Southeast

In the basement of Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau sit thousands and thousands of photographs. They were taken by a Lingít elder who has since passed on, but for decades, he documented important events and everyday life. Now, the organization wants help identifying people and places in the photos.

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Ḵaalḵáawu Cyril George Sr.’s family unearthed the photo collection in the wake of his death 11 years ago. His granddaughter, Lillian Woodbury, says she was astounded at the volume of photos he kept in his small Juneau condo.  

“That tiny little room had been harboring all of these memories he captured in photo,” she said. “I mean, every time we thought we’ve got them all, we pulled out another box or another container, and I’m like, ‘oh my god, Mom, it’s another box of photos.’”

To Woodbury, George was “grandpa.” But Ḵaalḵáawu Cyril George Sr. left a mark on thousands of people in Southeast Alaska. He was a Lingít leader from Angoon who lived to be 92 years old. Videos of his speeches are used for Lingít language classes, and a collection at the University of Alaska Southeast library is named after him.

A family friend suggested to his family that they donate George’s photographs to Sealaska Heritage Institute, to preserve and store them. For the last few years, archivists like Emily Galgano have been combing through them. 

“There’s so much just joy in these photos,” she said. It’s one of my favorite things, looking through them and seeing people just having a good time, people dancing, people talking to each other, cooking out on the beach.”

Photos of everyday life

Some of the photos are now online, and printed in books that are available in Juneau and Angoon for elders to look through. 

SHI hopes people will recognize some of the faces.

“The first thing is, we tried to find photos where you could see people’s faces clearly, because the point of the book is really to try to get some identifications,” Galgano said.

There are 20,000 photos in the full collection. A lot of them are pet photos and landscapes. But of the 1,600 SHI has made available, most are of people: dancers in full regalia, fishing trips with strung up halibut, graduations and meetings. 

The photos are full of life — basketball games and Fourth of July parades. They show Lingít people living, working, teaching and making art. They show elders, and babies, and elders with babies. And those babies may be elders now themselves.

Lingít photographer Brian Wallace helped SHI scan the photos. He knew George growing up, and looking through the photos, he was surprised by how many there are of everyday life. 

“They seem mundane at the time,” he said. “But looking back into the whole scope of things, it’s just an amazing body of work.”

Wallace said the photos of ku.eex and early Celebrations stand out to him — that they show how Southeast Alaska Native cultures have endured. 

“They’re thriving when he took the photos, and still thriving,” he said.

Cyril George Sr.’s legacy

Some of the photos were deeply personal for Wallace. 

“And then I loved finding the photographs that he had of my parents,” Wallace said. “And to see some of those photos, and then also lots of photos of my aunts. My aunties cooking dinner or singing songs or just in the background of photos. It was always fun to see those.”

Woodbury, George’s granddaughter, said it was hard to part with the collection. The memory of his loss is still fresh, more than a decade later. 

“But we also didn’t want a lifetime of him making sure he carried that camera around to be lost,” she said.

She hopes that others, like Wallace, will look through the collection and find photos of loved ones who have passed on.

“I think if people walk away seeing these photos and they feel like he gave them that one moment in time back, that makes me happy,” Woodbury said. “And that will be a small part, a small part of this legacy.”

Another part of his legacy is Woodbury herself – she’s a photographer, too.

“I think I was 16, the first time he gifted me a camera. And that was all it took,” she said. “That was all it took.”

If you recognize any of the people, places or objects in the photos, you can contact SHI’s Archives and Collections Department at SHIArchives@sealaska.com. 

Here are more images from the Cyril George Photo Collection. You can expand by clicking on any slide. 

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The largest timber companies operating in Southeast Alaska want the Tongass National Forest to sell them more old-growth timber, and they’re suing the federal government to get it. The Department of Justice asked the court to throw the case out in May.

The Alaska Forest Association along with two of their members, Viking Lumber and Alcan Timber, filed the lawsuit in March, alleging that the U.S. Department of Agriculture failed to fulfill a promise to supply the companies with enough timber to meet market demand. But the government filed a motion to dismiss the case, writing that it didn’t make such a promise.

