A recent transplant to Juneau from Iowa, Tripp J Crouse has more than 13 years of journalism and newspaper experience, and was previously the social media editor for the Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa, from April 2013 to July 2016.
The National Weather Service in Juneau issues a flood advisory for the area around Mendenhall Lake and River in the central channels until 3:45 a.m. Friday.
Mendenhall Lake and River were at 8.5 feet at 3:39 p.m. Flood stage is 9 feet.
A water level of 9.4 feet causes minor flooding for yards along View Drive.
At 9.7 feet, water will flow over West Glacier Spur Road between Skaters Cabin and West Glacier Trailhead.
Human remains awaiting identification and items reportedly belonging to a man reported missing in 2010 have been found near Dredge Lake in the Mendenhall Valley, the Juneau Police Department announced Wednesday.
The remains have not been positively identified. Identification is estimated to take about six months, according to a police news release.
A hiker located the remains at 11 a.m. Aug. 28. Police officers collected the remains, a cellphone and miscellaneous personal items.
The items belonged to Juneau resident Jeffrey “Scott” Walkenford, according to police. Walkenford was reported missing in the Dredge Lake area on May 15, 2010. A family member had contacted him on his cellphone to check on him, but he would not tell the family member where he was located, according to North American Missing Persons Network. That was his last known contact.
Family members found his car at Mendenhall River Community School parking lot before reporting him missing.
Extensive searches at the time failed.
In 2010, a donation account was established at Wells Fargo for Walkenford’s daughters, Kayla Walkenford and Brittany Walkenford, according the Juneau Empire. Funds from donations were expected to cover food, clothing and shelter for the youngest daughter and bills related to Walkenford’s disappearance.
City and Borough of Juneau Utilities crews are repairing a water main break near mile 19 on Glacier Highway.
CJB began work on break at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Customers north of Randall Road may be without water while work continues.
For more information, contact the CBJ Utilities Division at 586-0393.
Pronunciation is everything in radio.
We work very hard to find out how various words and names, particularly Alaskan Native terms, are properly spoken so that we can pronounce them in our radio and web broadcasts.
Rep. Benjamin Nageak is a Democratic member of the Alaska House of Representatives since 2013. We have heard his last name pronounced several different ways.
KTOO and Alaska Public government reporter Andrew Kitchenman asked Nageak to pronounce his name during a taped phone conversation.
Kitchenman wrote in a staff email: “The key is this ‘g’ in Inupiat is a sound that we don’t really make in English — kind of soft ‘g’ in the back of the throat that we don’t make in English.”
“I’ve stuck with ‘Nah-gee-AK’ as a pronouncer, since I’ve heard him say it this way on the House floor, but (nag-ee-yak) is OK too,” Kitchenman said
Foul play does not appear to be a factor in the death of a 39-year-old Juneau resident found near the University of Alaska Southeast campus, according to Juneau police Lt. David Campbell.
Benjamin Parson was found Sunday morning with a facial injury in a parking lot near a trailhead off University Drive, according to a news release from Juneau Police Department.
Parson appeared to have died from a gunshot. A firearm was recovered from close proximity to Parson’s body, the release said.
The Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage will conduct an autopsy. The police investigation is ongoing.
A 23-year-old faces charges after allegedly breaking into Safeway and stealing merchandise.
Kurtis Detemple, 23, was arrested on class C felony charges of second-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief; and also a charge of fourth-degree theft, which is a class B misdemeanor.
At about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, the Juneau Police Department responded to a call from a Safeway nightstocker, who said someone broke into the store and was inside, according to a news release.
Employees hid in the back of the store while awaiting police assistance.
Officers located a smashed window near one of the main entry doors upon arrival. Officers saw a male suspect, later identified as Detemple, walking around the front of the store and then disappear from sight. A few minutes later, he reportedly exited the back of the store carrying some merchandise.
He then was taken into custody.
Police transported Detemple to Lemon Creek Correctional Center.
Detemple was held without bail per the bail schedule.
Damages to the store were in excess of $1,000 and approximately $50 worth of merchandise was stolen.
