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The Tustumena ferry is seen July 20, 2021, in southwest Alaska. (Photo by James Brooks)

Current issues dominate ferry system open house for long-term planning

Mainliner specs go to shipbuilders in November while the fate of Matanuska remains unknown.

The Tustumena ferry is seen July 20, 2021, in southwest Alaska. (Photo by James Brooks)
Marta Lastufka (left) plays the lead role of Nora while Becky Orford plays Anne Marie in a rehearsal of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” at the Filipino Community Hall on Thursday. The play is scheduled to debut at the hall at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, with 12 more performances at venues around Juneau through Nov. 19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A notorious woman’s challenging return home — on stage and in real life

Longtime actor Marta Lastufka returns after many years in Theater Alaska’s “In A Doll’s House, Part 2”

Marta Lastufka (left) plays the lead role of Nora while Becky Orford plays Anne Marie in a rehearsal of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” at the Filipino Community Hall on Thursday. The play is scheduled to debut at the hall at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, with 12 more performances at venues around Juneau through Nov. 19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Photo by Sean Neilson, NOAA MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)

Juvenile whale caught in heavy fishing apparatus freed by team effort

Rescue follows the loss of a whale calf to a vessel strike in August

An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Photo by Sean Neilson, NOAA MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)
Newly-sworn Juneau Board of Education members Britteny Cioni-Haywood and David Noon (left) prepare to take their seats as outgoing members Brian Holst and Martin Stepetin Sr. (right) depart during the board’s meeting Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. At center, Jessica Richmond, administrative assistant to the Juneau School District superintendent, replaces the name signs of the board members at the two seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

School district gets $2.8M of bad news due to low enrollment and audit, but also $2.3M of good news

Preliminary audit shows faulty practices; meanwhile, state backs off fight on “over-the-cap” funds.

Newly-sworn Juneau Board of Education members Britteny Cioni-Haywood and David Noon (left) prepare to take their seats as outgoing members Brian Holst and Martin Stepetin Sr. (right) depart during the board’s meeting Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. At center, Jessica Richmond, administrative assistant to the Juneau School District superintendent, replaces the name signs of the board members at the two seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The offices of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Juneau are seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska governor’s staff deleted state agency’s analysis of teacher pay

Article would have been on cover of Alaska Economic Trends for October.

The offices of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Juneau are seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 23, 2005. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 23, 2005. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Runners and walkers of all ages cross the finish line of the second annual Real Talk Walk/Run on Saturday at the Airport Dike Trail. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Run/walk sets a pace for parenthood along the challenging course of life

“Mamas just get stronger and stronger. We have no choice.”

Runners and walkers of all ages cross the finish line of the second annual Real Talk Walk/Run on Saturday at the Airport Dike Trail. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Passengers return to the Norwegian Sun cruise ship early Wednesday evening, the final ship to visit Juneau this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sun sets on record cruise ship season

1.65 million passengers representing 101% of ship capacity visited Juneau, preliminary figures show.

Passengers return to the Norwegian Sun cruise ship early Wednesday evening, the final ship to visit Juneau this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Emily Wright, an assistant attorney for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains legal ramifications of the state’s new ban on transgender girls participating in girls high school sports to the Juneau Board of Education on Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Legal, moral concerns raised by local school and city officials about state’s transgender sports ban

School board seeks more input after hearing ban violates city bylaws and maybe state’s Constitution.

Emily Wright, an assistant attorney for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains legal ramifications of the state’s new ban on transgender girls participating in girls high school sports to the Juneau Board of Education on Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Nome’s Anvil City Square, with a giant gold pan and statues of the “Three Lucky Swedes” whose discovery kicked off the 1899 Gold Rush, is seen on Sept. 5, 2021. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Proposed class-action lawsuit claims Alaska prisons are holding people without criminal charges

A woman from Stebbins has sued the Alaska Department of Corrections, alleging that she and many other people in the state prison system have been… Continue reading

Nome’s Anvil City Square, with a giant gold pan and statues of the “Three Lucky Swedes” whose discovery kicked off the 1899 Gold Rush, is seen on Sept. 5, 2021. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Photographer Ed Andrews captures the celebration dedicating the completed Douglas Bridge on Oct. 13, 1935. (Alaska State Library PC01-4128)

Bridge to everywhere: Original Juneau-Douglas crossing from 1935 spanned nearly half a century

Existing bridge is already the “second crossing”; parts of original now in local home, footbridges.

