Bartlett Regional Hospital CEO David Keith listens during a city Assembly meeting in February. On Tuesday hospital officials announced his resignation after less than a year in the position. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Bartlett Regional Hospital CEO, CFO resign after less than a year in positions

The departure of David Keith and Sam Muse comes in wake of alleged behavioral health care crisis.

Bartlett Regional Hospital CEO David Keith listens during a city Assembly meeting in February. On Tuesday hospital officials announced his resignation after less than a year in the position. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Neil Doogan, owner of J&J Deli and Asian Mart, calls out an order while his wife Alma makes a sandwich for a customer Saturday. The deli that opened in 1979 closed on Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

J&J Deli and Asian Mart closes its doors after more than four decades

The business was greeted with a final flood of customers during the Monday lunch hour.

Neil Doogan, owner of J&J Deli and Asian Mart, calls out an order while his wife Alma makes a sandwich for a customer Saturday. The deli that opened in 1979 closed on Monday. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Bradley Earl Reger, a former Echo Ranch Bible Camp volunteer, has been arrested and is suspected of sexually abusing numerous boys on religious trips across the globe, including Alaska, for more than a decade. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Former Echo Ranch volunteer pleads not guilty in California for alleged sex abuse of boys

“We are grieved by the reports about sexual abuse by Bradley Reger,” the camp’s parent ministry states.

Bradley Earl Reger, a former Echo Ranch Bible Camp volunteer, has been arrested and is suspected of sexually abusing numerous boys on religious trips across the globe, including Alaska, for more than a decade. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
U.S. Coast Guard personnel conducts a rescue of a man aboard a commercial fishing vessel that began taking on water in Gastineau Channel Tuesday morning. (Courtesy / Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska)

Coast Guard: No injuries reported after fishing vessel nearly sinks in Juneau

No environmental impacts reported at this time, spokesperson says

U.S. Coast Guard personnel conducts a rescue of a man aboard a commercial fishing vessel that began taking on water in Gastineau Channel Tuesday morning. (Courtesy / Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska)
A construction worker uses machinery Monday afternoon while working on the construction site of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s revived Haven House. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Revived Haven House means safety and stability for women after incarceration

The construction of the non-congregate shelter is expected to be completed in spring 2024.

A construction worker uses machinery Monday afternoon while working on the construction site of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s revived Haven House. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Longtime Juneau Board of Education member Brian Holst listens during a board meeting in May. Holst rescinded his run for candidacy for a fourth term on the board late last week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Longtime school board member rescinds candidacy

Brian Holst pulls from race days after submitting, set to step away after nine years.

Longtime Juneau Board of Education member Brian Holst listens during a board meeting in May. Holst rescinded his run for candidacy for a fourth term on the board late last week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Juneau Chief of Police Ed Mercer speaks to the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon ahead of his retirement slated for Monday, July 31.

Police chief talks recruitment woes, threat of illegal drugs ahead of retirement

Ed Mercer gives his final talk to the Chamber days before his departure from department.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Juneau Chief of Police Ed Mercer speaks to the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon ahead of his retirement slated for Monday, July 31.
A section of safety rail ends into a bull rail along the downtown cruise ship docks in July. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
A section of safety rail ends into a bull rail along the downtown cruise ship docks in July. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Roald Simonson, a longtime resident of Juneau’s Telephone Hill, walks down Dixon Street in the Telephone Hill area on Wednesday evening. He said he plans to attend the upcoming city hosted meeting to discuss possible redevelopment plans for the area. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City to hold open house to discuss future fate of Telephone Hill

The meeting next Wednesday invites residents to share their ideas for the downtown land.

Roald Simonson, a longtime resident of Juneau’s Telephone Hill, walks down Dixon Street in the Telephone Hill area on Wednesday evening. He said he plans to attend the upcoming city hosted meeting to discuss possible redevelopment plans for the area. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
This is a photo of humpback whales surfacing near a Juneau Tours and Whale Watch boat. (Courtesy / Juneau Tours and Whale Watch)

Unlimited numbers of whale watching boats causing wave of concern

Local operators and industry officials create committee to address impacts, potential limits.

