The Juneau Access Project envisions 50 more miles of road up Lynn Canal to a ferry terminal closer to the road system. It has divided the Juneau community for decades and faces significant opposition from other southeast cities including Haines and Skagway. Alaska Gov. Bill Walker pulled the plug on the $574 million project last month.
Jacob Resneck, CoastAlaska
Jacob Resneck is CoastAlaska's regional news director based in Juneau. CoastAlaska is our partner in Southeast Alaska. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences.
Vote postponed over Juneau’s controversial ‘camping ordinance’
The Juneau Assembly heard more than 90 minutes of testimony from dozens of residents including merchants, social workers and homeless people themselves who all agreed on one thing: Juneau has a serious homeless problem. But speakers had radically different viewpoints.
ACLU: Juneau’s proposed ‘anti-camping’ law could be unconstitutional
Juneau Mayor Ken Koelsch introduced the ordinance following complaints from merchants that the numbers sleeping in front of doorways was hurting commerce in Juneau’s historic downtown.The ACLU of Alaska’s urges Juneau Mayor Ken Koelsch to reconsider his position saying criminalizing homelessness is unconstitutional.
Juneau Assembly to weigh in on ‘the road’
Boosters of the road say they remain committed to pushing for better Juneau access. The proposed resolution will be a test of the Juneau Assembly’s support for the politically divisive project.
Gastineau Apartments lawsuit headed to trial
It’s been nearly a year since the City and Borough of Juneau demolished the Gastineau Apartments. Now the city is taking the owners to court to recoup some of the $1.4 million spent tearing it down.
Could ticketing the homeless help downtown Juneau?
The Juneau Police Department says that under the proposed ordinance anyone caught camping downtown who refuses to move could be arrested for disorderly conduct – a jailable offense.
Bartlett hospital reaches agreement with union
The Juneau Assembly will be asked next week to approve $3.06 million in pay increases for employees at Bartlett Regional Hospital. That’s after the city-owned hospital’s board of directors approved a tentative agreement with its unionized workforce after more than a year of negotiations that ended with the help of federal mediators.
Juneau’s legislators talk fiscal crisis with Assembly
Juneau’s state legislative delegation told a half-dozen members of the Juneau Assembly on Thursday morning that the state’s budget outlook isn’t rosy. Democratic Sen. Dennis Egan said there are real risks to middle-class public sector jobs under threat by budget cuts.
Centennial Hall to host annual legislative reception
The 32nd annual Legislative Welcome Reception will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall. The event is free and The Prospector Hotel will provide food.
Juneau Assembly pushes sales tax exemption for cruise ships
The Juneau mayor’s tax initiative will certainly be welcomed by the cruise line industry which says its passengers pay nearly $8 million in sales tax while onshore in Juneau but has historically not paid sales tax for goods and services sold aboard its vessels.