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Nick Begich III, speaks to Juneau residents at a public gathering in September 2022. Begich on Thursday announced on social media that he will again be running for the Alaska U.S. House seat in the 2024 election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File).

Nick Begich announces bid for U.S. House, challenging Peltola again

He enters the race nearly 16 months ahead of the 2024 election.

Nick Begich III, speaks to Juneau residents at a public gathering in September 2022. Begich on Thursday announced on social media that he will again be running for the Alaska U.S. House seat in the 2024 election. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File).
A sculpture of a bear reading a book is seen in front of Auke Bay Elementary School on Wednesday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Early release for elementary school students on Mondays approved by district

Ending school 30 minutes early intended to help teachers meet requirements of Alaska Reads Act.

A sculpture of a bear reading a book is seen in front of Auke Bay Elementary School on Wednesday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
(Juneau Empire File)

Solar storm on Thursday expected to make northern lights visible in Juneau, elsewhere in U.S.

A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give skygazers in some states along the U.S.-Canada border, including Alaska, a faint glimpse of the… Continue reading

  • Jul 13, 2023
  • The Associated Press
(Juneau Empire File)
The Boney Courthouse building in Anchorage holds the Alaska Supreme Court chambers. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Nonattorney advocates to represent Alaskans in court under new waiver

This story has been updated to correct a numerical and an organization title. Alaska’s Supreme Court, with support from the state’s bar association, approved a… Continue reading

The Boney Courthouse building in Anchorage holds the Alaska Supreme Court chambers. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A GCI Communications truck is parked at the company’s Juneau office on Wednesday. The company’s landline service suffered outages in recent days that the company said were fixed as of Tuesday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Local landline, mobile phones suffer outages

GCI says landlines issues repaired as of Tuesday, city investigating mobile service disruptions

A GCI Communications truck is parked at the company’s Juneau office on Wednesday. The company’s landline service suffered outages in recent days that the company said were fixed as of Tuesday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen June 6 in Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

New estimate shows Alaska’s Permanent Fund could be out of spendable money in 3-4 years

Annual transfer from the fund pays for more than half of Alaska’s general-purpose government spending

The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen June 6 in Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
The Juneau School District is determining how to respond to a letter from the Alaska Department of Education Early Development, which could endanger $2.28 million in “outside the cap” funding in the district’s budget for the current year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

State challenges Juneau’s ‘outside the cap’ funding to district

Years-long practice of extra funding may be halted across the state; millions on the line in Juneau.

The Juneau School District is determining how to respond to a letter from the Alaska Department of Education Early Development, which could endanger $2.28 million in “outside the cap” funding in the district’s budget for the current year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Brian Holst (left) presents details about an upcoming meeting of statewide school board members who plan to discuss possible legal action against the state related to education funding during a Juneau Board of Education meeting Tuesday afternoon at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau school board makes cuts to cope with vetoed funds, eyes legal challenge to state

Statewide association of school boards discussing lawsuit, other options this week

Brian Holst (left) presents details about an upcoming meeting of statewide school board members who plan to discuss possible legal action against the state related to education funding during a Juneau Board of Education meeting Tuesday afternoon at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority truck sits parked in the Mendenhall Valley. On Monday night the Juneau Assembly OK’d an ordinance to transfer about 11.5 acres of city-owned land on Pederson Hill to the authority for less than fair market value. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Tlingit and Haida to purchase discounted Pederson Hill property from city

Land for affordable housing appraised by the city at $700K in value, authority to only pay $100K.

A Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority truck sits parked in the Mendenhall Valley. On Monday night the Juneau Assembly OK’d an ordinance to transfer about 11.5 acres of city-owned land on Pederson Hill to the authority for less than fair market value. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Marjorie Menzi and William “Bill” Heumann discuss their 50,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the world aboard their sailboat, Second Wind, on Sunday at Statter Harbor. (Therese Pokorney / Juneau Empire)

Around the world in 17 years

Learning to sail from scratch, a Juneau couple circumnavigated 50,000 nautical miles

  • Jul 12, 2023
  • By Therese Pokorney Juneau Empire
Marjorie Menzi and William “Bill” Heumann discuss their 50,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the world aboard their sailboat, Second Wind, on Sunday at Statter Harbor. (Therese Pokorney / Juneau Empire)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Dawson, a Coast Guard Marine Safety Task Force member from Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, chats with a representative at a fuel facility in St. Michael, Alaska, during an inspection July 28, 2022. Teams comprised of six Coast Guard marine inspectors visited a total of 15 communities and inspected approximately 55 bulk fuel storage facilities in the Bering Strait Region July 25-Aug. 2, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Nate Littlejohn)

