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Alex Alf, cultivation manager at Stoned Salmon Farms, displays a marijuana variety called Blissful Wizzard, on April 16. He said this variety of marijuana was developed to relieve epilepsy symptoms. Alf said that cultivating marijuana in Alaska requires experimentation to fine-tune the final product. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

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Checking in on a budding local industry

Even in the face of pandemic, business stays high.

A man was indicted by a Juneau grand jury on April 8 for multiple sexual assault alleged to have occurred in Juneau from 2016 to 2020 in Juneau. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

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Man arrested in New Mexico after Juneau indictment for sexual assault

The alleged sexual assaults occurred while he worked at SEARHC

A Juneau man was indicted at the beginning of April for two charges of sexual abuse of a minor, according to an Alaska Department of Law news release. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

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Juneau man indicted on sexual abuse of a minor charges

The maximum penalty if convicted is 99 years imprisonment.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Bears, like this one looking for fish in a stream along the Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Aug. 22, 2020, have been sleeping through the winter but they’re waking up and experts want residents to be prepared.

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Bear in mind: What you need to know now that they’re waking up

A bear-raising situation.

Thunder Mountain High School will be closed to in-person attendance until Monday, April 26, Juneau School District announced Tuesday afternoon. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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New COVID cases reported at Thunder Mountain High School

There are five active cases associated with the school

This photo shows the stern of the MV Matanuska on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

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2 Matanuska crewmembers test positive for COVID

No close contacts with passengers identified.

Kristi Peel checks in her electric vehicle with a volunteer ahead of a road rally held Saturday in Juneau for Earth Day. Previously, Peel said she was the proud owner of the first Chrysler PT Cruise in town. However, after about two decades and 80,000 miles, she purchased her late model Chevrolet Bolt. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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Rally generates excitement for electric vehicles

Going for green.

Courtesy photo / Imagine Learning Educators at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School hold a giant check for the food donated to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank through a drive that math students at the school participated in.

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Middle school students raise money for food bank with math skills

The donation drive was spread across schools in four states.

Distance learning will continue Tuesday at Thunder Mountain High School. The school initially shifted to distance delivery for Monday, April 19, following three confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the high school. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

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In-person classes to resume Thursday at Thunder Mountain following COVID cases

Boys soccer and wrestling teams to skip practice for quarantine and testing

Prescriptions drugs, vitamins, hormones, and other drugs left in the drug drop box in the lobby of the Juneau Police Department in September 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

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Police department to host drug take back site

No liquids, syringes or lithium batteries.

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities triggered an avalanche as a mitigation measure above Thane Road on April 15, 2021.

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City plans ahead for future avalanche seasons

More snow isn’t bad, but dynamic weather makes predicting avalanches tricky

A skier makes a run at Eaglecrest Ski Area in January 2021. A perfect storm of heavy snow coupled with pandemic-weary residents eager for outside recreation resulted in an excellent season on the mountain and money in the bank. Ski area officials shared budget projections for the 2022 season with the city’s finance committee Wednesday night. (Courtesy Photo / Eaglecrest Ski Area)

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Heavy snow drives successful ski season

Eaglecrest expects to bank money, reduce reliance on city money in 2022

Staff at Bartlett Regional Hospital, seen here on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, will be among some of the first to receive a vaccine for COVID-19 once federal authorities give the go-ahead. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

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Bartlett Hospital considers 4% price increase

Despite the increase, fees remain low compared to other hospitals.

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COVID at a glance for Wednesday, April 14

The most recent state and local numbers.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, contracting with Coastal Helicopters, works to reduce avalanche risk on Thane Road by setting off avalanches in a controlled fashion on Feb. 5, 2021.(Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

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Thane Road closure scheduled for avalanche hazard reduction

Weather conditions cause cancellation.

This photo shows the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine sits on a table at a pop up vaccinations site the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, in the Staten Island borough of New York. The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots. (AP Photo / Mary Altaffer)

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CDC freeze on Johnson and Johnson vaccine sets clinics scrambling

The odds of being affected are vanishingly rare, but CDC says better safe than sorry.

Arriving passengers walk past a sign in the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport in London, during England’s third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. On Tuesday, City and Borough of Juneau officials said the city has confirmed the first local case of a COVID-19 variant first detected in Britain. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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State lab ID’s British COVID variant in Juneau resident

Public health officials say variant acquired via community spread

The Juneau Police Department is searching for a man and woman, pictured here in surveillance footage, wanted in connection for a robbery that occurred downtown on April 1, 2021. (Courtesy photo / JPD)

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Police search for suspects in downtown robbery and beating

The victim was struck on the back of the head repeatedly, and his backpack briefly stolen.

The town of Tenakee Springs is holding a fundraiser to replace a footbridge washed out in the torrential December rains of 2020. (Courtesy photo / Nicole Pegues)

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Tenakee Springs fundraises to replace washed-out bridge

With the birdge cut, residents on the far side have no foot access to town.

Courtesy Photo / Kristin Bartlett Juneau School District Charlee Gribbon, infection preventionist at Bartlett Regional Hospital, vaccinates Juneau School District staff member Megan Freas. Freas was one of 86 people to get vaccinated on Friday as Juneau Public Schools hosted onsite vaccine clinics at Thunder Mountain High School and Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School. Students age 16 and older and staff members were eligible to be vaccinated at the clinic.

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CBJ introduces new vaccine strategy

Pop up clinics to replace mass vaccination clinics