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NOTN- The Salvation Army in Juneau is gearing up for a busy holiday season that includes Christmas food boxes, and the annual Angel Tree and Red Kettle programs.
Major Peter Janousek said the organization is continuing its Angel Tree program, which provides gifts to children from families who may be struggling this holiday season.
“The Angel Tree program is designed for families with low income or those who struggle to get gifts for their children.” Said Janousek.
Parents can apply online at saangeltree.org. Community members can pick up anonymous gift tags at Fred Meyer, Western Auto Marine, First Bank’s valley branch and the Mendenhall Mall, then return purchased items to the drop sites.
Those gifts will be distributed Dec. 20.
Holiday food boxes will also be available, containing a full Christmas dinner including ham or turkey.
“Fair to say that I’m not American. We came from the Czech Republic, so our traditional dinner is absolutely different.” Said Janousek, ” It is in partnership with Women of the Moose Club, it’s a thing which has been done many years. And last year, when I saw it for the first time, I was amazed. It’s like very well oiled machine. The distribution day is amazing, when people come, and they can collect all those things, and they are thankful, it’s great.”
The Salvation Army is also seeking volunteers for its Red Kettle bell-ringing campaign, which runs starting today until December 24, at stores throughout Juneau, including Foodland, Safeway, Fred Meyer and Super Bear.
“People can register to ring at the web page, which is registertoring.com, and they just need to put Juneau, and then they will see the schedule for all those places, and they can find an empty spot. Sign up for 2,4,6, or 8, hour shifts if they want to, and we will do all the rest.” Janousek said.
The organization emphasized that these initiatives rely on the generosity and volunteerism of the local Juneau community to make the holidays brighter for everyone.
AP- Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year’s holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday — spending billions of dollars both in stores and online.
Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute.
Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said.
Meanwhile, software company Salesforce — which tracks digital spending from a range of retailers, including grocers — estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally. And e-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute — with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company.
Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 4.1% from a year ago. The retail sales indicator, which is not adjusted for inflation, showed online sales jumped by double digits (10.4%), while in-store purchases inched up 1.7%.
Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said consumers are “navigating an uncertain environment” this holiday season “by shopping early, leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-list items.”
Black Friday is far from the sales event that created midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem just decades ago. More and more consumers have instead turned to online deals to make post-Thanksgiving purchases from the comfort of their own homes — or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions now offered by retailers.
In-store traffic has dwindled over the years. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% compared to 2024. Still, the firm noted that was “notably better” than a sharper 6.2% decline it saw in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, found that in-store retail visits dipped 2.1% — but said that was in line with expectations and trends already seen this year. Traffic over the week of Black Friday was up nearly 57% compared to the week prior, per Sensormatic.
“Black Friday has really turned into like a full week event, or even further,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. And “Black Friday is really the start of just a really and critical stretch for retailers,” he added — noting that the weekend following Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmas next month, will also be some of the busiest in terms of in-store traffic.
Meanwhile, in terms of e-commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday — before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday, which would mark yet another record.
Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. U.S. President Donald Trump’s barrage of tariffs on foreign imports have strained businesses and households alike over the last year. And despite spending more overall, Salesforce found U.S. shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday (down 2% from last year). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firm noted, as average selling prices climbed 7%.
This year’s holiday spending rush arrives amid heightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs, workers across public and private sectors are also struggling with anxieties over job security — amid both corporate layoffs and the after-effects of the 43-day government shutdown.
An uptick in budget-conscious behavior can also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes — and “consumers are thinking a little bit harder about their purchases” this year, he explains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”
For the November-December holiday season overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S. shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion for the first time this year. But the rate of growth is slowing — with an anticipated increase of 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holiday season.
At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies on other short-term loans have been rising. And more and more shoppers are turning to “buy now, pay later” plans, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items.
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Developers’ efforts to overturn the cancellation of a vast gold and copper mine planned for southwest Alaska are getting a boost from national mining and pro-business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
On Nov. 24 and Nov. 25, the Chamber and the National Mining Association filed separate friend-of-the-court briefs in the lawsuit brought by the developers of the proposed Pebble Mine against the Environmental Protection Agency, which vetoed the mine.
Neither group has intervened in the case against the EPA, but the briefs represent the groups’ support for the proposed mine and offer legal arguments that Judge Sharon Gleason could consider as she debates whether to move the project forward.
In 2023, the EPA invoked a rarely used “veto” clause of the Clean Water Act to say that there was no way that the proposed Pebble Mine could be developed without significant harm to the environment. The large mineral deposit is located at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, the most abundant sockeye salmon fishery in the world.
The administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy, which supports the project, and the proposed mine’s developers, filed separate lawsuits in federal court to overturn the rejection, as did two Native corporations that work as contractors for the developers. Those cases have since been combined.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case directly, which has left the issue in front of Judge Sharon Gleason in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
Another lawsuit filed by the state claims that if the veto is upheld, the federal government will owe Alaska $700 billion, the state’s estimate for the value of the mine if built as planned. That case has been put on hold until the District Court rules.
In July, the administration of President Donald Trump indicated that it might try to settle the suit and withdraw the veto. If that occurs, it could come before Jan. 2, when the EPA is slated to file a written response to the plaintiffs’ motions for summary judgment.
If the EPA continues to fight the case, the last written arguments are scheduled to be finished by the end of February. Any oral argument would take place afterward.
If the federal government drops the case, it doesn’t mean a free path for Pebble: Several environmental organizations, fishing groups, tribal organizations and Bristol Bay locals have also intervened in the case and intend to fight in court.
