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Rep. Josiah Patkotak, I-Utqiagvik, explains the history of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska during an Alaska State House floor session in February. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

America’s farthest-north state representative is planning to leave the Alaska Capitol

Patkotak says he’s running to be the next mayor of the North Slope Borough.

Rep. Josiah Patkotak, I-Utqiagvik, explains the history of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska during an Alaska State House floor session in February. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Award-winning Juneau writer Vera Starbard stands on her balcony on Douglas Island that displays banners across Gastineau Channel in support of the Writer’s Guild of America union strike currently going on across Hollywood and the country. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Award-winning Juneau writer talks Hollywood writers’ strike

Vera Starbard is now living life off-script.

Award-winning Juneau writer Vera Starbard stands on her balcony on Douglas Island that displays banners across Gastineau Channel in support of the Writer’s Guild of America union strike currently going on across Hollywood and the country. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School senior Chase Darbonne wins the Division I boys long jump during the Region V Track & Field Championships, Saturday, at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: To his father

You sir have a fine young man. I don’t know much about you. But I know a lot about your son by my interactions with… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain High School senior Chase Darbonne wins the Division I boys long jump during the Region V Track & Field Championships, Saturday, at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
A sign at the entrance of the Juneau International Airport’s short-term parking lot informs travelers that construction will begin May 31 and long-term parking will be closed the same day. The airport’s construction project will begin next Wednesday, May 31, for parking lot improvements, including repaving, new curbing, lighting and draining, as well as installing a new payment system in the short-term lot. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Airport to begin $10M parking improvement project next week

Parking will be limited during the summer and into the fall, officials say.

A sign at the entrance of the Juneau International Airport’s short-term parking lot informs travelers that construction will begin May 31 and long-term parking will be closed the same day. The airport’s construction project will begin next Wednesday, May 31, for parking lot improvements, including repaving, new curbing, lighting and draining, as well as installing a new payment system in the short-term lot. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy signs legislation allowing the state to set up a carbon offset program Tuesday in Anchorage. Dunleavy signed the bill with Alaska lawmakers and administration officials standing behind him during the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Dunleavy signs carbon ‘trees’ bill at sustainable energy conference

National and state leaders discuss Alaska’s green market prospects in-state and internationally

Gov. Mike Dunleavy signs legislation allowing the state to set up a carbon offset program Tuesday in Anchorage. Dunleavy signed the bill with Alaska lawmakers and administration officials standing behind him during the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears center Orion Dybdahl signs a letter of intent Monday to play basketball at Centralia College as brother Eli Dybdahl, mother Sarah Dybdahl, sister Michaela Demmert, father Travis Dybdahl and JDHS coach Robert Casperson look on Monday at the JDHS gym. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Dybdahl signs to Centralia College

Crimson Bears big man noted for ‘athleticism and high basketball IQ’

  • May 23, 2023
  • By Klas Stolpe Juneau Empire
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears center Orion Dybdahl signs a letter of intent Monday to play basketball at Centralia College as brother Eli Dybdahl, mother Sarah Dybdahl, sister Michaela Demmert, father Travis Dybdahl and JDHS coach Robert Casperson look on Monday at the JDHS gym. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Kai Ciambor, shown in earlier season action, had two goals and controlled the pitch for the Crimson Bears during their final two regular season games at Ketchikan last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears soccer boys split at Kayhi

JDHS still the top seed for state this weekend.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Kai Ciambor, shown in earlier season action, had two goals and controlled the pitch for the Crimson Bears during their final two regular season games at Ketchikan last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears freshman Peyton Wheeler, shown in earlier season action, had two goals and an assist at Ketchikan last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire File)

Crimson Bears girls tie and win at Kayhi

JDHS receives number four seed for state tournament.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears freshman Peyton Wheeler, shown in earlier season action, had two goals and an assist at Ketchikan last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain High School senior captain Preston Lam (10), shown in early season action against JDHS senior Kean Buss (5), was credited by coaches for defensive play at West Anchorage last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire File)

Falcons soccer boys end season on the road

Thunder Mountain coaches describe final match.

Thunder Mountain High School senior captain Preston Lam (10), shown in early season action against JDHS senior Kean Buss (5), was credited by coaches for defensive play at West Anchorage last weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire File)
This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. Alaska's push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, even as the state continues to embrace new fossil fuel production, including the controversial Willow oil project. (ConocoPhillips)

‘Leap of faith:’ Alaska pursues carbon offset market while embracing oil

Alaska’s push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by its Republican… Continue reading

This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. Alaska's push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, even as the state continues to embrace new fossil fuel production, including the controversial Willow oil project. (ConocoPhillips)
A channel flows through the mud flats along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm in Alaska on Oct. 25, 2014. Authorities said, a 20-year-old man from Illinois who was walking Sunday evening, May 21, 2023, on tidal mud flats with friends in an Alaska estuary, got stuck up to his waist in the quicksand-like silt and drowned as the tide came in before frantic rescuers could extract him. (Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News)

Illinois man gets stuck waist-deep in Alaska mud flats, drowns as tide comes in

“…It’s Mother Nature, and she has no mercy for humanity.”

