A brown bear near the boundary of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in King Cove, Alaska, May 18, 2022. The Trump administration is poised to approve a deal that would allow a long contentious project to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, a vast wild area in southwestern Alaska, according to internal Interior Department documents reviewed by The New York Times. (Acacia Johnson/The New York Times)

Trump nears deal for road through Alaskan wildlife refuge

The deal calls for the Interior Department to transfer 490 acres of land within the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

A brown bear near the boundary of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in King Cove, Alaska, May 18, 2022. The Trump administration is poised to approve a deal that would allow a long contentious project to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, a vast wild area in southwestern Alaska, according to internal Interior Department documents reviewed by The New York Times. (Acacia Johnson/The New York Times)
Juneau blotter tease

Police calls, Sept. 14-16

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement and public safety agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction… Continue reading

  • Sep 20, 2025
Juneau blotter tease
The Juneau League of Women Voters and KTOO are hosting a candidate forum on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
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Watch Now: 2025 League of Women Voters candidate forum

The forum will be held Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.

The Juneau League of Women Voters and KTOO are hosting a candidate forum on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
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Ships in port, Sept. 17-20

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Saturday, Sept. 20… Continue reading

  • Sep 19, 2025
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This photo shows the University of Alaska Southeast Juneau campus on a rainy day. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Trump cuts to University of Alaska programs for Native students worse than previously announced

UAF officials estimate $8.8 million in canceled funding for a variety of programs and student services

This photo shows the University of Alaska Southeast Juneau campus on a rainy day. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Electrify Juneau! A Clean Energy Fair will be held inside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Admission is free.

Upcoming fair aims to celebrate clean energy and ‘Electrify Juneau!’

The event on Sunday coincides with the national Sun Day initiative

Electrify Juneau! A Clean Energy Fair will be held inside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Admission is free.
The Mount Roberts Tramway car nears the top of its run above Juneau, Alaska. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Cruise ship passenger dies after fall from Mount Roberts trail

The man is among a handful of people to die this summer while exploring Juneau’s outdoors

The Mount Roberts Tramway car nears the top of its run above Juneau, Alaska. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
The harbor floats in front of Hansen Boat Shop were covered by almost a foot of snow in this 1997 photo. (Wrangell Sentinel file photo)

Boat shop ends 97-year career on Wrangell waterfront

The business started as Hansen Boat Shop in 1928 and later became Wrangell Shipyard and then Wrangell Boatshop

  • Sep 18, 2025
  • By Larry Persily Wrangell Sentinel
  • Local News
The harbor floats in front of Hansen Boat Shop were covered by almost a foot of snow in this 1997 photo. (Wrangell Sentinel file photo)
The deadly landslide that crashed through the outskirts of Wrangell on the night of Nov. 20, 2023, is seen from the air on the following day. The landslide killed six people and blocked a major road, the Zimovia Highway. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

From rain-drenched mountains to Arctic permafrost, Alaska landslides pose hazards

Scientists with government agencies and academia depend on each other and the public to help keep track of risky spots

The deadly landslide that crashed through the outskirts of Wrangell on the night of Nov. 20, 2023, is seen from the air on the following day. The landslide killed six people and blocked a major road, the Zimovia Highway. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)
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Police calls, Sept. 9-13

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement and public safety agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction… Continue reading

  • Sep 17, 2025
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Police calls, Sept. 3-6

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement and public safety agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction… Continue reading

  • Sep 17, 2025
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Ships in port, Sept. 17-20

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Wednesday, Sept. 17… Continue reading

  • Sep 17, 2025
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Ships in port, Sept. 13-17

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Saturday, Sept. 13… Continue reading

  • Sep 17, 2025
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Trees standing in water on the flooded shore of Mendenhall Lake are pictured from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor’s Center on Sept. 15, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire)

Updated: Flood warning canceled as Suicide Basin release comes to an end

Mendenhall Lake observed a crest of 9.6 feet as of 7 p.m.

Trees standing in water on the flooded shore of Mendenhall Lake are pictured from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor’s Center on Sept. 15, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire)
The main campus of the University of Alaska Southeast. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Trump administration terminates University of Alaska grants for Alaska Native, Indigenous students

The full extent of the grant funding freeze across the University of Alaska system is still being analyzed

The main campus of the University of Alaska Southeast. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Police calls, Sept. 6-9

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement and public safety agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction… Continue reading

  • Sep 15, 2025
Salmon caught on the opening day of the spring Chinook salmon run in 2020 in Washougal, Washington. (Grant Hindsley/The New York Times)

Another bust year for Yukon River king salmon returns, sonar counters show

Fish counters show 2025 returns have again failed to meet that target after missing in 2024 as well.

Salmon caught on the opening day of the spring Chinook salmon run in 2020 in Washougal, Washington. (Grant Hindsley/The New York Times)
Natalie Brown plays a drum and sings during an Orange Shirt Day event near the Mendenhall Wetlands viewing area in Juneau on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Always in our hearts:’ September an important month for boarding school survivors

The National Day of Remembrance coincides with Congressional consideration of the boarding school healing bill

Natalie Brown plays a drum and sings during an Orange Shirt Day event near the Mendenhall Wetlands viewing area in Juneau on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
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Ships in port, Sept. 10-13

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Wednesday, Sept. 10… Continue reading

  • Sep 10, 2025
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Ships in port, Sept. 6-10

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Saturday, Sept. 6… Continue reading

  • Sep 8, 2025
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