News

National Weather Service Juneau office to hold open house

The National Weather Service’s Juneau office is holding an open house for the public today.The theme is “Building Community Awareness to Reduce Hazardous Weather Impacts,”… Continue reading

Two members of the teacher contract negotiation team - Juneau School District Director of Human Resources Ted Van Bronkhorst and Juneau Education Association president-elect Laura Mulgrew - talk to the Juneau School Board at Tuesday night's regular meeting.

In tight fiscal times, Juneau teachers agree to slight salary increases

Salary increases for Juneau School District teachers over the next three years will likely will not keep up with rates of inflation, according to the… Continue reading

Two members of the teacher contract negotiation team - Juneau School District Director of Human Resources Ted Van Bronkhorst and Juneau Education Association president-elect Laura Mulgrew - talk to the Juneau School Board at Tuesday night's regular meeting.
Myrna Garner, Central Council's business and economic development manager, speaks to the Juneau Planning Commission about a plan to turn the old Thane Ore House into a Native cultural immersion park at Tuesday night's meeting. The commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the project.

Planning Commission gives Native culture center the go ahead

The doors of the Thane Ore House, locked since the business closed in 2012, will soon be open again.The Juneau Planning Commission approved a conditional… Continue reading

Myrna Garner, Central Council's business and economic development manager, speaks to the Juneau Planning Commission about a plan to turn the old Thane Ore House into a Native cultural immersion park at Tuesday night's meeting. The commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the project.

Senior sales tax hardship rebate apps due soon

Seniors looking to apply for the city’s senior citizen sales tax hardship have until the end of the month to do so. Rebate applications are… Continue reading

Police & fire for Wednesday, June 15, 2016

This report contains public information available to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed… Continue reading

Around Town

Women, Infants and Children walk-in clinic, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., SEARHC Juneau WIC Clinic, 3245 Hospital Drive, first floor. Free nutrition services for income-eligible women who… Continue reading

‘A love sonnet’ by a former city manager

Juneau is not the same place it was when former city manager Kim Kiefer began working for the city 32 years ago. It still looks… Continue reading

Police arrest two men tied to downtown group assault

Juneau police say they have arrested two of six people connected to a group attack on an Alaskan Hotel and Bar employee last week, and… Continue reading

Officials rule out foul play in AMHS employee’s death

Foul play has been ruled out in the death of a state ferry employee found dead Thursday, officials say.Alaska State Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said… Continue reading

Brandon Howard and Maura Selenak are starting up the Amalga Distillery located at Second and Franklin Streets in Juneau.

Hop Dreams: Five locals envision craft brewery, distillery in downtown’s future

The Devil’s Club is on fire in downtown Juneau. Last Wednesday, three “local boys with a dream” launched a campaign on the crowd funding website… Continue reading

Brandon Howard and Maura Selenak are starting up the Amalga Distillery located at Second and Franklin Streets in Juneau.

Empire, Capital City Weekly honored with 17 Morris Journalism Excellence awards

The Juneau Empire and Capital City Weekly received 17 Morris Journalism Excellence awards, announced its parent company, Morris Communications.The awards include 11 first place finishes… Continue reading

Denali poses by his recipe selected by Healthy Lunchtime Challenge.

9-year old’s cooking passion leads him to the White House

Budding Juneau chef Denali Schijvens, 9, has been baking for his family and friends since the age of two when he helped make the cake… Continue reading

Denali poses by his recipe selected by Healthy Lunchtime Challenge.
Maria Rosales, whose husband Duilio Antonio “Tony” Rosales, 34, was fatally shot Sunday night at a remote Excursion Inlet cabin, cries as she is escorted out of Juneau District Court Tuesday by Mattie Rielly-Bixby, a paralegal for the Juneau District Attorney’s Office. Mark DeSimone was charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection to Rosales' death and is behind held in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.

The Juneau man accused of murder is a former Arizona state legislator

The man accused of killing a Juneau jeweler on a hunting trip in Excursion Inlet is a former Arizona state legislator.Mark Anthony De Simone, 53,… Continue reading

Maria Rosales, whose husband Duilio Antonio “Tony” Rosales, 34, was fatally shot Sunday night at a remote Excursion Inlet cabin, cries as she is escorted out of Juneau District Court Tuesday by Mattie Rielly-Bixby, a paralegal for the Juneau District Attorney’s Office. Mark DeSimone was charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection to Rosales' death and is behind held in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Wesley Johnson addresses the Assembly during the public comment portion of Monday's meeting. Johnson said he was recently assaulted outside of the Alaskan Hotel and Bar and requested — along with five others who testified — the Assembly take action against violent crime downtown.

Downtown violence seizes Assembly conversation

On the night of June 6, Wesley Johnson was attacked by a group of seven people when he stepped outside of the Alaskan Hotel and… Continue reading

Wesley Johnson addresses the Assembly during the public comment portion of Monday's meeting. Johnson said he was recently assaulted outside of the Alaskan Hotel and Bar and requested — along with five others who testified — the Assembly take action against violent crime downtown.

Police & Fire for Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Burglary/vehicle rifling• At 11:01 a.m. Saturday, a 34-year-old man reported that his vehicle and garage had been rifled through in the 9400 block of Berners… Continue reading

Papa John's Pizza is gearing up for its soft opening, scheduled to take place June 20, according to store general manager Joshua Cooper. Cooper said on Friday that employees have just started reviewing computer programs and are preparing to take orders as they wait for the most important ingredient for starting a pizza shop to arrive - their oven. After the soft opening, a grand opening will take place with special introductory prices. The new business, located in the Nugget Mall annex near Chez Alaska Cooking School, is also still accepting applications for delivery drivers.

Photo: Opening soon

Papa John's Pizza is gearing up for its soft opening, scheduled to take place June 20, according to store general manager Joshua Cooper. Cooper said… Continue reading

Papa John's Pizza is gearing up for its soft opening, scheduled to take place June 20, according to store general manager Joshua Cooper. Cooper said on Friday that employees have just started reviewing computer programs and are preparing to take orders as they wait for the most important ingredient for starting a pizza shop to arrive - their oven. After the soft opening, a grand opening will take place with special introductory prices. The new business, located in the Nugget Mall annex near Chez Alaska Cooking School, is also still accepting applications for delivery drivers.

Juneau School District, administrator’s union reach tentative agreement

The Juneau School District reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with the principals and administrator’s union Friday.The district and the Juneau School Administrative Association have… Continue reading

Around Town

Women, Infants and Children walk-in clinic, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., SEARHC Juneau WIC Clinic, 3245 Hospital Drive, first floor. Free nutrition services for income-eligible women who… Continue reading

Juneau residents attend a noon vigil Monday at Marine Park for the victims of the Orlando shootings over the weekend.

Alongside sadness and grief, Juneau shows pride

Early Sunday morning, a gunman walked into a gay nightclub in Orlando, killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others. Around the same time… Continue reading

Juneau residents attend a noon vigil Monday at Marine Park for the victims of the Orlando shootings over the weekend.
Chrystal Rose Phillips, 28

JPD arrests woman who escaped police custody at BRH

Early Saturday morning, a Juneau police officer detained 28-year-old Crystal Rose Phillips, who had escaped from police custody at Bartlett Regional Hospital about three weeks… Continue reading

Chrystal Rose Phillips, 28