Neighbors

Stacks of dog and cat food sit on pallets after being donated during a previous Holiday Cat and Dog Food Drive hosted by the Grateful Dogs of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / George Utermohle)

Neighbors briefs

14th annual Holiday Cat and Dog Food Drive starts Dec. 4 From Monday, Dec. 4, thru Sunday, Dec. 10, the Grateful Dogs of Juneau is… Continue reading

Stacks of dog and cat food sit on pallets after being donated during a previous Holiday Cat and Dog Food Drive hosted by the Grateful Dogs of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / George Utermohle)
A large foamy heart in a Juneau creek formed by decaying organic matter (dead leaves and twigs) at the Twin Lakes area Nov. 27. (Photo by Denise Carroll)

Art in Unusual Places

The Juneau Empire welcomes reader-submitted photos of art in unusual or unexpected places. To submit email your photos and captions to editor@juneauempire.com.… Continue reading

A large foamy heart in a Juneau creek formed by decaying organic matter (dead leaves and twigs) at the Twin Lakes area Nov. 27. (Photo by Denise Carroll)
The author getting ready to host a holiday dinner for her family in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Patty Schied)

Cooking For Pleasure: Stuffed with turkey sandwiches? Try stuffing turkey enchiladas

Now that you have eaten all the turkey sandwiches you want, all that meat leftover from the giant carcass that has taken over your refrigerator… Continue reading

The author getting ready to host a holiday dinner for her family in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Patty Schied)
Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)

Living and Growing: Heartbreak Hill

Trying to write about beauty and our need for it is hard. Here is a poet’s effort to explain, “A thing of beauty is a… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
A public notice about one of several Thanksgiving proclamations President Abraham Lincoln issued during the Civil War. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum)

Living and Growing: Give thanks with a grateful heart

Happy Thanksgiving! Once again we celebrate what is a distinctively American holiday, instituted by our government almost from our nation’s beginning. In 2003 I stumbled… Continue reading

A public notice about one of several Thanksgiving proclamations President Abraham Lincoln issued during the Civil War. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum)
A female bear with her cubs: bears have direct-development life cycles, looking like bears from the time they are born. (Photo by Jos Bakker)

On the Trails: Animal life cycles

There are two basic life-cycle patterns among animals. Many animals have complex life cycles with two or more very distinct stages; metamorphosis is the usual… Continue reading

A female bear with her cubs: bears have direct-development life cycles, looking like bears from the time they are born. (Photo by Jos Bakker)
Maj. Gina Halverson is co-leader of The Salvation Army Juneau Corps. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)

Living and Growing: Be thankful for the opportunity to care for ‘Others’

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we are reminded of the importance of being thankful. If you are feeling low this Thanksgiving season, I would prescribe the… Continue reading

Maj. Gina Halverson is co-leader of The Salvation Army Juneau Corps. (Robert DeBerry/The Salvation Army)
(Jessica Spengler/CC BY 2.0 DEED)

Cooking For Pleasure: No trauma pie crust (that actually tastes good)

The secret is keeping all of the ingredients very cold.

(Jessica Spengler/CC BY 2.0 DEED)
A springtail perches on a wood railing, perhaps to eat microalgae. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Early November sightings

An early November stroll on the dike trail was uneventful until I met some Real Birders, who were there in search of some unusual sightings.… Continue reading

A springtail perches on a wood railing, perhaps to eat microalgae. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
Devil’s Club Brewing Company brewer Trever Held accepts an award at the 2023 AK Beer Awards competition at Williwaw Social in Anchorage on Nov. 3. (Photo courtesy of Brewers Guild of Alaska)

Neighbors briefs

Juneau brewers win 10 medals at 2023 AK Beer Awards The Brewers Guild of Alaska (BGA) held the awards ceremony for the 2023 AK Beer… Continue reading

  • Nov 9, 2023
Devil’s Club Brewing Company brewer Trever Held accepts an award at the 2023 AK Beer Awards competition at Williwaw Social in Anchorage on Nov. 3. (Photo courtesy of Brewers Guild of Alaska)
Juneau Veterans for Peace President Craig Wilson, left, watches a procession of fellow veterans and others ring the Liberty Bell replica in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Nov. 11, 2022, during an annual Armistice Day observation. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Three annual events honoring veterans scheduled Saturday

Armistice Day bell ringing at Capitol; Veterans Day events at Centennial Hall and EPH.

