News

KinderReady Preschool students from Harborview Elementary frolic in a pile of dried leaves at Evergreen Cemetery on Tuesday. The leaf jump is an annual event organized by Linda Torgerson and has been happening in Juneau for around 25 years. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Piles of fun: Juneau students partake in annual leaf jump

Cannonball!

KinderReady Preschool students from Harborview Elementary frolic in a pile of dried leaves at Evergreen Cemetery on Tuesday. The leaf jump is an annual event organized by Linda Torgerson and has been happening in Juneau for around 25 years. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
CCFR firefighters working to extinguish a fire at a mobile home in Sprucewood Park on Monday morning. One man was reported to have escaped the fire with minor injuries and was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)

Person escapes trailer fire with minor injuries

Second fire at Sprucewood Park in a week.

CCFR firefighters working to extinguish a fire at a mobile home in Sprucewood Park on Monday morning. One man was reported to have escaped the fire with minor injuries and was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital. (Courtesy Photo / CCFR)
A sign directs early voters to the polling station at the Mendenhall Mall on Monday. The mall is one of two early voting locations in Juneau, but more than a dozen polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Election Day is finally here

Many winners of Alaska’s first ranked-choice general election won’t be known until Thanksgiving

A sign directs early voters to the polling station at the Mendenhall Mall on Monday. The mall is one of two early voting locations in Juneau, but more than a dozen polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A map showing Alternative 2, the most aggressive of four original options for expanding the Mendenhall Glacier Recreational Area, includes a dock for commercial motor boats that would carry passengers to a new visitor area at the face of the Mendenhall Glacier. That alternative is the “proposed action” by the U.S. Forest Service, but a revised draft Environmental Impact Statement scheduled to be released Tuesday adds three new lower-impact alternatives to three others already being considered. (U.S. Forest Service)

Seven up for Mendenhall Glacier expansion project

New alternatives unbottled.

A map showing Alternative 2, the most aggressive of four original options for expanding the Mendenhall Glacier Recreational Area, includes a dock for commercial motor boats that would carry passengers to a new visitor area at the face of the Mendenhall Glacier. That alternative is the “proposed action” by the U.S. Forest Service, but a revised draft Environmental Impact Statement scheduled to be released Tuesday adds three new lower-impact alternatives to three others already being considered. (U.S. Forest Service)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Floyd Dryden Middle School teacher James White poses with seventh graders with mustaches as a way of recognizing Movember, a movement raising awareness of men’s health issues throughout the month of November.

Mo’ money, men’s problems: Movember is more than lip service for a good cause

Movember is more than lip service for a good cause.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Floyd Dryden Middle School teacher James White poses with seventh graders with mustaches as a way of recognizing Movember, a movement raising awareness of men’s health issues throughout the month of November.
This photo shows downtown Juneau in late October. A recent study looked at the causes of worsening affordability and availability of housing in Juneau and found that demographic change in Juneau’s population is among the largest factors. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Study suggests demographic change as largest factor in Juneau’s housing shortage

Short-term rentals contribute to shortage, but are not the root cause

This photo shows downtown Juneau in late October. A recent study looked at the causes of worsening affordability and availability of housing in Juneau and found that demographic change in Juneau’s population is among the largest factors. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Alaska State Museum conservator Ellen Carrlee stands in a raised bucket of a truck provided by Alaska Electric Light & Power as she inspects the Yaxté Totem Pole at the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Courtesy / Pete Schneider)

Standing strong: Community effort helps inspect 80 year-old totem pole

“We couldn’t have done it without them”

Alaska State Museum conservator Ellen Carrlee stands in a raised bucket of a truck provided by Alaska Electric Light & Power as she inspects the Yaxté Totem Pole at the Auke Village Recreation Area. (Courtesy / Pete Schneider)
Participants sit in “jail” Wednesday afternoon at a reentry simulation at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall hosted by the Juneau Reentry Coalition. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Reentry simulation gives a glimpse of life after incarceration

Juneau residents and stakeholders learn about the challenges faced by former convicts

Participants sit in “jail” Wednesday afternoon at a reentry simulation at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall hosted by the Juneau Reentry Coalition. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mendenhall River and Mendenhall Lake, heavily used by rafters and other non-motorized vessel operators, are the targets of a lawsuit by Gov. Mike Dunleavy that seeks to seize state control of the waters from the federal government. The lawsuit is based on claiming the state owns the submerged lands beneath the waters, which the federal government has failed to recognize. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Gov sues to seize Mendenhall lake, river from feds

Lawsuit filed a week before election claims state owns submerged land; feds disagree.