The case comes after President Trump issued two executive orders aimed at expanding logging in the Tongass this March, and follows decades of legal disputes over Tongass timber. 

Frank Garrison is an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation representing the timber industry. He said the industry has faced a 30-year decline, and that Viking and Alcan are struggling. 

“They’re on the brink of collapse,” he said. 

He said the companies rely almost completely on old-growth timber offered by the Tongass National Forest.

The government argues in the motion that it is only required to “seek to” provide enough timber to meet market demand while balancing other forest uses and ensuring their sustainability — as written in the 1990 Tongass Timber Reform Act. The law eliminated an old requirement for the Tongass to supply 4.5 billion board feet of timber per decade. The DOJ argues that the agency is not legally required to provide a specific amount of timber to companies.

The DOJ also writes in the motion that the timber sale objectives in the 2016 Tongass National Forest Management Plan are aspirational goals, not binding commitments that can be challenged in court. Furthermore, the government asserts that plaintiffs don’t point to a specific agency action or rule that has been violated. 

But Garrison said that the management plan gave timber companies an expectation that they would have roughly 15 years to transition their businesses from old-growth to new growth trees, and provided estimated amounts of old-growth timber that they could expect to buy. 

“The timber industry, including our clients, relied on the management plan when they were figuring out how they were going to run their business for the next decade,” Garrison said.

When the Forest Service announced the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy in 2021, which proposed to end old-growth logging, Garrison said the agency abandoned its commitment to a slow transition.

The Forest Service has not met its annual target for timber sales in Alaska since 2014, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report published last year. Demand for forest products from the Tongass between 2015 and 2030 is estimated to range from roughly 41 to 76 million board feet per year, according to a Forest Service study published in 2016, the most recent market analysis. Between 2020 and 2023, the Forest Service offered sales for a total of 14 million board feet.

Garrison said he hopes that two recent Supreme Court decisions will tip the lawsuit in the industry’s favor. The first is DHS v. Regents, a 2019 case that set a precedent that federal agencies must consider whether those benefiting from a policy rely significantly on its continuation before upending it.

The second case is Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overruled a legal doctrine called Chevron deference last year. The doctrine directed courts to defer to federal agency interpretations of ambiguous laws. Now, the courts must use their independent judgment to interpret laws that agencies administer. It’s unclear whether these new precedents on agency discretion will factor into this case.

Nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice is representing a group that seeks to intervene in the case. It includes the Organized Village of Kasaan, the Organized Village of Kake, a boat tour company called The Boat Company, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, and The Wilderness Society.

Earthjustice Attorney Kate Glover agrees with the DOJ that the case should be thrown out because the industry hasn’t challenged a specific agency action. She said that timber companies are looking for a wholesale policy change.

“The timber industry plaintiffs are asking the court essentially to order the region to take a step backwards — to go back to a long-gone era of large timber sales, large clear cuts, where we make that the priority for the use of old-growth forests,” Glover said.

Joel Jackson is president of the Organized Village of Kake, a tribe based on Kupreanof Island. He said the forest’s health is vital to support an abundance of salmon, deer and moose. Since heavy logging moved out, he said the tribe’s food security has improved. Jackson does not want to see old-growth logging scale back up. Instead, he wants the old-growth to be preserved for future generations to experience it as he has. 

“It’s like walking into one of the most beautiful cathedrals you could ever walk into anywhere in the world,” Jackson said of the forest.

The tourism industry brings significantly more money into Southeast Alaska than the timber industry. Jackson said the two are at odds because visitors come to see one of the last protected temperate rainforests in the world, not clear-cut logging in the mountains. 

Maggie Rabb is the Executive Director of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, one of the environmental groups trying to intervene in the case. She said that the timber industry’s demands are out of line with what most Southeast Alaskans want for the Tongass.

