Columns

A troller fishes near Ketchikan last summer. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: Fish farm fiasco

I’ve spent almost all of my life searching for and evaluating fish. As a boy, I rode home from the river with wild silver salmon… Continue reading

A troller fishes near Ketchikan last summer. (Photo by Jeff Lund)
Sen. Dan Sullivan, (R-Alaska) questions Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, during the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

Opinion: Trickle-down lawlessness

Last weekend, I signed a petition calling on Sen. Dan Sullivan to honor his oath of office. It specifically addressed Congress’s constitutional “power to determine… Continue reading

Sen. Dan Sullivan, (R-Alaska) questions Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, during the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
A museum visitor mimics pterosaurs flight in the age of the dinosaurs. (Tim Evanson / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)

On the Trails: Wings aloft!

When vertebrates moved onto land, long ago, some of them eventually became airborne, way after the insects did. There are three groups of vertebrates that… Continue reading

A museum visitor mimics pterosaurs flight in the age of the dinosaurs. (Tim Evanson / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)
Members of the Alaska State Employees Association and AFSCME Local 52 holds a protest at the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: The peril of reintroducing defined benefit pensions in Alaska

As Alaska faces one of its most difficult fiscal challenges in decades, a bill to radically expand Alaska’s retirement plan for government workers is winding… Continue reading

Members of the Alaska State Employees Association and AFSCME Local 52 holds a protest at the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) points to a map of Alaska and Russia during the confirmation hearing for John Phelan, President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Navy, before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

Opinion: Sen. Sullivan’s bow to power obscures the truth — again

Sen. Lisa Murkowski understands the imperative of speaking truth to power right now. “I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be… Continue reading

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) points to a map of Alaska and Russia during the confirmation hearing for John Phelan, President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Navy, before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)

Living and Growing: Spiritual self defense

True spiritual power is quiet, under the radar. One beautiful thing about it is that it can protect us from danger. It is self-defense with… Continue reading

Page Bridges of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Juneau. (Photo courtesy of Page Bridges)
A U.S. Forest Service office sign in Juneau on Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: Firing the hosts of our public lands is not in the public interest

On a sunny summer day in the early 1990’s, a young woman in a wide brim hat presented our young children with a gift from… Continue reading

A U.S. Forest Service office sign in Juneau on Feb. 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Uhtred Permanentfundsen, the “defender of the Permanent Fund,” occupies a shelf near the head of the table in the Senate Finance Committee room at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: It’s time to eliminate the Permanent Fund dividend

It is time now for the Legislature to seriously consider eliminating the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) and to establish a mechanism to provide a replacement… Continue reading

Uhtred Permanentfundsen, the “defender of the Permanent Fund,” occupies a shelf near the head of the table in the Senate Finance Committee room at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, a giant panda held a bamboo snack with the help of a thumblike digit. (Sharon Fisher / The New York Times)

On the Trails: Little bones

We’re all familiar with the major bones of a human body, although many folks don’t know their official names. Far less well-known are some small… Continue reading

At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, a giant panda held a bamboo snack with the help of a thumblike digit. (Sharon Fisher / The New York Times)
Steelhead fishing and photography take skills that necessitate time to develop. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: Kicking and drooling

She’s fine for about ten minutes. It’s a challenge so she’s game. She props herself up on her hands in the cobra pose, then on… Continue reading

Steelhead fishing and photography take skills that necessitate time to develop. (Photo by Jeff Lund)
A research plot at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research site maintained by scientists with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology. (Photo by Grant Falvo)

Alaska Science Forum: Northern soil microbes staying up all winter

We can’t see them, but there are more microbes — tiny fungi, bacteria, worms and other living things — in a teaspoon of soil than… Continue reading

A research plot at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research site maintained by scientists with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology. (Photo by Grant Falvo)
A spawning chum salmon looks to return to the waters of Salmon Creek on Tuesday, July 24, 2018. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: Put our local crews back to work restoring salmon streams

The ongoing federal funding freeze is having an immediate negative impact on my organization and 26 people in Southeast Alaska that earn a living through… Continue reading

A spawning chum salmon looks to return to the waters of Salmon Creek on Tuesday, July 24, 2018. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: The evidence free impressions of Rep. Nick Begich

The one thing we can count on from Rep. Nick Begich III is he’ll be a loyal cheerleader for whatever Donald Trump says or does.… Continue reading

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, address a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Nuns wait for a seating area to be opened before a recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis’ health at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, on Monday night, Feb. 24, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)

Living and Growing: Let us journey together in hope

Friends, we are a little over a week away from the beginning of the season of Lent, the beginning of that annual six-week journey of… Continue reading

Nuns wait for a seating area to be opened before a recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis’ health at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, on Monday night, Feb. 24, 2025. (James Hill/The New York Times)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy delivers his State of the State speech at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, with Senate President Gary Stevens, at left, and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, at right, in the background. (Klas Stolpe/Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: There’s a right way and a wrong way — guess which the governor is choosing

There’s been much talk in the Alaska State Capitol about the United States being “a republic, not a democracy” among the MAGA extremist right. It’s… Continue reading

Gov. Mike Dunleavy delivers his State of the State speech at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, with Senate President Gary Stevens, at left, and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, at right, in the background. (Klas Stolpe/Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Jed Davis officiates a match as sophomore Jaxin Jim, senior Colton Cummins and freshman Carson Cummins coach elementary school age wrestlers. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: I could have been a wrestler

I could have been a wrestler. Well, if I had the help and guidance like so many of Juneau’s youth wrestlers get. At Saturday’s elementary-age… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Jed Davis officiates a match as sophomore Jaxin Jim, senior Colton Cummins and freshman Carson Cummins coach elementary school age wrestlers. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
This boreal owl has captured a vole. (Photo by Linda Shaw)

On the Trails: Three small owls

We have three small owls that share a lot of characteristics. They are the boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) of North America and Eurasia, known as… Continue reading

This boreal owl has captured a vole. (Photo by Linda Shaw)
Fresh rainwater sits on top of the ice at Auke Lake. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Gimme A Smile: Looking for spring in all the wrong places

Is it spring yet? Is it spring yet? We’re through Valentine’s Day, so spring is next, right? We can cross our fingers, hold our breath,… Continue reading

Fresh rainwater sits on top of the ice at Auke Lake. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Researchers and crew members pose beside the University of Alaska Fairbanks research ship Sikuliaq in Dutch Harbor during a 2023 cruise to the Bering Sea to learn more about the Bering Land Bridge. (Photo by JR Ancheta)

Alaska Science Forum: Bering Land Bridge wasn’t such a dry place

Poking holes in the sea floor that used to be part of the Bering Land Bridge, researchers have found that large swaths of it were… Continue reading

Researchers and crew members pose beside the University of Alaska Fairbanks research ship Sikuliaq in Dutch Harbor during a 2023 cruise to the Bering Sea to learn more about the Bering Land Bridge. (Photo by JR Ancheta)
President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine depart after a joint news conference during the annual Group of 7 summit, in Savelletri, Italy, June 13, 2024. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times)

Opinion: Supporting Ukraine should have started with defending democracy at home

President Donald Trump just issued a new challenge to congressional Republicans who have steadfastly stood behind Ukraine in their battle to evict Putin’s invaders. They… Continue reading

President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine depart after a joint news conference during the annual Group of 7 summit, in Savelletri, Italy, June 13, 2024. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times)