News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire The Tlingit & Haida Head Start program is located in the Airport Shopping Center.

Pre-K programs to lose funding after budget vetoes

ANCHORAGE — Alaska’s Head Start early childhood education program is preparing to close pre-K classrooms and cut jobs after budget vetoes, officials said. The program… Continue reading

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire The Tlingit & Haida Head Start program is located in the Airport Shopping Center.
Demonstrators of all ages hold up signs at a rally Sunday, July 28, 2019, against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts at the Legislative Information Office, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News).

Demonstrators urge Vance to roll back Dunleavy budget cuts

With signs reading “Gut fish, not Alaska,” “Support Education, not handouts” and “Keep Alaskans educated, healthy, employed, thriving,” about 135 demonstrators gathered Sunday in front… Continue reading

Demonstrators of all ages hold up signs at a rally Sunday, July 28, 2019, against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts at the Legislative Information Office, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News).
As portions of the Swan Lake Fire continue to smolder in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, new forest growth has already started sprouting near Watson Lake as seen here on Wednesday, July 24. (Courtesy Eastern Area Incident Management Team)

No further growth expected for Swan Lake Fire

No increase in fire activity is expected for the Swan Lake Fire for the remainder of the season, the Eastern Area Incident Management Team said… Continue reading

As portions of the Swan Lake Fire continue to smolder in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, new forest growth has already started sprouting near Watson Lake as seen here on Wednesday, July 24. (Courtesy Eastern Area Incident Management Team)

Dorothy Drive landowners petition borough to close section-line easement

A group of Dorothy Drive property owners who had sought to have the state vacate a section-line easement in the East Skyline Drive area have… Continue reading

Emergency medical technicians help victims of a boat capsizing up the Homer Harbor load and launch ramp on Tuesday afternoon, July 30, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. Crews in three Good Samaritan boats, from front to back, the Torega, the Grotta Nove, and the Seabird, rescued five people from an overturned skiff near China Poot Bay. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Five survive boat capsize near Gull Island

Five people survived an ocean dunking after their boat capsized near China Poot Bay and Gull Island on Tuesday afternoon. Except for being cold and… Continue reading

Emergency medical technicians help victims of a boat capsizing up the Homer Harbor load and launch ramp on Tuesday afternoon, July 30, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. Crews in three Good Samaritan boats, from front to back, the Torega, the Grotta Nove, and the Seabird, rescued five people from an overturned skiff near China Poot Bay. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Foot, founder of Houseless Records, poses for a photo on July 18, 2019 at Camp Here: Occupy to Overcome, a sit-in on the Delany Park Strip in Anchorage, Alaska to raise awareness of the issues facing homeless people. Houseless Records is embarking on the Front Porch Tour, which brings events featuring music, art and food to various communities along with educational material on how to help the homeless population. (Photo by Matthew Meyer)

Music, art tour to support the homeless comes to Homer

“House and home are different. I’ve been houseless and felt like I had a home.”

Foot, founder of Houseless Records, poses for a photo on July 18, 2019 at Camp Here: Occupy to Overcome, a sit-in on the Delany Park Strip in Anchorage, Alaska to raise awareness of the issues facing homeless people. Houseless Records is embarking on the Front Porch Tour, which brings events featuring music, art and food to various communities along with educational material on how to help the homeless population. (Photo by Matthew Meyer)

Filing period opens Aug. 1 for borough elections

The filing period for Kenai Peninsula Borough offices opens at 8 a.m. Aug. 1 and runs through 4:30 p.m. Aug. 15. In a notice of… Continue reading

Demonstrators of all ages hold up signs at a rally Sunday, July 28, 2019, against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts at the Legislative Information Office, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News).