This is a photo of humpback whales surfacing near a Juneau Tours and Whale Watch boat. (Courtesy / Juneau Tours and Whale Watch)
A cycle rickshaw and cars park outside the front of the Glory Hall’s former downtown homeless shelter Tuesday evening. The building is slated to begin its transformation into seven affordable housing units and additional commercial use space in mid-October. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Downtown Glory Hall apartment project to begin construction this fall

The former homeless shelter will be converted into seven affordable housing units

A cycle rickshaw and cars park outside the front of the Glory Hall’s former downtown homeless shelter Tuesday evening. The building is slated to begin its transformation into seven affordable housing units and additional commercial use space in mid-October. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File
City and Borough of Juneau Clerk Beth McEwen certifies areawide candidate Paul Kelly’s paperwork Friday morning within minutes of the local election filing period opening. Kelly is running for one of the two areawide Assembly positions open.

Candidates roll in as the filing period continues for local election

Two incumbents and three new faces file for Assembly, no candidates for school board.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File
City and Borough of Juneau Clerk Beth McEwen certifies areawide candidate Paul Kelly’s paperwork Friday morning within minutes of the local election filing period opening. Kelly is running for one of the two areawide Assembly positions open.
This is a photo taken Friday afternoon in the Mendenhall Valley area. Some of the smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is beginning to reach areas in Southeast Alaska and can be visibly seen in Juneau, according to air quality and weather officials. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Thin haze’ of Canadian wildfire smoke reported in Juneau

The Alaska Division of Air Quality has issued an advisory in Southeast Alaska.

This is a photo taken Friday afternoon in the Mendenhall Valley area. Some of the smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is beginning to reach areas in Southeast Alaska and can be visibly seen in Juneau, according to air quality and weather officials. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
City and Borough of Juneau resident Paul Kelly hands his candidacy forms to City Clerk Beth McEwen within minutes of the local election filing period opening on Friday. Kelly is running for one of the two areawide seats open on the Assembly. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Candidates file for this fall’s local election

Four seats for the taking on the Assembly, two open on the school board.

City and Borough of Juneau resident Paul Kelly hands his candidacy forms to City Clerk Beth McEwen within minutes of the local election filing period opening on Friday. Kelly is running for one of the two areawide seats open on the Assembly. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau School District is determining how to respond to a letter from the Alaska Department of Education Early Development, which could endanger $2.28 million in “outside the cap” funding in the district’s budget for the current year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

State challenges Juneau’s ‘outside the cap’ funding to district

Years-long practice of extra funding may be halted across the state; millions on the line in Juneau.

The Juneau School District is determining how to respond to a letter from the Alaska Department of Education Early Development, which could endanger $2.28 million in “outside the cap” funding in the district’s budget for the current year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
A Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority truck sits parked in the Mendenhall Valley. On Monday night the Juneau Assembly OK’d an ordinance to transfer about 11.5 acres of city-owned land on Pederson Hill to the authority for less than fair market value. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Tlingit and Haida to purchase discounted Pederson Hill property from city

Land for affordable housing appraised by the city at $700K in value, authority to only pay $100K.

A Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority truck sits parked in the Mendenhall Valley. On Monday night the Juneau Assembly OK’d an ordinance to transfer about 11.5 acres of city-owned land on Pederson Hill to the authority for less than fair market value. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
On Monday night during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting, members OK’d appropriating $8.1 million in hospital funds to Bartlett Regional Hospital for the purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint Center’s buildings and property. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City OKs $8.1M for hospital purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint property

The finalized purchase to be negotiated in the coming months, hospital officials say.

On Monday night during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting, members OK’d appropriating $8.1 million in hospital funds to Bartlett Regional Hospital for the purchase of Juneau Bone and Joint Center’s buildings and property. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Carole Triem (center) smiles as Mayor Beth Weldon reads a poem about her during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night. The meeting was Triem’s last time serving as a member as she departs from her role for family medical issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

City in Pink: Assembly and administrators bid farewell to Carole Triem in style

The Assembly member announced her departure from her role in late June.

Carole Triem (center) smiles as Mayor Beth Weldon reads a poem about her during the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night. The meeting was Triem’s last time serving as a member as she departs from her role for family medical issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A bus passes by City Hall downtown in late June. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to put a $27 million bond proposition for a new City Hall on the fall municipal election ballot. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Proposal to fund a new City Hall to hit the ballot — again

Assembly OKs $27 million bond question for voters this fall.

A bus passes by City Hall downtown in late June. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance Monday night to put a $27 million bond proposition for a new City Hall on the fall municipal election ballot. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)