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A complaint filed in July with the Alaska Public Offices Commission alleges advocates of repealing the state’s open primary elections and ranked choice voting are violating numerous campaign disclosure laws. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Supporters of effort to repeal ranked voting in Alaska violated rules, report finds

Backers of an effort to repeal ranked voting in Alaska violated state campaign finance rules, including by channeling money through a church-affiliated organization in a… Continue reading

  • Sep 13, 2023
  • By Becky Bohrer Associated Press
  • Elections
A complaint filed in July with the Alaska Public Offices Commission alleges advocates of repealing the state’s open primary elections and ranked choice voting are violating numerous campaign disclosure laws. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau Assembly candidates prepare to answer questions during a 90-minute forum on Tuesday night at the KTOO studios. The forum was hosted by the Juneau League of Women Voters, and moderated by media representatives from KTOO, KINY and the Juneau Empire. (Screenshot from shared video of forum)
Video

Assembly hopefuls find some areas of agreement and many differences at candidate forum

Cruise ship limits, homelessness, child care shortages and renewable energy among issues discussed.

Juneau Assembly candidates prepare to answer questions during a 90-minute forum on Tuesday night at the KTOO studios. The forum was hosted by the Juneau League of Women Voters, and moderated by media representatives from KTOO, KINY and the Juneau Empire. (Screenshot from shared video of forum)
Video
From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly, Laura Martinson McDonnell and Ella Adkison are the top three candidates so far this municipal election to raise the most funds, according to their campaign finance records with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Campaign cash: Assembly candidates Martinson McDonnell, Kelly and Adkison dominate municipal election fundraising

Donors include current and past mayors, Assembly members and legislators.

From left to right, City and Borough of Juneau Areawide Assembly candidates Paul Kelly, Laura Martinson McDonnell and Ella Adkison are the top three candidates so far this municipal election to raise the most funds, according to their campaign finance records with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau Assembly candidates discuss a range of issues during a forum Tuesday night at the KTOO studio. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Video

Watch the 2023 Juneau League of Women Voters forum for Assembly candidates

14 candidates discuss cruise tourism, homelessness, child care and proposed new City Hall.

Juneau Assembly candidates discuss a range of issues during a forum Tuesday night at the KTOO studio. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Video
Fruit is displayed at an Anchorage grocery store. Overall consumer prices in Alaska’s largest city were up by an annual rate of 7.5% as of April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food prices were up by 11.3%. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska’s Health Department works through one food stamp backlog only to confront another

Officials from Alaska’s Division of Public Assistance said its staff worked through the backlog of applications for food aid that stressed Alaska families for more… Continue reading

Fruit is displayed at an Anchorage grocery store. Overall consumer prices in Alaska’s largest city were up by an annual rate of 7.5% as of April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food prices were up by 11.3%. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
This is a photo of Austin Brady, 28, a village public safety officer in Kake. Brady was arrested on Aug. 29 by Alaska State Troopers after he reportedly assaulted a woman and possessed a weapon while intoxicated. (Courtesy / Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska)

Kake public safety officer fired following off-duty assault arrest

Austin Brady, 28, was arrested in late August by Alaska State Troopers.

This is a photo of Austin Brady, 28, a village public safety officer in Kake. Brady was arrested on Aug. 29 by Alaska State Troopers after he reportedly assaulted a woman and possessed a weapon while intoxicated. (Courtesy / Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska)
Retiring City and Borough of Juneau Manager Rorie Watt smiles as he is honored during an Assembly meeting Monday night. Watt will be officially departing at the end of September after announcing his plan to retire in April. Public Works and Engineering Director Katie Koester was selected to take over the role. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Assembly bids farewell to retiring City Manager Rorie Watt

He was honored Monday during an Assembly meeting ahead of his departure at the end of September.

Retiring City and Borough of Juneau Manager Rorie Watt smiles as he is honored during an Assembly meeting Monday night. Watt will be officially departing at the end of September after announcing his plan to retire in April. Public Works and Engineering Director Katie Koester was selected to take over the role. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs and Wade Bryson listen to public testimony Monday night about whether the city should adopt new maps that show updated landslide and avalanche risk downtown. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Assembly sends hazard maps back to committee following public opposition

The move follows multiple rounds of public testimony advocating against the maps’ adoption.

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs and Wade Bryson listen to public testimony Monday night about whether the city should adopt new maps that show updated landslide and avalanche risk downtown. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Deputy City Manager Robert Barr shares an update with the Assembly Monday evening following Resurrection Lutheran Church’s decision to not host the city’s cold weather emergency shelter this year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City’s struggle to provide a winter homeless shelter continues

Combination of downtown transit center and bus considered as church again rejects hosting shelter.

Deputy City Manager Robert Barr shares an update with the Assembly Monday evening following Resurrection Lutheran Church’s decision to not host the city’s cold weather emergency shelter this year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Traffic passes by Fred Meyer in Juneau in November 2019. The store’s parent company, Kroger Co., is planning to merge with Albertsons Companies Inc., the parent company of Safeway. The companies announced Friday 14 of 35 Carrs Safeway stores in Alaska will be sold as part of the merger, but it is not known if Juneau’s Safeway is among them. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

14 of 35 Carrs Safeway stores in Alaska to be sold as part of proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger

Companies do not state if Juneau Safeway store will be among those sold.

