News

Late evening on the Kuskokwim River in Nunapitchuk on Oct. 12. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Tribes, State Troopers increase access to justice for Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence

Alaska State Troopers received new training in October aimed at keeping Tribal citizens safer

Late evening on the Kuskokwim River in Nunapitchuk on Oct. 12. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
John Phillips (left) and Roger Sheakley salute the colors during the opening of the Southeast Alaska Native Veterans’ observance of Veterans Day on Saturday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Trio of observances for Juneau’s veterans share tributes in distinctly different ways

Annual events honor those serving during wars, seeking peace and preserving Alaska Native heritage.

John Phillips (left) and Roger Sheakley salute the colors during the opening of the Southeast Alaska Native Veterans’ observance of Veterans Day on Saturday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Friday, Nov. 10, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Jennifer Kirk, left, and Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton both died, two years apart, in homes owned by a former mayor and often occupied by his adult sons. Credit:Left photo: Facebook; right photo: courtesy of Lesley Sundberg

One woman died on an Alaska mayor’s property. Then another. No one has ever been charged.

Ex-mayor’s sons faced few consequences despite history of similar allegations.

Jennifer Kirk, left, and Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton both died, two years apart, in homes owned by a former mayor and often occupied by his adult sons. Credit:Left photo: Facebook; right photo: courtesy of Lesley Sundberg
A tourist departs a cruise ship in the documentary “Cruise Boom,” which was screened Friday as part of an Evening at Egan presentation at the University of Alaska Southeast. The film is also scheduled to be shown Saturday at the Gold Town Theater. (Courtesy of Artchange Inc.)
Video

Presentation pitching partnerships to address cruise ship impacts proves provocative

“I do not trust these corporations one iota,” says one attendee; others see signs of hope.

A tourist departs a cruise ship in the documentary “Cruise Boom,” which was screened Friday as part of an Evening at Egan presentation at the University of Alaska Southeast. The film is also scheduled to be shown Saturday at the Gold Town Theater. (Courtesy of Artchange Inc.)
Video
Bering Sea snow crab, with two specimens seen in this undated photo, support an iconic Alaska seafood harvest, but a crash in population since 2018 triggered the first ever closure of the fishery in 2022. That closure was extended for the 2023-24 season. A newly published study shows that snow crab have some resilience to ocean acidification, with eggs and embryos that fare better in acidified conditions than do those of other Alaska crab species. (Photo provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Alaska’s snow crab show resilience to ocean acidification, which is underway in the Bering Sea

Study a possible bright spot for species hammered by a warmth-triggered crash.

  • Nov 11, 2023
  • By: Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon
Bering Sea snow crab, with two specimens seen in this undated photo, support an iconic Alaska seafood harvest, but a crash in population since 2018 triggered the first ever closure of the fishery in 2022. That closure was extended for the 2023-24 season. A newly published study shows that snow crab have some resilience to ocean acidification, with eggs and embryos that fare better in acidified conditions than do those of other Alaska crab species. (Photo provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
A pedestrian pushes a shopping cart on Cordova Street during a heavy snowfall on Thursday in Anchorage. Four homeless people have died in Anchorage in the last week, underscoring the city’s ongoing struggle to house a large houseless population at the same time winter weather has returned, with more than 2 feet (0.61 meters) of snow falling within 48 hours. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)

Anchorage adds to record homeless death total as major winter storm drops more than two feet of snow

Four homeless people have died in Anchorage in the last week, underscoring the city’s ongoing struggle to house a large homeless population at the same… Continue reading

A pedestrian pushes a shopping cart on Cordova Street during a heavy snowfall on Thursday in Anchorage. Four homeless people have died in Anchorage in the last week, underscoring the city’s ongoing struggle to house a large houseless population at the same time winter weather has returned, with more than 2 feet (0.61 meters) of snow falling within 48 hours. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
A map shows areas of downtown Juneau considered at severe (red) and moderate (blue) risk of avalanches. The Juneau Assembly is scheduled on Monday to give initial consideration to an ordinance regulating development in such areas. (City and Borough of Juneau)

Assembly to consider new hazard zone proposal to regulate avalanche areas, notify landslide risks

Warming shelter, off-road vehicle park, Suicide Basin monitoring also on agenda for Monday’s meeting.