“They want nuanced, science-based, responsive management. And that does not look like one logging company telling the Forest Service how much they need, and letting that drive decisions about how we manage our forests,” Rabb said.

The Tongass National Forest is undergoing a revision to its management plan, which will update timber sale objectives. The new plan is expected to be completed in 2028. 

The USDA, DOJ and Forest Service declined to comment. The timber industry must file a response to the DOJ’s motion to dismiss the case by June 24. 

Clarification: This story has been updated to include the name of the boat tour company seeking to intervene in the case. 

This weekend, the U.S. National Guard will begin conducting emergency preparation drills throughout Juneau. 

The exercise is called Operation ORCA. Capt. Kyle Rehberg with the National Guard said it’s meant to prepare Alaska cities to respond to emergencies of national significance. Those may involve weapons of mass destruction, like chemical, biological, or explosive threats. 

“It’s one of those things in which we hope we never have to respond in full force with this exercise like we’re doing. But we can’t think that it’s not going to happen,” he said. “We prepare for the worst possible day in Alaska.”

The training is held every other year in different parts of Alaska. This year, the exercise is in Juneau and will take place this Sunday through next Thursday.

Rehberg said that means some streets will be closed downtown near the Alaska State Capitol. There will also be activity near the downtown cruise ship docks and the airport. He said the National Guard will put up signs to warn people who might be in those areas.

Rehberg said residents can expect to see specialized vehicles and equipment, people in hazmat suits and increased military aircraft operations. Residents may hear sirens. It’s only a drill, but he said it’s extremely important that Juneau is prepared if an emergency like this occurs. 

“We just want to make sure we’re constantly staying on our toes and that we are ready to deploy anywhere in the state, whether it’s Southeast or the Interior,” he said. 

The National Guard will coordinate with local, state, tribal and federal agencies for the exercise.

Residents can find more information about the closures and potential impacts of the training by looking at the social media accounts of participating agencies, like the Juneau Police Department or the local U.S. Coast Guard sector.

The City of Hoonah and the non-profit arm of the local Alaska Native corporation, Huna Heritage Foundation, unveiled a brand new, 21-foot totem pole during a ceremony at the Hoonah Harbor on Friday. 

The totem pole, called a Kootéeyaa in Lingít, was designed and raised to honor the community’s rich fishing history and traditions. It’s called the Fisherman’s Honor Totem Pole. Carved into the yellow cedar log are depictions of different fishing methods locals use, like gillnetting and seining. 

“This is what you’re looking at — the Hoonah fishing people,” said Master Artist Gordon Greenwald. “All of us in the past, all of us in the future, and all of us now.”

A crowd of more than 100 people gathered for the ceremony. Many were Hoonah residents and a catamaran brought dozens of people from Juneau for the ceremony. 

Greenwald led the team of carvers who designed and created the Kootéeyaa, which took five months to complete. The ceremony included traditional songs and dances as the tarp was pulled away from the pole to unveil it to the community. 

Fishing is deeply intertwined with the economy and identity of Hoonah. During the 1950s and 1960s, Hoonah became known as the home of the “Million Dollar Fleet.” That’s because of the local fishermen’s highly lucrative skills and success on the water. 

Hoonah’s Vice Mayor Amelia Wilson thanked the crowd for celebrating the Kootéeyaa and the meaning behind it. 

“To see so many of our fishermen and fisherwomen here really just makes me so proud to be honoring all of you and that legacy that we have of thousands and thousands of years of amazing fishermen,” she said.

David Sheakley, a speaker at the event, said the pole honors the fishermen who are alive today and recognizes those who have passed away. His speech referenced the rain, which pattered down on the tents above the crowd. Many people present were active or retired fishermen. 

“It’s as if this Kootéeyaa is here to help turn those tears of sorrow into tears of joy,” he said. “To continue on the fishing that is so important within the community, to continue that on into the future.”

Hoonah’s Police Chief submitted his resignation after less than two years in the role. Then, the city fired him. He says it was retaliation.

