Group promises to challenge closure of small schools

A group calling itself Citizens for the Educational Advancement of Alaska’s Children has pledged to oppose a proposal from Rep. Lynn Gattis, R-Wasilla, that would raise the minimum number of students in a state-funded school from 10 to 25.

Such a proposal, if taken up by the Alaska Legislature during its 2016 regular session, would result in the closure of schools across the state. Most would be in rural areas.

CEAAC, a statewide coalition of education advocates, has been a frequent participant in Alaska education lawsuits.

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Jasmine Chavez, a crew member aboard the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship, waves to her family during a cell phone conversation after disembarking from the ship at Marine Park on May 10. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
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Supporters of Mayor Beth Weldon and Juneau Assembly candidate Neil Steininger wave signs to motorists on Egan Drive at the Douglas Bridge intersection on Tuesday morning. Both are well ahead in their two-candidate races in the first batch of ballots tallied Tuesday night, with official results scheduled to be certified on Oct. 15. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Juneau Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen (right) and Deputy Clerk Diane Cathcart await the arrival of election materials as early ballots are counted at the Thane Ballot Processing Center on Tuesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau is among the state prisons housing inmates whose names were included in material improperly accessible to the public on a website for months, according to officials. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire file photo)
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Dan Kenkel sets up an election sign outside City Hall as in-person voting begins at 7 a.m. Tuesday in Juneau’s municipal election. Voting locations and ballot dropoff boxes are open until 8 p.m. tonight.
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The Donlin Gold airstrip, with the camp at the far end on the right, is seen from the air on Aug. 11, 2022. The mine site is in the hilly terrain near Southwest Alaska’s winding Kuskokwim River. The mine won a key permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018, but a federal judge ruled on Monday that the environmental study on which that permit was based was flawed because it failed to consider the impacts of a catastrophic dam failure. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
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(Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Three women arriving on flights arrested on drug charges in two incidents at Juneau’s airport

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Ceramics by Uliana from BeWilder Creative will be featured at The Pottery Jungle during First Friday in October. (Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)
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Cardboard heads, a new Pride robe and a sendoff for retiring local bead artist among activities.

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