A map shows areas of downtown Juneau considered at severe (red) and moderate (blue) risk of avalanches. The Juneau Assembly is scheduled on Monday to give initial consideration to an ordinance regulating development in such areas. (City and Borough of Juneau)
The intersection of Glacier Highway and Shell Simmons Drive, seen here at midday Thursday, is where a hit-and-run accident that resulted in life-threatening injuries to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle occurred Thursday night, according to the Juneau Police Department. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire File)

Pedestrian struck on sidewalk suffers life-threatening injuries

Scott Roy Underwood, 26, of Anchorage, has been charged in the hit-and-run.

The intersection of Glacier Highway and Shell Simmons Drive, seen here at midday Thursday, is where a hit-and-run accident that resulted in life-threatening injuries to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle occurred Thursday night, according to the Juneau Police Department. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire File)
Demonstrators protest against the Biden administration’s approval of the Willow oil-drilling project before a scheduled speech by Biden at the Department of the Interior in Washington, March 21, 2023. A federal judge on Thursday upheld the Biden administration’s approval of the Willow oil-drilling project on Alaska’s remote North Slope, a massive project that had drawn the ire of environmentalists who accused the president of backpedaling on his pledge to combat climate change. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Federal judge in Alaska upholds Biden administration’s approval of the massive oil-drilling project

A federal judge on Thursday upheld the Biden administration’s approval of the massive Willow oil-drilling project on Alaska’s remote North Slope, a decision that environmental… Continue reading

Demonstrators protest against the Biden administration’s approval of the Willow oil-drilling project before a scheduled speech by Biden at the Department of the Interior in Washington, March 21, 2023. A federal judge on Thursday upheld the Biden administration’s approval of the Willow oil-drilling project on Alaska’s remote North Slope, a massive project that had drawn the ire of environmentalists who accused the president of backpedaling on his pledge to combat climate change. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Denise Koch, director of engineering and public works for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains efforts being made to secure various types of flood mitigation funding while City Manager Katie Koester listens during a Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night in the Assembly Chambers.

City still seeking millions in federal flood funding, despite FEMA disaster aid rejection

NOAA, Army Corps of Engineers, others being asked to help with future prevention efforts.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Denise Koch, director of engineering and public works for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains efforts being made to secure various types of flood mitigation funding while City Manager Katie Koester listens during a Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night in the Assembly Chambers.
Meta Mesdag, owner of Salty Lady Seafood Co., works alongside sons Emmett, 16, and Kai, 13. A harmful algae bloom shut down the farm for half of the 20-week season, which means working into the winter. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

Pushing to expand mariculture in Alaska (Part 1): A day in the life of a Juneau oyster farming family

Salty Lady Seafood is working through the winter this year

Meta Mesdag, owner of Salty Lady Seafood Co., works alongside sons Emmett, 16, and Kai, 13. A harmful algae bloom shut down the farm for half of the 20-week season, which means working into the winter. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)
Henry Fleener, hatchery manager at Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute Mariculture Wet Lab, talks about a NOAA Fisheries project that involves building a small hatchery to house, condition and spawn oyster broodstock in order to find ways to improve existing processes. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

Pushing to expand mariculture in Alaska (Part 2): The pearl in mariculture, for now, are the oysters

Shellfish is still small business, but on the rise as Alaska works to diversity food sources.

Henry Fleener, hatchery manager at Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute Mariculture Wet Lab, talks about a NOAA Fisheries project that involves building a small hatchery to house, condition and spawn oyster broodstock in order to find ways to improve existing processes. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 6, 2005. (Photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Nov. 12

Three decades of capital city coverage.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 6, 2005. (Photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Monday, Nov. 6, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
The Orion Nebula as seen from Auke Bay on Oct. 26. Taken with a DSLR camera and a 300mm telephoto lens on a tracking device for timed exposures. Multiple 25-second exposures were taken and then stacked to gain more detail. (Photo by Mark Schwan)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

The Orion Nebula as seen from Auke Bay on Oct. 26. Taken with a DSLR camera and a 300mm telephoto lens on a tracking device for timed exposures. Multiple 25-second exposures were taken and then stacked to gain more detail. (Photo by Mark Schwan)