(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Sunday, May 11, 2025

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Saturday, May 10, 2025

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Friday, May 9, 2025

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Dunleavy orders freeze on state employee hiring, travel and new regulations due to fiscal crunch

Exemptions allowed for certain occupations and “mission-critical” purposes.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Thursday, May 8, 2025

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
State Sen. Forrest Dunbar (D-Anchorage) speaks during a candlelight vigil Wednesday at the Alaska State Capitol by participants calling upon federal lawmakers not to cut Medicaid funding (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Proposed Medicaid cuts in Alaska: A protest, a Senate resolution and where things currently stand

Some Republicans in D.C. balk at full $880B reduction; work requirements, other trims still in play.

State Sen. Forrest Dunbar (D-Anchorage) speaks during a candlelight vigil Wednesday at the Alaska State Capitol by participants calling upon federal lawmakers not to cut Medicaid funding (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Republicans have toiled under House Speaker Mike Johnson to find $880 billion in savings over a decade and assemble a number of cuts large enough to meet that goal. (Tierney L. Cross / For The New York Times)

Republicans propose paring Medicaid coverage, but steer clear of deeper cuts

House panel’s plan would still leave millions without health coverage or facing higher costs.

  • May 12, 2025
  • By Margot Sanger-Katz and Catie Edmondson ©2025 The New York Times Company
  • Medicaid
Republicans have toiled under House Speaker Mike Johnson to find $880 billion in savings over a decade and assemble a number of cuts large enough to meet that goal. (Tierney L. Cross / For The New York Times)
Axel Baumann films and Max Osadchenko captures sounds of Juneau Alaska Music Matters students performing a “Gratitude” concert at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Clan House on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event was a wrapup performance after the film crew followed JAMM participants for two weeks as part of a feature-length documentary. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Filmmakers seek to share cultural lessons of Juneau Alaska Music Matters with a wider audience

Crew spends two weeks with students after following similar program in Texas for full-length documentary.

Axel Baumann films and Max Osadchenko captures sounds of Juneau Alaska Music Matters students performing a “Gratitude” concert at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Clan House on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event was a wrapup performance after the film crew followed JAMM participants for two weeks as part of a feature-length documentary. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Conservation group lawsuit seeks to speed listing of Alaska king salmon under Endangered Species Act

Lawsuit asks a judge to order national fisheries service to “promptly issue” decision on petition

A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)
Cottongrass wafts over the tundra in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Sept. 2, 2006. (Steve Hillebrand/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Arctic refuge oil exploration could begin as soon as this winter, court documents indicate

Alaska’s state-owned investment bank could get permission to start oil exploration work in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as soon as the third quarter of… Continue reading

Cottongrass wafts over the tundra in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Sept. 2, 2006. (Steve Hillebrand/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
A drill rig at the Palmer deposit in the Chilkat River valley near Haines. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News)

A contentious mining project in SE Alaska just changed hands. Its new owner already wants to sell.

Opponents are celebrating the news as a setback for the Palmer Project near Haines.

  • May 10, 2025
  • By Max Graham, Northern Journal
  • mining
A drill rig at the Palmer deposit in the Chilkat River valley near Haines. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News)
The Alaska House of Representatives is seen in action on Monday, May 5, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

In unusual move, Alaska House declines to honor conservative political writer

Suzanne Downing, founder of Must Read Alaska and former Juneau Empire managing editor, spurned by 21-17 vote.

The Alaska House of Representatives is seen in action on Monday, May 5, 2025. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
A collage of the flood inundation maps shows eight feet without barriers, 16 feet with barriers, 18 feet with barriers, and 20 feet without barriers. The study by Michael Baker International considers the Mendenhall River’s changed topography. (Maps provided by City and Borough of Juneau)
Video

Updated flood-fighting inundation maps show effectiveness of HESCO barriers

Maps show worst-case scenarios, future flood potential continues to be studied.

A collage of the flood inundation maps shows eight feet without barriers, 16 feet with barriers, 18 feet with barriers, and 20 feet without barriers. The study by Michael Baker International considers the Mendenhall River’s changed topography. (Maps provided by City and Borough of Juneau)
Video
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Dunleavy threatens unprecedented veto of education funds in budget unless his policy goals are met

Line-item veto could leave districts with less money for months; legality of such action is questioned

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on May 12, 1995. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on May 12, 1995. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
A scene from the PBS children’s series “Molly of Denali.” (WGBH Educational Foundation photo)

‘Molly of Denali’ and other PBS children’s programs on hold as Trump cancels funds

Emmy-winning Juneau writer of “Molly” says PBS told creators the series isn’t being renewed.

A scene from the PBS children’s series “Molly of Denali.” (WGBH Educational Foundation photo)
The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Ships in port for the week of May 11

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2024 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Sunday, May 11… Continue reading

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Staff at the Juneau Public Library’s downtown branch sort materials on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly moves to keep Juneau libraries open daily by providing funds after federal cuts

Money would prevent branches from closing one day a week, but won’t restore statewide loan program

Staff at the Juneau Public Library’s downtown branch sort materials on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Cruise ships dock in downtown Juneau on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Outlook among Alaska businesses this year plummets in statewide, Southeast surveys

SE mood last year second-highest since 2010, is second-lowest now; statewide drop biggest in eight years

Cruise ships dock in downtown Juneau on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)