News

Delcenia Cosman / Homer News U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to Anchor Point residents during a community meeting held at the Virl “Pa” Haga VFW Post 10221 on Friday, May 30, in Anchor Point, Alaska.

Sullivan discusses federal advocacy, legislation during Soldotna visit

Since June, the secretaries of the interior, energy, homeland security, health and human services, housing and urban development, and transportation have all visited Alaska

Delcenia Cosman / Homer News U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to Anchor Point residents during a community meeting held at the Virl “Pa” Haga VFW Post 10221 on Friday, May 30, in Anchor Point, Alaska.
Thomas Casey, missing since Aug. 30, 2025, is pictured in this undated photo. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)

Updated: Arizona man found dead near Mendenhall Glacier

The man was in Juneau for the summer

Thomas Casey, missing since Aug. 30, 2025, is pictured in this undated photo. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)
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Ships in port, Aug. 30-Sept. 3

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Saturday, Aug. 30… Continue reading

  • Sep 1, 2025
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Former Juneau Police Department Officer Brandon LeBlanc is seen throwing a man to the sidewalk in dash-camera footage from another officer’s patrol car outside the Douglas Public Library in Douglas, Alaska, on July 30, 2025. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)

Juneau officer seen throwing man in July arrest resigns; department releases footage of incident

Brandon LeBlanc was identified by the department as the officer involved in a July 30 encounter that sent man to hospital

Former Juneau Police Department Officer Brandon LeBlanc is seen throwing a man to the sidewalk in dash-camera footage from another officer’s patrol car outside the Douglas Public Library in Douglas, Alaska, on July 30, 2025. (Provided by Juneau Police Department)
University of Alaska Board of Regents Chair Ralph Seekins speaks during a meeting at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska, on Feb. 22, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Board of Regents to meet on Juneau campus this week

Committee meetings will take place Wednesday and Thursday; a regular meeting will be held Friday and Saturday

University of Alaska Board of Regents Chair Ralph Seekins speaks during a meeting at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska, on Feb. 22, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
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Police calls, Aug. 25-27

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

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U.S. Army pilots engage opposing forces with the AH-64 Apache during the Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on June 13, 2024. This is an example of the types of aircraft that will be transferring through the Yukon to stand up a new Combat Aviation Brigade in Alaska. (Spc. Brandon Vasquez/11th Airborne Division)

U.S. Army helicopters fly over Yukon to stand up new Combat Aviation Brigade

Military spokespeople say aircraft will be seen traveling through northern Canadian territory to Alaska earlier in August may not be the last

U.S. Army pilots engage opposing forces with the AH-64 Apache during the Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on June 13, 2024. This is an example of the types of aircraft that will be transferring through the Yukon to stand up a new Combat Aviation Brigade in Alaska. (Spc. Brandon Vasquez/11th Airborne Division)
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui, homeported in Washington, and cutter Elm (The Bar Tender) homeported in Oregon, are seen ported at Coast Guard Station Juneau in August 2024. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Coast Guard awards contract for homeport improvements in Sitka

Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2028.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui, homeported in Washington, and cutter Elm (The Bar Tender) homeported in Oregon, are seen ported at Coast Guard Station Juneau in August 2024. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
The Tongass National Forest sign stands near the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

USDA announces intent to rescind Roadless Rule protections

The deadline for public comment is Sept. 19

The Tongass National Forest sign stands near the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Waterfalls in Taku Inlet are seen during a 2024 boat excursion by participants in the third annual Transboundary Mining Conference. (Jasz Garrett/ Juneau Empire)

EPA announces $1.7M in transboundary watershed grants, including over $600K for Southeast projects

Recipients of the grant funding include Tlingit & Haida, Ketchikan Indian Community, and ADF&G

Waterfalls in Taku Inlet are seen during a 2024 boat excursion by participants in the third annual Transboundary Mining Conference. (Jasz Garrett/ Juneau Empire)
A harbor seal is released into Cook Inlet by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program at North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward’s SeaLife Center releases 2 harbor seals at Kenai beach

The two seals were admitted into the center’s Wildlife Response Program in June.

A harbor seal is released into Cook Inlet by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program at North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID vaccine doses at a vaccination site at a shopping mall in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, Jan. 7, 2022. The FDA has approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall 2025 season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available. (Erika P. Rodriguez/The New York Times)

FDA approves COVID shots with new restrictions

The policy is the federal government’s most restrictive since the vaccines became available

COVID vaccine doses at a vaccination site at a shopping mall in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, Jan. 7, 2022. The FDA has approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall 2025 season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available. (Erika P. Rodriguez/The New York Times)
Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources talk with reporters at Juneau International Airport on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

US House delegation visits Alaska this week, with focus on mining, timber and drilling

Ten members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources are visiting Southeast and Southcentral Alaska, including addressing the annual conference of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association

Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources talk with reporters at Juneau International Airport on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Haiyun Jiang / The New York Times A container ship docks at Dutch Harbor in Unalaska, Aug. 13. Threatened by the president with political retribution, Republicans agreed to defund public broadcasting, imperiling a lifeline of communication in rural Alaska.

Public broadcast cuts hit rural areas, revealing a political shift

245 public broadcasting grantees in rural communities — including 27 stations in Alaska — are at risk of going off the air.

Haiyun Jiang / The New York Times A container ship docks at Dutch Harbor in Unalaska, Aug. 13. Threatened by the president with political retribution, Republicans agreed to defund public broadcasting, imperiling a lifeline of communication in rural Alaska.
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Police calls, Aug. 20-24

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

  • Aug 27, 2025
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Ships in port, Aug. 27-30

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule. Capacity figures in parenthesis were pulled from cruise lines’ websites. Wednesday, Aug. 27… Continue reading

  • Aug 27, 2025
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The Sealaska Corporation building is photographed July 11, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire)

Sealaska names new president

Sealaska is an Alaska Native corporation serving Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people

The Sealaska Corporation building is photographed July 11, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire)
The downed aircraft near Haines, Alaska, Aug. 24, 2025. The pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft and had no reported injuries. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Air Station Sitka)

Coast Guard rescues man from downed aircraft near Haines

The rescued pilot was reported “in good condition”

The downed aircraft near Haines, Alaska, Aug. 24, 2025. The pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft and had no reported injuries. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Air Station Sitka)
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Police calls, Aug. 16-20

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

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Fred LaPlante is the pastor at Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy photo)

Living and Growing: What’s coloring your view?

The world around me hadn’t changed — only my vision had

Fred LaPlante is the pastor at Juneau Church of the Nazarene. (Courtesy photo)