Alaska environmental department plans to repeal regulation of some fuel-storage tanks

Thousands of aboveground tanks that store diesel fuel and other petroleum products would no longer be regulated by the state, under a proposal from the… Continue reading

Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Dawson, a Coast Guard Marine Safety Task Force member from Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, chats with a representative at a fuel facility in St. Michael, Alaska, during an inspection July 28, 2022. Teams comprised of six Coast Guard marine inspectors visited a total of 15 communities and inspected approximately 55 bulk fuel storage facilities in the Bering Strait Region July 25-Aug. 2, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Nate Littlejohn)
A now out-dated sign for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services remains at the entrance of a building in Juneau on June 22, nearly a year after the department was split into two. The building still houses many agencies providing services for the new Department of Health, while some have been relocated next door under the Department of Family and Community Services (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Signs remain uncertain a year after Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services splits in two

Agencies suffer hard year as food stamps, children’s services, other programs come under scrutiny.

A now out-dated sign for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services remains at the entrance of a building in Juneau on June 22, nearly a year after the department was split into two. The building still houses many agencies providing services for the new Department of Health, while some have been relocated next door under the Department of Family and Community Services (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
On Monday night during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting, members OK’d appropriating $8.1 million in hospital funds to Bartlett Regional Hospital for the purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint Center’s buildings and property. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City OKs $8.1M for hospital purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint property

The finalized purchase to be negotiated in the coming months, hospital officials say.

On Monday night during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting, members OK’d appropriating $8.1 million in hospital funds to Bartlett Regional Hospital for the purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint Center’s buildings and property. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Carole Triem (center) smiles as Mayor Beth Weldon reads a poem about her during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night. The meeting was Triem’s last time serving as a member as she departs from her role for family medical issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City in Pink: Assembly and administrators bid farewell to Carole Triem in style

The Assembly member announced her departure from her role in late June.

Carole Triem (center) smiles as Mayor Beth Weldon reads a poem about her during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night. The meeting was Triem’s last time serving as a member as she departs from her role for family medical issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A bus passes by City Hall downtown in late June. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to put a $27 million bond proposition for a new City Hall on the fall municipal election ballot. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Proposal to fund a new City Hall to hit the ballot — again

Assembly OKs $27 million bond question for voters this fall.

A bus passes by City Hall downtown in late June. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to put a $27 million bond proposition for a new City Hall on the fall municipal election ballot. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
The Odess Theater is seen on May 22, 2019, on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, which operates the former home of Sheldon Jackson College. (Photo by Flickr user Jasperdo/Creative Commons)

Sitka Fine Arts Camp files rare immigration lawsuit in support of theater manager

The camp, which operates the campus of Sheldon Jackson College, was seeking a technical expert

The Odess Theater is seen on May 22, 2019, on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, which operates the former home of Sheldon Jackson College. (Photo by Flickr user Jasperdo/Creative Commons)
Rows of houses line the Douglas Highway in late May. On Monday night the City and Borough of Juneau passed an ordinance that requires all short-term rentals to be registered with the city. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau Assembly passes controversial short-term rental registration requirement

Operators will now be required to register with the city by October.

Rows of houses line the Douglas Highway in late May. On Monday night the City and Borough of Juneau passed an ordinance that requires all short-term rentals to be registered with the city. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
This is a photo of Wildflower Court on Monday. The independent nursing facility is now officially a part of Bartlett Regional Hospital after it was announced Monday the two entities finalized the acquisition. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Bartlett Regional Hospital officially absorbs Wildflower Court

Officials say it will help narrow the gap in local hospice and home care

This is a photo of Wildflower Court on Monday. The independent nursing facility is now officially a part of Bartlett Regional Hospital after it was announced Monday the two entities finalized the acquisition. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A police car parks near a residence on Riverwood Drive on Friday where Andre P. Lawrence was detained by police officers in connection with the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man on Cinema Drive on Thursday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Man shot in head after encounter in parking lot, suspect arrested Friday

Charging documents identify victim, circumstances leading to fatal shooting.

A police car parks near a residence on Riverwood Drive on Friday where Andre P. Lawrence was detained by police officers in connection with the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man on Cinema Drive on Thursday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A pair of bald eagles out by the Salt Chuck at Amalga Harbor on July 7. (Courtesy photo / Kenneth Gill, gillfoto)
Features

Wild Shots

Wild Shots To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t… Continue reading

A pair of bald eagles out by the Salt Chuck at Amalga Harbor on July 7. (Courtesy photo / Kenneth Gill, gillfoto)