News

A person enters the Division of Election’s office at the Mendenhall Mall, where early voting is taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Mail-in remains popular for early voters

Half of 30,000 ballots during first week of early arrive via mail, requests far above 2018 midterms

A person enters the Division of Election’s office at the Mendenhall Mall, where early voting is taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 8. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The northern lights appear over Shishmaref, Alaska, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. Rising sea levels, flooding, increased erosion and loss of protective sea ice and land have led residents of this island community to vote twice to relocate. But more than six years after the last vote, Shishmaref remains in the same place because the relocation is too costly. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Climate migration: Alaska village resists despite threats

Climate change is partially to blame for the rising seas, flooding, erosion and loss of protective ice and land

The northern lights appear over Shishmaref, Alaska, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. Rising sea levels, flooding, increased erosion and loss of protective sea ice and land have led residents of this island community to vote twice to relocate. But more than six years after the last vote, Shishmaref remains in the same place because the relocation is too costly. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma. (AP Photo / Al Grillo)

Report on Pebble Mine urges more scrutiny for projects

Backers “tried to trick regulators by pretending to pursue a smaller project with the intention of expanding,” the report said

In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma. (AP Photo / Al Grillo)
United States Sen. Lisa Murkowski, left, a Republican, looks on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, prior to a U.S. Senate debate in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka, center, and Democrat Pat Chesbro, right, in the general election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Murkowski faces Tshibaka and Chesbro in Alaska Senate debate

Topics included the Arctic, the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic response and protecting youth from gun violence

United States Sen. Lisa Murkowski, left, a Republican, looks on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, prior to a U.S. Senate debate in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka, center, and Democrat Pat Chesbro, right, in the general election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Candidates for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat share a laugh before a debate Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. From left are Republican Sarah Palin, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat; Republican Nick Begich, and Chris Bye, a Libertarian. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Peltola faces Palin, Begich, Bye in debate

Peltola beat Palin and Republican Nick Begich in a ranked choice August special election

Candidates for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat share a laugh before a debate Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. From left are Republican Sarah Palin, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat; Republican Nick Begich, and Chris Bye, a Libertarian. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News A sign at the South Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinic provides information and hours for testing and vaccines at the Bartlett Street building in Homer.

Hospitalizations continue to fall; COVID cases see uptick

According to the Alaska COVID-19 Data Hub, updated Wednesday, 19 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19. No patients are on ventilators. This is down from last… Continue reading

Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News A sign at the South Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinic provides information and hours for testing and vaccines at the Bartlett Street building in Homer.
Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Citing Pierce harassment allegations, Grunwald suspends lieutenant governor bid

The announcement came days after Pierce and the Kenai Peninsula Borough were named as defendants in a lawsuit

Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Southern peninsula House candidates Zoom into Monday forum

Nonpartisan candidates Ginger Bryant and Louie Flora participated

Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican seeking reelection, answers a question during a candidate forum, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka and Democrat Pat Chesbro in the Nov. 8, 2022, election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Asylum seekers are Indigenous Siberians from Russia

The two landed earlier this month near Gambell, on Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican seeking reelection, answers a question during a candidate forum, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka and Democrat Pat Chesbro in the Nov. 8, 2022, election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
This combination image consisting of screenshots from the AFN convention livestream shows the four gubernatorial candidates who will appear on statewide ballots, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Democratic former state Rep. Les Gara, Republican former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and independent former Gov. Bill Walker. (Screenshots)

Gubernatorial candidates take widely varying stances in AFN forum

Four contenders at AFN debate see different fixes for public safety, prison deaths and housing

This combination image consisting of screenshots from the AFN convention livestream shows the four gubernatorial candidates who will appear on statewide ballots, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Democratic former state Rep. Les Gara, Republican former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and independent former Gov. Bill Walker. (Screenshots)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, left, acknowledges audience members singing a song of prayer for her at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage on Thursday. Peltola, a Democrat, is the first Alaska Native to be elected to Congress. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

Peltola brings Young’s spirit to AFN

Congresswoman gets a warm welcome from convention attendees, predecessor’s family.