Juneau Veterans for Peace President Craig Wilson, left, watches a procession of fellow veterans and others ring the Liberty Bell replica in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Nov. 11, 2022, during an annual Armistice Day observation. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Fred La Plante is the pastor of the Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy / Fred La Plante)

Living and Growing: Having an attitude of gratitude

Our world is quickly enveloped in negativity, but that attitude doesn’t help us. We need to be more grateful. Let’s define gratitude as being thankful… Continue reading

  • Nov 8, 2023
  • By Fred La Plante
  • Columns
Fred La Plante is the pastor of the Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy / Fred La Plante)
The flowers of enchanter’s nightshade are tiny and often self-pollinating. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Enchanter’s nightshade

Enchanter’s nightshade is a tiny perennial plant we commonly see (and walk right past) alongside many of our trails. Although it is said to grow… Continue reading

The flowers of enchanter’s nightshade are tiny and often self-pollinating. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
Photo courtesy of Patty Schied
The author hosting a Christmas dinner for her family in 2022.

Cooking For Pleasure: Serving up a warm mood in lousy weather

This Middle Eastern red lentil soup is not the sustenance of long-ago cold memories.

Photo courtesy of Patty Schied
The author hosting a Christmas dinner for her family in 2022.
Just strumming along in the downtown flats area on Oct. 19. (Photo by Denise Carroll)

Neighbors: Art in Unusual Places

The Juneau Empire welcomes reader-submitted photos of art in unusual or unexpected places. To submit email your photos and captions to editor@juneauempire.com.… Continue reading

Just strumming along in the downtown flats area on Oct. 19. (Photo by Denise Carroll)
The new office in Lynnwood, Washington, for the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Tlingit and Haida)

Neighbors briefs

Tlingit and Haida opening new Washington office The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is announce it is opening a… Continue reading

The new office in Lynnwood, Washington, for the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Tlingit and Haida)
Photo courtesy of the Sealaska Heritage Foundation.

Neighbors: SHI to sponsor lec­ture on bombardment of Tlingit village of Ḵaachx̱haan.Áak’w

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture on the 1869 bombardment of Ḵaachx̱haan.áak’w in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Presented by Zachary Jones,… Continue reading

Photo courtesy of the Sealaska Heritage Foundation.
A sign at Chicago Midway International Airport. (Photo by Teri Schwartz)

Living and Growing: “All lanes lead to all gates”

Some time ago I was standing in a long security line at Chicago’s Midway airport. Above the crowd a large sign read “All Lanes Lead… Continue reading

A sign at Chicago Midway International Airport. (Photo by Teri Schwartz)
An American goshawk female in brown “juvenile” plumage guards her nest. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Hawks of the forest

We have two species of forest hawks: the American goshawk and the much smaller sharp-shinned hawk. Both have short, broad, powerful wings and long tails,… Continue reading

An American goshawk female in brown “juvenile” plumage guards her nest. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
Residents participate in the 13th annual Friends of the Poor Run/Walk hosted by St. Vincent de Paul Juneau. (Courtesy of St. Vincent De Paul Juneau)

Neighbors: Letters of thanks

Friends of the Poor Run/Walk: Thank you for contributing to our success The Society of St. Vincent de Paul wishes to thank all those who… Continue reading

Residents participate in the 13th annual Friends of the Poor Run/Walk hosted by St. Vincent de Paul Juneau. (Courtesy of St. Vincent De Paul Juneau)