Capital City Weekly

Mitchell Prescott and Annie taking a break. Image courtesy of Vivian Faith Prescott.

Planet Alaska: Skunk cabbage — A harbinger of spring

My dad and I load up his truck with binoculars, a rifle, and our lunch. We are heading out the logging roads to look for… Continue reading

Mitchell Prescott and Annie taking a break. Image courtesy of Vivian Faith Prescott.
Boundary monument 112, damaged by river ice, at the Yukon River crossing east of Eagle. Photo by Ned Rozell.

The thin line between Canada and Alaska

Marked by metal cones and a clear-cut swath 20 feet wide, Alaska’s border with Canada is one of the great feats of wilderness surveying. The… Continue reading

Boundary monument 112, damaged by river ice, at the Yukon River crossing east of Eagle. Photo by Ned Rozell.

Country duo ‘Love and Theft’ performs in Juneau

Getting their start in Nashville, Tennessee, country band duo Love and Theft will be making its Juneau debut March 21 at the Juneau Arts and… Continue reading

Left to right: Walter A. Soboleff Jr., Ernestine Saankalaxt’ Hayes, Khinkaduneek Paul Marks, Lillian Petershoare, and Marcelo Quinto. Courtesy image.

Five stories from the Willoughby District

Curiosity prodded theater-makers Ping Chong, Ryan Conarro, and Frank Kaash Katasse to collect the different histories of the downtown Willoughby District, otherwise known as the… Continue reading

Left to right: Walter A. Soboleff Jr., Ernestine Saankalaxt’ Hayes, Khinkaduneek Paul Marks, Lillian Petershoare, and Marcelo Quinto. Courtesy image.
Art by Jim Fowler for “Arctic Aesop’s Fables.” Image courtesy of Susi Fowler.

Riverbend Elementary explores ‘Arctic Aesop’s Fables’ with One School One Book program

Some stories never get old. In fact, in their retelling, they can timelessly spark creativity, fun, and learning, especially when shared as a group. Riverside… Continue reading

Art by Jim Fowler for “Arctic Aesop’s Fables.” Image courtesy of Susi Fowler.
John Keabler plays the lead role of Cyrano de Bergerac in the latest Perseverance Theatre’s production on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Kathryn Tkel plays Roxane and Enrique Bravo plays Christian. Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly

Nose Job: “Cyrano de Bergerac” at Perseverance Theatre

They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but lately I’ve had my doubts. Seriously, the sabre-rattlers seem to be rallying a lot these… Continue reading

John Keabler plays the lead role of Cyrano de Bergerac in the latest Perseverance Theatre’s production on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Kathryn Tkel plays Roxane and Enrique Bravo plays Christian. Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly
Dugout canoe replica. (Photo by Nobu Koch)

Sitka tribe donates canoe replica to Sealaska Heritage Institute

Sitka’s tribal government has donated to Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) a small replica of a full-size dugout canoe carved through a project sponsored by SHI,… Continue reading

Dugout canoe replica. (Photo by Nobu Koch)
Craig cannery. Photo by Ralph Mackie.

Then and Now: Craig cannery

Editor’s note: This week begins the monthly column “Then and Now” by lifelong Craig resident Ralph Mackie. Each month, Mackie will recall some aspect of… Continue reading

Craig cannery. Photo by Ralph Mackie.
The Amazing Alaska Book Review: Mink Island by Brent Purvis

The Amazing Alaska Book Review: Mink Island by Brent Purvis

Editor’s note: Read a book about Southeast Alaska or written by someone from the area and loved it? Think about writing a review for us.… Continue reading

The Amazing Alaska Book Review: Mink Island by Brent Purvis
Downtown Hoonah, 2014. Capital City Weekly file photo.

To keep a teacher

Imagine finishing work for the day and pulling your mattress out of a closet, which you then have to put up in the morning when… Continue reading

Downtown Hoonah, 2014. Capital City Weekly file photo.
An excavated, cut geode from Southeast Alaska. Image courtesy of Tara Neilson. An excavated, cut geode from Southeast Alaska. Image courtesy of Tara Neilson.