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, left, acknowledges audience members singing a song of prayer for her at the Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage on Thursday. Peltola, a Democrat, is the first Alaska Native to be elected to Congress. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game mailing annual sport fishing survey

The survey has been conducted annually since 1977

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Vials of of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox are removed from a box containing 20 doses, in the vaccine hub at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Friday, July 29, 2022, in San Francisco. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Monkeypox on ‘steep downward trajectory’

The topic was discussed during Public Health ECHO held via Zoom and broadcast live on Facebook on Wednesday

Vials of of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox are removed from a box containing 20 doses, in the vaccine hub at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Friday, July 29, 2022, in San Francisco. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
AP Photo / Mark Thiessen The four candidates for Alaska governor are shown preparing for a televised debate Wednesday, in Anchorage, ahead of the 2022 general election. From left are Republican Charlie Pierce; Democrat Les Gara; former Gov. Bill Walker, an independent; and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican.

Dunleavy defends record in debate with Gara, Walker, Pierce

Dunleavy argued the state is “better off today than it was four years ago”

AP Photo / Mark Thiessen The four candidates for Alaska governor are shown preparing for a televised debate Wednesday, in Anchorage, ahead of the 2022 general election. From left are Republican Charlie Pierce; Democrat Les Gara; former Gov. Bill Walker, an independent; and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican.
Chelsea Berg, a nurse at Peninsula Community Health Services, administers a flu shot during a free drive-thru flu shot event at Kenai Central High School on Oct. 24, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)

State starting to see flu cases

151 cases of the flu have been confirmed in Alaska in laboratory tests

Chelsea Berg, a nurse at Peninsula Community Health Services, administers a flu shot during a free drive-thru flu shot event at Kenai Central High School on Oct. 24, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

COVID-19 hospitalizations hit low not seen since April

For the period of Oct. 12 to Oct. 18, 349 new COVID-19 cases were reported

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire An Alaska Coach Tours bus sits parked beside the cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau. Alexandra Pierce, the CBJ tourism manager, said this year’s season went “relatively smoothly” and said the revival of tourism was overall well received by the residents and downtown businesses.

Final cruise ship of 2022 leaves Juneau

Capital city says farewell to its last ship of the season

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire An Alaska Coach Tours bus sits parked beside the cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau. Alexandra Pierce, the CBJ tourism manager, said this year’s season went “relatively smoothly” and said the revival of tourism was overall well received by the residents and downtown businesses.
Tom Kizzia poses with a stack of his book, “Cold Mountain Path,” on Sept. 1, 2021. (Photo provided)

Homer author named historian of the year

Kizzia has a long history in the state

Tom Kizzia poses with a stack of his book, “Cold Mountain Path,” on Sept. 1, 2021. (Photo provided)
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, right, speaks during a news conference during a broadband summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. An investigation into a complaint alleging improper coordination between Dunleavy’s campaign and a third-party group that supports his reelection is not expected to be completed before the Nov. 8 election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen,File)

Panel OKs more time for report on Alaska campaign complaint

The commission on Monday ordered the subjects of the complaint to meet with staff by Thursday

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, right, speaks during a news conference during a broadband summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. An investigation into a complaint alleging improper coordination between Dunleavy’s campaign and a third-party group that supports his reelection is not expected to be completed before the Nov. 8 election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen,File)
This photo shows Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau. About 20% of the prison’s population was recently relocated to other facilities in South Central Alaska. The transfers come amid renovations to the aging facility. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

20% of prison’s population transferred amid repairs

Dozens of people incarcerated at LCCC moved to other facilities.

This photo shows Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau. About 20% of the prison’s population was recently relocated to other facilities in South Central Alaska. The transfers come amid renovations to the aging facility. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)