News

Catherine Gitkov speaks against the ordinance to eliminate the senior tax exemption at the Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday. City staff in the background are Deputy City Manager Rob Steedle, left, City Manager Kim Kiefer, center, and City Attorney Amy Mead.

City restricts senior tax exemptions

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance restricting the senior sales tax exemption during a meeting Monday night, despite nearly two hours of testimony… Continue reading

Catherine Gitkov speaks against the ordinance to eliminate the senior tax exemption at the Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday. City staff in the background are Deputy City Manager Rob Steedle, left, City Manager Kim Kiefer, center, and City Attorney Amy Mead.

Police & Fire for Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015

Assault• At 12:33 a.m. Sunday, the Juneau Police Department responded to a disturbance in the 9400 block of Glacier Highway and 30-year-old Jonathan Williams James… Continue reading

Around town for Tuesday, Sept. 22

Tai Chi class for ages 60 and older, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., Filipino Community Hall. Enrollment is based on a first come, first served basis. Details:… Continue reading

Senior sales tax vote on Monday

The tsunami generated by Wednesday’s earthquake in Chile missed Juneau, but there is another tsunami headed straight for the City and Borough’s Assembly Chambers. It’s… Continue reading

Around town for Monday, Sept. 21

Tai Chi class for ages 60 and older, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., Filipino Communit Hall. Enrollment is based on a first come, first served basis. Details:… Continue reading

Juneau panoramic photographer Ron Klein stands on a ladder to take a picture of 24 Juneau electric cars assembled at the Mendenhall Wetlands to celebrate national Drive Electric Week. The assembly was one of 196 events held across the country to encourage more Americans to consider electric cars.

Photo: Drive electric

Juneau panoramic photographer Ron Klein stands on a ladder to take a picture of 24 Juneau electric cars assembled at the Mendenhall Wetlands to celebrate… Continue reading

Juneau panoramic photographer Ron Klein stands on a ladder to take a picture of 24 Juneau electric cars assembled at the Mendenhall Wetlands to celebrate national Drive Electric Week. The assembly was one of 196 events held across the country to encourage more Americans to consider electric cars.
Myrna Gardner of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska talks about transforming the Thane Ore House into a cultural immersion park during an interview on site at the property Saturday. The City and Borough of Juneau awarded CCTHITA a 35-year lease for the property this week.

New life for the Thane Ore House

Plywood boards cover the windows and doors of the building that used to house the Thane Ore House Salmon Bake. Run-down and weathered by the… Continue reading

Myrna Gardner of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska talks about transforming the Thane Ore House into a cultural immersion park during an interview on site at the property Saturday. The City and Borough of Juneau awarded CCTHITA a 35-year lease for the property this week.
Mendenhall Auto Center celebrated the reopening of its renovated showroom on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 with a party open to members of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce.

Photo: Car party

Mendenhall Auto Center celebrated the reopening of its renovated showroom on Friday with a party open to members of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce.… Continue reading

Mendenhall Auto Center celebrated the reopening of its renovated showroom on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 with a party open to members of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce.

A kinder Juneau starts with the kids

It’s a simple concept that some worry might be going out of style — be kind.That was the message Brian Williams, founder of the non-profit… Continue reading

Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, smiles as he has his picture taken for his ski pass ID at the grand opening of the Porcupine Lodge on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 at Eaglecrest Ski Area.

Photo: Porcupine Lodge ribbon cutting

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members (from left) Jesse Kiehl, Jerry Nankervis, Karen Crane and Kate Troll cut the ceremonial ribbon at the Porcupine… Continue reading

Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, smiles as he has his picture taken for his ski pass ID at the grand opening of the Porcupine Lodge on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 at Eaglecrest Ski Area.
Alaska jazz composer and trumpet player Yngvil Vatn Guttu performs with keyboardist Rob Cohen for students at the Juneau Community Charter School on Friday.

Photo: Trumpeting jazz

Alaska jazz composer and trumpet player Yngvil Vatn Guttu performs with keyboardist Rob Cohen for students at the Juneau Community Charter School on Friday. … Continue reading

Alaska jazz composer and trumpet player Yngvil Vatn Guttu performs with keyboardist Rob Cohen for students at the Juneau Community Charter School on Friday.

Around town for Sunday, Sept. 20

Knights of Columbus Bishop Kenny Council brunch, 10 a.m.-noon, St. Paul’s Catholic Church. $10 for a family and $4 for an individual.Open trap shooting, 10… Continue reading

Feds pay for Southeast kids to visit park

The National Park Service has announced that students from five Southeast schools will be transported free to Glacier Bay National Park this spring as part… Continue reading

Petersburg beach tainted with sewage

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation reports that it has found high levels of fecal coliform bacteria at Petersburg’s Sandy Beach.The beach is a popular… Continue reading

Correction

• In the police blotter published in the Empire on Thursday, Sept. 17, the Juneau Empire erroneously stated that two people were arrested on Egan… Continue reading

Kris Chhabria, owner of Jewels by Kris, works with employee Joyce Warner on making a sale at his South Franklin Street jewelery store in August.

Industry, private jewelers at odds over marketing

By the end of the week, the cruise tourism season will be over. Most of the ships will make their way south to the warmer… Continue reading

Kris Chhabria, owner of Jewels by Kris, works with employee Joyce Warner on making a sale at his South Franklin Street jewelery store in August.
Third grade girls from Harborview Elementary School swim from a sinking boat as they learn water safety at the Augustus Brown Public Swimming Pool on Friday. Helping teach are Coast Guard Auxiliary members Mark Hunt, left, and Stu Robards, center, and current Coast Guard Chief Chief Warrant Officer Rick Nieves.

Youngsters learn a lesson about survival

The boat was flooding, and the third-graders were screaming: Just as planned.Augustus Brown Pool hosted dozens of third-graders from Harborview Elementary on Friday for a… Continue reading

Third grade girls from Harborview Elementary School swim from a sinking boat as they learn water safety at the Augustus Brown Public Swimming Pool on Friday. Helping teach are Coast Guard Auxiliary members Mark Hunt, left, and Stu Robards, center, and current Coast Guard Chief Chief Warrant Officer Rick Nieves.
Josh Keaton

Candidate profile: Josh Keaton, school board

If you are elected to the Juneau Board of Education, what major issue do you hope to address with the school district, students, parents, teachers… Continue reading

Josh Keaton
Emil Mackey

Candidate profile: Emil Robert Mackey III, school board

If you are elected to the Juneau Board of Education, what major issue do you hope to address with the school district, students, parents, teachers… Continue reading

Emil Mackey
Jeff Redmond

Candidate profile: Jeff Redmond, school board

If you are elected to the Juneau Board of Education, what major issue do you hope to address with the school district, students, parents, teachers… Continue reading

Jeff Redmond