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The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team pose at the Ceasar’s Palace fountain in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)

Crimson Bears girls win second in a row at Tarkanian Classic

JDHS continues to impress at prestigious Las Vegas tournament.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team pose at the Ceasar’s Palace fountain in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys basketball team pose in the bleachers at Durango High School in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)

JDHS boys earn win at Tarkanian Classic tournament

Crimson Bears find defensive “science” in crucial second half swing.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys basketball team pose in the bleachers at Durango High School in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)
The cover image from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “Alaska Priorities For Federal Transition” report. (Office of the Governor)

Loch Ness ducks or ‘vampire grebes’? Alaska governor report for Trump comes with AI hallucinations

A ChatGPT-generated image of Alaska included some strange-looking waterfowl.

The cover image from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “Alaska Priorities For Federal Transition” report. (Office of the Governor)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (left) talks with U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and local leaders during an Aug. 7 visit to a Mendenhall Valley neighborhood hit by record flooding. (Photo provided by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office)

Dunleavy to Trump: Give us Mendenhall Lake; nix feds’ control of statewide land, wildlife, tribal issues

Governor asks president-elect for Alaska-specific executive order on dozens of policy actions.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (left) talks with U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and local leaders during an Aug. 7 visit to a Mendenhall Valley neighborhood hit by record flooding. (Photo provided by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office)
Bartlett Regional Hospital, along with Juneau’s police and fire departments, are partnering in a new behavioral health crisis response program announced Thursday. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)

New local behavioral health crisis program using hospital, fire and police officials debuts

Mobile crisis team of responders forms five months after hospital ends crisis stabilization program.

Bartlett Regional Hospital, along with Juneau’s police and fire departments, are partnering in a new behavioral health crisis response program announced Thursday. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 18, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending Dec. 21

Three decades of capital city coverage.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Dec. 18, 1984. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The icebreaker originally known as the Aiviq, which arrived at a Florida shipyard about three weeks ago, is seen with a new paint job matching that of other modern Coast Guard icebreakers and the name “Storis” painted on its stern. (USCG Auxiliary Public Affairs photo)

First of Coast Guard’s new Polar Security Cutters likely delayed until at least 2030, U.S. House panel says

Delay means Juneau-based icebreaker may play stopgap role longer than expected.

The icebreaker originally known as the Aiviq, which arrived at a Florida shipyard about three weeks ago, is seen with a new paint job matching that of other modern Coast Guard icebreakers and the name “Storis” painted on its stern. (USCG Auxiliary Public Affairs photo)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys basketball team pose upon their arrival in Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)1

Crimson Bears boys fall in Las Vegas tournament opener

JDHS playing among some of nation’s top high school teams.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys basketball team pose upon their arrival in Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)1
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team pose at The Orleans Hotel upon their arrival in Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)

Crimson Bears girls win season opener at Tarkanian Classic

JDHS among 48 girls’ teams playing in prestigious Las Vegas tournament.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team pose at The Orleans Hotel upon their arrival in Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)
Lightering boats return to their ships in Eastern Channel in Sitka on June 7, 2022. (James Poulson/Sitka Sentinel)

Sitka OKs another cruise ship petition for signature drive

Group seeks 300K annual and 4,500 daily visitor limits, and one or more days with no large ships.

Lightering boats return to their ships in Eastern Channel in Sitka on June 7, 2022. (James Poulson/Sitka Sentinel)
The Wrangell shoreline with about two dozen buildings visible, including a Russian Orthodox church, before the U.S. Army bombardment in 1869. (Alaska State Library, U.S. Army Infantry Brigade photo collection)

Army will issue January apology for 1869 bombardment of Wrangell

Ceremony will be the third by military to Southeast Alaska communities in recent months.

The Wrangell shoreline with about two dozen buildings visible, including a Russian Orthodox church, before the U.S. Army bombardment in 1869. (Alaska State Library, U.S. Army Infantry Brigade photo collection)
Juneau Board of Education members vote during an online meeting Tuesday to extend a free student breakfast program during the second half of the school year. (Screenshot from Juneau Board of Education meeting on Zoom)

Extending free student breakfast program until end of school year OK’d by school board

Officials express concern about continuing program in future years without community funding.

