Mark Sabbatini

Alaska Division of Elections officials on Thursday display scanned ballots from the Nov. 5 election on screens for attorneys monitoring a recount of a measure to repeal ranked choice in the state. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Recount of ranked choice repeal upholds voters’ rejection — and increases margin by six votes

State elections officials declare measure failed by 743 votes out of 335,767 cast, or 49.88%-50.12%.

Alaska Division of Elections officials on Thursday display scanned ballots from the Nov. 5 election on screens for attorneys monitoring a recount of a measure to repeal ranked choice in the state. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau International Airport Manager Patty Wahto addresses attendees at a Juneau Airport Board meeting on July 11. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Patty Wahto, manager at Juneau International Airport, retiring next spring after 27-year career

Hired as deputy manager in 1998, she took over top job in 2013 and presided over a series of changes.

Juneau International Airport Manager Patty Wahto addresses attendees at a Juneau Airport Board meeting on July 11. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The 2024 Together Tree is delivered to the Governor’s Residence on Dec. 3 after being harvested near Hoonah. (U.S. Forest Service photo)

Governor’s Holiday Open House a bit thinner this year — if 17,050 cookies and 90 lbs. of fudge can be called that

Students from TMMS, JDHS, Faith Christian School and JAMM will perform during three-hour event Tuesday.

The 2024 Together Tree is delivered to the Governor’s Residence on Dec. 3 after being harvested near Hoonah. (U.S. Forest Service photo)
Hans Rivera (foreground) plays a Mexican song on cello with other Juneau Alaska Music Matters students and a mariachi band from Anchorage as part of a Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

An enlightenment into sights, sounds and spirit of Mexico at annual Feast Day celebration

Local music students join visiting mariachis at church celebrating national holiday for holy visionary.

Hans Rivera (foreground) plays a Mexican song on cello with other Juneau Alaska Music Matters students and a mariachi band from Anchorage as part of a Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Nicole Herbert, director of account services for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, address the district’s school board during a Dec. 3 meeting. She is scheduled to become the new chief financial officer for the Juneau School District in March. (Screenshot from Fairbanks North Star Borough School District YouTube video)

School district’s new financial officer coming from Fairbanks district with its own consolidation woes

Nicole Herbert scheduled to start 12 days before Juneau’s school board sends budget to Assembly.

Nicole Herbert, director of account services for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, address the district’s school board during a Dec. 3 meeting. She is scheduled to become the new chief financial officer for the Juneau School District in March. (Screenshot from Fairbanks North Star Borough School District YouTube video)
An intersection in the Mendenhall Valley is submerged during record flooding from Suicide Basin on Aug. 6. A report published last week states such flooding is the result of glacier melt occurring due to climate change. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Believe it or not, costs and damage of climate change are expanding in Juneau and elsewhere in Alaska

Record flooding, fatal landslides, decimated seafood industry cited as regional impacts in new report.

An intersection in the Mendenhall Valley is submerged during record flooding from Suicide Basin on Aug. 6. A report published last week states such flooding is the result of glacier melt occurring due to climate change. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Signs at the front of the Alaska State Capitol on Sunday indicate a designated entrance for legislators and their staff, and direct members of the public to a separate door. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Security screenings for people entering Alaska State Capitol to be considered by legislators Thursday

Signs already designating separate entrance for public, bids from security providers received.

Signs at the front of the Alaska State Capitol on Sunday indicate a designated entrance for legislators and their staff, and direct members of the public to a separate door. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Darius Heumann tries his hand at an old-fashioned steering wheel on the bridge of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker during a public tour on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

A shipload of elephants, oysters and narwhals for visitors aboard Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker

Hundreds of locals take tours of ship with power 40,000 Formula One cars during its stop in Juneau.

Darius Heumann tries his hand at an old-fashioned steering wheel on the bridge of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker during a public tour on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A trio of humans is dwarfed by a quartet of Christmas characters in a storefront on South Franklin Street during Gallery Walk on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini)

Families, neighbors and visitors from the far north join in holiday harmony at Gallery Walk

Traditional celebration throughout downtown joined by Healy icebreaker returning from Arctic.

A trio of humans is dwarfed by a quartet of Christmas characters in a storefront on South Franklin Street during Gallery Walk on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini)
A line at the Ptarmigan lift gains new arrivals shortly after Eaglecrest Ski Area begins operating for the 2023-24 ski season on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The Ptarmigan lift will be the only one operating to the top of the mountain this season due to mechanical problems with the Black Bear lift. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Eaglecrest board responsible for many of ski area’s operational, staffing woes, former GM says

Members “lack the industry knowledge needed to provide supervisory overview of the area,” report states.

A line at the Ptarmigan lift gains new arrivals shortly after Eaglecrest Ski Area begins operating for the 2023-24 ski season on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The Ptarmigan lift will be the only one operating to the top of the mountain this season due to mechanical problems with the Black Bear lift. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Crew of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker talk with Juneau residents stopping by to look at the ship on Thursday at the downtown cruise ship dock. Public tours of the vessel are being offered from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Coast Guard icebreaker Healy stops in Juneau amidst fervor about homeporting newly purchased ship here

Captain talks about homeporting experience for Healy in Seattle; public tours of ship offered Friday.