The Alaska Legislature is also expected to consider a bill that would block both Pebble and any successor projects that might emerge.
In its brief, the National Mining Association — joined by the American Exploration and Mining Association and the Alaska Miners Association — call the EPA’s veto “overly broad” and say that if it is upheld, the act “will almost certainly chill investment in domestic mining activities” because other proposed mines could also be subject to a veto.
The Chamber of Commerce, which has backed the Pebble Mine project since at least 2022, said that if the veto is upheld, it has the potential of encouraging other vetoes, which would “disrupt important industries in which many of the Chamber’s members participate.”
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Sydney Sweeney has nothing to hide.
Shortly after sitting down to discuss a myriad of topics, from plastic surgery to controversy, she stepped out onto the red carpet.
Her ensemble is flawless. Her look is bold and stunning.
And the gown itself is fully see-through.
Sydney Sweeney stuns in a sheer silver gown
Recently, Sydney Sweeney walked the red carpet at Variety‘s 2025 Power of Women event.
This was her most jaw-dropping red carpet look, ever.
Sweeney wore a floor-length Christian Cowan silver gown.
The ensemble hugged the actress’ phenomenal curves, accentuating the effect with a cinched waist.
The gown itself was silver, and completely sheer.
Obviously, Sweeney has worn less for the camera — but only when she is filming, from intimate scenes on Euphoria to (even) more traumatic moments in Immaculate.
But this is a bold and inspiring look for the red carpet. She looks incredible and she knows it.
Over the years, Sweeney’s body has made her a target for critics and for some deeply weird people.
To be blunt, she is extremely good-looking.
Some people simply refuse to be normal about her. It’s like something in their brains short-circuits when they see her, and not in the sensible, horny way. More like a vindictive lobotomy.
Her speech is, dare we say it, even more worthy of your attention
Speaking of being weird about Sydney Sweeney, she had more to share than her jaw-droppingly gorgeous ensemble on Wednesday night.
She addressed how she is too often “underestimated” in the entertainment industry.
“I know what it feels like … to have people define you before you’ve had a chance to define yourself,” she acknowledged to attendees.
“I know what it feels like to have to prove that you deserve to be here,” she continued.
Sweeney has had to prove herself repeatedly in order “to be seen, to be taken seriously.”
“Every one of us has our own fight,” Sweeney continued in her speech, which she shared to Instagram.
“Strength doesn’t look loud sometimes,” she suggested.
“And sometimes it’s about getting up again and again,” Sweeney emphasized, “no matter who is watching.”
She went on to conclude with advise to women to never “shrink themselves” for the benefit of others.
Sweeney encouraged women to embrace that their “power is already within.” That’s good! A little self-help in terms of vibes, but otherwise very good!
Her speech came with a dedication
By the way, Sydney Sweeney dedicated her powerful speech to boxer Christy Martin.
As we know, she portrayed the sports legend in the recent Christy biopic.
She also dedicated her speech to “all the women who inspire us in big and small ways.”
That is much more vague — but is also conveniently inclusive.
We’ll admit that many people probably never listened to the speech, and only paid attention to her mind-breakingly gorgeous red carpet look. We suspect that Sweeney knew this already.
Sydney Sweeney Breaks Minds in See-Through Silver Gown was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Ariande Grande has an important message to send.
To fans. To followers. To pretty much everyone out there.
The actress and singer seemingly addressed ongoing body-shaming remarks late this past week by revisiting a note she shared amid the press tour for the first Wicked movie nearly one year ago.
“Resharing this from last year,” Grande wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories November 29, “as a loving reminder to all.”
Along with these words, the 32-year old posted numerous clips from a 2024 interview in which she explained how she deals with unsolicited commentary about her appearance.
“I’ve been a specimen in a Petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17, you know?” Grande begins in the footage.
“So I have heard it all. I heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons — from what you’re wearing, to your body, to your face, to your everything.”
The Wicked: For Good superstar went on to say that she feels as though saying things about other people’s bodies is normalized in our culture… despite the fact that it can cause real harm.
“There’s a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on other’s looks, [their] appearance, what [we] think is going on behind the scenes or [their] health … It’s like, that is something that is uncomfortable and horrible, no matter where it’s happening, no matter the scale that it’s happening on,” she said in this interview.
Later in the interview, the artist — who has often had to blast body-shamers — said she thinks the phenomenon is “dangerous,” while also stating that she feels “lucky” to have a strong support system behind her amid her rise to stardom.
“I think that I’m really lucky to have the support system that I have, and to just know and trust that I’m beautiful, you know?” Grande said.
“But I do know what the pressure of that noise feels like. It’s been a resident in my life since I was 17. And I just don’t invite it in anymore. It’s not welcome … I just don’t invite it in anymore … I have work to do. I have a life to live. I have friends to love on. I have so much love.”
Grande may be done with music forever. Or at least a VERY long time.
She recently admitted that dealing with the pressures that come with her status has presented challenges for her in the past.
“Until quite recently, it was really hard for me to navigate,” Ariana told The New York Times in an interview published Nov. 5. “And I think it stripped a lot of joy out of this for me.”
In April 2023, meanwhile, Grande posted a rare, three-minute confessional on TikTok in which she addressed comments about her body.
“There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. And personally, for me, the body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body,” she said back then.
“I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that, in fact, wasn’t my healthy…
“The second thing is you never know what someone is going through, so even if you’re coming from a loving place or a caring place, that person probably is working on it or has a support system that they’re working on it with. You never know, so be gentle with each other and yourselves.”
Ariana Grande Issues “Loving Reminder” in Wake of Body-Shaming Criticism was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip