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Brenda Schwartz-Yeager (right), a watercolor artist from Wrangell, discusses her works with Megan Griffin (left) and Lacey Sanders during the Juneau Public Market at Centennial Hall on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Wrangell vendors struggle with thoughts about landslide, get lots of support at Juneau Public Market

“Everybody’s just been so thoughtful, talking to us and asking if there’s things they can do to help.”

About 50 people watch the lighting of the Christmas tree outside Douglas Community United Methodist Church on Friday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Pining and pirouetting for the holidays in Douglas

Tree lighting and Santa Skate bring early seasonal glow to community “where sunlight touches first.”

Ann Stepetin (left) and Marion Dau (center) talk to Pauline Duncan about her woven aprons and other items for sale at the Indigenous Artists & Vendors Holiday Market on Friday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. The market and nearby Juneau Public Market continue through Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Getting a warm and fuzzy feeling on a rainy Black Friday at the public markets

Annual Juneau Public Market, Indigenous Artists And Vendors Holiday Market continue through Sunday.

People gather for a newly organized communal Friendsgiving celebration at the log cabin at Savikko Park on Thursday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Communal Friendsgiving allows some a day of thanks without observing Thanksgiving

Many Alaska Natives, other Indigenous peoples in U.S., disagree with holiday’s traditional narrative.

Former Juneau Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim Carroll (left), and Juneau Mayor and Alaska Attorney General Bruce Botelho serve traditional Thanksgiving dinner dishes to Marzena Whitmore, a volunteer who serves the filled plates to diners during the communal meal hosted by The Salvation Army Juneau Corps at the Juneau Yacht Club on Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Thankful for a spontaneous holiday feast

Hundreds share Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving, including some with sudden holiday plan changes.

Participants, many clad in fowl weather gear, head out onto the Airport Dike Trail during the annual Turkey Trot 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run on Thursday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Turkey Trot participants thankful for fowl conditions

“Worst weather we’ve had in 10 years” just means burning off more calories.

Rebecca Hsieh, left, knits small gifts as a first-time vendor at the Juneau Public Market as her friend, MK MacNaughton, a longtime vendor sells hand-painted items near the entrance of Centennial Hall on Nov. 26, 2022. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

News

This year’s Juneau Public Market is going to the dogs

41st annual event dedicated to longtime vendor and musher, with peers bringing handmade pet products

Joe Pagenkopf counts bags of food in a shopping cart at the St. Vincent de Paul Juneau complex on Saturday morning before heading out to deliver Thanksgiving food baskets to local residents. He said it is his first time making such deliveries, which he was motivated to get after getting help when his home was nearly destroyed by the record flooding of Suicide Basin earlier this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Community Thanksgiving celebrations get a ‘plus-one’ invite this year

Friendsgiving in Douglas joins meal at Salvation Army, food distributions by SVDP and food bank.

John Phillips (left) and Roger Sheakley salute the colors during the opening of the Southeast Alaska Native Veterans’ observance of Veterans Day on Saturday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Trio of observances for Juneau’s veterans share tributes in distinctly different ways

Annual events honor those serving during wars, seeking peace and preserving Alaska Native heritage.

T.J. Hovest conducts the Juneau Volunteer Marching Band during an Independence Day weekend concert on Sunday at Sealaska Heritage Plaza. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Marching back to Juneau’s traditions for Independence Day

Concert by Juneau Volunteer Marching Band a prelude to their participation in July 4 parade.

A worker replenishes the dairy goods at Foodland IGA downtown Thursday morning ahead of the holiday weekend and winter storm. Many Juneau stores will be closing their doors to observe the holiday weekend. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Holiday weekend closures and reduced hours in Juneau

Only a handful of businesses will remain open, most shelters open

Kendra Hergett wraps a cookbook at Kindred Post located downtown at 145 S. Franklin St. Friday morning as part of their gift wrapping service. Each gift comes complete with two types of wrapping paper, ribbon and a wax seal stamped with the store’s logo. Kindred Post will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

A delightful dozen: 12 shoppers reflect on best gifts given or received

What’s on your list?

Mr and Mrs. Claus wave to residents from above as they sit in in the basket of a Capital City Fire/Rescue ladder truck for the Santa parade Saturday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Mr. and Mrs. Claus bring high spirits to downtown

Not even an Arctic front could stop residents from celebrating the parade.

Courtesy / Delores Gonzalez More than 75 people joined together at St. Paul Catholic Church to celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe this past Sunday evening.

Neighbors

Juneau Hispanic community celebrates the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

It’s the group’s first time hosting the event in Juneau

Mr. and Mrs. Claus stop to visit families at Cedar Park during the annual Capital City Fire/Rescue Santa Parade in December 2018. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

News

Santa rides and chopper guides

Holiday happenings planned for Friday and Saturday.

A larger-than-life reindeer awaits holiday shoppers near an entrance at Nugget Mall on Wednesday, where there were no obvious “Black Friday” signs or banners on display, but merchants are nonetheless readying sales prices in the hopes of luring an increased flow of traffic. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Black Friday looking less bleak

Economic and weather storms a setback, but post-pandemic participation by shoppers promising

Anthony Whiteman, left, thanks volunteer Frank Balogh for blending the traditional Thanksgiving foods served during The Salvation Army’s annual communal meal at midday Thursday so they could be consumed through a straw. Whiteman said his jaw was broken three weeks ago by three assailants with brass knuckles and the Thanksgiving meal was his first food other than liquid nutrition since the attack. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Thankful for a smooth holiday feast

Resumption of in-person communal Thanksgiving meal offers many blessings for diners and volunteers

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Barbara Bechtold and John Tomaro deliver a Thanksgiving meal package to a Mendenhall Valley home on Saturday. The couple, both of whom have lived in Juneau since the 1970s, have made the deliveries and taken part in other volunteer efforts for many years. The estimated 300 to 400 packages being delivered this year are a collaborative effort by St. Vincent de Paul, The Salvation Army, The Glory Hall and other local entities.

News

Fowl weather friends deliver feasts

Thanksgiving food baskets and communal gathering provide traditional meal for thousands

Aoibhinn Reetz executes her creative vision for her bike during the Douglas Fourth of July Committee’s annual Bicycle Decorating session held at the Douglas Public Library on July 2, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

News

All the trimmings: Douglas kids ready for holiday

Streamers, flags and reflectors, all in.

This photo shows an array of fireworks. Juneau Police Department this week reminded Juneau residents to adhere to the city’s fireworks ordinance this holiday weekend. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

News

JPD encourages safe and respectful fireworks use for New Year’s

The weather may not be ideal for pyrotechnics as is.