Lisa Phu, KTOO - Juneau
Lisa Phu is a reporter at KTOO in Juneau.
New UAS Dorm Provides Housing for About 100 Freshmen
Classes for the fall semester started Tuesday at University of Alaska Southeast. More than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students are currently enrolled at the university’s Juneau campus. About a hundred freshmen have settled into campus life at UAS’s new residence hall. The $14.3 million facility opened at the end of August.
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Investigation Finds 7 High Schoolers Responsible for Hazing
After concluding an investigation into an alleged hazing incident, the Juneau School District has identified seven high school seniors who participated in the paddling of six incoming freshmen. The incident took place shortly after school ended in May.
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Tlingit-Haida and State Sign Agreement to Improve Relationship
Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and the State of Alaska signed a Memorandum of Agreement yesterday signifying a new level of communication and cooperation.
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Juneau Entrepreneurs Bring Basil To the Masses
Its prime time for gardens in Alaska and there are plenty of plants and veggies that thrive this far north. Basil, though, is not one of them - it needs more heat and sun - two things that are especially hard to find in the Southeast rainforest of Juneau. But two local guys have figured out a unique way to bring basil to the masses.
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A Partnership of Language and Love: Reflecting on The Life of Dick Dauenhauer
Russian Orthodox funeral services are pending for former Alaska poet laureate Richard Dauenhauer who died Tuesday. Dauenhauer was known for many things, including poetry, translation and teaching. He was also the husband of Tlingit scholar and Alaska writer laureate Nora Marks Dauenhauer. For more than 40 years, they had a partnership of marriage and scholarship.
Tlingit Expert, Linguist and Writer Dies at 72
Tlingit expert, linguist and award winning writer Richard Dauenhauer passed away Tuesday morning at Bartlett Regional Hospital. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about a month ago. Dauenhauer was 72 years old.
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State Has No Plans, Funds to Replace Steel Float in Gustavus
The million dollar steel float in Gustavus was less than two years old when a storm ripped it from its piling in January. Seven months later, the state still doesn’t know what caused the failure and doesn’t have funds to replace it.
Juneau School District Brings In Attorney to Investigate Hazing Allegations
The Juneau School District is conducting an independent third party investigation into an alleged hazing incident that took place two days after school ended in May.
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State Lacks Plans, Funds to Replace Steel Float in Gustavus
The million dollar steel float in Gustavus was less than two years old when a storm ripped it from its piling in January. Seven months later, the state still doesn’t know what caused the failure and doesn’t have funds to replace it.
Juneau Whale Watching Captain Arrested for Allegedly Driving Boat Intoxicated
A text message from a whale watching boat in Juneau has led to the arrest of the captain on board. Lawrence Dupler, 67, was arrested today for allegedly driving a 52-foot tour boat while intoxicated.
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Former Haines Exchange Student Now Living In War Zone
Just days after exchange student Haytham Mohanna made the long journey from Southeast Alaska to his home in the Gaza Strip, the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated into war.
Haytham lived and studied in Haines through a U.S. Department of State program that brings students from Muslim countries to America.
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Troopers Investigate Inmate Overdose at Juneau Prison
Two male inmates at Juneau’s Lemon Creek Correctional Center overdosed on drugs last week. Both men survived and are still in custody.
Now, the Department of Corrections and the Alaska State Troopers are investigating what happened.
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Eight-Year-Old Busks For A Cause
One of Juneau’s youngest buskers is raising money this week for a good cause. Elementary school student Sophia Nylen can sometimes be seen playing her violin in downtown Juneau with an open violin case to collect money. This week, all proceeds will go to the family that lost their Twin Lakes home to a fire on Friday.
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SEARHC to Receive $53 Million Settlement from Federal Government
The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium will receive a $53 million settlement from Indian Health Service for about fifteen years of unpaid contract costs.
Now SEARHC president and CEO Charles Clement hopes the federal agency will continue to pay its bills.
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Why Juneau Should Be Next For Housing First
Momentum is building in the capital city to provide housing for the homeless who suffer from substance abuse.
Housing First is based on the idea that the homeless can’t deal with problems like alcoholism and medical issues until they have a permanent place to live.
Anchorage and Fairbanks have Housing First facilities. In Juneau, some non-profit organizations, city officials, and legislators think it’s a good idea.
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Japanese Fishermen Visit Alaska for Ideas on Sustainability
A group of Japanese fishermen is touring the Northwest United States to get an education in fisheries. The group’s first stop was Juneau where they toured the hatchery at DIPAC Monday morning.
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In Transition: When a Family of Five Calls One Room Home
Juneau charity organization St. Vincent de Paul has a record high number of people staying in its transitional housing shelter. Usually, around 55 people live in the 26 units. At the moment, there are 66 occupants, almost half are children.
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AK: Bear Aware
For naturalist Steve Merli, bear education isn’t just about staying alive. The way he sees it, knowing how to behave in bear country allows Alaskans to explore wilderness more deeply.
Merli works with Discovery Southeast, a Juneau organization that connects kids with nature programs.
Earlier this month, KTOO’s Lisa Phu joined campers for a lesson that had some questioning their assumptions about bear encounters.
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TODAY Show Live From Juneau
About 1,500 people showed up for an early morning live broadcast of the TODAY Show from Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier. They waved signs, cheered and waited hours for a chance to be on national TV for a few seconds.
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TODAY Show to Broadcast Live from Mendenhall Glacier
The NBC TODAY Show will broadcast live from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center early Thursday morning. Juneau residents are invited to attend.
TODAY’s Natalie Morales will host a portion of the show from the visitor center pavilion from 3 to 6 a.m. to air live on the East Coast.