Mendenhall River and Mendenhall Lake, heavily used by rafters and other non-motorized vessel operators, are the targets of a lawsuit by Gov. Mike Dunleavy that seeks to seize state control of the waters from the federal government. The lawsuit is based on claiming the state owns the submerged lands beneath the waters, which the federal government has failed to recognize. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
CCFR Acting Captain John Adams poses with plaque awarded at his presentation ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Adams was awarded the 2022 Fire Life Safety Educator of the Year for his dedication to educating Juneau youth and community of fire safety. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

CCFR captain recognized for commitment to fire safety education

John Adams first member of department to earn the statewide award.

CCFR Acting Captain John Adams poses with plaque awarded at his presentation ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Adams was awarded the 2022 Fire Life Safety Educator of the Year for his dedication to educating Juneau youth and community of fire safety. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Luke, Wesley and Elsie Stevens smile alongside other trick-or-treaters as they walk down Franklin Street Monday afternoon during the downtown trick-or-treat event. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Halloween is back in business: Downtown trick-or-treating returns

Thrills and chills

Luke, Wesley and Elsie Stevens smile alongside other trick-or-treaters as they walk down Franklin Street Monday afternoon during the downtown trick-or-treat event. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A person enters the Division of Election’s office at the Mendenhall Mall, where early voting is taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Mail-in remains popular for early voters

Half of 30,000 ballots during first week of early arrive via mail, requests far above 2018 midterms

A person enters the Division of Election’s office at the Mendenhall Mall, where early voting is taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A jack-o'-lantern carved to depict an alien from "Toy Story" rests outside a Mendenhall Valley residence. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Drop off your pumpkins at Juneau RecycleWorks

Drop off begins Saturday, Nov. 5

A jack-o'-lantern carved to depict an alien from "Toy Story" rests outside a Mendenhall Valley residence. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a structure fire in the 3000 block of Wood Duck Avenue Sunday morning, Oct 30. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

No injuries reported in Sunday morning fire

Firefighters say Wood Duck Avenue blaze was unintentional

Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a structure fire in the 3000 block of Wood Duck Avenue Sunday morning, Oct 30. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Mari Fester holds up a carved spaghetti squash that filled in for a pumpkin during an underwater carving event held Sunday at Auke Rec. With more standard fare in short supply locally, acorn pumpkins, warty pumpkins and even a pumpkin sourced from Anchorage thanks to a traveler passing through served as canvases for the aquatic artists. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Splashing pumpkins: Underwater carving puts a twist on Halloween tradition

Alternative headline: The knife aquatic.

Mari Fester holds up a carved spaghetti squash that filled in for a pumpkin during an underwater carving event held Sunday at Auke Rec. With more standard fare in short supply locally, acorn pumpkins, warty pumpkins and even a pumpkin sourced from Anchorage thanks to a traveler passing through served as canvases for the aquatic artists. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
TMHS senior Kylie Morris helping attendees paint hands to leave their mark at the school’s first annual Fall Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 29. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau high schools fall into the Halloween spirit

TMHS and JDHS host fall carnival fundraisers

TMHS senior Kylie Morris helping attendees paint hands to leave their mark at the school’s first annual Fall Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 29. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
This May photo shows Mount Edgecumbe on a relatively clear day. New research has shed new light on magma activity underneath the “historically active” volcano. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

New research finds magma rising under Mount Edgecumbe

No signs of imminent eruption

This May photo shows Mount Edgecumbe on a relatively clear day. New research has shed new light on magma activity underneath the “historically active” volcano. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire A Capital Transit bus drives near the site of the new Mendenhall Valley transit center on Mall Road. The center is set to open Nov. 7.

Transit center set to open, bus routes to change

Bus’ a move.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire A Capital Transit bus drives near the site of the new Mendenhall Valley transit center on Mall Road. The center is set to open Nov. 7.
From left, onstage on Wednesday in Anchorage for a debate in Alaska’s U.S. House race: former Gov. Sarah Palin, Rep. Mary Peltola, Nick Begich III and Chris Bye. (Mark Thiessen/Associated Press)

Here’s what was said during the House debate — guess who said it

Democratic incumbent, two Republicans and a Libertarian often overlap in statewide TV forum

From left, onstage on Wednesday in Anchorage for a debate in Alaska’s U.S. House race: former Gov. Sarah Palin, Rep. Mary Peltola, Nick Begich III and Chris Bye. (Mark Thiessen/Associated Press)
The former Glory Hall homeless shelter downtown, founded in 1982, is slated to be converted into seven low-income apartments after the Juneau Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the project Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Glory Hall’s apartment project finally prevails

Planning Commission OKs turning former homeless shelter into low-income housing after one-year fight

The former Glory Hall homeless shelter downtown, founded in 1982, is slated to be converted into seven low-income apartments after the Juneau Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the project Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)