City and Borough of Juneau

Shoppers wear masks inside of The Cool store in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course Tuesday, July 27, 2021, on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging. City and Borough of Juneau officials are considering extending local mitigation measures that advise residents to wear masks when in indoor public spaces. (AP Photo/ Marcio Jose Sanchez)

City assembly to revisit mitigation measures

A special meeting is set for Wednesday evening

Shoppers wear masks inside of The Cool store in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course Tuesday, July 27, 2021, on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging. City and Borough of Juneau officials are considering extending local mitigation measures that advise residents to wear masks when in indoor public spaces. (AP Photo/ Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Deputy City Clerk Diane Cathcart finalizes the list of candidates seeking office in the October municipal election on Monday afternoon. On Monday, races for seats on both the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly and Juneau School District Board of Education took shape. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Local election takes shape ahead of filing deadline

Mayor unopposed, school race heats up

Deputy City Clerk Diane Cathcart finalizes the list of candidates seeking office in the October municipal election on Monday afternoon. On Monday, races for seats on both the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly and Juneau School District Board of Education took shape. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
COVID-19 cases are rising and health officials say new variants are spurring the increase, even among the vaccinated. But health officials note the majority of hospitalizations and deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire file)

Officials urge health diligence as COVID cases rise

Mask up indoors.

COVID-19 cases are rising and health officials say new variants are spurring the increase, even among the vaccinated. But health officials note the majority of hospitalizations and deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire file)
Ginger Hudson, seen here on July 23, 2021, stepped up as the manager of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in January of 2021, taking over one of the northernmost arboretums in the world, as well as one renowned internationally for its collection of primrose plants. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

New arboretum manager takes root

It’s a rare gardner that has experience growing plants this far north.

Ginger Hudson, seen here on July 23, 2021, stepped up as the manager of the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in January of 2021, taking over one of the northernmost arboretums in the world, as well as one renowned internationally for its collection of primrose plants. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
This chart shows City and Borough of Juneau's 14-day COVID-19 active case trend. As of Thursday, there were 80 active cases in the city. Amid rising rates of new cases, the city's community risk level is being raised. That comes with reimplimenting some mitigation measures that will go into effect at noon on Friday. (Screenshot / CBJ)

City raises community risk level amid rising case rates

New risk level, familiar mitigation measures.

This chart shows City and Borough of Juneau's 14-day COVID-19 active case trend. As of Thursday, there were 80 active cases in the city. Amid rising rates of new cases, the city's community risk level is being raised. That comes with reimplimenting some mitigation measures that will go into effect at noon on Friday. (Screenshot / CBJ)
Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. More structures and swaths of land in downtown Juneau are located in avalanche or landslide-prone areas, according to new maps commissioned by the City and Borough of Juneau. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

New maps show updated landslide and avalanche risk downtown

Regulatory changes to be considered next year

Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. More structures and swaths of land in downtown Juneau are located in avalanche or landslide-prone areas, according to new maps commissioned by the City and Borough of Juneau. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
A sign on a city bus urges the use of face coverings. Masks are again required in city facilities because of an uptick in cases locally and throughout the state. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Update: Masks required in city facilities, encouraged in other indoor spaces

Juneau is seeing highest rates of new infections since December.

A sign on a city bus urges the use of face coverings. Masks are again required in city facilities because of an uptick in cases locally and throughout the state. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt holds up a chart showing the increase in the size of cruise ships during a meeting of the Tourism Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. At Monday’s meeting, members of the City Assembly’s Committee of the Whole discussed three of the committee’s recommendations-a discussion that was sidelined by COVID-19. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)

City turns to tourism management ahead of short cruise season

Community survey coming, new tourism job being considered

City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt holds up a chart showing the increase in the size of cruise ships during a meeting of the Tourism Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. At Monday’s meeting, members of the City Assembly’s Committee of the Whole discussed three of the committee’s recommendations-a discussion that was sidelined by COVID-19. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)
A surplus warehouse at 1325 Eastaugh Way, off Thane Road, seen here on Monday, July 19, 2021, is being considered by the City and Borough of Juneau as a possible location for a ballot-counting center should the city decide to increase its use of voting by mail in future municipal elections. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

City eyes warehouse for possible ballot-counting center

Not a cheap endeavor.

A surplus warehouse at 1325 Eastaugh Way, off Thane Road, seen here on Monday, July 19, 2021, is being considered by the City and Borough of Juneau as a possible location for a ballot-counting center should the city decide to increase its use of voting by mail in future municipal elections. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Beth McEwen, municipal clerk for the City and Borough of Juneau, holds a packet of forms in her office on Monday. The forms are ones candidates must complete to be added to the ballot for October’s municipal election. Candidates for the election must complete all filing steps by Monday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Local election filing period now open

Candidates can file until July 26

Beth McEwen, municipal clerk for the City and Borough of Juneau, holds a packet of forms in her office on Monday. The forms are ones candidates must complete to be added to the ballot for October’s municipal election. Candidates for the election must complete all filing steps by Monday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
Michelle Bonnet Hale on July 14 at the office of the Juneau Empire. Hale is seeking a second, three-year term on the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly. So far, she is the only candidate to announce a run for the District 2 seat in the valley. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

