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Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File
A black bear looks around near the Shrine of St. Therese in 2021.

Experts offer advice as bears exit hibernation

Safety tips to bear in mind.

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File
A black bear looks around near the Shrine of St. Therese in 2021.
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Juneau Montessori School student Caleb Schane, 13, testifies in favor of a bill increasing education funding during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Thursday.

Hard math begins on education funding boost

Testimony nearly unanimous in favor of 22.5% proposed increase; senators ask how to pay for it

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Juneau Montessori School student Caleb Schane, 13, testifies in favor of a bill increasing education funding during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Thursday.
A Juneau Police Department vehicle parks in front of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalè in early September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Police: Student arrested after firearm seized at JDHS

The student has been taken to the Johnson Youth Center.

A Juneau Police Department vehicle parks in front of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalè in early September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a crater and an ash cloud after the Shiveluch volcano erupted in Klyuchi village on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Shiveluch, one of Kamchatka Peninsula’s most active volcanoes, started erupting early Tuesday, spewing ash more than 300 miles (500 kilometers) northwest. Several Russian villages were covered in grey volcanic dust in the largest fallout in nearly 60 years. (Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Russia eruption sets off chain of flight cancellations in Juneau and across the state

A volcanic eruption more than 2,500 miles away from Juneau on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has caused dozens of flight cancellations and delays across Alaska, including… Continue reading

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a crater and an ash cloud after the Shiveluch volcano erupted in Klyuchi village on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Shiveluch, one of Kamchatka Peninsula’s most active volcanoes, started erupting early Tuesday, spewing ash more than 300 miles (500 kilometers) northwest. Several Russian villages were covered in grey volcanic dust in the largest fallout in nearly 60 years. (Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies via AP)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire 
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl poses for a photo before heading to Anchorage over the weekend to participate in the AABC all-star exhibition game.

JDHS senior carries on family’s basketball tradition

Orion Dybdahl selected to play in AABC all-star game.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire 
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl poses for a photo before heading to Anchorage over the weekend to participate in the AABC all-star exhibition game.
Dave Scanlan, General Manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area, speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee Thursday evening about the municipal- owned ski area’s budget for fiscal year 2024. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Eaglecrest proposes 10% rate increase on all products next year

Eaglecrest general manager outlines the ski area’s proposed budget to begin in July.

Dave Scanlan, General Manager of Eaglecrest Ski Area, speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Finance Committee Thursday evening about the municipal- owned ski area’s budget for fiscal year 2024. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Members of the Juneau Forest Service along with Hecla staff answer questions posed by the public regarding the Greens Creek Mine expansion alternatives on Wednesday during an open house hosted by the Juneau Ranger District. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Ranger District hosts open house for Greens Creek Mine expansion project

45-day comment period open until May 8.

Members of the Juneau Forest Service along with Hecla staff answer questions posed by the public regarding the Greens Creek Mine expansion alternatives on Wednesday during an open house hosted by the Juneau Ranger District. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Lisa Puananimôhala’ikalani Denny sings while on stage at the Alaskan Hotel and Bar during the Alaska Folk Festival side-stage event “Unceded” Tuesday evening. Below, Lester Joel Rodriguez also performed during the event.

‘Unceded’ Folk Fest event celebrates artists of color and the diversity of folk music

Nearly a dozen Southeast Alaska-based Black, Indigenous and other artists of color took the stage.

Photos by Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Lisa Puananimôhala’ikalani Denny sings while on stage at the Alaskan Hotel and Bar during the Alaska Folk Festival side-stage event “Unceded” Tuesday evening. Below, Lester Joel Rodriguez also performed during the event.
Alaska House Speaker Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, right, confers with other House members during a break in the floor debate last Wednesday about next year’s proposed budget. She said the original plan of passing a budget last week has shifted due to discussions with the Senate about resolving differences in their spending plans, with a floor vote now planned by early next week.

Budget stalls in House as leaders confer with Senate

Lawmakers trying to work out differences on PFD, education, deficit as final month of session nears

Alaska House Speaker Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, right, confers with other House members during a break in the floor debate last Wednesday about next year’s proposed budget. She said the original plan of passing a budget last week has shifted due to discussions with the Senate about resolving differences in their spending plans, with a floor vote now planned by early next week.
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Apayauq Reitan, the first transgender woman to participate in the Iditarod, tells the House Education Committee on March 30 why she opposes a bill restricting sex and gender content in schools. A second meeting for public testimony is scheduled Thursday.

Public gets another chance to opine on ‘parental rights’ bill

Supporters hoping for bigger presence than first meeting when 90% of testimony opposed proposal

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Apayauq Reitan, the first transgender woman to participate in the Iditarod, tells the House Education Committee on March 30 why she opposes a bill restricting sex and gender content in schools. A second meeting for public testimony is scheduled Thursday.
(Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)

JDHS boys soccer starts season on the right foot

JDHS beat TMHS 6-1.

