Capital City Weekly

This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 1995. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 1995. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Snow covers Mount Stroller White, a 5,112-foot peak beside Mendenhall Glacier, with Mount McGinnis seen to the left. (Photo by Laurie Craig)

Rooted in Community: Stroller White — a man and a mountain

One of the most frequently spoken names in Juneau is Stroller White. We usually refer to the tall mountain that flanks the western side of… Continue reading

Snow covers Mount Stroller White, a 5,112-foot peak beside Mendenhall Glacier, with Mount McGinnis seen to the left. (Photo by Laurie Craig)
An Earth Day message posted on Facebook this spring by the University of Alaska Southeast refers to environmental stewardship and climate change activities, including these kayaks used for an oceanography course during the summer of 2019. (Courtesy of the University of Alaska Southeast)

Sustainable Alaska: Connecting to nature is vital to sustainable well-being and behavior

I have spent my career studying the aesthetic experience in an art-viewing context. My work has shown that art viewing, even when viewing abstract art,… Continue reading

An Earth Day message posted on Facebook this spring by the University of Alaska Southeast refers to environmental stewardship and climate change activities, including these kayaks used for an oceanography course during the summer of 2019. (Courtesy of the University of Alaska Southeast)
A change in season is marked by tree leaves turning color at Evergreen Cemetery in late September of 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Gimme a Smile: P.S. Autumn is here.

Ready or not, here it comes. The days are getting shorter, new snow keeps materializing on the mountaintops, and the scent of autumn leaves competes… Continue reading

A change in season is marked by tree leaves turning color at Evergreen Cemetery in late September of 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Participants in the 38th Annual International Coastal Cleanup carry a fishnet to a boat on a coast near Sitka in August. (Ryan Morse / Sitka Conservation Society)

Resilient Peoples and Place: Coastal cleanup removes 1,400 lbs. of trash from Sitka’s beaches

Effort by wide range of groups part of global project that has collected 350 million lbs. of waste.

Participants in the 38th Annual International Coastal Cleanup carry a fishnet to a boat on a coast near Sitka in August. (Ryan Morse / Sitka Conservation Society)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 2005. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of the front page of the Juneau Empire on Sept. 21, 2005. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Photo of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Jarvis, date unknown. (Courtesy of Jack Hunter/ All Present and Accounted For)

Of things Jarvis, heroic men and reindeer

Author Steven Craig giving a talk on David Jarvis and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Jarvis

Photo of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Jarvis, date unknown. (Courtesy of Jack Hunter/ All Present and Accounted For)
Artists with the inaugural Áak’w Rock Festival gather beneath the mural of Elizabeth Peratrovich on the Juneau waterfront on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. That festival was virtual that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers wanted to open the event in person. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Áak’w Rock expanding to three stages

The Indigenous music festival is back and bringing 24 acts to Juneau

Artists with the inaugural Áak’w Rock Festival gather beneath the mural of Elizabeth Peratrovich on the Juneau waterfront on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. That festival was virtual that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers wanted to open the event in person. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Author Tele Aadsen performing at her first FisherPoets Gathering in 2012. Her book, “What Water Holds,” is a collection of essays she wrote for the annual festival over the next 12 years. (Photo courtesy Pat Dixon)
Author Tele Aadsen performing at her first FisherPoets Gathering in 2012. Her book, “What Water Holds,” is a collection of essays she wrote for the annual festival over the next 12 years. (Photo courtesy Pat Dixon)
Sandi Hughes, right, and Sam Messerschmidt watch the raging Mendenhall River from the Mendenhall River Bridge on their way to Mendenhall River Elementary School on Monday, Sept. 11, 1995. (Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire Archives)
Sandi Hughes, right, and Sam Messerschmidt watch the raging Mendenhall River from the Mendenhall River Bridge on their way to Mendenhall River Elementary School on Monday, Sept. 11, 1995. (Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire Archives)
Roman Wilde, a Juneau drag performer, performs during GLITZ, a major annual drag event typically celebrated every Pride Month, at Centennial Hall on June 18, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

GLITZ in September: Juneau’s biggest drag show prepares for first fall debut

The annual performance returns following the reopening of newly renovated Centennial Hall ballroom.

