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A male black bear chases spawning sockeye salmon in Steep Creek at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in August 2018. Saturday the visitor center will be the site of a Smokey Bear birthday celebration. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Capital City Weekly

Weekend Guide: A bear birthday, Devilfish, men’s fashion show and a couple of dino talks

Here’s what’s happening the week of Sept. 19, 2019.

A male black bear chases spawning sockeye salmon in Steep Creek at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in August 2018. Saturday the visitor center will be the site of a Smokey Bear birthday celebration. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Why I love September

Why I love September

It’s nice to get our city back, so to speak.

Why I love September
Fritz Creek area resident Barrett Fletcher gives the invocation before a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting as a representative of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster at Homer City Hall in Homer, Alaska, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2019. A pastor wearing a spaghetti strainer on his head delivered the opening invocation at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting Tuesday. The invocation by the pastor of the Homer congregation of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the second non-traditional invocation before the assembly since a court ruling. (Megan Pacer/Homer News via AP)

Pastafarian pastor leads prayer at Alaska government meeting

He ended the prayer with: “Ramen.”

Fritz Creek area resident Barrett Fletcher gives the invocation before a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting as a representative of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster at Homer City Hall in Homer, Alaska, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2019. A pastor wearing a spaghetti strainer on his head delivered the opening invocation at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting Tuesday. The invocation by the pastor of the Homer congregation of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the second non-traditional invocation before the assembly since a court ruling. (Megan Pacer/Homer News via AP)
Dr. Rosita Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute, speaks Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, about plans to build a Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus in the current location of the Sealaska Corporation parking lot. SHI this week received word that it received a federal grant of more than $5.6 million for the $12 million project, which, along with donations and grants from other sources, puts the project at 70 percent toward its funding goal. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

New downtown arts campus could break ground by June 2020

The Walter Soboleff Building could have a new neighbor soon.

Dr. Rosita Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute, speaks Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, about plans to build a Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus in the current location of the Sealaska Corporation parking lot. SHI this week received word that it received a federal grant of more than $5.6 million for the $12 million project, which, along with donations and grants from other sources, puts the project at 70 percent toward its funding goal. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Sealaska Heritage Institute announced Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, it is raising money to build a Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus in the current location of the Sealaska Corp. parking lot. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Video

Video: Sealaska’s Rosita Worl talks about her vision for new arts campus

She’s president of Sealaska Heritage Institute.

Sealaska Heritage Institute announced Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, it is raising money to build a Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus in the current location of the Sealaska Corp. parking lot. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Video
‘Things are shifting’: Five Alaska Natives tell their stories about climate change

‘Things are shifting’: Five Alaska Natives tell their stories about climate change

Spoiler alert: they’re very concerned.

‘Things are shifting’: Five Alaska Natives tell their stories about climate change
TSA agent in Juneau saves family trip to hospital

TSA agent in Juneau saves family trip to hospital

One grape couldn’t ruin the whole vacation.

TSA agent in Juneau saves family trip to hospital
William Brown, a resident of Juneau Housing First Collaborative’s Forget-Me-Not Manor, talks about the positive impacts the home had made on his life on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. It is the two-year anniversary of the project that provides housing and support services to chronically homeless adults who have struggled with alcohol and are high utilizers of emergency services within the City and Borough of Juneau. Phase II to build another 32 apartments is currently underway and will open late next year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire) William Brown, a resident of Juneau Housing First Collaborative’s Forget-Me-Not Manor, talks about the postive impacts the home had made on his life on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. It is the two-year anniversary of the project that provides housing and support services to chronically homeless adults who have struggled with alcohol and are high utilizers of emergency services within the City and Borough of Juneau. Phase II to build another 32 apartments is currently underway and will open late next year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Home Sweet Home: Once-controversial housing program seems like a success

Small rooms make big difference in the lives of Juneau’s homeless.

