City and Borough of Juneau 
This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. Thursday evening the city was given an update on the project’s concept design which is expected to cost up to $75 million and would include amenities like a theater, community hall, gallery, ballroom and business center.

City OKs steps toward proposed Capital Civic Center

Advocacy group to seek state and federal funds for the project.

City and Borough of Juneau 
This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. Thursday evening the city was given an update on the project’s concept design which is expected to cost up to $75 million and would include amenities like a theater, community hall, gallery, ballroom and business center.
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

  • Jan 28, 2023
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Mitchell Haldane, Sealaska’s carbon offset administrator, surveys forest land owned by the Juneau-based Alaska Native corporation that has earned more than $100 million since 2016 by putting the property into California’s carbon credits markets, which is paying to keep the land unharvested for 100 years. (Screenshot from YouTube video by Sealaska Corp.)

Could it be easy being — and making — green?

State, Alaska Native corporations among those who see carbon market potential, but questions remain.

Mitchell Haldane, Sealaska’s carbon offset administrator, surveys forest land owned by the Juneau-based Alaska Native corporation that has earned more than $100 million since 2016 by putting the property into California’s carbon credits markets, which is paying to keep the land unharvested for 100 years. (Screenshot from YouTube video by Sealaska Corp.)
An Alaska blackfish that once lived in a tank at the Fairbanks office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
An Alaska blackfish that once lived in a tank at the Fairbanks office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
A resident and his dog walk past the taped off portion of the Basin Road Trestle after it suffered damaged from a rockslide earlier this week. The trestle is open to pedestrians, but will remain closed to vehicular traffic until structural repairs are made, according to city officials. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Rocky road: Basin Road Trestle open to pedestrians, remains closed to vehicles

City officials say repairs are currently being assessed after damaging rockfall

A resident and his dog walk past the taped off portion of the Basin Road Trestle after it suffered damaged from a rockslide earlier this week. The trestle is open to pedestrians, but will remain closed to vehicular traffic until structural repairs are made, according to city officials. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau man indicted on child pornography charges

A Juneau man was indicted Thursday on charges of possessing or accessing child pornography, according to court documents. A Juneau grand jury indicted 27-year-old Joshua… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire 
Juneau’s municipal and state legislative members, their staff, and city lobbyists gather in the Assembly chambers Thursday meeting for an overview of how the Alaska State Legislature and politicians in Washington, D.C., are affecting local issues.
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire 
Juneau’s municipal and state legislative members, their staff, and city lobbyists gather in the Assembly chambers Thursday meeting for an overview of how the Alaska State Legislature and politicians in Washington, D.C., are affecting local issues.
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Friday, Jan. 27, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

  • Jan 27, 2023
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
The Tazlina is docked at the Auke Bay ferry terminal in this November 2021 photo. Over a quarter of a billion dollars is on its way to fund six projects for the Alaska Marine Highway System via grant funding awarded by the Federal Transit Administration. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
The Tazlina is docked at the Auke Bay ferry terminal in this November 2021 photo. Over a quarter of a billion dollars is on its way to fund six projects for the Alaska Marine Highway System via grant funding awarded by the Federal Transit Administration. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
This photo shows pills police say were seized after a suspicious package was searched. (Juneau Police Department)
This photo shows pills police say were seized after a suspicious package was searched. (Juneau Police Department)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy talks about his second-term agenda with members of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, which is doing a two-day legislative fly-in this week, before his speech during the Juneau Chamber’s weekly luncheon Thursday. The speech and subsequent question period was at the Baranof Hotel to accommodate the extra out-of-town guests spending much of their time at the Alaska State Capitol, rather than the usual location at the Juneau Moose Lodge Family Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Big carbon and ‘small nukes’ are state’s future, governor says

Dunleavy sells business leaders on greenhouse gas cash, greenhouses with mini nuclear power plants

Gov. Mike Dunleavy talks about his second-term agenda with members of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, which is doing a two-day legislative fly-in this week, before his speech during the Juneau Chamber’s weekly luncheon Thursday. The speech and subsequent question period was at the Baranof Hotel to accommodate the extra out-of-town guests spending much of their time at the Alaska State Capitol, rather than the usual location at the Juneau Moose Lodge Family Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Library Director Dave Berry and Advisory Board Chair Kate Finn participate in Library Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday Jan. 17, 2023, at Homer City Hall, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)

Homer Library Advisory Board upholds decision to retain LGBTQ+ books

A citizen’s group last year submitted a petition asking that the books be removed from the children’s section

Library Director Dave Berry and Advisory Board Chair Kate Finn participate in Library Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday Jan. 17, 2023, at Homer City Hall, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Police calls for Thursday, Jan. 26

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

  • Jan 26, 2023
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Courtesy Photo / Juneau Police Department 
This photo shows Woodrow Farrell Eagleman who police say after going missing on Jan. 11 was seen leaving town on Jan. 12 via airport surveillance.