Roman Wilde, a Juneau drag performer, performs during GLITZ, a major annual drag event typically celebrated every Pride Month, at Centennial Hall on June 18, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Tibetan Buddhist Lama Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche on a trip to the Mendenhall Glacier in 2018, his last visit to Juneau. He is returning for a talk on Sept. 14 at Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. (Photo courtesy Karin Dvorak)
Tibetan Buddhist Lama Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche on a trip to the Mendenhall Glacier in 2018, his last visit to Juneau. He is returning for a talk on Sept. 14 at Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. (Photo courtesy Karin Dvorak)
Candidate Joe Banana: Juneau needs “strong mayor.” (Mark Kelley / Juneau Empire Archives)
Candidate Joe Banana: Juneau needs “strong mayor.” (Mark Kelley / Juneau Empire Archives)
Rio Alberto sings during a rehearsal Tuesday evening of “Hedwig and The Angry Inch” which debuts at Perseverance Theatre on Sept. 15. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Rio Alberto sings during a rehearsal Tuesday evening of “Hedwig and The Angry Inch” which debuts at Perseverance Theatre on Sept. 15. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of a news story on a page of the Juneau Empire published on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 1995, from an archived book. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of a news story on a page of the Juneau Empire published on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 1995, from an archived book. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A promotional image for the 2021 TV series “Alaskan Killer Bigfoot” depicts a creature residents of Portlock say drove them from their fishing village 70 years ago. The nine-episode series on Discovery+ documented a 40-day trip by a team of people seeking clues about the creature. (Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.)

Bigfoot making tracks to Juneau

Juneau hosting a town hall for Sasquatch-curious and devotees.

A promotional image for the 2021 TV series “Alaskan Killer Bigfoot” depicts a creature residents of Portlock say drove them from their fishing village 70 years ago. The nine-episode series on Discovery+ documented a 40-day trip by a team of people seeking clues about the creature. (Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.)
This is a photo of a feature story on a page of the Juneau Empire published on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1995, from an archived book. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of a feature story on a page of the Juneau Empire published on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1995, from an archived book. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A group of people gather in front of the stone fireplace at Taku Lodge including Leigh Hackley “Hack” Smith, who inherited one-quarter of the estate from his grandparents at age nine, his mother Erie Smith next to fireplace on the right and Mary Joyce who took over the lodge when “Hack” died in 1934. (Courtesy of Ken and Mic Ward)

A centennial tribute to the people who built the Taku Glacier Lodge

The former hunting and fishing camp has gone through generations of owners and changes.

A group of people gather in front of the stone fireplace at Taku Lodge including Leigh Hackley “Hack” Smith, who inherited one-quarter of the estate from his grandparents at age nine, his mother Erie Smith next to fireplace on the right and Mary Joyce who took over the lodge when “Hack” died in 1934. (Courtesy of Ken and Mic Ward)
A line of shoppers waits outside Centennial Hall during the Public Market in November of 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Gimme a Smile: What are you waiting for?

Waiting is hard. There’s nothing fun about it, unless your mom has established the habit of playing I-Spy in the line at the post office,… Continue reading

A line of shoppers waits outside Centennial Hall during the Public Market in November of 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Three generations of the Behrends-Gruening family stand outside the bank founded by B.M. Behrends. Standing from left: Jack Vines, Caroline Gruening Vines, Anne Gruening (great-granddaughter of B.M. Behrends), and Win Gruening (grandson of Governor and Senator Ernest Gruening). Young Norah and Jack Vines stand in front. Photo by Laurie Craig

Rooted in Communty: Behrends Bank

Banking on the future of a mining camp

Three generations of the Behrends-Gruening family stand outside the bank founded by B.M. Behrends. Standing from left: Jack Vines, Caroline Gruening Vines, Anne Gruening (great-granddaughter of B.M. Behrends), and Win Gruening (grandson of Governor and Senator Ernest Gruening). Young Norah and Jack Vines stand in front. Photo by Laurie Craig