William Brown, a resident of Juneau Housing First Collaborative’s Forget-Me-Not Manor, talks about the positive impacts the home had made on his life on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. It is the two-year anniversary of the project that provides housing and support services to chronically homeless adults who have struggled with alcohol and are high utilizers of emergency services within the City and Borough of Juneau. Phase II to build another 32 apartments is currently underway and will open late next year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire) William Brown, a resident of Juneau Housing First Collaborative’s Forget-Me-Not Manor, talks about the postive impacts the home had made on his life on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. It is the two-year anniversary of the project that provides housing and support services to chronically homeless adults who have struggled with alcohol and are high utilizers of emergency services within the City and Borough of Juneau. Phase II to build another 32 apartments is currently underway and will open late next year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
The “New Office Building” in the Treadwell Mine Historical Park awaits its ribbon cutting. The building was recently renovated by the Treadwell Historic Preservation and Restoration Society, Inc. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

New-look mining building gets a ribbon cutting

Celebration of rehabbed structure set for Sunday.

The “New Office Building” in the Treadwell Mine Historical Park awaits its ribbon cutting. The building was recently renovated by the Treadwell Historic Preservation and Restoration Society, Inc. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Photos: Behind the scenes of ‘Devilfish’, a new play of an old Tlingit tale
Capital City Weekly

Photos: Behind the scenes of ‘Devilfish’, a new play of an old Tlingit tale

The play opens Friday in Douglas.

Photos: Behind the scenes of ‘Devilfish’, a new play of an old Tlingit tale
Erin Tripp, right, playing Aanteinatu, rehearses with Rio Alberto, playing a magical wolf, in Perseverance Theatre’s production of “Devilfish” written by Vera Starbard on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

‘Devilfish’ opens Perseverance Theatre’s season with an original, indigenous vision

It’s a love letter to Tlingit culture and people.

Erin Tripp, right, playing Aanteinatu, rehearses with Rio Alberto, playing a magical wolf, in Perseverance Theatre’s production of “Devilfish” written by Vera Starbard on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
State retains Trump lawyers in lawsuit aimed at union dues

State retains Trump lawyers in lawsuit aimed at union dues

Union officials speculate Clarkson intends to go to Supreme Court

State retains Trump lawyers in lawsuit aimed at union dues
Assembly tackles crime bill, delays JACC funding

Assembly tackles crime bill, delays JACC funding

Crime, yes. JACC, no.

Assembly tackles crime bill, delays JACC funding
Concerts bring music by women out of the shadows
Capital City Weekly

Concerts bring music by women out of the shadows

Women musicians and composers take center stage in upcoming shows.

Concerts bring music by women out of the shadows
Candidates strut their stuff at election forum

Candidates strut their stuff at election forum

Elections are Oct. 1.

Candidates strut their stuff at election forum
The hapless bee comes to a lupine inflorescence where the spider was waiting. (Bob Armstrong | For the Juneau Empire)
Video

Crab spiders are voracious little predator

Here’s where to find them in Juneau.

The hapless bee comes to a lupine inflorescence where the spider was waiting. (Bob Armstrong | For the Juneau Empire)
Video
Vera Starbard, Perseverance Theatre playwright-in-residence and writer of multiple episodes of “Molly of Denali” and her sister, Miranda Cook, prepare to pass out gifts to the audience at Starbard’s Evening at Egan lecture Friday at University of Alaska Southeast’s Egan Library. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Tlingit playwright wants to bring arts and healing to whole communities

Old traditions and new studies link healing and art.

Vera Starbard, Perseverance Theatre playwright-in-residence and writer of multiple episodes of “Molly of Denali” and her sister, Miranda Cook, prepare to pass out gifts to the audience at Starbard’s Evening at Egan lecture Friday at University of Alaska Southeast’s Egan Library. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)
Police calls for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019

Police calls for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019

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

Police calls for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019
Empire Live: Assembly delays ordinance allocating money for JACC

Empire Live: Assembly delays ordinance allocating money for JACC

Live updates from the meeting

Empire Live: Assembly delays ordinance allocating money for JACC
State files lawsuit against public employee union

State files lawsuit against public employee union

State says its about First Amendment.

State files lawsuit against public employee union