Juneau Board of Education members vote during an online meeting Tuesday to extend a free student breakfast program during the second half of the school year. (Screenshot from Juneau Board of Education meeting on Zoom)
A map shows properties within a proposed Local Improvement District whose owners could be charged nearly $8,000 each for the installation of a semi-permanent levee to protect the area from floods. (City and Borough of Juneau map)

Assembly holding public hearing on $8K per-property flood district as other agreements, arguments persist

City, Forest Service, tribal council sign $1M study pact; citizens’ group video promotes lake levee.

A map shows properties within a proposed Local Improvement District whose owners could be charged nearly $8,000 each for the installation of a semi-permanent levee to protect the area from floods. (City and Borough of Juneau map)
Dozens of residents pack into a Juneau Assembly meeting at City Hall on Monday night, where a proposal that would require property owners in flood-vulnerable areas to pay thousands of dollars apiece for the installation of protective flood barriers was discussed. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly OKs lowering flood barrier payment for property owners to about $6,300 rather than $8,000

Amended ordinance makes city pay higher end of 60/40 split, rather than even share.

Dozens of residents pack into a Juneau Assembly meeting at City Hall on Monday night, where a proposal that would require property owners in flood-vulnerable areas to pay thousands of dollars apiece for the installation of protective flood barriers was discussed. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau City Manager Katie Koester (left) and Mayor Beth Weldon (right) meet with residents affected by glacial outburst flooding during a break in a Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s mayor gets an award, city manager gets a raise

Beth Weldon gets lifetime Alaska Municipal League honor; Katie Koester gets bonus, retroactive pay hike.

Juneau City Manager Katie Koester (left) and Mayor Beth Weldon (right) meet with residents affected by glacial outburst flooding during a break in a Juneau Assembly meeting Monday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
The Holiday Cup has been a community favorite event for years. This 2014 photo shows the Jolly Saint Kicks and Reigning Snowballs players in action. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Holiday Cup soccer action brings community spirit to the pitch

Every Christmas name imaginable heads a cast of futbol characters starting Wednesday.

The Holiday Cup has been a community favorite event for years. This 2014 photo shows the Jolly Saint Kicks and Reigning Snowballs players in action. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
A family ice skates and perfects their hockey prowess on Mendenhall Lake, below Mendenhall Glacier, outside of Juneau, Alaska, Nov. 24, 2024. The state’s capital, a popular cruise port in summer, becomes a bargain-seeker’s base for skiing, skating, hiking and glacier-gazing in the winter off-season. (Christopher S. Miller/The New York Times)

NY Times: Juneau becomes a deal-seeker’s base for skiing, skating, hiking and glacier-gazing in winter

Newspaper’s “Frugal Traveler” columnist writes about winter side of summer cruise destination.

  • Dec 16, 2024
  • By Elaine Glusac ©2024 The New York Times Company
  • tourismtravel
A family ice skates and perfects their hockey prowess on Mendenhall Lake, below Mendenhall Glacier, outside of Juneau, Alaska, Nov. 24, 2024. The state’s capital, a popular cruise port in summer, becomes a bargain-seeker’s base for skiing, skating, hiking and glacier-gazing in the winter off-season. (Christopher S. Miller/The New York Times)
Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls and boys basketball teams pose above and below the new signage and plaque for the George Houston Gymnasium on Monday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

George Houston Gymnasium adds another touch of class

Second phase of renaming honor for former coach brings in more red.

Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls and boys basketball teams pose above and below the new signage and plaque for the George Houston Gymnasium on Monday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Travelers using the all-gender restroom at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Dec. 3. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

New this holiday season for travelers in transit at Sea- Tac: All-gender restroom and autonomous wheelchairs

Facilities installed earlier this year in Alaska Airlines concourse; single-sex bathrooms still available.

Travelers using the all-gender restroom at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Dec. 3. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
Common murres are clustered together on a cliff ledge in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge on July 30, 2019. Annual monitoring of key nesting sites has found that the common murre population has yet to recover from the massive die-off caused by the marine heatwave known as the “Blob.” It was the biggest wildlife die-off in modern times, a new study says. (Photo by Brie Drummond/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Alaska birds suffered biggest die-off in recorded history in ‘Blob’ heat wave, new study says

4 million deaths of common murres during the intense North Pacific marine heatwave.

Common murres are clustered together on a cliff ledge in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge on July 30, 2019. Annual monitoring of key nesting sites has found that the common murre population has yet to recover from the massive die-off caused by the marine heatwave known as the “Blob.” It was the biggest wildlife die-off in modern times, a new study says. (Photo by Brie Drummond/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)