Sailors participate in the commissioning ceremony for U.S. Coast Guard polar icebreaker Storis, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Image courtesy the Office of U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan)

U.S. Coast Guard adds icebreaker to fleet for first time in 25 years

Federal officials see the refurbished ship Storis as the first of many new additions and a statement of sovereignty in the Arctic under the Trump administration

Sailors participate in the commissioning ceremony for U.S. Coast Guard polar icebreaker Storis, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Image courtesy the Office of U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan)
Photos by Delcenia Cosman/Homer News
Salmonfest-goers crowd in front of the Ocean Stage during Blackwater Railroad’s performance on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik.

Celebrating salmon, art and culture

Salmonfest was held in Ninilchik last weekend, featuring music, community and advocacy

Photos by Delcenia Cosman/Homer News
Salmonfest-goers crowd in front of the Ocean Stage during Blackwater Railroad’s performance on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik.
A meter stick laid alongside the damaged petroglyph rock shows the size of the stone. (Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service)

Officials respond to vandalism that damaged a petroglyph rock at Wrangell beach site

A petroglyph rock was found split in half last month

A meter stick laid alongside the damaged petroglyph rock shows the size of the stone. (Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service)
A map of the Johnson Tract Mine exploration project. Photo courtesy of the Center for Biological Diversity

Cook Inletkeeper, partners file lawsuit against Cook Inlet gold mine

The Johnson Tract Mine is located on CIRI-owned lands inside Lake Clark National Park.

A map of the Johnson Tract Mine exploration project. Photo courtesy of the Center for Biological Diversity
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Traveling nurse charged with murder of 78-year-old Southcentral Alaska man

John “Skip” Dove Jr. was found on Tuesday stabbed to death in his home off Sports Lake Road north of Soldotna.

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Alaska National Guard courtesy photo
Multiple homes and roads are seen inundated in the Mendenhall Glacier Basin following an Aug. 6, 2024, outburst flood from the Mendenhall Glacier.

Alaskans work to analyze and reduce risks of glacial outburst flooding

As residents of Juneau use new information to gird for near-annual floods, scientists are studying glacier dynamics to better understand what the future holds

Alaska National Guard courtesy photo
Multiple homes and roads are seen inundated in the Mendenhall Glacier Basin following an Aug. 6, 2024, outburst flood from the Mendenhall Glacier.
A Juneau Police Department vehicle. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau police investigating incident that sent man to hospital; officer placed on leave

Video posted to social media shows the hospitalized man being thrown to the ground during an arrest attempt

A Juneau Police Department vehicle. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)
The Treadwell Ditch Bridge (Photo courtesy of Trail Mix, Inc.)
The Treadwell Ditch Bridge (Photo courtesy of Trail Mix, Inc.)
A Juneau Police Department vehicle. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau man ‘taken to the ground’ by police officer medevaced to Seattle with head injury

The incident, which was captured on video, is under investigation, police said

A Juneau Police Department vehicle. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file photo)
Darryl Bruce Fawcett was 28 years old when he went missing in 1999. (Image via Juneau Police Department)

Remains found in 2004 identified as Juneau man missing since 1999

Remains recovered in the Gastineau Channel were submitted to the state medical examiner, but never successfully identified.

Darryl Bruce Fawcett was 28 years old when he went missing in 1999. (Image via Juneau Police Department)
Mount Marathon, seen July 4, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Swiss hiker rescued near Mount Marathon in Seward

The hiker said he’d climbed a mountain and gone beyond his ability

Mount Marathon, seen July 4, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

7 arrested in Juneau drug trafficking case

Juneau police joined with Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to investigate the case

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Cathie Stone, of California, took a break during her tour through Alaska to view the Wrangell Mariners’ Memorial at Heritage Harbor on July 9. (Photo by Jonathon Dawe / Wrangell Sentinel)

Wrangell Mariners’ Memorial wins statewide honor for design

The story of the memorial is anchored in the community

Cathie Stone, of California, took a break during her tour through Alaska to view the Wrangell Mariners’ Memorial at Heritage Harbor on July 9. (Photo by Jonathon Dawe / Wrangell Sentinel)
Photo by Jonathon Dawe / Wrangell Sentinel
Several hundred people turned out to celebrate as more than three dozen carried the Kadashan pole from the WCA Carving Shed downtown to its raising at Totem Park on Saturday, July 19.

Totem ceremonies bring hundreds together to celebrate and remember

Tlingit and Haida came together in Wrangell from throughout Southeast and celebrated the unveiling of five new totem poles

Photo by Jonathon Dawe / Wrangell Sentinel
Several hundred people turned out to celebrate as more than three dozen carried the Kadashan pole from the WCA Carving Shed downtown to its raising at Totem Park on Saturday, July 19.
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Attendees dance at Salmonfest in Ninilchik<ins>, Alaska,</ins> on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.

Salmonfest to return for 15th year of fish, love and music

This year’s festival will take place from Aug. 1-3 at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik.

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Attendees dance at Salmonfest in Ninilchik<ins>, Alaska,</ins> on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
Kai Monture shovels sand into bags at a City and Borough of Juneau and Tlingit & Haida collaborative event distributing sandbags to residents, Saturday<ins>, July 19, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska</ins>. Monture does not live in the flood zone, but came out to volunteer to “take care of community. It’s an important value to me.” (Carly Rundle-Borchert/Juneau Empire)

Juneau residents prepare for annual outburst flooding

The National Weather Service says it expects the basin to reach that capacity in mid-August

Kai Monture shovels sand into bags at a City and Borough of Juneau and Tlingit & Haida collaborative event distributing sandbags to residents, Saturday<ins>, July 19, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska</ins>. Monture does not live in the flood zone, but came out to volunteer to “take care of community. It’s an important value to me.” (Carly Rundle-Borchert/Juneau Empire)
The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)

Kenai Peninsula radio reacts to loss of federal funding

Congress last week approved President Trump’s rescission request, zeroing out all federal funding for public broadcasting, effective Oct. 1.

The KBBI AM 890 station is located on Kachemak Way in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)
KTOO, Juneau's public radio station, is photographed in Juneau, Alaska, on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Public radio facing cuts as Congress moves to pull back funding

KTOO could lose one-third of its budget if the House passes a bill cutting funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting

KTOO, Juneau's public radio station, is photographed in Juneau, Alaska, on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)

Hiker rescued from gully at Eaglecrest

The woman got stuck in a gully after taking a wrong turn

Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)
The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)

Juneau man pleads guilty to murder of infant

James White pleaded guilty yesterday to the murder of 5-and-half-week-old Kathy White

The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)