  • Apr 12, 2023
  • Dana Zigmund For the Juneau Empire
(Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
A LifeMed Alaska aircraft sits outside near Juneau International Airport on Monday afternoon. The nonprofit air medical service announced it will be closing its base in Juneau.

Air ambulance service set to close base in Juneau

The nonprofit air medical service will continue to service Southeast Alaska, officials say.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
A LifeMed Alaska aircraft sits outside near Juneau International Airport on Monday afternoon. The nonprofit air medical service announced it will be closing its base in Juneau.
City and Borough of Juneau Treasurer Angie Flick has been selected to replace outgoing Jeff Rogers as Finance Director. Flick is expected to begin her new post with the city Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau)

City selects new finance director

CBJ Treasurer Angie Flick to begin job on Monday, overlapping with departing Jeff Rogers

City and Borough of Juneau Treasurer Angie Flick has been selected to replace outgoing Jeff Rogers as Finance Director. Flick is expected to begin her new post with the city Monday. (City and Borough of Juneau)
This is a photo of the print edition of the City and Borough of Juneau’s budget book for the fiscal year 2024. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Opinion: Will the CBJ Assembly ever draw the line?

And who actually pays for all this largesse?

  • Apr 12, 2023
  • By Win Gruening
This is a photo of the print edition of the City and Borough of Juneau’s budget book for the fiscal year 2024. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Courtesy Photo / Sunny Pittman 
Artwork by Skate Board member Jordan Kendall can be seen behind a skater at the Pipeline.

The Pipeline timeline, and where the Juneau skate park is wheeling off to next

The story starts with a group of teens in the mid-’90s. Now, the park is heading toward a new era.

Courtesy Photo / Sunny Pittman 
Artwork by Skate Board member Jordan Kendall can be seen behind a skater at the Pipeline.
Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, appears at the Juneau Courthouse late Tuesday afternoon. Watley is being charged with one count of felony terroristic threatening and faces up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine for reportedly posting transphobic notes that referenced shooting children at three public locations in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Man arrested for threatening notes appears in Juneau Courthouse

Mitchell Thomas Watley is being charged with one count of felony terroristic threatening.

Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, appears at the Juneau Courthouse late Tuesday afternoon. Watley is being charged with one count of felony terroristic threatening and faces up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine for reportedly posting transphobic notes that referenced shooting children at three public locations in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File
A “sold” sign hangs outside the former Walmart building that was empty for many years until U-Haul purchased it late last year. A bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday would allow municipalities to impose tax penalties on blighted properties, while offering breaks for owners doing development projects.

Legislature looks at more property tax shakeups

Bill allows municipalities to give breaks for economic development, penalize blighted properties

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File
A “sold” sign hangs outside the former Walmart building that was empty for many years until U-Haul purchased it late last year. A bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday would allow municipalities to impose tax penalties on blighted properties, while offering breaks for owners doing development projects.
Graphic: Business Wire
Characters explore the landscape in the Roblox game Beyond the Stars. A presentation to Alaska lawmakers this week by a Homer police official asserts that such games are used by child sex predators to lure victims.

Capitol’s culture wars get graphic

Presentation about proper parenting features mature imagary, talk of arresting librarians

Graphic: Business Wire
Characters explore the landscape in the Roblox game Beyond the Stars. A presentation to Alaska lawmakers this week by a Homer police official asserts that such games are used by child sex predators to lure victims.
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
Beth Leibowitz, Cecily Morris, Jacque Farnsworth, Phyllis Scott, Steve Tada, Jean Butler, Delores O’Mara and Steve Winker of Escape from Brooklyn perform for the 48th Annual Alaska Folk Festival which kicked off on Monday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center.

Folk Fest returns

New locations, same great time for 48th annual Alaska Folk Festival

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
Beth Leibowitz, Cecily Morris, Jacque Farnsworth, Phyllis Scott, Steve Tada, Jean Butler, Delores O’Mara and Steve Winker of Escape from Brooklyn perform for the 48th Annual Alaska Folk Festival which kicked off on Monday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
This photo shows Resurrection Lutheran Church which provides a warming shelter to Juneau patrons during the winter months. The shelter is set to close for the season following Sunday night, and on Monday, the City and Borough of Juneau’s seasonal campground, the Mill Campground will open. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Warming shelter set for season closure, Mill Campground to open the following day

Shelter to close after Sunday night, campground to open Monday.

This photo shows Resurrection Lutheran Church which provides a warming shelter to Juneau patrons during the winter months. The shelter is set to close for the season following Sunday night, and on Monday, the City and Borough of Juneau’s seasonal campground, the Mill Campground will open. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)