Photographer Ed Andrews captures the celebration dedicating the completed Douglas Bridge on Oct. 13, 1935. (Alaska State Library PC01-4128)
Juneau City and Borough Attorney Robert Palmer, left, swears in Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, Ella Adkison and Paul Kelly on Monday night in the Assembly chambers. Adkison and Kelly are new members of the Assembly after winning open seats in the Oct. 3 municipal election, while incumbents Hughes-Skandijs and Christine Woll — who was sworn in remotely via Zoom at the same time — were reelected to their seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

New Assembly members make immediate impact on controversial issues at first meeting

Decisive votes on hotel bed tax and Huna Totem dock project among full slate of hot topics.

Juneau City and Borough Attorney Robert Palmer, left, swears in Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, Ella Adkison and Paul Kelly on Monday night in the Assembly chambers. Adkison and Kelly are new members of the Assembly after winning open seats in the Oct. 3 municipal election, while incumbents Hughes-Skandijs and Christine Woll — who was sworn in remotely via Zoom at the same time — were reelected to their seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Shane Krause, left, who lives aboard a boat in Juneau, testifies in opposition to a 9% increase in docks and harbor fees during an Assembly meeting on Monday night as Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, City Manager Katie Koester and City Attorney Robert Palmer listen. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

9% increase in nearly all docks and harbors fees approved by Assembly

5-4 vote comes after some residents express concerns about costs to liveaboards and fishers.

Shane Krause, left, who lives aboard a boat in Juneau, testifies in opposition to a 9% increase in docks and harbor fees during an Assembly meeting on Monday night as Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, City Manager Katie Koester and City Attorney Robert Palmer listen. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A court services officer is shown wearing a body camera. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Public Safety)

Latest Alaska crime report shows a 67% increase in murders and a slight overall decrease in crime

The murder rate in Alaska increased dramatically, though there was a slight overall decrease in crime statewide in 2022, according to an Alaska Department of… Continue reading

A court services officer is shown wearing a body camera. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Public Safety)
A passenger pumps gas into a vehicle Sunday at Fisherman’s Bend, which on that day had Juneau’s lowest price for regular unleaded at just under $4 a gallon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s cheapest gas is $4 a gallon, the most expensive is $5 — from the same supplier

Self-service Fisherman’s Bend in low-price lead, while supplier Delta Western’s stations at top end.

A passenger pumps gas into a vehicle Sunday at Fisherman’s Bend, which on that day had Juneau’s lowest price for regular unleaded at just under $4 a gallon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

TMHS finishes top among boys on home mats in Southeast Showdown wrestling tournament

Ketchikan takes overall title, Falcons second in two-day, co-ed competition among eight schools.

Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The back side of a unit in an apartment complex at 2800 Postal Way that caught fire on Sunday evening. No one was injured in the blaze, which left its occupant temporarily homeless and a neighbor’s home with smoke damage. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire.)
The back side of a unit in an apartment complex at 2800 Postal Way that caught fire on Sunday evening. No one was injured in the blaze, which left its occupant temporarily homeless and a neighbor’s home with smoke damage. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire.)
Kevin Jainese sets up his cot along the 40 already provided by staff at the city’s new cold weather emergency shelter at a warehouse in Thane on Friday night, the first for the new facility. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Amidst a contentious process, a quiet opening night for city’s new cold weather emergency shelter

Staff — some recently homeless themselves — welcome first overnighters to converted Thane warehouse.

Kevin Jainese sets up his cot along the 40 already provided by staff at the city’s new cold weather emergency shelter at a warehouse in Thane on Friday night, the first for the new facility. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Amanda Savikko bowls a frame during the Juneau Special Olympics local games Sunday at Pinz bowling ally, where teams and participants were selected for the upcoming state games in Eagle River. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Local Special Olympics participants get into a free-for-ball knockdown

Three four-member bowling teams in weekend tournament advance to statewide event next month.

Amanda Savikko bowls a frame during the Juneau Special Olympics local games Sunday at Pinz bowling ally, where teams and participants were selected for the upcoming state games in Eagle River. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonathan Samuelson, chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, speaks Friday at the Alaska Convention of Natives convention about the effects of salmon crashes in his region. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

AFN delegates pass 28 resolutions, including plea to Congress for subsistence action

Attendees at odds with the state of Alaska on fishing and hunting issues.

Jonathan Samuelson, chair of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, speaks Friday at the Alaska Convention of Natives convention about the effects of salmon crashes in his region. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)