Snow reports yesterday, photo courtesy of the National Weather Service Juneau
NOTN- City and Borough of Juneau facilities and offices will be closed today as hazardous road and weather conditions persist following about 6-7 inches of additional snowfall in some areas of Juneau yesterday, with exceptions for Downtown Juneau, West Juneau and South Douglas, who, according to reports saw 11-12 inches, 9.5 inches, and 9 inches of snowfall respectively.
Juneau School District schools will also be closed and the UAS campus will be operating remotely.
City officials urged residents to stay off the roads for their own safety and to allow snow removal crews to continue their work as efficiently as possible. While facilities are closed to the public, CBJ staff will continue providing services remotely where feasible.
The closure affects all Juneau Public Libraries and the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, as well as all Parks and Recreation facilities.
Capital Transit will continue operating on winter routes. Riders are encouraged to check service updates at juneaucapitaltransit.org.
City officials said they are assessing the roofs of city-owned facilities and will continue monitoring storm and road conditions, sharing updates as they become available.
Kim Kovol has accepted a job with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced last week. Her last day working for the state was on Friday, and Tracy Dompeling, the department’s deputy commissioner, assumed the role of acting commissioner, the statement said.
The department’s primary divisions are the Division of Juvenile Justice, the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, the Alaska Pioneer Homes and the Office of Children’s Services.
Kovol was the first commissioner of the Department of Family and Community Services, which was created in 2022. Up to then, its functions were part of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Through an executive order, Dunleavy split that department into two: the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services.
In his statement, Dunleavy said Kovol was a “strong and dedicated leader” for the redesigned department. “As the first Commissioner of DFCS, she built a foundation focused on service, accountability, and support for Alaska’s most vulnerable populations. I thank her for her service and wish her every success in this next role,” he said.
Kovol said she was honored to have served in that role. “I am incredibly grateful to the staff, partners, and communities who have supported our work. Together, we have made meaningful progress for Alaska families, youth, and elders, and I will always be proud of what we have accomplished,” she said in the statement.
Kim Kovol, the first commissioner of the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services. The department was created in 2022 when the Department of Health and Social Services was divided into two entities: the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services. Kovol’s last day working for the state was Jan. 2. She has taken a job with the U.S. Department of Health and Social Services. (Photo provided by the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services)
Kovol is the second Alaska department head to leave state service to join the Trump administration. Almost a year ago, Emma Pokon left her position as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to become the Pacific Northwest regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Dunleavy in May chose Randy Bates to be the department’s new commissioner. Bates was formerly director of DEC’s Division of Water.
With Kovol’s departure, there are now five state departments with leaders who currently lack legislative approval.
In addition to Bates, Dunleavy has named commissioner-designees for the Department of Law and the Department of Natural Resources. Dunleavy in August named Stephen Cox, a former U.S. attorney in Texas, as Alaska’s attorney general, replacing Treg Taylor, a Republican who is running for governor.
Dunleavy also named John Crowther, a DNR veteran, as his choice to be permanent commissioner. Crowther became acting commissioner after John Boyle resigned from the position in October.
Bates, Cox and Crowther are subject to legislative confirmation after lawmakers convene later this month for their 2026 session.
The state Department of Revenue is currently being led by an acting commissioner, Janelle Earls, who assumed the job in August after Adam Crum left the commissioner post. Crum is another Republican candidate for governor.
Dunleavy has not yet named his choices for the commissioner posts at the Department of Revenue or the Department of Family and Community Services, said Jeff Turner, the governor’s spokesperson. Earls and Dompeling are currently acting commissioners and it is not clear whether the governor will name commissioner-designees for those positions, he said.
Dunleavy is in the last year of his second term. He is term limited and may not run for reelection.
CBJ- New snowfall, warming temperatures and high winds in the forecast are elevating avalanche risk in all known slide paths (see map).
This is not an evacuation advisory; however, conditions can change quickly and with little warning. CBJ will send out an emergency alert if an evacuation advisory is called. CBJ is prepositioning resources to prepare for potential emergency sheltering (Centennial Hall) as well as additional response resources should they be required.
DOT&PF reminds drivers to use caution while travelling on Thane Road and not to stop in the known avalanche zone.
CBJ will continue issue alerts like these if conditions worsen or major changes are observed. You can find current hazard levels at bit.ly/CBJavalanche.
This is not an evacuation advisory. Residents should know their risk, remain alert, have a go-bag ready, prepare household evacuation plans and stay signed up for emergency alerts.
For questions contact emergencyresponse@juneau.gov.
NOTN- Juneau schools and City and Borough of Juneau offices will be closed today as a winter storm warning takes effect earlier than expected, with forecasters calling for heavy snowfall and hazardous road conditions across much of Southeast Alaska.
