News

The swollen Mendenhall River flows past a condominium and other residences Sunday evening during a glacial outburst flood from Suicide Basin that crested well below the riverbanks that were reinforced with rock fill in many places following then-record flooding in August of 2023. The city is now considering installing up to four miles of Hesco barriers along one side of the river as a semi-permanent levee. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

October’s flood doesn’t mean risk of one next year is lower, expert says, as protective efforts continue

Multiple factors in Suicide Basin’s water level makes predicting odds of release dangerous, official says

The swollen Mendenhall River flows past a condominium and other residences Sunday evening during a glacial outburst flood from Suicide Basin that crested well below the riverbanks that were reinforced with rock fill in many places following then-record flooding in August of 2023. The city is now considering installing up to four miles of Hesco barriers along one side of the river as a semi-permanent levee. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Friday, Oct. 18, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Tom Mattice, Juneau’s emergency programs manager, uses a loader to help residents fill sandbags at Melvin Park on Sunday afternoon. The city is distributing 75,000 sandbags for free, with sand available at the park and the Thunder Mountain Middle School parking lot. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Residents spend their hours before peak of flood preparing for worst-case scenario in various ways

Generators, sandbags, hotel stays, backyard river watching keep people active as water rises Sunday.

Tom Mattice, Juneau’s emergency programs manager, uses a loader to help residents fill sandbags at Melvin Park on Sunday afternoon. The city is distributing 75,000 sandbags for free, with sand available at the park and the Thunder Mountain Middle School parking lot. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A sign at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center warns people Sunday about flooding on trails due to a glacial outburst flood from Suicide Basin expected to peak early Monday morning. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)

Mendenhall River flooding expected to peak at 11.31 feet during 20° cold between 1 and 4 a.m. Monday

People warned to avoid river area due to icy conditions; water-level rise slowing as of 11:30 p.m.

A sign at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center warns people Sunday about flooding on trails due to a glacial outburst flood from Suicide Basin expected to peak early Monday morning. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
Nathan and Donna Leigh lift a tube loader off a row sandbags after filling them at Melvin Park on Saturday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

People getting free sandbags on same day flood warning issued say they are making, adjusting plans

Distribution started Saturday morning, about 40 hours before flood is forecast to crest.

Nathan and Donna Leigh lift a tube loader off a row sandbags after filling them at Melvin Park on Saturday morning. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A hydrograph updated Saturday evening shows the Mendenhall River cresting at of 11.41 feet early Monday morning due to flooding from Suicide Basin. (National Weather Service Juneau)
Video

Suicide Basin flood warning issued, crest up to 11.5 feet between 1-7 a.m. Monday forecast

City urges immediate precautions in vulnerable areas; some roads and paths will close Sunday afternoon

A hydrograph updated Saturday evening shows the Mendenhall River cresting at of 11.41 feet early Monday morning due to flooding from Suicide Basin. (National Weather Service Juneau)
Video
Lisa Pearce (center), chief financial officer for the Juneau School District, discusses the district’s financial crisis in her role as an analyst during a work session Feb. 17 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. She announced her intention to resign on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Lisa Pearce resigning as Juneau School District’s chief financial officer after taking on budget crisis

Consultant hired last December became permanent CFO July 1 after helping resolve record deficit.

Lisa Pearce (center), chief financial officer for the Juneau School District, discusses the district’s financial crisis in her role as an analyst during a work session Feb. 17 at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. She announced her intention to resign on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Jasmine Chavez, a crew member aboard the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship, waves to her family during a cell phone conversation after disembarking from the ship at Marine Park on May 10. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Ships in port for the week of Oct. 19

Here’s what to expect this week.

Jasmine Chavez, a crew member aboard the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship, waves to her family during a cell phone conversation after disembarking from the ship at Marine Park on May 10. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy sits in the Cabinet Room at his Anchorage office Tuesday. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal)

Data centers face growing opposition Outside. Gov. Mike Dunleavy wants them in Alaska.

Amid a growing backlash to the factory-sized data centers that power the global internet, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has started pitching his state as a… Continue reading

Gov. Mike Dunleavy sits in the Cabinet Room at his Anchorage office Tuesday. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal)
John Blasco, shown coaching the Thunder Mountain High School basketball team during the state tournament in March of this year, was honored as the Juneau Greater Chamber of Commerce’s citizen of the year at the organization’s annual awards gala at Centennial Hall last Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

Double take: John Blasco wins local Citizen of the Year award months after state coach of the year honor

Chamber of Commerce also honors Bullwinkle’s, Juneau Bach Society’s Bruce Simonson at annual gala

John Blasco, shown coaching the Thunder Mountain High School basketball team during the state tournament in March of this year, was honored as the Juneau Greater Chamber of Commerce’s citizen of the year at the organization’s annual awards gala at Centennial Hall last Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé hockey team help Mendenhall Valley residents affected by the record Aug. 6 flood fill more than 3,000 sandbags earlier this month. (JHDS Hockey photo)

CBJ distribution of 75,000 sandbags to flood-affected residents occurs as Suicide Basin drops again

Up to 200 sandbags per household available starting Saturday; release of water limited as of Friday.

Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé hockey team help Mendenhall Valley residents affected by the record Aug. 6 flood fill more than 3,000 sandbags earlier this month. (JHDS Hockey photo)
Homes and streets in the Mendenhall Valley are swamped by record flooding from the Mendenhall River on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (Photo by Rich Ross)

Biden OKs federal disaster declaration for Suicide Basin flood, as Congress battles over approving more funds

Other U.S. disasters are straining available assistance; SBA loan program is out of money.

Homes and streets in the Mendenhall Valley are swamped by record flooding from the Mendenhall River on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (Photo by Rich Ross)
Dwayne Corbin, one of four candidates to become the new music director of the Juneau Symphony, conducts the orchestra during a rehearsal Tuesday for this weekend’s concerts at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Candidate seeks to convey ‘Brilliant Defiance’ during Juneau Symphony’s election-season concerts

Dwayne Corbin, one of four finalists to replace Christopher Koch as music director, conducts weekend shows.

Dwayne Corbin, one of four candidates to become the new music director of the Juneau Symphony, conducts the orchestra during a rehearsal Tuesday for this weekend’s concerts at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A sign outside of a McDonald’s restaurant in Midtown Anchorage, seen on Oct. 7, advertises openings for jobs that pay up to $16 an hour. Voters will decide the fate of a ballot measure that would set a $15-an-hour minimum wage by 2027 and mandate paid sick leave for workers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaskans to vote on measure raising the minimum wage and mandating paid sick leave

Alaska voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027 and require that… Continue reading

A sign outside of a McDonald’s restaurant in Midtown Anchorage, seen on Oct. 7, advertises openings for jobs that pay up to $16 an hour. Voters will decide the fate of a ballot measure that would set a $15-an-hour minimum wage by 2027 and mandate paid sick leave for workers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A map shows Douglas Island between Outer Point and Point Hilda, where Goldbelt Inc. owns about 1,800 acres of land. The urban Alaska Native corporation announced Wednesday it and Royal Caribbean Group are exploring a proposed cruise ship port with two floating docks and “a recreated 1800s Alaska Native Tlingit village” on the property. (Google Maps image)

West Douglas cruise port proposed by Goldbelt and Royal Caribbean, to surprise and dismay of city officials

Two-ship floating dock, recreated 1800s Tlingit village envisioned on island as soon as 2027.

A map shows Douglas Island between Outer Point and Point Hilda, where Goldbelt Inc. owns about 1,800 acres of land. The urban Alaska Native corporation announced Wednesday it and Royal Caribbean Group are exploring a proposed cruise ship port with two floating docks and “a recreated 1800s Alaska Native Tlingit village” on the property. (Google Maps image)
(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Police calls for Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024

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

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
The front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 13, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capital City Weekly

Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week ending Oct. 19

Three decades of capital city coverage.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Oct. 13, 1994. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
These materials are mailed to Alaska voters who request absentee ballots. Clockwise, from the top right: The envelope from the Alaska Division of Elections, the return envelope, the ballot and instructions. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon)

As dropbox program ends, most Alaska absentee voters will pay $1.46 to cast their ballots

The Alaska Division of Elections has not continued a ballot dropbox program operated in coordination with the Municipality of Anchorage during the last presidential election,… Continue reading

These materials are mailed to Alaska voters who request absentee ballots. Clockwise, from the top right: The envelope from the Alaska Division of Elections, the return envelope, the ballot and instructions. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon)
Juvencio Garcia (right) has people sign in to stay at the city’s cold-weather emergency shelter in Thane on the first night of its second year of operation Tuesday. Garcia was among those who stayed at the shelter last year and said he hopes to provide the help shelter staff from the first season provided him. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Warming shelter opens for second season hoping to provide clients, staff and neighbors more relief

Indoor bathrooms, smoking breaks among changes meant to lessen first-year tensions.

Juvencio Garcia (right) has people sign in to stay at the city’s cold-weather emergency shelter in Thane on the first night of its second year of operation Tuesday. Garcia was among those who stayed at the shelter last year and said he hopes to provide the help shelter staff from the first season provided him. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)