News

A bear feasts on the salmon run at Katmai National Park and Preserve on July 13, 2021. (Courtesy of Lian Law, National Parks Service)

Bears show off full bellies at Katmai for Fat Bear Week

KENAI — The bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve are preparing to show the world their beefy bodies starting today for this year’s Fat… Continue reading

A bear feasts on the salmon run at Katmai National Park and Preserve on July 13, 2021. (Courtesy of Lian Law, National Parks Service)
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Capital City Weekly

Planet Alaska: The more we give

The richer we are.

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This photo shows a common loon carved by artist Matt Robus for the exhibit “Birds of Wood." It opens Friday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center for First Friday. (Courtesy Photo)
Capital City Weekly

Like a duck to water: In-person gallery shows return to the JACC

Juneau Artists Gallery kicks off sale on First Friday, too.

This photo shows a common loon carved by artist Matt Robus for the exhibit “Birds of Wood." It opens Friday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center for First Friday. (Courtesy Photo)
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Capital City Weekly

Planet Alaska: A grumble of fishermen and a squabble of seagulls

Whatever we’re called as a collective, we’re a noisy bunch.

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Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire On Sept. 27, Bridget Weiss, superintendent of Juneau Public Schools, stood outside the classroom of former math teacher and basketball coach Bill Szepanski, who inspired her to pursue a degree in education and a teaching and coaching career. Later this week, Weiss will accept the 2022 Alaska Superintendent of the year award in Anchorage.

Words from the Weiss: Catching up with Alaska’s superintendent of the year

She’s had one heck of a year.

Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire On Sept. 27, Bridget Weiss, superintendent of Juneau Public Schools, stood outside the classroom of former math teacher and basketball coach Bill Szepanski, who inspired her to pursue a degree in education and a teaching and coaching career. Later this week, Weiss will accept the 2022 Alaska Superintendent of the year award in Anchorage.
Alaskans with GCI Communications email accounts reported having trouble signing up for a free credit monitor service being offered by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, their Juneau offices seen here in this Jan. 13, 2021, file photo, in the wake of a data breach. GCI said Tuesday the issue should be resolved soon. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

GCI working to fix issues registering for credit monitoring offered by state

Some email accounts had trouble signing up for free post-data breach service.

Alaskans with GCI Communications email accounts reported having trouble signing up for a free credit monitor service being offered by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, their Juneau offices seen here in this Jan. 13, 2021, file photo, in the wake of a data breach. GCI said Tuesday the issue should be resolved soon. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)

Police calls for Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021

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

  • Sep 28, 2021
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)
This screenshot of the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 cases dashboard shows the alert level in communities in Southeast Alaska. Red areas are at a high alert level and based on more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period. Yellow areas are at a moderate risk level based on 10-50 cases per 100,000 people over a week. Blue areas are at a low level based on 10 or fewer cases per 100,000. (Screenshot)

Some Southeast communities see COVID cases rise

Mitigation in place.

This screenshot of the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 cases dashboard shows the alert level in communities in Southeast Alaska. Red areas are at a high alert level and based on more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period. Yellow areas are at a moderate risk level based on 10-50 cases per 100,000 people over a week. Blue areas are at a low level based on 10 or fewer cases per 100,000. (Screenshot)
A bill aimed at helping Alaska’s hospitals died Monday after provisions were added by lawmakers barring vaccine mandates. In this file photo, a nurse holds a phial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy’s Hospital in London, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)

Boosters are now available. Here’s who’s eligible and how to get one

COVID-19 booster vaccinations are available in Juneau, the City and Borough of Juneau announced. The booster shots are available to certain people who received the… Continue reading

A bill aimed at helping Alaska’s hospitals died Monday after provisions were added by lawmakers barring vaccine mandates. In this file photo, a nurse holds a phial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy’s Hospital in London, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

COVID at a glance for Tuesday, Sept. 28

The most recent state and local figures

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML
Lawmakers will return to the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Sept. 24, for a fourth special session. Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office confirmed the start date of the next session will be changed from a Friday to a Monday. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Next special session to begin Monday, not Friday

Fourth special session.

Lawmakers will return to the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Sept. 24, for a fourth special session. Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office confirmed the start date of the next session will be changed from a Friday to a Monday. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)

Police calls for Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021

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

  • Sep 28, 2021
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and the Japanese Ship Kashima, a naval training vessel of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, transit together during a maritime exercise near Dutch Harbor on Sept. 20, 2021. (Courtesy photo / USCG)

Coast Guard and Japanese military conduct joint training at sea

The partner nations were able to take advantage of the serendiptious opportunity.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and the Japanese Ship Kashima, a naval training vessel of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, transit together during a maritime exercise near Dutch Harbor on Sept. 20, 2021. (Courtesy photo / USCG)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

COVID at a glance for Monday, Sept. 27

The most recent state and local figures

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML
Joy Lyon, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children since 1996, left the post on Sept. 1, — precisely 25 years after she first stepped into the role. At her retirement party last week, friends celebrated her love of Dolly Parton and her work to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in Juneau and other parts of Southeast Alaska. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

An ode to Joy

Longtime early childhood advocate retires

Joy Lyon, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children since 1996, left the post on Sept. 1, — precisely 25 years after she first stepped into the role. At her retirement party last week, friends celebrated her love of Dolly Parton and her work to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in Juneau and other parts of Southeast Alaska. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Amelia Conrad, 4, presents Zara Rutherford with a stuffed moose donning aviator goggles while Mclain Patterson, 7, holds a sign reading “Fly Zara Fly!” at Ward Air. Rutherford is flying her way around the world in pursuit of the Guinness world record for youngest woman solo pilot to circumnavigate the world. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Plane determination: Teen contends with weather, forest fires while flying around the world

Young pilot passes through Juneau on global journey.

Amelia Conrad, 4, presents Zara Rutherford with a stuffed moose donning aviator goggles while Mclain Patterson, 7, holds a sign reading “Fly Zara Fly!” at Ward Air. Rutherford is flying her way around the world in pursuit of the Guinness world record for youngest woman solo pilot to circumnavigate the world. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)

Police calls for Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021

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

  • Sep 26, 2021
  • Juneau Empire
  • Crime
It's a police car until you look closely and see the details don't quite match. (Juneau Empire File / Michael Penn)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

COVID at a glance for Friday, Sept. 24

The most recent state and local figures

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML
Within the City and Borough of Juneau, four museums collect objects to tell the tale of the area and its people. The Juneau Empire visited each museum to learn about some of the oldest human-made objects each has on hand. Objects include a Chilkat robe (upper left), a 5,450 year old spruce root basket (upper right), a fish trap (lower left), and a piece of moon rock (lower right). (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Turning the clock way, way back

A tour of the oldest objects on display in Juneau’s museums

Within the City and Borough of Juneau, four museums collect objects to tell the tale of the area and its people. The Juneau Empire visited each museum to learn about some of the oldest human-made objects each has on hand. Objects include a Chilkat robe (upper left), a 5,450 year old spruce root basket (upper right), a fish trap (lower left), and a piece of moon rock (lower right). (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Leader of ring that sent drugs from California to Juneau sentenced to 21 years

The operation involved multiple couriers and modes of transportation, according to the DOJ.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)