The City and Borough of Juneau announced that all CBJ offices and the Juneau School District will be closed.
City staff will work remotely where possible and remain available by phone or email. Officials are urging residents to limit travel to allow snow removal crews to operate safely and efficiently.
According to the National Weather Service, snow is beginning this morning for much of Southeast, and intensifing through the afternoon, with peak snowfall around midday.
Updated forecasts issued late Sunday moved winter storm warnings up in time for Juneau, Pelican, Gustavus, Hoonah and Angoon.
The weather service said Juneau could see between 8 and 14 inches of snow by this evening, Snow is expected to start out light and fluffy before transitioning to wetter snow later tonight, meaning residents can shovel snow early before the snow becomes wet and dense.
City officials are encouraging residents to avoid unnecessary driving and to check road conditions if travel is unavoidable.
The Juneau Police Department is also asking the public to report slick intersections or dangerous road conditions to its non-emergency line.
Snow removal crews from CBJ Streets and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities have been working through the weekend to prepare for the storm.
Photo generously provided by Bartlett Regional Hospital and Ortega/Schroth family
BRH- Bartlett Regional Hospital welcomed a special delivery on January 3rd – the first baby born in 2026. Bjorn Schroth was born weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces and is 20.5 inches long. Bjorn is the first child of Annie Ortega and Austin Schroth of Juneau.
“The nurses are great and have been super helpful to us as new parents,” said Annie. “Before Bjorn was born, a coworker commented that his name was fitting of a boat captain, so to receive this handmade boat is really special,” said Austin.
Bartlett Beginnings gifted the family a handmade wooden rocking boat filled with newborn items. The family is the ninth recipient of what has become a Bartlett Beginnings tradition for the first baby of the year. The boat was made by Dr. Lindy Jones, an Emergency Department Physician at Bartlett, and his wife, Colleen Jones. This year’s boat is made from Sitka Spruce donated by Icy Straits Lumber in Hoonah.
With nearly 300 babies born a year at Bartlett, Bjorn is the first of many special lives to be welcomed at the hospital in 2026. To learn more about Bartlett Beginnings, please visit bartletthospital.org/services/birth-center.
The record-breaking winter storm has created a dangerous and unprecedented situation for Fairweather Equestrian Center, where 17 horses remain confined indoors.
There are fears that the weight of heavy snow could cause the large barn roof to collapse.
Kristina Friend, who owns horses at Fairweather Stables off Industrial Boulevard, said the ongoing snowfall has left her and other caretakers facing risks they have never encountered before in decades of keeping horses in Juneau.
“I’ve had horses here since the 90s, and we’ve never seen a situation like this.” Friend said, “Usually, our large metal roof slides frequently on its own. But so far, it has not let loose.”
Because of the buildup of snow on the roof, all rear stall doors leading to outdoor paddocks have been locked. Friend said allowing the horses outside could put them directly beneath the roof if it suddenly sheds snow, not only that, Friend says that when snow slides happen, the horses can get spooked, meaning the current safest place remains inside in their stalls.
“We don’t live somewhere that has another facility to house 17 horses, so it’s not really an option to get them out of here and move them somewhere else.” Said Friend, “We’re not able to go into our paddocks to remove the snow because of how large of a building it is, if it was to let loose, it would bury us like an avalanche. So we’re not able to safely get below it to release it, because the barn is 170 feet long and almost just as wide.”
Attempts to address the problem have included flying guide wires over the roof with a drone in hopes of pulling snow loose, but the efforts have so far failed. Caretakers are now renting industrial heaters to try to warm the building enough to encourage snow to slide, though Friend said the barn’s size makes success uncertain.
Friend said there is still a lack of expertise and safety equipment to allow anyone onto the roof.
“We have no way of getting on the roof safely.” Friend Said, “We don’t have any type of equipment for tying anybody down or climbing equipment or anything like that. There’s no way to be up there.”
Friend said the barn’s community has come together to ensure the horses continue to receive care.
“We have a group chat going all the time,” she said. “Everybody pitches in to help with everybody’s horses. So we were making it through. It’s just the stress, it’s not just people that are trapped and not able to get out.”
Friend hopes the community understands the seriousness of the situation and that additional expertise or equipment may help prevent the worst case scenario.
“We’re very concerned the roof could collapse.” Friend said, “It’s so difficult to ask for help because everybody is so stretched thin. We are trying all the suggestions that have been given. We’re just really worried about the horse’s safety and the people for that matter.”
Tyler rental has supplied the Stable with a lift, to remove snow from the roof.
CBJ- No significant new snowfall is expected until early next week. Avalanche risk remains elevated on Mount Juneau slide paths affecting the White Subdivision, Behrends Ave, and all neighborhoods below Mount Juneau.
