News

The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard makes rescue in poor visibility

Man and woman safe after boat grounds near Juneau

The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 released video footage of two people being rescued during stormy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 1 after their boat ran onto rocks in Pavlof Harbor in southwest of Juneau. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Ships in Port for the week of Oct. 2

Here’s what to expect this week.

A Princess Cruise Line ship is docked in Juneau on Aug. 25, 2021. (Michael Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘This is a healing time’: New totem pole honors survivors of gender-based violence

“It provides an opportunity for healing on multiple levels”

Tlingit master carver Wayne Price stands next to his wife, Cherri, in front of the healing totem pole and screens he created. Hundreds of people gathered in raincoats and boots at the Twin Lakes Kaasei Totem Plaza to witness the two-hour ceremony. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

It’s almost municipal Election Day. Are you ready?

Here’s what you need to know.

A City and Borough of Juneau ballot sits in a privacy sleeve before being placed in an envelope and cast in the 2022 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.

Troubled bridges over Juneau waters

September saw record rainfall, damaged structures.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.

CBJ Election Day is almost here

Deadline to cast municipal ballots is 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline. City officials urge voters to check mailboxes for potential cure letters to ensure their ballot can be counted.
Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Sorensen soars again: School board member talks reelection goals

The sky’s the limit for the district

Deedie Sorensen smiles for a photo at her home. Sorensen is seeking a second term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Return of the Mackey: The school board member talks future of Juneau’s district

Mackey is back-y

Emily Mackey smiles for a photo at his office in the Nugget Mall. Mackey is seeking a third term on the Juneau School District Board of Education. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Undoing erasure: Orange Shirt Day brings attention to boarding school history

Too vibrant, too active, too many to go unseen.

Keagan Hasselquist, 15, holds up a flag bearing the message "Every child matters" during an Orange Shirt Day event Friday morning in Juneau. The event started at 6:45 a.m. Hasselquist said he usually isn't out and about at that time "but I'm doing good with it so far." He said it was awesome to see strong turnout for the event)(Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

‘It’s shocking’: Family hopes for answers after suspicious death of loved one

“She wanted to make things beautiful, to help make people beautiful…”

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Faith Rogers’ loved ones, from left to right, James Rogers (father), Michelle Rogers (sister), Harmony Wentz (daughter), Maria Rogers (mother) and Mindy Voigt (friend) sit with Faith’s three dogs in their family home. Faith Rogers, 55, of Juneau was found dead along a popular trail on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Police are investigating the death as a homicide.
Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Healing from the past: Local organizations bring awareness to boarding school history

Orange Shirt Day is this Friday.

Laura Talpey, executive director of Juneau Montessori School speaks into the mic next to Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, vice president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, in front of a crowd gathered at Sayé ik: Gastineau Community School Wednesday evening. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Longer season, hours OK’d for warming shelter

Extended operations for church’s second year as host seeks less frigid winter for homeless, neighbors

Mindy and Will Jones, who lived next door to Resurrection Lutheran Church, talk to neighbor Elva Bontrager in their yard on Wednesday. The couple said they are sympathetic to disadvantaged residents staying at the church’s warming shelter during sub-freezing winter nights, but there have been incidents with people being loud and rowdy outside late at night. The church provided the warming shelter for the first time last winter and on Tuesday the city approved extending the number of days and hours the shelter can be open during the coming winter. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Assembly member Greg Smith smiles for a photo outside of the Juneau Empire office. Smith is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election along with four other candidates in the running for assembly and school board positions, which all remain uncontested. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Smithing a better future: Assembly member talks continuing the city’s momentum for next term

He’s got a whole Smith-list of goals

Assembly member Greg Smith smiles for a photo outside of the Juneau Empire office. Smith is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election along with four other candidates in the running for assembly and school board positions, which all remain uncontested. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau Public Works Department clears debris Wednesday morning on Gastineau Avenue. A landslide Monday evening brought down a large tree, which caused damage to homes and a vehicle. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau man stunned by loss of home, community support

“If you’re going to have your home destroyed, Juneau is the best place to do it.”

City and Borough of Juneau Public Works Department clears debris Wednesday morning on Gastineau Avenue. A landslide Monday evening brought down a large tree, which caused damage to homes and a vehicle. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
CCFR officials and residents gathered at the section of Gastineau Avenue that sustained damage from the landslide on Monday evening. At the time of 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday officials said they were still trying to assess the damage and no cleanup efforts had started yet. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City set to begin cleanup after landslide

Three homes were damaged; at least a dozen people displaced.

CCFR officials and residents gathered at the section of Gastineau Avenue that sustained damage from the landslide on Monday evening. At the time of 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday officials said they were still trying to assess the damage and no cleanup efforts had started yet. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Visitors take in the view from the porch of the U.S. Forest Service’s Mount Flemer Cabin in the Wrangell Ranger District. The Forest Service is preparing to accept public input on how to spend about $14.4 million in federal funds for new cabins and repairing existing ones in Alaska, including an anticipated 10 to 12 new cabins in the Tongass National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service photo)

Where to put a dozen new cabins in Southeast Alaska?

U.S. Forest Service seeking public’s input on spending $14.4M at new and upgraded state sites

Visitors take in the view from the porch of the U.S. Forest Service’s Mount Flemer Cabin in the Wrangell Ranger District. The Forest Service is preparing to accept public input on how to spend about $14.4 million in federal funds for new cabins and repairing existing ones in Alaska, including an anticipated 10 to 12 new cabins in the Tongass National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service photo)
Assembly member Carole Triem smiles in front of a Juneau backdrop. Triem is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election, which comes to an end in less than a week on Oct. 4. (Courtesty / Carole Triem)

Living the Triem: The Assembly member talks ambitions for next term

Addressing the housing shortage is a top priority

Assembly member Carole Triem smiles in front of a Juneau backdrop. Triem is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election, which comes to an end in less than a week on Oct. 4. (Courtesty / Carole Triem)
Assembly member Wade Bryson smiles while sitting in his office space located above the Juneau Bike Doctor off Old Dairy Road. Bryson is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election, which comes to an end in less than a week on Oct. 4. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Wading into the candidate pool: Bryson talks reelection goals ahead of local election.

Addressing trash problem is a top priority.

Assembly member Wade Bryson smiles while sitting in his office space located above the Juneau Bike Doctor off Old Dairy Road. Bryson is seeking reelection in this year’s City and Borough of Juneau municipal election, which comes to an end in less than a week on Oct. 4. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A tree lies across Gastineau Avenue on Monday evening after falling between two homes and crushing at least one vehicle. Firefighters and police closed the street to traffic, and evacuated homes along the street as well as buildings extending down to Franklin Avenue. The evacuation is expected to last at least 24 hours. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Landslide damages building, prompts evacuation

No one hurt, according to Capital City Fire/Rescue.

A tree lies across Gastineau Avenue on Monday evening after falling between two homes and crushing at least one vehicle. Firefighters and police closed the street to traffic, and evacuated homes along the street as well as buildings extending down to Franklin Avenue. The evacuation is expected to last at least 24 hours. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Police vehicles gather Wednesday evening near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as ]]Brotherhood Bridge Trail, while investigating a homicide. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Police: Woman was walking dogs when she was killed

JPD said officers are working “around the clock” on the criminal investigation.

Police vehicles gather Wednesday evening near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei, also known as ]]Brotherhood Bridge Trail, while investigating a homicide. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)