News

Cubs focused on Game 3 against deGrom, Mets

CHICAGO — Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Jason Hammel played hacky sack with a baseball, and manager Joe Maddon chatted amiably with his players and… Continue reading

  • Oct 20, 2015
  • By JAY COHEN
In this Sunday photo, Mulu Habtom Zerhoma, a wounded Eritrean, is evacuated from the scene of an attack in Beersheba, Israel.

Fatal beating of Eritrean leads to soul-searching in Israel

JERUSALEM — The death of an Eritrean migrant who was shot and beaten by a mob that mistakenly believed he was a Palestinian attacker set… Continue reading

In this Sunday photo, Mulu Habtom Zerhoma, a wounded Eritrean, is evacuated from the scene of an attack in Beersheba, Israel.

Pope’s family synod: No changes, but everything has changed

VATICAN CITY — It’s now quite certain that Pope Francis’ big summit on family issues won’t endorse any changes to church doctrine on the church’s… Continue reading

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau drops his vote in the ballot box as his daughter Ella-Grace, left, and son Xavier look on Monday in Montreal.

Son of late PM becomes Canada’s newest PM

TORONTO — Canadians voted for a sharp change in their government Monday, resoundingly ending Conservative Stephen Harper’s attempt to shift the nation to the right… Continue reading

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau drops his vote in the ballot box as his daughter Ella-Grace, left, and son Xavier look on Monday in Montreal.
Madeline Germain, 10, helps Wayne Jensen draw a winning name during the Seward Statue raffle drawing at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Monday. The winners were Dennis Watson and Cindy Brady. Both won two tickets each to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. About 150 people paid $100 per ticket to help pay to erect a life-size statue of William Henry Seward at the Dimond Courthouse Plaza.

Photo: Alaska Day in the Capital

Madeline Germain, 10, helps Wayne Jensen draw a winning name during the Seward Statue raffle drawing at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Monday.… Continue reading

Madeline Germain, 10, helps Wayne Jensen draw a winning name during the Seward Statue raffle drawing at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center on Monday. The winners were Dennis Watson and Cindy Brady. Both won two tickets each to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. About 150 people paid $100 per ticket to help pay to erect a life-size statue of William Henry Seward at the Dimond Courthouse Plaza.

Improv festival announces schedule

The 2016 Alaska State Improv Festival has announced that Texas-based group Parallelogramophonograph will headline its 2016 event in Juneau.The festival is a four-day event of… Continue reading

Aleknagik Wood River Bridge opens

The Alaska Department of Transportation has announced that a new $19 million bridge near Dillingham is now open to traffic.The Aleknagik Wood River Bridge was… Continue reading

UA seeks nominees for Bullock Prize

The University of Alaska is seeking nominations for a student, faculty, staff or volunteer worthy of the Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence.The prize is… Continue reading

Police blotter for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015

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

American Seafoods seeks grant applicants

The American Seafoods Community Advisory Board is accepting applications for its community grant program.A total of $37,000 will be distributed to community projects addressing local… Continue reading

Around town for Tuesday, Oct. 20

Computer Basics, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., The Learning Connection, 210 Ferry way.Parks and Recreation Wednesday hike, 9:30 a.m., call for location. Details: 586-0428.Day of quilting, sewing… Continue reading

Alaska Airlines plans $50M of improvements

FAIRBANKS — Alaska Airlines is planning more than $50 million in new capital investments in Alaska over the next few years.Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden… Continue reading

New animal shelter to open in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will soon be opening its doors at a new facility in south Anchorage.The… Continue reading

Most states show increase in high school graduation rates

WASHINGTON — High school graduation rates for most states continue to improve, according to preliminary data released Monday by the Obama administration.The majority of states… Continue reading

Steve Carlton and his wife, Heather, play with their children, Theo, 3, below, and Arlo, 5, during the Moon Walk for Alaska Day at the Dimond Park Fieldhouse on Monday.

Photo: Moon walk

Steve Carlton and his wife, Heather, play with their children, Theo, 3, below, and Arlo, 5, during the Moon Walk for Alaska Day at the… Continue reading

Steve Carlton and his wife, Heather, play with their children, Theo, 3, below, and Arlo, 5, during the Moon Walk for Alaska Day at the Dimond Park Fieldhouse on Monday.
Emergency vehicles line up outside the Deni'ina Convention Center in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 17, 2015. Police responded after a person died after falling or jumping from the top-level concourse at the three-story convention center while the annual Alaska Federation of Natives conference was being held.

Activist hopes convention suicide leads to more awareness

ANCHORAGE — An Alaska suicide-prevention activist is hoping a man’s very public suicide at an Alaska Native conference will propel people across the state to… Continue reading

Emergency vehicles line up outside the Deni'ina Convention Center in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 17, 2015. Police responded after a person died after falling or jumping from the top-level concourse at the three-story convention center while the annual Alaska Federation of Natives conference was being held.
Local families watch the release of "Heli," a four-month-old female harbor seal at False Outer Point on Monday. Heli was found on July 20 suffering from a high temperature, dehydration, maternal neglect and multiple puncture wounds. She was flown to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward for rehabilitation.

Injured seal pup ends road to recovery with North Douglas release

How does a seal fly?Air cargo.On Monday afternoon, a harbor seal named Heli wobbled tentatively from her crate before plunging into the water off False… Continue reading

Local families watch the release of "Heli," a four-month-old female harbor seal at False Outer Point on Monday. Heli was found on July 20 suffering from a high temperature, dehydration, maternal neglect and multiple puncture wounds. She was flown to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward for rehabilitation.

Sitka’s ‘slave auction’ to be renamed

ANCHORAGE — Organizers of an annual Alaska charity event said Monday they will stop calling it a “slavery auction” after the NAACP complained.The event in… Continue reading

Hints of life on what was thought to be a desolate early Earth

WASHINGTON — Scientists have found fossil-like hints that some kind of life existed on Earth 4.1 billion years ago — when the planet was a… Continue reading

In this Jan. 14, 2012 photo, dogs play on a street in Lumbini, believed to be the birthplace of Buddha, southwest of Katmandu, Nepal. In a paper released Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers say man's best friend may have evolved somewhere near what is now Nepal and Mongolia.

DNA study says dogs first appeared in Central Asia

NEW YORK — Where did dogs first arrive on the scene? Scientists have long debated that question, and now a study of doggie DNA from… Continue reading

In this Jan. 14, 2012 photo, dogs play on a street in Lumbini, believed to be the birthplace of Buddha, southwest of Katmandu, Nepal. In a paper released Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers say man's best friend may have evolved somewhere near what is now Nepal and Mongolia.