This week’s historic storm has created conditions that may persist over an extended period, requiring continued awareness even without daily changes. Conditions can change quickly with little warning.
CBJ will send alerts if conditions worsen.
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF)’s avalanche hazard reduction work was completed yesterday morning.
Thane Road has reopened. DOT&PF reminds drivers not to stop in the avalanche zone and to use caution while travelling on Thane Road.
Moving forward CBJ will only issue alerts like these if conditions worsen or major changes are observed. The absence of an alert does not mean the hazard has diminished. You can find current hazard levels at bit.ly/CBJavalanche.
This is not an evacuation advisory. Residents should remain alert, have a go-bag ready, know their risk, and stay signed up for emergency alerts.
Photo courtesy of Docks and Harbors’ Facebook page
NOTN- Prolonged heavy snowfall and extreme winter conditions have sunk at least eight vessels in Juneau’s harbors, and have required urgent response from Docks and Harbors crews who say they are rapidly running out of resources as the storm continues.
City officials said three additional large vessels sank overnight, bringing the total number of boats lost during the storm to eight. Docks and Harbors officials said Dozens of other vessels have been saved through round-the-clock efforts by Docks and Harbors staff, and by quick action from fellow harbor users and boat owners.
Crews have been working nearly nonstop, deploying every available dewatering pump as heavy snow accumulation overwhelms vessels and dock infrastructure.
Despite those efforts, officials warned that conditions remain severe and that limited equipment and personnel are straining the response.
Juneau Docks and Harbors urged the public to report any vessel at risk of sinking. Harbor staff can be reached at 907-586-5255, and after hours, residents are asked to call the Juneau Police Department’s non-emergency line at 907-586-0600.
In response to the scale of the storm, Docks and Harbors is bringing back seasonal summer staff and has created short-term emergency employment positions to assist with snow removal.
“This is truly an all-hands-on-deck event,” officials said in a Facebook post, thanking harbor users and the Juneau community for their support.
Students begin their first day of school at the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy program at Harborview Elementary School in Juneau on Aug. 15, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
It was a difficult and consequential year for Alaska schools, educators and students.
While Alaska lawmakers passed the first significant education funding increase since 2011, the state rode a federal funding rollercoaster as funds were frozen, released, disputed and appealed.
Western Alaska students and families also endured the devastating storm disaster of Typhoon Halong. Hundreds of students, as well as teachers, were displaced from their homes and forced to move and adapt to new schools across the state.
Here are some of the top stories of the year:
A state education funding fight culminated when the Alaska State Legislature passed a historic override of a veto by Gov. Dunleavy to enact a boost to per student funding for K-12 schools in a one-day special session in August.
Education was the top priority of the Legislature and Gov. Dunleavy this year, and an embattled topic throughout the legislative session, with an ongoing dispute around funding for schools and education policy changes sought by the governor to address lagging school performance and test scores.
Gov. Dunleavy vetoed two education funding bills during the session, citing a lack of policy changes he favored to boost homeschool and charter school options, and address test scores. In April, he vetoed a bill increasing the BSA by $1,000, calling it a “joke” and insisting that policy changes be included. Legislators introduced and passed another bill increasing funding by $700 per student in late April. In an effort to compromise, they included many of the governor’s priority items, including charter school changes, incentives for reading programs, and establishing an education task force to recommend further education policy changes.
Sen. Loki Tobin, D-Anchorage, holds her hand to her chest on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, after the close vote on overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of education funding. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)
Dunleavy vetoed the education funding increase out of the final budget in June. The legislature came back in August to override the veto. It was the first time since 1987 that Alaska lawmakers have overridden an appropriations veto by a sitting governor.
School officials said the additional $50.3 million in per student funding, known as the base student allocation, is essential to help maintain class sizes, hire and retain teachers, and create stability for students.
“We’re extremely excited. A lot of our administrators were texting and very excited about getting it overturned today, so that made Valdez very happy,” said that city’s school superintendent, Jason Weber, in August after the veto override vote.
The Trump administration froze millions in funding for Alaska schools, later releasing some funds. But Alaska is also embroiled in an ongoing dispute with the U.S. Department of Education around impact aid, which could cost the state $80 million
Over the summer, as school districts grappled with uncertainty around a state funding increase, the Trump administration announced a freeze of over $46 million in funds for Alaska schools, including for instruction and migrant education programs, which support students who miss class due to seasonal work like fishing. The Anchorage, Fairbanks North Star Borough, and the Kuspuk school districts joined a nationwide lawsuit challenging the withholding of congressionally approved funds as unlawful.