Alaska for Real: Lost Southeast Alaska treasure

There are a lot of stories in Southeast Alaska about lost gold mines, and lost, sunken ships full of gold, but I want to talk… Continue reading

An excavated, cut geode from Southeast Alaska. Image courtesy of Tara Neilson. An excavated, cut geode from Southeast Alaska. Image courtesy of Tara Neilson.
Whale watching tour from a previous Prince of Wales Whalefest. Courtesy image.

Prince of Wales Whalefest prepares for annual event in Craig

One thing connects Maui, Hawaii, to Brighton, United Kingdom, to Fort Bragg, California, to Craig, Alaska: whale festivals. The Prince of Wales Whalefest in Craig… Continue reading

Whale watching tour from a previous Prince of Wales Whalefest. Courtesy image.
Graphic novel cover “Meow Cats United” by Juneau artist Claire Scott features character Willie Scott. Courtesy image.

15-year-old Juneau artist publishes first graphic novel

The Alaska Robotics Gallery brimmed with people coming to see Juneau artist Claire Scott’s work displayed on the walls and have their copies of her… Continue reading

Graphic novel cover “Meow Cats United” by Juneau artist Claire Scott features character Willie Scott. Courtesy image.
The southern elevation of the northern terminal station of the Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company’s aerial tramway operation. Photo taken in the fall of 1922 near the summit of the Chilkoot Trail looking northwest into Canada. (Image courtesy of the National Park Service, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, George & Edna Rapuzzi Collection)

Southeast in Sepia: The Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company

My last column focused on the Dyea-Klondike Transportation Company (or DKT Company), the first and shortest of the three aerial tramway lines operating on the… Continue reading

The southern elevation of the northern terminal station of the Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company’s aerial tramway operation. Photo taken in the fall of 1922 near the summit of the Chilkoot Trail looking northwest into Canada. (Image courtesy of the National Park Service, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, George & Edna Rapuzzi Collection)
The author, Clint J. Farr, and family attend the play “Hamilton” at Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, the author transmogrified into his grandfather that very same weekend. Courtesy of Clint J. Farr

Review: ‘Hamilton’ as seen in L.A.

Peer pressure can be a positive force in a child’s life. For a year, my daughters were indifferent to the hit play “Hamilton.” I played… Continue reading

The author, Clint J. Farr, and family attend the play “Hamilton” at Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, the author transmogrified into his grandfather that very same weekend. Courtesy of Clint J. Farr

Jeff Lund: Hold the excitement…there’s more winter

November of 2009 was the second time I had run California’s “Run the River” half marathon course, so I knew what to expect. The American… Continue reading

Planet Alaska: Jellies and jams with Labrador tea

There are three species of Labrador tea. Rhododendron tomentosum (previously Ledum palustre), Rhododendron groenlandicum (previously Ledum groenlandicum), and Rhododendron neoglandulosum (previously Ledum glandulosum). The common… Continue reading

Megan Chalfant. Courtesy image.

From Indiana to Juneau: Megan Chalfant

After Megan Chalfant graduated college, she moved from Indiana to Juneau to pursue art. Juneau was on the map for her because as she grew… Continue reading

Megan Chalfant. Courtesy image.

Real Music: Southeast musicians give the rest of us a great excuse to live here

Editor’s note: This week we’re introducing the monthly column: “Real Music.” Written by Libby Stringer, a former staff writer (Dec. 2008-June 2010) and editor (Oct.… Continue reading

Dan, played by Chris Murray, and Diana, played by Margeaux Ljungberg, rehearse in Juneau Douglas Little Theatre’s production of “Next to Normal” at McPhetre’s Hall on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. (Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly)

Motherhood and mood stabilizers: Juneau Douglas Little Theatre’s ‘Next to Normal’

Suburban motherhood and mental illness might not seem to go hand-in-hand at first blush. But Juneau Douglas Little Theatre’s upcoming musical “Next to Normal” throws… Continue reading

Dan, played by Chris Murray, and Diana, played by Margeaux Ljungberg, rehearse in Juneau Douglas Little Theatre’s production of “Next to Normal” at McPhetre’s Hall on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. (Michael Penn | For the Capital City Weekly)