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Photo courtesy Corvus Design The Anan Wildlife Observatory’s main viewing deck, shelter and spiral staircase to lower-level platforms all factored into the design award presented by the Alaska chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Anan Observatory rebuild wins landscape architects award in Wrangell

The award recognizes the new viewing platforms, shelter, boardwalk and stairs by Corvus Design

Photo courtesy Corvus Design The Anan Wildlife Observatory’s main viewing deck, shelter and spiral staircase to lower-level platforms all factored into the design award presented by the Alaska chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Photo by Jeff Lund/Juneau Empire The point of fishing is to catch fish, but there are other things to see and do while out on a trip.

I Went to the Woods: Fish of the summer

I was amped to be out on the polished ocean and was game for the necessary work of jigging

Photo by Jeff Lund/Juneau Empire The point of fishing is to catch fish, but there are other things to see and do while out on a trip.
A view of visitors exploring the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area taken from the visitor center on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Researcher is feared dead after falling into hole on Mendenhall Glacier

Officials said that the man was a resident of Italy and that they were trying to notify his family there

A view of visitors exploring the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area taken from the visitor center on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Nathaniel Wilder / The New York Times Local fishermen use dipnets to catch salmon at the mouth of Alaska’s Kenai River, where it runs into Cook Inlet, on July 21.

Alaska produces a ton of gas. Soon, its biggest city might not have enough.

Officials expect that, in the next several years, they may not have enough of the fuel to keep all the lights on in Anchorage

Nathaniel Wilder / The New York Times Local fishermen use dipnets to catch salmon at the mouth of Alaska’s Kenai River, where it runs into Cook Inlet, on July 21.
A female brown bear and her cub are pictured near Pack Creek on Admiralty Island on July 19, 2024. (Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire)

Bears: Beloved fuzzy Juneau residents — Part 2

Humor me for a moment and picture yourself next to a brown bear

A female brown bear and her cub are pictured near Pack Creek on Admiralty Island on July 19, 2024. (Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire)
Isaac Updike of Ketchikan finished 16th at the World Championships track and field meet in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday. (Alaska Sports Report)

Ketchikan steeplechaser makes Team USA for worlds

Worlds are from Sept. 13 to 21, with steeplechase prelims starting on the first day

Isaac Updike of Ketchikan finished 16th at the World Championships track and field meet in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday. (Alaska Sports Report)
A gray-headed chickadee feeds along the Canning River in northern Alaska in 2015. Photo by Aaron Lang.

Alaska Science Forum: Calling lost chickadees in far north poplars

If and when beavers do arrive, they could completely change habitats along North Slope river corridors

A gray-headed chickadee feeds along the Canning River in northern Alaska in 2015. Photo by Aaron Lang.
Delcenia Cosman / Homer News U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to Anchor Point residents during a community meeting held at the Virl “Pa” Haga VFW Post 10221 on Friday, May 30, in Anchor Point, Alaska.

Sullivan discusses federal advocacy, legislation during Soldotna visit

Since June, the secretaries of the interior, energy, homeland security, health and human services, housing and urban development, and transportation have all visited Alaska

Delcenia Cosman / Homer News U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to Anchor Point residents during a community meeting held at the Virl “Pa” Haga VFW Post 10221 on Friday, May 30, in Anchor Point, Alaska.
Thomas Casey, missing since Aug. 30, 2025, is pictured in this undated photo. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)

Updated: Arizona man found dead near Mendenhall Glacier

The man was in Juneau for the summer

Thomas Casey, missing since Aug. 30, 2025, is pictured in this undated photo. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)
Former Juneau Police Department Officer Brandon LeBlanc is seen throwing a man to the sidewalk in dash-camera footage from another officer’s patrol car outside the Douglas Public Library in Douglas, Alaska, on July 30, 2025. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)

Juneau officer seen throwing man in July arrest resigns; department releases footage of incident

Brandon LeBlanc was identified by the department as the officer involved in a July 30 encounter that sent man to hospital

Former Juneau Police Department Officer Brandon LeBlanc is seen throwing a man to the sidewalk in dash-camera footage from another officer’s patrol car outside the Douglas Public Library in Douglas, Alaska, on July 30, 2025. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)
University of Alaska Board of Regents Chair Ralph Seekins speaks during a meeting at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska, on Feb. 22, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Board of Regents to meet on Juneau campus this week

Committee meetings will take place Wednesday and Thursday; a regular meeting will be held Friday and Saturday

University of Alaska Board of Regents Chair Ralph Seekins speaks during a meeting at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska, on Feb. 22, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Lione Clare Andrew Thoms is the Executive Director of the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS). SCS is one of the SSP’s earliest Partners and Thoms has been involved for over a decade. He shares his perspective on how the collective values of the SSP drive his personal and professional work.

