Alaska – Amy Condra

Historical play ‘Libby’ makes its Juneau debut

Elizabeth Ware in the title role of “Libby.” (Courtesy of Edgeware Productions)

A story of Libby Beaman, who ventured to the remote Pribilof Islands This story first appeared in The Juneau Empire by Amy Condra In 1879 Libby Beaman boarded the S.S. St. Paul to venture across the Bering Sea toward the Pribilof Islands. Her presence there wouldn’t be by accident; Libby had asked President Rutherford B. Hayes,… Continue reading Historical play ‘Libby’ makes its Juneau debut

‘Writing Eden:’ Featuring poet Emily Wall

University of Alaska Southeast Writing Professor Emily Wall read her poetry at the university’s Wildlife Wednesday series (Courtesy of Emily Wall)

This article first appeared in the Juneau Empire. by Amy Condra Alaska attracts adventurers, people who come for the tall mountains and the deep rivers, who envision themselves discovering something new even as they lose themselves in an ancient wilderness. Among these dreamers from down south are the artists who want to capture the less… Continue reading ‘Writing Eden:’ Featuring poet Emily Wall

Coats of many colors: Woodford to speak on Alaska’s bears

A grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. Grizzly bears are called brown bears in SE Alaska, but are the same animal. (Courtesy of Terry Tollefsbol / USFWS)

This article was originally published in The Juneau Empire. by Amy Condra How do you coax out the crowds on a chilly Friday evening in Juneau? Laurie Craig, an interpreter at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, cites one topic that tends to pack the house: Animals. “I call it ‘charismatic fauna,’” said Craig, who has… Continue reading Coats of many colors: Woodford to speak on Alaska’s bears

Uncover mysteries of region’s bat species

California Myotis bat is one of the five species of bats found in Southeast Alaska. (Courtesy of the National Park Service)

Local biologist hopes to engage community in citizen science This article first appeared in The Juneau Empire by Amy Condra Fruits and flowers ripen into lush, succulent shades, bodies of water, gleaming and still, trees swaying rhythmically across a sultry twilight — such images are the stuff of holiday brochures and postcards. These scenes also depict… Continue reading Uncover mysteries of region’s bat species

Southeast energy challenges lead to interest in biomass

Wood pellets from Sealaska’s boiler supply. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire)

Increasing diesel costs, shortage of hydro storage lead to talk of shift toward biomass to ease southeast Alaska’s energy demand This article was originally published in The Juneau Empire. Article cited in Ecology and Society, Volume 18, Issue 3 by Amy Condra Water is abundant in Southeast — it falls freely from the sky throughout the summer… Continue reading Southeast energy challenges lead to interest in biomass

Reincarnation of Stories: New play, to be performed in Tlingit

Playwright Ishmael Hope (left), director Flordelino Lagundino and composer Edward Littlefield have collaborated on The Reincarnation of Stories, which tells the story of the origin of the killer whale. (Amy Condra)

This article first appeared in The Juneau Empire by Amy Condra When Ishmael Hope’s grandfather died, his family and friends gathered to pay tribute. As they stood to share their stories, they spoke in a language that had, for thousands of years, served Alaska’s Native people: They spoke in Tlingit. “My dad said, ‘Man, when an… Continue reading Reincarnation of Stories: New play, to be performed in Tlingit

Commuting by snowshoe

Gary Gillette and Renee Hughes at the Last Chance Mining Museum where they have lived for twenty years. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire)

How long does Hughes, a New Orleans native, plan to live among these gold rush artifacts, in the restored ruins of a turn-of-the-century mining camp? by Amy Condra This article was originally published in the Juneau Empire. On those Juneau mornings when the snow falls with a denser-than-usual determination, slipping out of the seductive comfort… Continue reading Commuting by snowshoe

Alaska band stokes Appalachia tradition

Photo courtesy of the Great Alaska Bluegrass Band, The Great Alaska Bluegrass Band, with Brooke Munro (left) Scott Burton, Andrew Heist and Jeremy “Junior” Kane, celebrated the release of their new album, Semi-Bluegrass, at The Alaskan Bar in Juneau.

Think hard-driving rhythms, fast-paced improvisations, and high-pitched vocals that wind up and down the melody like an inquisitive strand of kudzu. by Amy Condra This article was originally published in The Juneau Empire There is something brave about bluegrass, about the honesty of a group of musicians who stand up on a stage, before a… Continue reading Alaska band stokes Appalachia tradition

Laurence’s Alaska: The ‘invulnerable’ landscapes of the painter of the North

“Supper on the Mendenhall” by Sydney Laurence

The paintings of Sydney Laurence depict an Alaska where nature is big, and people are small. by Amy Condra This article was originally published in the Juneau Empire. A man carries a bundle of sticks to a fire built on the bank of a river, to a speck of yellow that barely stands out against… Continue reading Laurence’s Alaska: The ‘invulnerable’ landscapes of the painter of the North

Lingering among the brown bears at Pack Creek

A brown bear sow and cub wandering through the Stan Price Wilderness Sanctuary on Admiralty Island, Alaska. (Amy Condra)

With a reputation steeped in lore and a history marked by imperfections, the bruins of Admiralty Island find refuge and harmony. by Amy Condra This article was originally published in the Juneau Empire. A brown bear sow and two cubs find repose on the banks of Pack Creek on Admiralty Island in July. “We manage… Continue reading Lingering among the brown bears at Pack Creek