Police: Man reported missing took plane out of town

A Juneau man recently reported as missing was found leaving town on video surveillance received from the Juneau International Airport Wednesday, according to police. The… Continue reading

Courtesy Photo / Juneau Police Department 
This photo shows Woodrow Farrell Eagleman who police say after going missing on Jan. 11 was seen leaving town on Jan. 12 via airport surveillance.
Alaska Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg explains why there is a major backlog of food stamp and Medicaid applications to the Senate Health And Resources Committee on Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol. Part of the reason, shown on the slide during her presentation, is a computer system that uses 1959 technology and only one employee is currently qualified to program. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Food stamp, Medicaid backlogs still loom large

State lawmakers conduct first hearing into state’s struggles processing public assistance applicants.

Alaska Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg explains why there is a major backlog of food stamp and Medicaid applications to the Senate Health And Resources Committee on Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol. Part of the reason, shown on the slide during her presentation, is a computer system that uses 1959 technology and only one employee is currently qualified to program. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
Carrie Connaker with Solstice Alaska Consulting meets with Juneau residents during an open house at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Tuesday to help explain alternatives currently being proposed for the recreation area.

Juneau residents get better acquainted with Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area proposals

Open house held at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, web event set for Thursday.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire
Carrie Connaker with Solstice Alaska Consulting meets with Juneau residents during an open house at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on Tuesday to help explain alternatives currently being proposed for the recreation area.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Residents wear matching T-shirts advocating for the proposed off-road vehicle riding park at 35 Mile which was up for permit consideration and later approved at the Tuesday evening planning commission meeting.

City OK’s permit for new off-road vehicle riding park

The planning commission approved a conditional use permit for the project at 35 Mile

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire
Residents wear matching T-shirts advocating for the proposed off-road vehicle riding park at 35 Mile which was up for permit consideration and later approved at the Tuesday evening planning commission meeting.
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file 
A sign marks the road entrance to the Mendenhall Glacier area of the Tongass National Forest. The Biden administration on Wednesday announced the Roadless Rule preventing logging and roads in about nine million acres of the 16.7-million-acre forest has been reinstated after former President Donald Trump repealed it in 2020.

Biden administration reinstates Tongass Roadless Rule

Miners and timber interests upset, environmentalists thrilled, Sen. Sullivan vows retaliation

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file 
A sign marks the road entrance to the Mendenhall Glacier area of the Tongass National Forest. The Biden administration on Wednesday announced the Roadless Rule preventing logging and roads in about nine million acres of the 16.7-million-acre forest has been reinstated after former President Donald Trump repealed it in 2020.
Juneau-based actor Xáalnook Erin Tripp was recently named one of the 2023 Artists in Business Leadership Fellows for First Peoples Fund program. Tripp said she intends to use to program’s grant funding to set up a professional recording studio in Juneau for her voice acting career and to share with other artists in the community. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau-based actor Xáalnook Erin Tripp was recently named one of the 2023 Artists in Business Leadership Fellows for First Peoples Fund program. Tripp said she intends to use to program’s grant funding to set up a professional recording studio in Juneau for her voice acting career and to share with other artists in the community. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Katie Botz, a Juneau school bus driver honored by Gov. Mike Dunelavy for her advocacy on behalf of abuse victims, stands to applause during his recognition of her during the State of the State speech Monday night at the Alaska State Capitol.

‘A victory for all of us’: Juneau woman recognized among Resilient Alaskans for her advocacy

Katie Botz’s presence — and brief absence — as a victims advocate led to a big win and governor’s honor.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
Katie Botz, a Juneau school bus driver honored by Gov. Mike Dunelavy for her advocacy on behalf of abuse victims, stands to applause during his recognition of her during the State of the State speech Monday night at the Alaska State Capitol.