The City of Hoonah’s chief of police, Carlos Frias, submitted his resignation on Friday after he was placed on administrative leave. On Monday, he was informed that the city had declined it and terminated his employment.

Frias said he was placed on leave because of an excessive use of force complaint. He argues the investigation was one-sided and aimed at removing him. 

He alleges he was pushed out of his role because he began investigating complaints of misconduct against some city leaders. City leaders deny the allegations and say he was fired for a series of violations, including excessive use of force.

In an interview Friday, Frias said he did not want to leave the role — but he said city officials told him he could resign or be fired.

“A lot of it was just constant retaliation from the city, but the biggest thing was that they were already planning on firing me anyway,” he said. 

Frias began his tenure as chief in the fall of 2023. He and his family moved to Hoonah from Tucson, Arizona, where he also worked in law enforcement. Hoonah is a small fishing community on the northeastern side of Chichagof Island, west of Juneau. 

Frias said he was investigating alleged domestic violence and sexual assault complaints made against some city leaders, along with other misconduct.

“As I was gathering more information on stuff that was going on within the city, and I went to question the city, that’s when everything just kind of went south,”  he said. “I was told, ‘Hey, you’re not supposed to investigate that.’”

Hoonah’s City Attorney Jim Sheehan denied the allegations.

“If he’s alleging that his termination was a result of retaliation by the city or any official employer at the city, that’s a false statement,” he said in an interview Monday. 

Sheehan confirmed that Frias was placed on administrative leave on May 13 before he submitted his resignation, but declined to give a reason why on Monday afternoon. Later that day, city officials informed Frias he was fired for misconduct.

Frias said he worries about the public’s safety and residents’ ability to report concerns or problems without fear of retaliation. 

“I did my homework here, I put in the work so that people can actually trust me here,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that I have to leave, because certain circumstances are getting me out of here.”

The interim chief is Benjamin Botts, formerly with the Ketchikan Police Department. Sheehan said the city hasn’t begun searching for a new permanent replacement for the chief, but he expects to see that happen in the coming days. 

Frias can choose to appeal the decision to terminate him. He said he plans to leave Hoonah as soon as he can. 

The U.S. portion of a historic, 33-mile hiking trail between Skagway and British Columbia has been off limits to backcountry explorers since 2020.

But that’s about to change, with one key caveat.

The National Park Service said Wednesday that the U.S. segment of the Chilkoot Trail will open for the first time in years, starting in June.

About half the trail is on the U.S. side of the border. Much of that has seen long closures due to the pandemic and flood damage.

The National Park Service eventually opened up the first several miles of the U.S. trail after preliminary repairs. But the rest has remained closed until now.

“We are excited to reopen the Chilkoot National Historic Trail for the season here on June 1, 2025 after a long hiatus,” Angela Wetz, superintendent of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, said in an interview.

That means hikers will be able to hike to the Canadian border from Dyea, a gold rush ghost town near Skagway.

Will hikers be allowed to cross the border?

Less certain is whether they’ll be able to cross the border and continue on to Lake Bennett, in British Columbia. Wetz said the Canadian Border Services Agency is currently reviewing a proposal by the National Park Service and Parks Canada and will decide if visitors will be able to enter the country on the trail.

The U.S., for its part, has already made up its mind.

“U.S. Customs and Border Patrol will not allow hikers to enter the US on the trail this year, as it’s not a designated port of entry,” Wetz said.

Previously, hikers were able to walk the entire length of the trail in either direction. But Canada’s decision will affect the most hikers — Wetz said the vast majority start in the U.S. and end in Canada.

The trail, which was recently designated a National Historic Trail, carries significant meaning in the region. For millennia, it served as a trade route for the Tlingit people, between the Inside Passage and the headwaters of the Yukon River.

In the 1880’s, several expeditions used the trail, and it later became a major transportation route to the Yukon goldfields. Eventually the trail was replaced by the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.

“It’s called, sometimes, the world’s longest museum,” Wetz said. “There’s all sorts of artifacts that you can see and signs from the past, of the uses on that trail.”