Northern lights seen from flight arriving in Juneau on Oct. 26. (Photo by Jack Beedle)

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

Northern lights seen from flight arriving in Juneau on Oct. 26. (Photo by Jack Beedle)
Marta Lastufka (left) plays the lead role of Nora while Becky Orford plays Anne Marie in a rehearsal of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” at the Filipino Community Hall on Thursday. The play is scheduled to debut at the hall at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, with 12 more performances at venues around Juneau through Nov. 19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A notorious woman’s challenging return home — on stage and in real life

Longtime actor Marta Lastufka returns after many years in Theater Alaska’s “In A Doll’s House, Part 2”

Marta Lastufka (left) plays the lead role of Nora while Becky Orford plays Anne Marie in a rehearsal of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” at the Filipino Community Hall on Thursday. The play is scheduled to debut at the hall at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, with 12 more performances at venues around Juneau through Nov. 19. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
University of Alaska Southeast graduate student Muriel Walatka gathers samples of beach sand to examine for microplastics at Auke Recreation Area in August 2019. (Photo courtesy Sonia Nagorski)

Alaska Science Forum: Plastic in the rain of Southeast Alaska

“We found microplastics in every single rain sample (gathered in Juneau),” Sonia Nagorski told a group of people listening to her talk at the American… Continue reading

University of Alaska Southeast graduate student Muriel Walatka gathers samples of beach sand to examine for microplastics at Auke Recreation Area in August 2019. (Photo courtesy Sonia Nagorski)
An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Photo by Sean Neilson, NOAA MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)

Juvenile whale caught in heavy fishing apparatus freed by team effort

Rescue follows the loss of a whale calf to a vessel strike in August

An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Photo by Sean Neilson, NOAA MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Newly-sworn Juneau Board of Education members Britteny Cioni-Haywood and David Noon (left) prepare to take their seats as outgoing members Brian Holst and Martin Stepetin Sr. (right) depart during the board’s meeting Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. At center, Jessica Richmond, administrative assistant to the Juneau School District superintendent, replaces the name signs of the board members at the two seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

School district gets $2.8M of bad news due to low enrollment and audit, but also $2.3M of good news

Preliminary audit shows faulty practices; meanwhile, state backs off fight on “over-the-cap” funds.

Newly-sworn Juneau Board of Education members Britteny Cioni-Haywood and David Noon (left) prepare to take their seats as outgoing members Brian Holst and Martin Stepetin Sr. (right) depart during the board’s meeting Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. At center, Jessica Richmond, administrative assistant to the Juneau School District superintendent, replaces the name signs of the board members at the two seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The offices of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Juneau are seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska governor’s staff deleted state agency’s analysis of teacher pay

Article would have been on cover of Alaska Economic Trends for October.

The offices of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Juneau are seen on Thursday. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 23, 2005. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 23, 2005. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Runners and walkers of all ages cross the finish line of the second annual Real Talk Walk/Run on Saturday at the Airport Dike Trail. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Run/walk sets a pace for parenthood along the challenging course of life

“Mamas just get stronger and stronger. We have no choice.”

Runners and walkers of all ages cross the finish line of the second annual Real Talk Walk/Run on Saturday at the Airport Dike Trail. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Passengers return to the Norwegian Sun cruise ship early Wednesday evening, the final ship to visit Juneau this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sun sets on record cruise ship season

1.65 million passengers representing 101% of ship capacity visited Juneau, preliminary figures show.

Passengers return to the Norwegian Sun cruise ship early Wednesday evening, the final ship to visit Juneau this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Nome’s Anvil City Square, with a giant gold pan and statues of the “Three Lucky Swedes” whose discovery kicked off the 1899 Gold Rush, is seen on Sept. 5, 2021. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Proposed class-action lawsuit claims Alaska prisons are holding people without criminal charges

A woman from Stebbins has sued the Alaska Department of Corrections, alleging that she and many other people in the state prison system have been… Continue reading

Nome’s Anvil City Square, with a giant gold pan and statues of the “Three Lucky Swedes” whose discovery kicked off the 1899 Gold Rush, is seen on Sept. 5, 2021. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Photographer Ed Andrews captures the celebration dedicating the completed Douglas Bridge on Oct. 13, 1935. (Alaska State Library PC01-4128)

Bridge to everywhere: Original Juneau-Douglas crossing from 1935 spanned nearly half a century

Existing bridge is already the “second crossing”; parts of original now in local home, footbridges.

Photographer Ed Andrews captures the celebration dedicating the completed Douglas Bridge on Oct. 13, 1935. (Alaska State Library PC01-4128)
Juneau City and Borough Attorney Robert Palmer, left, swears in Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, Ella Adkison and Paul Kelly on Monday night in the Assembly chambers. Adkison and Kelly are new members of the Assembly after winning open seats in the Oct. 3 municipal election, while incumbents Hughes-Skandijs and Christine Woll — who was sworn in remotely via Zoom at the same time — were reelected to their seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

New Assembly members make immediate impact on controversial issues at first meeting

Decisive votes on hotel bed tax and Huna Totem dock project among full slate of hot topics.

Juneau City and Borough Attorney Robert Palmer, left, swears in Assembly members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, Ella Adkison and Paul Kelly on Monday night in the Assembly chambers. Adkison and Kelly are new members of the Assembly after winning open seats in the Oct. 3 municipal election, while incumbents Hughes-Skandijs and Christine Woll — who was sworn in remotely via Zoom at the same time — were reelected to their seats. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Monday, Oct. 23, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Shane Krause, left, who lives aboard a boat in Juneau, testifies in opposition to a 9% increase in docks and harbor fees during an Assembly meeting on Monday night as Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, City Manager Katie Koester and City Attorney Robert Palmer listen. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

9% increase in nearly all docks and harbors fees approved by Assembly

5-4 vote comes after some residents express concerns about costs to liveaboards and fishers.

Shane Krause, left, who lives aboard a boat in Juneau, testifies in opposition to a 9% increase in docks and harbor fees during an Assembly meeting on Monday night as Deputy City Manager Robert Barr, City Manager Katie Koester and City Attorney Robert Palmer listen. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A court services officer is shown wearing a body camera. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Public Safety)

Latest Alaska crime report shows a 67% increase in murders and a slight overall decrease in crime

The murder rate in Alaska increased dramatically, though there was a slight overall decrease in crime statewide in 2022, according to an Alaska Department of… Continue reading

A court services officer is shown wearing a body camera. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Public Safety)
A passenger pumps gas into a vehicle Sunday at Fisherman’s Bend, which on that day had Juneau’s lowest price for regular unleaded at just under $4 a gallon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s cheapest gas is $4 a gallon, the most expensive is $5 — from the same supplier

Self-service Fisherman’s Bend in low-price lead, while supplier Delta Western’s stations at top end.

A passenger pumps gas into a vehicle Sunday at Fisherman’s Bend, which on that day had Juneau’s lowest price for regular unleaded at just under $4 a gallon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The back side of a unit in an apartment complex at 2800 Postal Way that caught fire on Sunday evening. No one was injured in the blaze, which left its occupant temporarily homeless and a neighbor’s home with smoke damage. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire.)
The back side of a unit in an apartment complex at 2800 Postal Way that caught fire on Sunday evening. No one was injured in the blaze, which left its occupant temporarily homeless and a neighbor’s home with smoke damage. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire.)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)