Alaska

A copy of Slim Randles’ “The Long Dark: An Alaska Winter’s Tale” is held on Wednesday, April 27, 2024, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: Turning new pages

Refined approach to book buying brings out unique Alaska stories

 

A copy of Tom Kizzia’s “Cold Mountain Path” rests on a table on Thursday in Juneau. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: Ghosts come alive in Kizzia’s ‘Cold Mountain Path’

From boomtown to abandoned, the town of McCarthy sets the stage for a compelling narrative

 

A copy of Jennifer Brice’s “Another North: Essays” rests on a desk inside the Peninsula Clarion offices on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 in Kenai, AK. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: Meditations on middle age

“Another North” shares lifetime of experiences through personal narratives

 

A copy of Jay Hammond's "Diapering The Devil: A Lesson for Oil Rich Nations" is held outside the Peninsula Clarion office on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: Unfinished Hammond manuscript is biting origin story of Alaska Permanent Fund

When, in 2020, I considered moving to Alaska, there was no shortage of online forums, Reddit threads and other resources ready to answer everything I… Continue reading

A copy of Jay Hammond's "Diapering The Devil: A Lesson for Oil Rich Nations" is held outside the Peninsula Clarion office on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A copy of William L. Iġġiaġruk Hensley’s “Fifty Miles from Tomorrow” is held outside the Peninsula Clarion building on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: A powerful record of Alaska Native advocacy

In “Fifty Miles From Tomorrow,” William L. Hensley divulges a lifetime worth of insight into both his childhood in the northwest Arctic and his decades of service as an unwavering champion of Alaska Native rights

A copy of William L. Iġġiaġruk Hensley’s “Fifty Miles from Tomorrow” is held outside the Peninsula Clarion building on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A copy of Sherry Simpson’s “The Way Winter Comes” is held in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Off the Shelf: Inhabited by winter

Juneau writer spins haunting tales of Alaska’s darkest season in 1998 short story collection

A copy of Sherry Simpson’s “The Way Winter Comes” is held in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Image via Amazon.com

Off the Shelf: Alaska rom-com is a not-so-guilty pleasure

From the start, the story has the same allure of a Hallmark Christmas movie

Image via Amazon.com
Photo via Amazon.com

Off the Shelf: Majestic landscape marred by narrow perspective

John Muir’s classic “Travels in Alaska” juxtaposes beauty with a writer’s disconcerting bias

Photo via Amazon.com
The Pacific Spaceport Complex- Alaska is Alaska’s only spaceport, located near Kodiak, Alaska. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Aerospace Corporation)

Eyes on the stars: Launches continue as Alaska’s spaceport thinks expansion

Next week will see one of the six launches that was initially scheduled for 2020.

The Pacific Spaceport Complex- Alaska is Alaska’s only spaceport, located near Kodiak, Alaska. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Aerospace Corporation)
University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen makes a presentation to the university’s Board of Regents at the UAS Recreation Center on Sept. 15, 2016. A declaration of financial exigency that would have allowed University of Alaska to make drastic cuts was rescinded Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

University of Alaska rescinds emergency financial declaration

The financial picture still isn’t rosy.

University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen makes a presentation to the university’s Board of Regents at the UAS Recreation Center on Sept. 15, 2016. A declaration of financial exigency that would have allowed University of Alaska to make drastic cuts was rescinded Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, speaks against an override vote during a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature to vote on an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Legislators use ‘symbolic’ vote to deliver verbal smackdown to vetoes

The vote failed, but they said a lot.

Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, speaks against an override vote during a Joint Session of the Alaska Legislature to vote on an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire House Finance Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, and Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome, listen to testimony on Tuesday at the Capitol about how Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes will effect local communities around the state.

Even ‘right-leaning’ groups, bankers and builders are calling for an override

They had one message to the governor.

Michael Penn | Juneau Empire House Finance Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, and Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome, listen to testimony on Tuesday at the Capitol about how Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes will effect local communities around the state.
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire Ron Lumba, of the Alaska State Capitol’s maintenance staff, adds the Majority Leader plate to the front of the office of Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, on the first day of the Second Special Session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau on Monday.

Special session starts with a manic Monday

All roads — and planes — may lead to Wednesday.

Michael Penn | Juneau Empire Ron Lumba, of the Alaska State Capitol’s maintenance staff, adds the Majority Leader plate to the front of the office of Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, on the first day of the Second Special Session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau on Monday.
Judy Cavanaugh stands with others at a rally against the Pebble Mine in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Juneau office on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Rally asks senators to stop permit process funding

Public comment period ends in days.

Judy Cavanaugh stands with others at a rally against the Pebble Mine in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Juneau office on Tuesday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
This map shows the varying levels of drought in Southeast Alaska, as of the week of June 6, 2019.The red portion of the map indicates extreme drought, dark orange indicates severe drought, light orange indicates moderate drought and yellow indicates abnormally dry conditions. (Courtesy Photo | U.S. Drought Monitor)

Southeast experiencing rare drought

The entirety of Southeast Alaska is in some state of drought.

This map shows the varying levels of drought in Southeast Alaska, as of the week of June 6, 2019.The red portion of the map indicates extreme drought, dark orange indicates severe drought, light orange indicates moderate drought and yellow indicates abnormally dry conditions. (Courtesy Photo | U.S. Drought Monitor)
A Coast Guard Station Ketchikan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew searches for survivors from downed aircraft in the vicinity of George Inlet near Ketchikan, Monday. The Coast Guard, Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad, good Samaritans and multiple other agencies have searched extensively and continue to search for survivors from the crash. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)

Investigators turn to wreckage and passengers for answers

The injured are recuperating and the investigation continues .

A Coast Guard Station Ketchikan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew searches for survivors from downed aircraft in the vicinity of George Inlet near Ketchikan, Monday. The Coast Guard, Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad, good Samaritans and multiple other agencies have searched extensively and continue to search for survivors from the crash. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)
LGBTQ equal rights bill unlikely to advance any further this year

LGBTQ equal rights bill unlikely to advance any further this year

Alaska could be 23rd state to ban discrimination.

LGBTQ equal rights bill unlikely to advance any further this year
Measles could be getting off the boat in Juneau

Measles could be getting off the boat in Juneau

Rash-causing virus is the most prevalent it’s been in 25 years.

Measles could be getting off the boat in Juneau
Students strike against climate change

Students strike against climate change

Juneau high schoolers hope policy changes faster than the climate does.

Students strike against climate change
Amy Herrick, manager at the Alaskan Kush Company downtown retail store, talks about the possibility of opening an onsite consumption space on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Smoke ‘em if you bought ‘em:

Juneau marijuana retailers would like to offer smoking space

Amy Herrick, manager at the Alaskan Kush Company downtown retail store, talks about the possibility of opening an onsite consumption space on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)