Demonstrators urge Vance to roll back Dunleavy budget cuts

Update: On Monday, July 29, in a vote of 32-6, the Alaska House passed Senate Bill 2002, appropriating money for a capital budget. In a… Continue reading

Demonstrators of all ages hold up signs at a rally Sunday, July 28, 2019, against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts at the Legislative Information Office, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News).
Members of the Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific picket in front of the Auke Bay Terminal on Thursday, July 25, 2019. The union called a strike on Wednesday over failed negotiations with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Video

Ferry workers strike continues; State says strike ‘illegal’

Ferry workers strike, and the state strikes back

Members of the Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific picket in front of the Auke Bay Terminal on Thursday, July 25, 2019. The union called a strike on Wednesday over failed negotiations with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Video

Council calls on governor, legislature to reverse vetoes

As the Alaska Legislature continued meeting this week in Juneau at Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s direction to consider funding a capital budget and an Alaska Permanent… Continue reading

Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News Nimeron Mike was hired as a village police officer in his hometown of Stebbins even though he is a registered sex offender who served six years behind bars. Mike worked as a cop from Dec. 31 to March 29.

At least 14 Alaska cities have public safety officers with criminal records

ANCHORAGE — At least 14 cities in Alaska have employed police officers whose criminal records should have prevented them from being hired under state law,… Continue reading

Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News Nimeron Mike was hired as a village police officer in his hometown of Stebbins even though he is a registered sex offender who served six years behind bars. Mike worked as a cop from Dec. 31 to March 29.
About 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana in Juneau. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Puff, puff passed: Juneau Assembly OKs onsite pot smoking

If you want to smoke, take it outside.

About 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana in Juneau. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Homer Farmers Market: Bounty of summer hitting Market early

I have a house full of peonies. They have popped so much earlier this year than normal that the peony growers have been scrambling to… Continue reading

The University of Alaska Board of Regents meets in an emergency meeting in Anchorage, Alaska Monday, July 22, 2019. Regents voted 10-1 to declare a financial exigency, allowing administrators to expedite layoffs of tenured faculty in the face of severe budget issues. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)

Financial crisis opens University of Alaska up to layoffs

ANCHORAGE — The University of Alaska Board of Regents decided Monday they could no longer wait to see if the Alaska Legislature will bail them… Continue reading

The University of Alaska Board of Regents meets in an emergency meeting in Anchorage, Alaska Monday, July 22, 2019. Regents voted 10-1 to declare a financial exigency, allowing administrators to expedite layoffs of tenured faculty in the face of severe budget issues. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)
Erosion at the Anchor Point beach has grown worse since this photo was taken in April 2013 at the lower Cook Inlet community in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Charges against tractor launch operator could affect Anchor Point business

A charge against a tractor launch operation for disturbance of natural objects on Alaska State Park land at the Anchor Point beach has thrown into… Continue reading

Erosion at the Anchor Point beach has grown worse since this photo was taken in April 2013 at the lower Cook Inlet community in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Measles case confirmed in Soldotna

A single case of measles in Soldotna was confirmed by Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services last Tuesday, July 16, according to an announcement… Continue reading

A de Havilland Beaver aircraft floats upside down near the mouth of Tutka Bay, across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska, on Friday, July 19, 2019. The plane had an accident during takeoff with seven people on board. (Photo courtesy Robert Williams)

Anchorage flying service suspends operations after fatal floatplane accident near Homer

A Maryland man is dead and his child is in critical condition

A de Havilland Beaver aircraft floats upside down near the mouth of Tutka Bay, across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska, on Friday, July 19, 2019. The plane had an accident during takeoff with seven people on board. (Photo courtesy Robert Williams)
Courtesy Eastern Area Incident Management Team A map of the Swan Lake Fire as of Monday.

Swan Lake Fire growth stalls, crews near containment goals

The fire is approximately 102,027 acres.

Courtesy Eastern Area Incident Management Team A map of the Swan Lake Fire as of Monday.
A de Havilland Beaver aircraft floats upside down near the mouth of Tutka Bay, across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska, on Friday, July 19, 2019. The plane had an accident during takeoff with seven people on board. (Photo courtesy Robert Williams)

1 killed in Tutka Bay plane accident; child in critical condition

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Joseph Patanella’s last name, which was previously spelled wrong in an Alaska State… Continue reading

A de Havilland Beaver aircraft floats upside down near the mouth of Tutka Bay, across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska, on Friday, July 19, 2019. The plane had an accident during takeoff with seven people on board. (Photo courtesy Robert Williams)
Crime

Anchorage woman arrested in Anchor Point shooting

An Anchorage woman has been arrested for allegedly shooting a man in the Anchor Point area earlier this week, according to Alaska State Troopers. The… Continue reading