Opinion Archives - Juneau Empire

Woven Peoples and Place: Hold onto the rope when the wind blows hard

none — Wed, 27 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Introducing the third edition of Woven Peoples and Place

OPINION: Goldbelt’s vision – A future that works for all of Juneau

none — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Goldbelt wants to help build a future where families choose to stay in Juneau

OPINION: The art of losing

none — Sun, 31 May 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Donald Trump cannot recognize a losing hand

Gimme a Smile: Summer vacation through the ages

none — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Ah, summer vacation! Does it bring freedom or ever more stress? That depends on where you fall on the summer vacation space/time continuum.

OPINION: Repealing ranked-choice voting will help restore public trust

none — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:30:00 +0000

Ranked choice voting forces voters into a confusing process that many people do not fully understand

I Went to the Woods: The weight of waiting

none — Thu, 28 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000

I had arrived at the moment of fleeting clarity. The boat ramp ended where the bottom flattened and with 160 pounds of concrete, my skiff would not float clear of the trailer. I pushed to no avail. Do I back out, cut my losses and wait for the tide to continue to drop, pause, then rise? That would be two more hours. I was ready to get out to our lot and start some real construction on our remote cabin.

LETTER: In search of Alaska’s silence

none — Sat, 30 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

The shop near my London flat sells Scottish salmon under a light that makes it look fresher than it is. I buy it. It is fine. Now and then they carry Alaska salmon, and I notice the price first, the distance second: thousands of miles and a markup riding along with them. I usually put it back. Paying a stranger to ship me something I once had for free feels like pretending. Up there the sea was close enough that the fish still tasted of where it came from. I miss it, and the closeness that made it ordinary.

MY TURN: Focus on issues important to Juneau, not personal attacks

none — Sat, 30 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

You need to respect individuals’ right and commitment to put their ideas before the community

OPINION: How a riot became a Republican revenue stream

none — Mon, 25 May 2026 14:30:00 +0000

$10 billion Trump lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax information has morphed into an “anti-weaponization” fund

OPINION: Iran conflict a threat to Alaska’s oil supply

none — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:30:00 +0000

Alaska remains vulnerable because we lack sufficient in-state refining capacity to meet many of our own needs

OPINION: Senate must fix California law that is hurting Alaska

none — Sat, 23 May 2026 15:30:00 +0000

As inflation sweeps through the Alaska economy, residents are desperate for relief – from gas to the grocery store. Fortunately, help could be on the way via the 2026 Farm Bill. The legislation passed the House in April and now awaits sign-off from the Senate.

MY TURN: Clean up yesterday’s mine before permitting tomorrow’s

none — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:30:00 +0000

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MY TURN: The cost of turning Southeast Alaska into an industrial tourism corridor

none — Sat, 23 May 2026 21:30:00 +0000

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MY TURN: 1% seasonal sales tax would provide boost to recreation in Juneau

none — Fri, 22 May 2026 18:30:00 +0000

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MY TURN: Science on Alaskan fisheries must adapt — not disappear

none — Sun, 17 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

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I Went to the Woods: Finding time for the best days of our lives

none — Sat, 16 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000

For the second day in a row, a student shared a steelhead photo with me between classes. These aren’t the sons of guides or the next generation of angling influencers. They are honest kids who went to road system rivers by themselves because they felt like it.

OPINION: Defacing Juneau’s history doesn’t defend humanity

none — Wed, 13 May 2026 19:45:00 +0000

New Office Building in the Treadwell Mine Historic Park in Douglas painted with political graffiti

OPINION: What! They don’t pay taxes?

none — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Hilcorp, in acquiring BP’s Alaska assets, follows a record of cooperation with our state government that by working together each will formulate a tax solution that will be instrumental in the continued development of Alaska’s energy industry.

OPINION: A ballroom for Trump, the bill for taxpayers

none — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000

A vote by Sullivan, Murkowski, and Begich for the ballroom is a vote against the people

OPINION: The nuclear question Republicans refuse to ask

none — Wed, 13 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

If even a fraction of the medical warnings about Donald Trump are true, silence is no longer prudence. It is negligence.