“These are not extras. These are the programs that give our students a chance,” said Kuspuk School Superintendent Madeline Aguillard. “When the federal government walks away from its obligation, it is not a delay. It is denial. Denial of access. Denial of progress. Denial of the futures our students have a right to pursue.”
The empty playground at Pearl Creek Elementary School is seen on June 3, 2025. The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District decided to close the school at the end of the academic year. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
In late July, the federal government released $5 billion of the $6.8 billion in K-12 funding.
The state is involved in an ongoing dispute with the U.S. Department of Education, which claims the state has failed a disparity test – allowing no more than a 25% gap between the highest and lowest funded schools. The state has appealed the finding, with over $80 million in federal impact aid at stake. A decision is expected in 2026.
The Trump administration also froze more than $6 billion in congressionally-approved funding for adult education and workforce development funding in July. In Alaska, it prompted immediate cuts to programs and staff layoffs. The state had been awarded over $1.1 million in grants last year, and the frozen funds in July were a shock to programs and students that included GED classes, literacy and civic education, English language classes and workforce development.
Hundreds of students, as well as teachers, were displaced by the devastation of Typhoon Halong from Western Alaska and relocated to schools around the state.
The devastation of Typhoon Halong forced an estimated 2,000 residents to evacuate Western Alaska communities in the largest mass evacuation in state history, and education officials across districts worked quickly to re-enroll students and provide support services at schools across the state.
More than one hundred students relocated to Bethel, remaining in the regional hub of Western Alaska and the Lower Kuskokwim School District. An estimated 140 students enrolled in the Anchorage School District, which worked to keep storm displaced students together, including enrolling a number of students at the Yup’ik immersion program at College Gate Elementary School. ASD also provided transportation from emergency shelters, health services, meals and translation services for Yup’ik speaking families.
“They’re going through trauma and it’s going to take a lot of work. But we’re going to put that in, because these kids are worth it,” said Anchorage Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt at an Oct. 21 school board meeting. “And they deserve a wonderful education that we want to offer them, in ASD, for as long as they’d like to be here.”
Other students re-enrolled in schools where they relocated across the state, including in Nenana and Fairbanks areas, the Kenai Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna Valley Borough, as well as boarding schools like Mt Edgecumbe High School. Teachers and staff displaced by the storm also were re-assigned, with the majority staying in the Lower Kuskokwim School District, according to the superintendent.
Many of the district’s 22 village schools also served emergency shelter to residents as Typhoon Halong hit, and as relief centers in the days and weeks after the storm as the recovery effort got underway.
An Alaska Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 176th Wing, arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, with approximately 300 evacuated residents from western Alaska, Oct. 15, 2025. (Alaska National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña)
A certified medical assistant holds a syringe for a flu vaccine at a clinic in Seattle, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
AP-Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.
That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu typically begins its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.
The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths — and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.
Some states are particularly hard-hit. New York’s health department said the week ending Dec. 20 marked the most flu cases the state had recorded in a single week since 2004: 71,000.
It’s far too soon to know if this flu season will be as severe as last winter’s.
But it’s not too late to get a flu shot, which health experts say can still prevent severe illness even if someone gets infected. While this year’s vaccine isn’t a perfect match to the subclade K strain, a preliminary analysis from the U.K. found it offered at least partial protection, lowering people’s risk of hospitalization.
According to the CDC, only about 42% of adults and children have gotten a flu vaccination so far this year.
What is subclade K flu?
The flu virus is a shape-shifter, constantly mutating, and it comes in multiple forms. There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, named H3N2. That H3N2 strain is always harsh, especially for older adults.
Subclade K’s mutations aren’t enough of a change to be considered an entirely new kind of flu.
But they’re different enough to evade some of the protection from this year’s vaccine, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Will subclade K make people sicker?
The CDC said it’s too soon to know how severe this season will be.
Flu seasons dominated by any version of H3N2 tend to be bad, with more infections overall and more people becoming seriously ill. But Hopkins’ Pekosz cautioned it will take time to tease apart whether this subclade K version simply spreads more easily or also is more dangerous.
That question aside, the CDC notes there are some prescription medicines to treat flu — usually recommended for people at high risk of complications. But they generally need to be started a day or two after symptoms begin.
Who needs a flu vaccine?
The CDC and major medical societies all recommend a flu vaccine for just about everyone age 6 months and older. Despite lots of recent misinformation and confusion about vaccines, the flu recommendations haven’t changed.
Flu is particularly dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age who have chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and weak immune systems.
The vaccines are brewed to protect against three influenza strains. Despite concern over that new H3N2 variant, they appear to be a good match against H1N1 and Type B flu that may also circulate this year, Pekosz said.
There are shots for all ages, as well as the nasal spray FluMist for ages 2 to 49. For the first time this year, some people may be eligible to vaccinate themselves with FluMist at home.