A channel flows through the mud flats along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm in Alaska on Oct. 25, 2014. Authorities said, a 20-year-old man from Illinois who was walking Sunday evening, May 21, 2023, on tidal mud flats with friends in an Alaska estuary, got stuck up to his waist in the quicksand-like silt and drowned as the tide came in before frantic rescuers could extract him. (Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News)
On Monday the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed a motion in support of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s intention to rename the two blocks of South Seward Street between Front Street and Marine Way to Heritage Way. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City signals support for renaming South Seward Street

Sealaska Heritage Institute applied for it to be renamed to Heritage Way.

On Monday the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed a motion in support of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s intention to rename the two blocks of South Seward Street between Front Street and Marine Way to Heritage Way. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Racers start the Spring Tide Scramble at Fish Creek Park on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo)

Spring Tide Scramble beats the tide

Youth and adult runners get dirty on the mud flats

Racers start the Spring Tide Scramble at Fish Creek Park on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo)
The Thunder Mountain High School Lady Falcons soccer team pose for a photo at Redington High School in Wasilla. The Lady Falcons defeated the Huskies 8-0 for their final game of the season. (Courtesy Photo)

Lady Falcons earn first soccer win as season ends

Thunder Mountain tops Redington on the road

The Thunder Mountain High School Lady Falcons soccer team pose for a photo at Redington High School in Wasilla. The Lady Falcons defeated the Huskies 8-0 for their final game of the season. (Courtesy Photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Tuesday, May 23

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau state representatives Sara Hannan, left, and Andi Story discuss legislative business during a break in the House floor session on Tuesday. Both Democratic members were part of the minority caucus this session after being in the majority during their first two terms. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

A trio of Capitol recaps from the local delegation

From passage of PFAS limits to postponing vaping tax, Juneau’s legislators tally wins and losses.

Juneau state representatives Sara Hannan, left, and Andi Story discuss legislative business during a break in the House floor session on Tuesday. Both Democratic members were part of the minority caucus this session after being in the majority during their first two terms. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain junior third baseman Jack Lovejoy attempts to tag Juneau-Douglas senior base runner Amira Andrews during softball action Saturday at Melvin Park. Andrews was out on the play. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears top Lady Falcons in final home softball action

Tournament next for Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain

Thunder Mountain junior third baseman Jack Lovejoy attempts to tag Juneau-Douglas senior base runner Amira Andrews during softball action Saturday at Melvin Park. Andrews was out on the play. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer at sea during the 2022 Caribbean Mapping expedition. The ship will be in Alaska waters for much of this year. (Anna Sagatov / NOAA)

New mapping efforts seek to expand knowledge of Alaska’s waters

Around 70% of Alaska’s waters are unmapped…

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer at sea during the 2022 Caribbean Mapping expedition. The ship will be in Alaska waters for much of this year. (Anna Sagatov / NOAA)
This is a picture of the City and Borough of Juneau City Hall in October 2022. The Assembly Finance Committee OK’d $10 million in funding to go toward a City Hall project on Wednesday, more than six months after voters narrowly rejected a city ballot proposal to approve $35 million in bond debt to fund the majority of the construction cost for a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Assembly OKs $10M in funds for future City Hall project

The funding could go toward building a new one or renovating the current building.

This is a picture of the City and Borough of Juneau City Hall in October 2022. The Assembly Finance Committee OK’d $10 million in funding to go toward a City Hall project on Wednesday, more than six months after voters narrowly rejected a city ballot proposal to approve $35 million in bond debt to fund the majority of the construction cost for a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Witty Youngman performs a set Saturday evening at Crystal Saloon during the Amplify Alaska Fundraising Festival on behalf of the Áak’w Rock Indigenous Music Festival scheduled in September. The event featuring five mini-concerts raised more than $5,000. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Stocking up for Aak’w Rock

Livestreamed multi-artist gig raises more than $5K for Indigenous music festival

Witty Youngman performs a set Saturday evening at Crystal Saloon during the Amplify Alaska Fundraising Festival on behalf of the Áak’w Rock Indigenous Music Festival scheduled in September. The event featuring five mini-concerts raised more than $5,000. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)