. (Photo by the Canadian Press/AP-NIAID-RML via AP)
Margaret Keenan, 90, the first patient in the U.K. to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, receives an injection by nurse May Parsons at University Hospital, Coventry, England. (Jacob King/Pool via AP)

States will start getting COVID-19 vaccine Monday, US says

The U.S. gave the final go-ahead Friday.

Margaret Keenan, 90, the first patient in the U.K. to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, receives an injection by nurse May Parsons at University Hospital, Coventry, England. (Jacob King/Pool via AP)
Capital City Fire/Rescue responds to a wreck in which a pickup truck slid off the road near Twin Lakes. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)

Slick roads create hazards, lead to multiple wrecks

Authorities responded to multiple wrecks.

Capital City Fire/Rescue responds to a wreck in which a pickup truck slid off the road near Twin Lakes. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)