Opinion

Empire Editorial: Meet the Alaska Legislature’s new restriction on free speech

It’s a rare day when someone wakes up in the morning with the intent to make a mistake.Most mistakes are made when our actions fail… Continue reading

  • Oct 16, 2015

My Turn: Let’s get the whale right

The ongoing saga of where the bronze whale should be located continues. A bid opening last week revealed the planned Bridge Park location and connecting… Continue reading

  • Oct 15, 2015
  • By WIN GRUENING
A U.S. Coast Guard Station Juneau small-boat crew examines the mast of the sunken 94-foot tugboat Challenger on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12, 2015 in Gastineau Channel. The crew marked the wreck with a buoy and a flashing light installed on the mast.

Empire Editorial: Strong action needed to avoid repeat of Challenger sinking

Alaska has a big problem beneath the surface.For Juneau, that problem has been breaking the surface a lot recently. It’s the issue of derelict and… Continue reading

  • Oct 15, 2015
A U.S. Coast Guard Station Juneau small-boat crew examines the mast of the sunken 94-foot tugboat Challenger on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12, 2015 in Gastineau Channel. The crew marked the wreck with a buoy and a flashing light installed on the mast.

My Turn: Fukushima radiation in Pacific reaches West Coast

“We should be carefully monitoring the oceans after what is certainly the largest accidental release of radioactive contaminants to the oceans in history,” marine chemist… Continue reading

  • Oct 14, 2015
  • By JOHN LaFORGE

My Turn: Trappers, trail users must coexist

This is a story I had no desire to tell publicly, but recent events, opinion pieces and advertisements now compel me to do so.In late… Continue reading

  • Oct 14, 2015
  • By MARK KAELKE

Alaska Editorial: Budget reality

This editorial first ran in the Ketchikan Daily News:This week’s news of layoffs at the Alaska Marine Highway System has brought home the state budget… Continue reading

  • Oct 14, 2015

My Turn: AMHS cuts off limb hoping it grows back

On Tuesday, the State of Alaska Department of Transportation released its proposed Alaska Marine Highway System summer schedule for 2016. This schedule raises many concerns… Continue reading

  • Oct 11, 2015
  • By REP. SAM KITO III

Empire Editorial: ‘Kayaktavists’ and a whole lot of head-shaking

Earlier this summer, we watched as so-called “kayaktavists” — each nestled in their bright, petroleum-plastic watercraft — attempted to create a barrier flotilla to stop… Continue reading

  • Oct 9, 2015

Column: Gender, the missing link in our gun debates

I’m sure I read way too many articles about last week’s mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. But one written by Soraya Chemaly… Continue reading

  • Oct 9, 2015
  • By Rich Moniak

Bosses, pull back curtain on pay gap for women

The gender gap is a credibility gap.That’s the real reason why few women make it to top leadership, at companies, nonprofits and just about anywhere… Continue reading

  • Oct 9, 2015
  • By JoANNE CLEAVER

My Turn: Responsibility for abandoned and derelict vessels in Alaska

By now, most of us in Juneau know that we have a sunken 96-foot tugboat in Gastineau Channel across from the yacht club. During a… Continue reading

  • Oct 8, 2015
  • By PHILLIP GRAY

My Turn: Silverbow Bakery

In 1997 when Jill and I moved into the Silverbow building, we were young and hopeful and ambitious for our dream. Bringing real New York… Continue reading

  • Oct 8, 2015
  • By KEN ALPER

Empire Editorial: To boost voter turnout, Juneau should look to online elections

On Tuesday night, too few Juneauites went to the polls.In Wednesday’s Empire, we published a My Turn from a group of young Alaskans backing a… Continue reading

  • Oct 8, 2015

Alaska editorial: Arctic Energy Summit hosted circumpolar nations for issues discussion

This editorial originally appeared in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:Representatives of eight nations gathered in Fairbanks to discuss issues of energy in the Arctic last week.… Continue reading

  • Oct 7, 2015

My Turn: Alaskan are going to have to fight for it

The ongoing state budget fight is totally incomplete if it ignores the revenue side. The Legislature blaming Alaskans for most of the problem clearly omits… Continue reading

  • Oct 7, 2015
  • By Anselm Staack

My Turn: Young Alaska in support of the PFD Voter Initiative

We live in the digital age. With a few clicks of the mouse or finger taps on a smartphone we have access to a wealth… Continue reading

  • Oct 7, 2015
  • By PENNY GAGE, KATHERINE JERNSTROM AND ERIN HARRINGTON

My Turn: UAF to host Arctic summit in 2016

When warmer temperatures and daylight returns this spring, it will also bring nearly 1,000 scientists, policy makers, technical experts, educators and other Arctic authorities from… Continue reading

  • Oct 6, 2015
  • By LARRY HINZMAN

Alaska Editorial: Forest management

This editorial originally appeared in the Ketchikan Daily News: Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, made an interesting point about the U.S. Forest Service last week during… Continue reading

  • Oct 6, 2015

My Turn: BC Mines and the Taku watershed

In August, when British Columbia Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett first laid eyes on the metals-laden acidic waste that’s been flowing from the… Continue reading

  • Oct 6, 2015
  • By SARAH O'NEAL

My Turn: The Alexander Archipelago Wolf

Is “The Alexander Archipelago Wolf” a rare threatened species? No! It doesn’t exist!“Cry Wolf” is simply a part of the ongoing preservationist’s campaign to eliminate… Continue reading

  • Oct 5, 2015
  • By BOB PICKRELL