Assembly member to seek reelection

She’s currently unopposed in District 2

Michelle Bonnet Hale on July 14 at the office of the Juneau Empire. Hale is seeking a second, three-year term on the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly. So far, she is the only candidate to announce a run for the District 2 seat in the valley. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)
A person aboard the American Constellation wears a mask as the ship arrives late Monday afternoon at the downtown cruise docks. A cluster of COVID-19 cases associated with the ship has reached 10. All known cases in the cluster are isolating. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Cruise ship COVID cluster reaches 10

Public Health: Risk of exposure to the public is low

A person aboard the American Constellation wears a mask as the ship arrives late Monday afternoon at the downtown cruise docks. A cluster of COVID-19 cases associated with the ship has reached 10. All known cases in the cluster are isolating. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Troy Wuyts-Smith on July 12. Wuyts-Smith recently entered the race to replace long-serving City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Member Loren Jones, who is barred from seeking an additional term due to term limits. His entry means there are now three candidates for the seat. Paul Kelly and Barbara Blake have also announced bids to run. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

CBJ Assembly race heats up

A third candidate files to run for District 1 position

Troy Wuyts-Smith on July 12. Wuyts-Smith recently entered the race to replace long-serving City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Member Loren Jones, who is barred from seeking an additional term due to term limits. His entry means there are now three candidates for the seat. Paul Kelly and Barbara Blake have also announced bids to run. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
The Holland America Line Eurodam pulls into Juneau’s downtown harbor heading for the city-owned dock on Monday, May 6, 2019. The privately-owned South Franklin Dock, foreground, is currently the only dock set up to provide electric power to a ship while at berth in Juneau. However, city officials are hoping to get a federal grant to add electrified docks. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Plugging into federal money

City OKs match for potential electric docks grant

The Holland America Line Eurodam pulls into Juneau’s downtown harbor heading for the city-owned dock on Monday, May 6, 2019. The privately-owned South Franklin Dock, foreground, is currently the only dock set up to provide electric power to a ship while at berth in Juneau. However, city officials are hoping to get a federal grant to add electrified docks. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Walter Alexander Soboleff Jr., listens to the story he shared and narrated for the Juneau Voices audio walk on June 24, 2021. His story recounts the struggles he had growing up as the child of prominent Alaskan Native leader and minister Walter Soboleff, namesake of building listeners look out on while hearing the installation. He wore his late father’s hat to a recent celebration of the project. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s less-heard history comes to life in new downtown audio walk

Audio installations share heritage through personal stories

Walter Alexander Soboleff Jr., listens to the story he shared and narrated for the Juneau Voices audio walk on June 24, 2021. His story recounts the struggles he had growing up as the child of prominent Alaskan Native leader and minister Walter Soboleff, namesake of building listeners look out on while hearing the installation. He wore his late father’s hat to a recent celebration of the project. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Barbara Blake recently entered the race for the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly, setting up a head-to-head contest with school board member Paul Kelly, who declared his candidacy in May. Both Blake and Kelly aim to replace long-serving assembly member Loren Jones, who is prevented from running again due to term limits. (Courtesy photo/Barbara Blake)

Race is on for opening CBJ Assembly seat

A second candidate files to run for District 1 position.

Barbara Blake recently entered the race for the City and Borough of Juneau City Assembly, setting up a head-to-head contest with school board member Paul Kelly, who declared his candidacy in May. Both Blake and Kelly aim to replace long-serving assembly member Loren Jones, who is prevented from running again due to term limits. (Courtesy photo/Barbara Blake)
The Norwegian Bliss pulls out of Juneau’s downtown harbor on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Norwegian Cruise Lines recently offered to donate $2 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic-related pause on cruises. On Monday evening, city officials declined the donation and asked the company to redirect the money to the Juneau Community Foundation, a local charitable organization. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)

CBJ redirects cruise line’s donation offer

City asks NCL to give proposed $2M donation to Juneau Community Foundation.

The Norwegian Bliss pulls out of Juneau’s downtown harbor on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Norwegian Cruise Lines recently offered to donate $2 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic-related pause on cruises. On Monday evening, city officials declined the donation and asked the company to redirect the money to the Juneau Community Foundation, a local charitable organization. (Michael Penn /Juneau Empire File)
Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire file)

Assembly members vote to increase pay for elected officials

Soon service to the City and Borough of Juneau will offer better pay.

Juneau City Hall on Monday, March 30, 2020. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire file)
On Monday evening, assembly member Michelle Bonnet Hale introduced an amendment to reduce the mill rate for the 2021 property tax levy to 10.56. The measure passed and the .10 reduction will reduce 2021 property taxes by about $10 on every $100,000 of valuation. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

CBJ Assembly changes course, lowers property tax rate

Lower rates mean savings for homeowners

On Monday evening, assembly member Michelle Bonnet Hale introduced an amendment to reduce the mill rate for the 2021 property tax levy to 10.56. The measure passed and the .10 reduction will reduce 2021 property taxes by about $10 on every $100,000 of valuation. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Bretwood “Hig” Higman, executive director of Ground Truth Trekking, talks Thursday at a news conference outside Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School about the risk of an eventual landslide in the Lemon Creek area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Group investigates possibility of landslides in Lemon Creek area

There’s not cause for immediate concern, just watchfulness and evaluation, officials say.

Bretwood “Hig” Higman, executive director of Ground Truth Trekking, talks Thursday at a news conference outside Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School about the risk of an eventual landslide in the Lemon Creek area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)