Traffic passes by Fred Meyer in Juneau in November 2019. The store’s parent company, Kroger Co., is planning to merge with Albertsons Companies Inc., the parent company of Safeway. The companies announced Friday 14 of 35 Carrs Safeway stores in Alaska will be sold as part of the merger, but it is not known if Juneau’s Safeway is among them. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
This is a photo of the crash site of a downed plane near Juneau Sunday evening. The survivor, reportedly the only person aboard the aircraft, was discovered to be in critical condition. (Courtesy / U.S. Coast Guard)

Lone person in plane crash rescued near Juneau

The person was discovered in critical condition.

This is a photo of the crash site of a downed plane near Juneau Sunday evening. The survivor, reportedly the only person aboard the aircraft, was discovered to be in critical condition. (Courtesy / U.S. Coast Guard)
Elizabeth Djajalie sings the national anthem while Juneau Police Department officers and other stand at attention during a ceremony Monday at the September 11th Memorial at Riverside Rotary Park commemorating the terrorist attacks in 2001 that killed 2,996 people. About 100 local first responders, political leaders and other people attended the ceremony that featured the raising of the flag at half-mast at 9:58 a.m., the same time on the East Coast the first World Trade Center collapsed on the day of the attack. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Remembering with awe those who served on 9/11

More than 100 local first responders and other residents pay tribute 22 years after attacks.

Elizabeth Djajalie sings the national anthem while Juneau Police Department officers and other stand at attention during a ceremony Monday at the September 11th Memorial at Riverside Rotary Park commemorating the terrorist attacks in 2001 that killed 2,996 people. About 100 local first responders, political leaders and other people attended the ceremony that featured the raising of the flag at half-mast at 9:58 a.m., the same time on the East Coast the first World Trade Center collapsed on the day of the attack. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Roman Wilde, a Juneau drag performer, performs during GLITZ, a major annual drag event typically celebrated every Pride Month, at Centennial Hall on June 18, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Capital City Weekly

GLITZ in September: Juneau’s biggest drag show prepares for first fall debut

The annual performance returns following the reopening of newly renovated Centennial Hall ballroom.

Roman Wilde, a Juneau drag performer, performs during GLITZ, a major annual drag event typically celebrated every Pride Month, at Centennial Hall on June 18, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain High School players and spectators celebrate as the Falcons score the winning point to prevail in a five-set series over Ketchikan High School on Saturday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A drama-filled weekend as Juneau’s volleyball teams continue contrasting seasons

TMHS prevails in toughest game yet to stay undefeated; JDHS puts up fight seeking first win.

Thunder Mountain High School players and spectators celebrate as the Falcons score the winning point to prevail in a five-set series over Ketchikan High School on Saturday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A crowd gathers on the Photo Point Trail footbridge near Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to witness flooded Mendenhall Lake during the first jökulhlaup on July 20, 2011. Sloshing debris beside the bridge floats atop the flooding lake. The lake reached 10.92 feet that year. (Photo by Laurie Craig)
Features

Local jökulhlaups: when the ice melts

Suicide Basin’s history reveals Juneau’s unique position to study impacts of glacier lake outbursts.

A crowd gathers on the Photo Point Trail footbridge near Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to witness flooded Mendenhall Lake during the first jökulhlaup on July 20, 2011. Sloshing debris beside the bridge floats atop the flooding lake. The lake reached 10.92 feet that year. (Photo by Laurie Craig)
Bryan Wilson and Courtney Olivia engage in the ancient game of Shōbu on Saturday during the annual Platypus-Con Board and Card Game Extravaganza at Centennial Hall. The event continues through Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Giant Platypus invades Centennial Hall

Hundreds of residents engage with stones, quilts and Nerf weapons at annual gaming convention.

Bryan Wilson and Courtney Olivia engage in the ancient game of Shōbu on Saturday during the annual Platypus-Con Board and Card Game Extravaganza at Centennial Hall. The event continues through Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A woman wearing a sweatshirt with a giant footprint enters the Juneau Bigfoot Town Hall at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Friday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Big turnout for Bigfoot Town Hall

Cruise ship passengers and Juneauites listen to Sasquatch stories and talks

A woman wearing a sweatshirt with a giant footprint enters the Juneau Bigfoot Town Hall at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Friday. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Huskies players and coaches storm the field in celebration after Hayden Aube runs for a touchdown in double overtime to win 55-49 at Washington’s Auburn State on Friday night. It was the first win of the season for Juneau, which returns home after a three-game road trip for another night game next Friday. (Screenshot from Juneau Huskies Football video)

Friday night northern lights: Huskies win 55-49 shootout classic in Washington in 2OT

Juneau gets first win as replacement QB Hayden Aube overcomes goal-line fumbles, scores winning TD.

Juneau Huskies players and coaches storm the field in celebration after Hayden Aube runs for a touchdown in double overtime to win 55-49 at Washington’s Auburn State on Friday night. It was the first win of the season for Juneau, which returns home after a three-game road trip for another night game next Friday. (Screenshot from Juneau Huskies Football video)
Fallen trees covered with moss are seen in the Shorty Creek area of the Tongass National Forest on Aug. 16. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)

State challenges Biden’s revival of Roadless Rule in federal court

Complaint filed Friday continues more than two decades of battles over Tongass policy.

Fallen trees covered with moss are seen in the Shorty Creek area of the Tongass National Forest on Aug. 16. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)
Tibetan Buddhist Lama Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche on a trip to the Mendenhall Glacier in 2018, his last visit to Juneau. He is returning for a talk on Sept. 14 at Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. (Photo courtesy Karin Dvorak)
Capital City Weekly

Buddhist lama to teach in Juneau next week

Rinpoche is author of “Power of Mind”

Tibetan Buddhist Lama Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche on a trip to the Mendenhall Glacier in 2018, his last visit to Juneau. He is returning for a talk on Sept. 14 at Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. (Photo courtesy Karin Dvorak)