Casey Kelly

Juneau’s Empty Chair statue has been honored as one of 31 outstanding public art projects created in 2014 by the nonprofit Americans for the Arts.

The bulk of that is $500,000 for the Juneau School District, bringing the amount of city’s local contribution to schools for the current year to the maximum allowed under state law.

A federal judge has awarded Juneau $1.2 million in the city’s lawsuit against Aparc, but it’s unlikely the city will see any of that money.

Owners James and Camilla Barrett have said they plan to tear down the apartments, but progress has been slow.

Starting next summer, the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau will increase its entry fee and start charging for use of nearby trails and amenities.

“She remains protective of her cubs and should be given plenty of space,” says Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Director John Neary.

Lawmakers last month approved a $5 billion budget that only provides $2 billion in funding.

Parents and the media will continue to be notified of threatening phone calls to schools, but the superintendent says authorities believe the recent spike is being perpetrated by someone seeking attention.

Fire Marshal Dan Jager says many Juneau firefighters were at a training exercise when the call came in. “So we could see the huge, dark, black column of smoke from quite a ways out of town,” he said.