Empire Archives is a series printed every Saturday featuring a short compilation of headline stories in the Juneau Empire from archived editions in 1985, 1995 and 2005.
This week in 1985, emergency medical technicians around the state are seeking guidance that could change some emergency medical practices, as a result of the spreading of the disease AIDS. EMTs are also considering asking lawmakers to pass a bill similar to one in Florida that would require pre-hospital healthcare providers such as EMTs be notified about patients that could require special care during emergency treatment to safeguard the health of workers. Mark Johnson, the state’s emergency medical services coordinator, said EMTs in recent weeks have been seeking guidelines on the procedures they should use to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to accident and heart attack victims, and in administering intravenous treatments to victims.
Today the Americans With Disabilities Act states “a city emergency medical technician may not refuse to treat or transport a person with HIV or AIDS,” while also noting “universal precautions” exist for treatment of such patients.
Original Story: “EMTs seek guidelines for treating AIDS cases,” by Chuck Kleeschulte. 11/27/1985.
This week in 1995, the good news is more than Juneau high schoolers — about two-thirds — have not had sex. And most are wearing their seat belts and eating their vegetables. The bad news is 54% of Juneau’s high schoolers say they have been offered, sold or given drugs on school property. Most have drunk alcohol and almost half have tried marijuana. And while only a small percentage have used crack or cocaine, more than 20% said they had used other illegal drugs such as LSD, ecstasy, speed, ice or heroin. About 23% said they’d used inhalants. Those statistics are among the multitude of data generated by a youth-risk behavior survey given to middle and high school students in Juneau and other districts last spring.
Today the most recently available statewide Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2019 states 26.2% of respondents had sex within the past three months (with 13.2% of that group using both a condom and another contraceptive), 12.4% had engaged in binge drinking within the past 30 days, 21.6% had used marijuana within the past 30 days (12% reported driving after using marijuana). Among the major concerns cited in the study were significant increases in the number of students vaping (about 25%) and attempting suicide (20%).
Original Story: “Youth at risk: Sex, drug survey results,” by Cathy Brown. 11/27/1995.
This week in 1995, school is a bit more cool when cash is the reward for studying, students in a new Juneau Native study hall program say. The study hall, sponsored by the Tlingit & Haida Central Council, began last week and is paying Alaska Native and American Indian high school students to attend optional study sessions after school in the Juneau-Douglas High School library. Students are able to earn “scholarship incentives” at a rate of $7.50 per hour by studying from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Nine students attended the first day during the first week, but more than two dozen attended a study hall a week later. Instructors are focusing on improving Native success rates in English and math, and trying to quell attendance problems.
Today there are multiple Alaska Native education programs locally at what is now Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and other schools from elementary to university levels. Among them is the Tlingit Culture, Language, and Literacy (TCLL) program which “uses a place-based approach that integrates Tlingit language and culture into daily instruction” at elementary and middle schools.
Original Story: “After-school study pays real dividends,” by Eric Morrison. 11/30/2005.