Woven Peoples and Place: Celebrating values in action

Living with the land and building community with Andrew Thoms

  • Aug 30, 2025
Photo by Lione Clare Andrew Thoms is the Executive Director of the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS). SCS is one of the SSP’s earliest Partners and Thoms has been involved for over a decade. He shares his perspective on how the collective values of the SSP drive his personal and professional work.
U.S. Army pilots engage opposing forces with the AH-64 Apache during the Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on June 13, 2024. This is an example of the types of aircraft that will be transferring through the Yukon to stand up a new Combat Aviation Brigade in Alaska. (Spc. Brandon Vasquez/11th Airborne Division)

U.S. Army helicopters fly over Yukon to stand up new Combat Aviation Brigade

Military spokespeople say aircraft will be seen traveling through northern Canadian territory to Alaska earlier in August may not be the last

U.S. Army pilots engage opposing forces with the AH-64 Apache during the Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on June 13, 2024. This is an example of the types of aircraft that will be transferring through the Yukon to stand up a new Combat Aviation Brigade in Alaska. (Spc. Brandon Vasquez/11th Airborne Division)
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui, homeported in Washington, and cutter Elm (The Bar Tender) homeported in Oregon, are seen ported at Coast Guard Station Juneau in August 2024. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Coast Guard awards contract for homeport improvements in Sitka

Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2028.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui, homeported in Washington, and cutter Elm (The Bar Tender) homeported in Oregon, are seen ported at Coast Guard Station Juneau in August 2024. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
The Tongass National Forest sign stands near the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

USDA announces intent to rescind Roadless Rule protections

The deadline for public comment is Sept. 19

The Tongass National Forest sign stands near the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Waterfalls in Taku Inlet are seen during a 2024 boat excursion by participants in the third annual Transboundary Mining Conference. (Jasz Garrett/ Juneau Empire)

EPA announces $1.7M in transboundary watershed grants, including over $600K for Southeast projects

Recipients of the grant funding include Tlingit & Haida, Ketchikan Indian Community, and ADF&G

Waterfalls in Taku Inlet are seen during a 2024 boat excursion by participants in the third annual Transboundary Mining Conference. (Jasz Garrett/ Juneau Empire)
A harbor seal is released into Cook Inlet by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program at North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward’s SeaLife Center releases 2 harbor seals at Kenai beach

The two seals were admitted into the center’s Wildlife Response Program in June.

A harbor seal is released into Cook Inlet by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program at North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID vaccine doses at a vaccination site at a shopping mall in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, Jan. 7, 2022. The FDA has approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall 2025 season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available. (Erika P. Rodriguez/The New York Times)

FDA approves COVID shots with new restrictions

The policy is the federal government’s most restrictive since the vaccines became available

COVID vaccine doses at a vaccination site at a shopping mall in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, Jan. 7, 2022. The FDA has approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall 2025 season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available. (Erika P. Rodriguez/The New York Times)
Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources talk with reporters at Juneau International Airport on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

US House delegation visits Alaska this week, with focus on mining, timber and drilling

Ten members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources are visiting Southeast and Southcentral Alaska, including addressing the annual conference of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association

Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources talk with reporters at Juneau International Airport on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Photo by Don Miller Don Miller took this photograph of a Lituya Bay hillside shortly after the giant wave in 1958.

Alaska Science Forum: The giant wave of Lituya Bay

In 1958, a magnitude 8.3 earthquake triggered a tremendous landslide into the ocean.

Photo by Don Miller Don Miller took this photograph of a Lituya Bay hillside shortly after the giant wave in 1958.