Crew of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker talk with Juneau residents stopping by to look at the ship on Thursday at the downtown cruise ship dock. Public tours of the vessel are being offered from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A recount of ballots from the Nov. 5 election is observed Wednesday morning by Alaska Division of Elections officials and participants in a challenge to the outcome of a measure to repeal ranked choice voting in the state. The recount at the division director’s office in Juneau began Tuesday and is expected to last up to 10 days. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Recount for ranked choice ballot measure begins under watchful eyes of attorneys

Relative handful of oddly marked ballots questioned, few of those “quarantined” for further scrutiny.

A recount of ballots from the Nov. 5 election is observed Wednesday morning by Alaska Division of Elections officials and participants in a challenge to the outcome of a measure to repeal ranked choice voting in the state. The recount at the division director’s office in Juneau began Tuesday and is expected to last up to 10 days. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Traffic navigates a busy intersection covered with ice and slush on Monday afternoon. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)

Update: Pedestrian recovering after being critically injured by truck; driver arrested for DUI

Man hit while near his house is conscious and improving at Oregon hospital, fundraising organizer says.

Traffic navigates a busy intersection covered with ice and slush on Monday afternoon. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
Jeff Campbell moves a Santa figurine into the front yard of his annual Christmas-themed holiday house on West 11th Street in the downtown neighborhood known as The Flats on Thursday, Nov. 28. Campbell begins the decorating after removing Halloween fare and usually turns on the lights in December. Campbell has created this masterpiece annually for over 30 years. Besides Santas, the display includes candy canes, drummer boys, nativity scenes, reindeer and Disney and Winnie the Pooh characters and some of his own creations. He also has thousands of lights and speakers wired to play Christmas music and his electricity bill doubles over the display’s longevity. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

An icebreaker, a world-premiere play, a new ski season and holiday events galore arriving at week’s end

Gallery Walk, landmark anniversary for “Nutcracker,” Mexican holy feast day among seasonal celebrations.

Jeff Campbell moves a Santa figurine into the front yard of his annual Christmas-themed holiday house on West 11th Street in the downtown neighborhood known as The Flats on Thursday, Nov. 28. Campbell begins the decorating after removing Halloween fare and usually turns on the lights in December. Campbell has created this masterpiece annually for over 30 years. Besides Santas, the display includes candy canes, drummer boys, nativity scenes, reindeer and Disney and Winnie the Pooh characters and some of his own creations. He also has thousands of lights and speakers wired to play Christmas music and his electricity bill doubles over the display’s longevity. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Ariel Estrada rehearses his one-man play “Full Contact” at Perseverance Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 30. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Ariel Estrada rehearses his one-man play “Full Contact” at Perseverance Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 30. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 5, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 5, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Assembly members, city administrative leaders and other officials gather for the Assembly’s annual retreat where they discuss policy and budget goals for the coming year in the Juneau International Airport’s conference room on Dec. 2, 2023. This year’s retreat is scheduled Saturday at the same location. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

CBJ’s budget being squeezed by lots of requests for extra funds, finance director warns

City ended FY24 with extra $10M in bank, but Assembly spent extra $6.5M during first five months of FY25.

Juneau Assembly members, city administrative leaders and other officials gather for the Assembly’s annual retreat where they discuss policy and budget goals for the coming year in the Juneau International Airport’s conference room on Dec. 2, 2023. This year’s retreat is scheduled Saturday at the same location. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
The Porcupine lift on the beginner’s hill at Eaglecrest Ski Area is scheduled to open Saturday, but rain is keeping the main portion of the resort closed, officials announced Wednesday. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)

Eaglecrest to open Porcupine lift on Saturday with tickets as low as $11, but rain thwarts full opening

Ski area offering 50% off ticket price for beginner hill lift for people donating to food drive.

The Porcupine lift on the beginner’s hill at Eaglecrest Ski Area is scheduled to open Saturday, but rain is keeping the main portion of the resort closed, officials announced Wednesday. (Eaglecrest Ski Area photo)
Rose Burke, 9, a fourth-grade student from Kenai, flips the switch to illuminate the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree during a ceremony Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson watches next to her. (Screenshot from C-SPAN broadcast)

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from Wrangell decorated with 10,000 ornaments made by Alaskans is lit

Rose Burke, 9, of Kenai, flips the switch after reading her essay about the tree during ceremony Tuesday.

Rose Burke, 9, a fourth-grade student from Kenai, flips the switch to illuminate the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree during a ceremony Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson watches next to her. (Screenshot from C-SPAN broadcast)
The fishing vessel Wind Walker fishes near Sitka on March 29, 2022. (James Poulson/The Daily Sitka Sentinel)

Coast Guard suspends search for five people aboard fishing boat that reportedly capsized near Juneau

Officials search more than 108 square nautical miles for Sitka-based boat in wintry conditions.

The fishing vessel Wind Walker fishes near Sitka on March 29, 2022. (James Poulson/The Daily Sitka Sentinel)