Home2

Children are photographed outside their now shuttered school, Pearl Creek Elementary, in August 2024 in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo provided by Morgan Dulian)

My Turn: Reform doesn’t start with cuts

Legislators must hold the line for Alaska’s students

 

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, 2025, in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)

Big beautiful wins for Alaska in the Big Beautiful Bill

The legislation contains numerous provisions to unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource economy.

  • Jul 17, 2025
  • By U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan
  • Opinion

 

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Thursday, July 17, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

 

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Wednesday, July 16, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Photo courtesy Scott Burton
The first Resilience Circles cohort gathers in Juneau for a cohort retreat.

Woven Peoples and Place: Bridging knowledge systems

Across Southeast Alaska, partners are advancing the co-production of knowledge

Photo courtesy Scott Burton
The first Resilience Circles cohort gathers in Juneau for a cohort retreat.
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Tuesday, July 15, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Monday, July 14, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, discusses the status of school districts’ finances during a press conference with Gov. Mike Dunleavy at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Opinion: The fight to improve public education has just begun

We owe our children more than what the system is currently offering

Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, discusses the status of school districts’ finances during a press conference with Gov. Mike Dunleavy at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Photo by Charles Whittlesey
Tatiana McWethy demonstrates her restoration technique on the icon of St. Nicholas.

Living and Growing: Historic Russian-American icons receive 1st restoration in 130 years

When that rare Juneau sunlight hit the canvas, St. Nicholas came to life, and swam in it

Photo by Charles Whittlesey
Tatiana McWethy demonstrates her restoration technique on the icon of St. Nicholas.
The old Forest Service administration bunkhouse building pictured here was built during the boom of the logging industry and has sat empty for decades. Now, it may be repurposed as a cultural healing center in Kake, Alaska. Photo by Tyler Bell.

Salmon State: A healing center for Kake

The center will be open to attendees from all Southeast Alaska communities, especially rural ones.

The old Forest Service administration bunkhouse building pictured here was built during the boom of the logging industry and has sat empty for decades. Now, it may be repurposed as a cultural healing center in Kake, Alaska. Photo by Tyler Bell.
A male sea otter pup, estimated at 2 weeks old, was rescued near Homer and admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center rehabilitation program on June 23, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center

Seward’s SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list

A male sea otter pup, estimated at 2 weeks old, was rescued near Homer and admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center rehabilitation program on June 23, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
Toasted nuts top this shortbread cookie bar.

Cooking for Pleasure: Three layers of sweetness

These bar cookies combine layers or shortbread, chocolate and toasted nuts

Toasted nuts top this shortbread cookie bar.
The author and her husband carry an American flag during the Fourth of July parade, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kate Troll)

My Turn: Claiming the flag on the Fourth of July

Now, here cheering the flag were other immigrants with an uncertain future. What were they cheering about?

The author and her husband carry an American flag during the Fourth of July parade, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kate Troll)
Doug Mills/The New York Times file photo 
President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia at a joint news conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018.

Opinion: Mistaking flattery for respect

Last Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. “It’s well deserved, and you should get it,” Netanyahu… Continue reading

Doug Mills/The New York Times file photo 
President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia at a joint news conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018.
Win Gruening (courtesy)

My Turn: The millions add up. CBJ, get a grip on spending.

Ignoring essential basic services while spending money on projects and services that few want or need doesn’t make Juneau more affordable

Win Gruening (courtesy)
(Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: Murkowski bought time for a new governor to do better

The senator said she added a provision that delays new federal penalties on Alaska for its high error rate in processing SNAP benefits.

  • Jul 9, 2025
  • By Larry Persily Wrangell Sentinel
  • Columns
(Juneau Empire file photo)
Public lands are a unique privilege that Americans should relish and protect. (Photo courtesy Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: The comment section: Where discourse goes to die

Someone always takes it upon themselves to filter a post, headline, story or ideas through their political view and come up with a divisive hot take.

Public lands are a unique privilege that Americans should relish and protect. (Photo courtesy Jeff Lund)
From left, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) head to the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday morning, July 1, 2025. Senate Republicans were racing on Tuesday morning to lock down the votes to pass their sweeping tax and domestic police bill, after an all-night session of voting and negotiating with holdouts left Trump’s agenda hanging in the balance. (Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times)

My Turn: Murkowski’s moment of shame

She has no excuse for not following the model Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., set when he killed Joe Biden’s biggest initiative in 2021.

From left, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) head to the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday morning, July 1, 2025. Senate Republicans were racing on Tuesday morning to lock down the votes to pass their sweeping tax and domestic police bill, after an all-night session of voting and negotiating with holdouts left Trump’s agenda hanging in the balance. (Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times)
The dainty little flowers of sheep sorrel are either male or female, but not both. (Photo courtesy Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Butterworts, leaf rollers, and invasive flowers

On a bright, sunny day in mid-June, a friend and I strolled on the Lower Loop trail at Eaglecrest. Out in the meadows, we found… Continue reading

The dainty little flowers of sheep sorrel are either male or female, but not both. (Photo courtesy Mary F. Willson)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks about his decision to veto House Bill 57 during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: Governor deposits a veto to help predatory lenders

Thousands of Alaskans get so squeezed on their finances every year that they turn to high-interest payday loans to help cover their bills. That may… Continue reading

  • Jul 2, 2025
  • By Larry Persily
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks about his decision to veto House Bill 57 during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)